In the late 1880s, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla were embroiled in a battle now known as the War of the Currents. Direct Current vs Alternating Current. (AC vs DC) Tesla was chosen to light the World's Fair of 1993. Edison got so jealous, he lied —saying that AC was dangerous. Edison even publicly electrocuted stray animals and even an elephant with Tesla's AC to prove his point.
The Chicago World’s Fair took place in 1893. General Electric bid to electrify the fair using Edison’s DC for $554k, but lost to Westinghouse, who said he could power the fair for only $399k using Tesla’s AC (which is still in use today.)
1893, Niagara Falls Power Co. awarded Westinghouse, who licensed Tesla’s AC induction motor patent —the contract to generate power from Niagara Falls. Although some doubted that the Falls could power all of Buffalo, New York, Tesla was convinced it could power not only Buffalo, but all of the entire Eastern USA.
On Nov. 16, 1896, to the dismay of THOMAS EDISON, Buffalo was lit up by the AC system using Niagara Falls. By this time General Electric had decided to jump on the AC train, too.
I personally see Edison as a small man, character-wise, a rank opportunist who stole the work of others. And I wanted the world to know and understand the truth. —Vince Vance
