Edison as I know him, by Henry Ford, in collaboration with Samuel Crowther.

EDISON As I KNOW HIM

all that he does is a means to an end and he considers only his destination as of importance. The
journey is merely something that has to be made.
He stands alone among inventors in having
organizing as well as creative ability. He built up
around him a group of men whom he could trust
and who knew how to carry out his orders. This
organization did not come all at once. In common
with all inventors, Mr. Edison in his first patented device concentrated on something which he
thought was needed, but which, in fact, was of
no use to anyone.
In 1868, he took out a patent for an arrangement that would quickly and accurately record
the vote of a legislative body. He had the impression that Congress in particular needed his
invention so that the time taken in voting might
be used for more valuable purposes. He still
laughs about the reception which this, his first
child, received in Washington:
"It was exhibited before a committee that had
something to do with the Capitol. The chairman
of the committee, after seeing how quickly and
perfectly it worked, said: 'Young man, if there