John Ott suffered crippling bout paralysis his lower body 1895, the
result earlier accident.
239 Edison Pioneers Records, Box 25. Luhr
held this post until 1917 when was made manager the Edison Phonograph
Works."240 Ott was humorously called the
"mechanician chief* the laboratory and remained close associate Edison
72
.changing saw take shape.
237 The accident was said have occurred Sigmund Bergmann’s shop New York City. Fred Ott was John’s brother and one Edison’s close friends. "Unknown Soldiers Edison’s Service,” The Daily Courier, October 21, 1929.239
Fred Ott. Several
vertebrae his back were damaged. the inventor’s own words: "Well, sometimes would get an
idea and would jot down the book; sometimes would get the idea while the
machine was being made, and would change and then jot down the
book. Edison."233
Charles Luhr. Luhr joined the Edison enterprise 1889 and worked the
Phonograph Works. 1903, became foreman for the Edison Manufacturing
Company and 1911 moved the laboratory where was given charge of
experimental and precision work the second floor.
240 Fessenden, "The Inventions Reginald Fessenden," Radio News (August 1925) 157.
238 Frank Dyer [?] Weber, December 15, 1909 (in 1909, Phonograph-General). was
one Edison’s most trusted machinists and his precision lathe would not too
far from the "old man," perhaps his own room adjacent Edison’s, (as
Fessenden remembered) Edison’s room.237 unlikely that carried out supervisory
duties after this point although did remain his room next the machine
shop and retained the title superintendent the machine shop until 1910. He
continued play important part Edison’s experimental activities. After the paralysis was brought the West Orange laboratory a
wheel chair. was the process altering an
experimental model was being assembled that the germ invention
sometimes emerged. 1913 was placed in
charge all work carried the laboratory directly under Mr."236
"Deposition TAE," Thomas Edison American Mutoscope Company and Benjamin Keith, p.
119. describing the second floor,
Fessenden wrote "The next room was where Edison did most his work, and
where Fred Ott had his precision lathe. 1909,
John Ott’s assignments included designing graphiting machine and making
drawings copper-plating apparatus and "good recording machine
