Inventing Madness

The 1893 World's Columbian Exposition

"The 1893 World's Columbian Exposition devoted a building solely for electrical exhibits and called it the Electricity Building. In its theatorium visitors in Chicago were able to listen to an orchestra playing at that very moment in New York. Some of the inventions that I had patented and that were on display in the Electricity Building seemed to be quite popular with the public. Visitors could watch moving pictures in my kinetoscope. I also displayed my metal cylinder that could store voices. 'A man in Europe talks to his wife in America by boxing up a cylinder full of conversation and sending it by express,' the Rand, McNally guidebook said.

"A poster next to the exhibit of my phonograph featured a handsome young man with the words 'A lover talks by the hour into a cylinder, and his sweetheart hears as though the thousand leagues were but a yard.' My electric chair, the first-ever built, was also on display in the building.

"I entered the grounds of World's Columbian Exposition the first day it was open to the public and walked directly toward the building devoted to electrical exhibits. One very large room had been built specifically for Tesla. His equipment was set up in the middle of the room, and seating was provided all around the room for the public to view the demonstrations. Two hard-rubber plates covered with tin foil were suspended within the room. The plates were about fifteen feet apart and served as terminals for the wires leading from the transformers. When the current was turned on, the lamps or tubes, which had no wires connected to them, were made luminous.

"Tesla demonstrated the principles and safety of alternating current. He would amaze the crowd by allowing hundreds of volts of electricity to run from one finger across his body and out his index finger on his opposite side. The hundreds of onlookers gasped as electricity arced around the stage from brass post to brass post as though Tesla was God himself with some superior power over lightning and nature. I could see that Tesla's demonstration produced much wonder and astonishment from the crowds.

"I had come to Chicago with the intent of killing Tesla, but, after I saw his amazing demonstration, the thought occurred to me that perhaps we could actually work together. For the first time I realized that Tesla was the only man in the world who could help me accomplish my lifelong goal. I knew I had to convince him to work with me.

"Tesla had a reputation for poorly managing his finances. Whenever he acquired any money, he would proceed to invest it on some type of invention or new patent, and then he would be penniless once again.

"After Tesla's demonstration, I approached him.

"'Nikola, do you think there is somewhere you and I could speak in private?' I asked.

"Tesla, always very suspicious of me, hesitated for a moment then said, 'Sure, come with me.' We walked into a small room that was inside the same building. Tesla shut the door.

"'Your demonstration today was very impressive,' I said. 'I know the crowds really enjoyed the show. I realize you and I haven't always gotten along, but I would like to propose something to you today.'

"He remained expressionless. Then he began to speak. 'Thomas,' Tesla said, 'thank you for coming today. I appreciate your kind words. But as far as a proposal from you, why would you ever think I would trust you? Don't you remember you still owe me fifty thousand dollars?'

"I replied, 'Nikola, I have an idea for a new device that will change the world. I will give you your fifty thousand dollars in cash tomorrow to prove to you that I am sincere. Then, over the next few years, I will fund and purchase a laboratory for you. I will spend a total of five hundred thousand dollars for the building and for your equipment.'

"I went on to explain, when he was in his new laboratory, he would have room for his high-voltage, high-frequency experiments.

"'Most important of all,' I said, 'we will register as coinventors on the patent for my device, because I am unable to perfect it without you.'

"Tesla put his hand on his chin as if he was considering the proposal.

"'If you agree to these terms,' I said, 'I will have my lawyer draw up the papers tomorrow.'

"'I will agree,' he said, 'but the contract must state that I will have my fifty thousand dollars in cash by the end of the week and that I will be in my new well-equipped laboratory no later than July 1899. If not, the contract will be broken.'

"'That sounds fine,' I replied.

"We shook hands. I started walking out to leave and then I quickly turned back around toward Tesla.

"'Oh, Nikola,' I said, 'I have one more request. You know how I like being a showman and how I like to see my name in the press?'

"Tesla looked down at the ground, shook his head and said, 'I think we are just about to end our partnership.'

"I quickly replied, 'No, no. It's nothing serious. I just don't want to let the press know that we have decided to work together. The newspaper articles are so much more fun to read when the press and the public believe we are bitter enemies.'

"'Then enemies it is!' he said. 'You had better get out of here by the back door so people won't see us together. I'll show you where it is.'

"The fifty thousand dollars in cash was in Tesla's hands the next day.

"On June 15, 1899, Tesla performed his first experiments in his new Colorado Springs laboratory."