Submitted by Dinah Lundell
Nikola Tesla’s successes in discovering new technologies did not go unnoticed by many industrial capitalists and world governments. In fact many of Tesla’s inventions were developed through secret government programs which began soon after his discoveries in alternating current (AC), electromagnetic energy, electric motors, generators, coils, radio transmission, energy-saving devices, wireless transmission technologies.
Since Tesla was often buried deep in research at remote labs, many of his financial and legal affairs were supervised by his closest associate, George H. Scherff, Sr. Scherff often advised Tesla about pending patent litigation, contract, proposals, demonstrations, and financial affairs. As any trusted associate would, Scherff stood beside Tesla through all the ups and downs of his financial nightmares, sometimes arranging for extended credit at the Waldorf-Astoria, where Tesla often resided, or by obtaining a cash advance toward research he had been contracted to perform. Near the end of his career, Tesla was evicted from the Waldorf for an outstanding bill which exceeded $20,000 — a rather large sum in those days.
As Tesla worked on secret U.S. government projects at Colorado Springs, Colorado, Scherff communicated to Tesla the status of his business affairs. Tesla was hopeful of eventual financial success, though Scherff repeatedly delivered news of dwindling funds. Tesla had begun construction of a wireless power transmission tower, ”Wardenclyffe”, Shoreham, Long Island, with funds invested by J.P. Morgan. When Morgan discovered that the tower would transmit free electricity and radio waves, he cancelled the project, dismantled the tower and sold the scrap! Morgan was not about to allow Americans to receive free electricity, television and radio. Tesla was devastated when he received the news, but continued on with his new inventions. This was in 1906.
Some 12 years later correspondence
between Tesla and Scherff is interesting. Tesla’s response was addressed to George Scherff, Esq., Union Sulphur Co., 17 Battery Place, New York, NY. This is not the address of Nikola Tesla Co. It is the Whitehall Building owned by Frank Rockefeller, who with his brothers William and John D., also owned many companies with offices located there – International Longshoremen’s Association, oil, mining and chemical companies. Though Union Sulphur Co. was run by its president, Herman Frasch, a German chemist who tautened extraction methods of sulphur and petroleum, Frasch also worked for John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Co. developing similar extraction methods.
It is unclear if Tesla was aware of Scherff’s connection with the Rockefeller family and other big names. Frank Rockefeller was an investor in Buckeye Steel Castings which manufactured automatic couplers and chassis of railroad cars owned by the Harrimans, the Rockefellers and J.P. Morgan. Samuel P. Bush was promoted from general manager to president of the company after producing gigantic profits. Subsequently, Samuel P. Bush’s position as Director of the War Industries Board afforded him opportunity to create contracts with Remington Arms during the war, courtesy of Percy Rockefeller.
Oh, what a tangled web!! Next – the continuing saga of the Bush family.
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