Thenight-watchman，AlfredSwanson，tookcareofthiscuriousplant，whichconsistedofabatteryofpetroleumlampsthatwereforcedtoburntothesootingpoint。DuringhisroundsinthenightSwansonwouldfindtimetocollectfromthechimneysthesootthatthelampsgave。Itwasthenweighedoutintoverysmallportions，whichwerepressedintocakesorbuttonsbymeansofahand-press。Theselittlecakesweredelicatelypackedawaybetweenlayersofcottoninsmall，lightboxesandshippedtoBergmanninNewYork，bywhomthetelephonetransmitterswerebeingmade。AlittlelatertheEdisonelectricrailwaywasbuiltontheconfinesofthepropertyoutthroughthewoods，atfirstonlyathirdofamileinlength，butreachingultimatelytoPumptown，almostthreemilesaway。
Mr。Edison\'sownwordsmaybequotedastothemenwithwhomhesurroundedhimselfhereanduponwhoseserviceshedependedprincipallyforhelpintheaccomplishmentofhisaims。InanautobiographicalarticleintheElectricalWorldofMarch5，1904，hesays：“ItisinterestingtonotethatinadditiontothosementionedaboveCharlesBatchelorandFrankUpton，Ihadaroundmeothermenwhoeversincehaveremainedactiveinthefield，suchasMessrs。FrancisJehl，WilliamJ。Hammer，MartinForce，LudwigK。Boehm，notforgettingthatgoodfriendandco-worker，thelateJohnKruesi。Theyfoundplentytodointhevariousdevelopmentsoftheart，andasInowlookbackIsometimeswonderhowwedidsomuchinsoshortatime。“Mr。Jehlinhisreminiscencesaddsanothernametotheabove——namely，thatofJohnW。Lawson，andthengoesontosay：“Thesearethenamesofthepioneersofincandescentlighting，whowerecontinuouslyatthesideofEdisondayandnightforsomeyears，andwho，underhisguidance，workeduponthecarbon-filamentlampfromitsbirthtoripematurity。Thesemenallhadcompletefaithinhisabilityandstoodbyhimasonarock，guardingtheirworkwiththesecretivenessofaburglar-proofsafe。WheneveritleakedoutintheworldthatEdisonwassucceedinginhisworkontheelectriclight，spiesandotherscametothePark；
soitwasoftheutmostimportancethattheexperimentsandtheirresultsshouldbekeptasecretuntilEdisonhadsecuredtheprotectionofthePatentOffice。“WiththisstaffwasassociatedfromthefirstMr。E。H。Johnson，whoseworkwithMr。Edisonlaychiefly，however，outsidethelaboratory，takinghimtoallpartsofthecountryandtoEurope。TherewerealsotoberegardedasdetachedmembersofittheBergmannbrothers，manufacturingforMr。EdisoninNewYork，andincessantlyexperimentingforhim。
InadditiontheremustbeincludedMr。SamuelInsull，whoseactivitiesformanyyearsasprivatesecretaryandfinancialmanagerweredevotedsolelytoMr。
Edison\'sinterests，withMenloParkasacentreandmainsourceofanxietyastopay-rollsandotherconstantlyrecurringobligations。Thenamesofyetotherassociatesoccurfromtimetotimeinthisnarrative——“Edisonmen“whohavebeenveryproudoftheircloserelationshiptotheinventorandhisworkatoldMenlo。“TherewasalsoMr。CharlesL。