Edison. He
continued play important part Edison’s experimental activities.
John Ott suffered crippling bout paralysis his lower body 1895, the
result earlier accident. 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. After the paralysis was brought the West Orange laboratory a
wheel chair. describing the second floor,
Fessenden wrote "The next room was where Edison did most his work, and
where Fred Ott had his precision lathe."236
"Deposition TAE," Thomas Edison American Mutoscope Company and Benjamin Keith, p.239
Fred Ott. Fred Ott was John’s brother and one Edison’s close friends.
240 Fessenden, "The Inventions Reginald Fessenden," Radio News (August 1925) 157.237 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.
238 Frank Dyer [?] Weber, December 15, 1909 (in 1909, Phonograph-General). 1913 was placed in
charge all work carried the laboratory directly under Mr."240 Ott was humorously called the
"mechanician chief* the laboratory and remained close associate Edison
72
. 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. "Unknown Soldiers Edison’s Service,” The Daily Courier, October 21, 1929.changing saw take shape.
239 Edison Pioneers Records, Box 25.
237 The accident was said have occurred Sigmund Bergmann’s shop New York City."233
Charles Luhr. 1909,
John Ott’s assignments included designing graphiting machine and making
drawings copper-plating apparatus and "good recording machine. Luhr joined the Edison enterprise 1889 and worked the
Phonograph Works. Luhr
held this post until 1917 when was made manager the Edison Phonograph
Works.
119. was the process altering an
experimental model was being assembled that the germ invention
sometimes emerged. 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
