Growing up in Smiljan, Croatia, Nikola Tesla dreamed about harnessing
the power of Niagara Falls. In 1884, he walked down the gangplank into
the New York Harbor with four cents in his pocket, a book of poems, a
drawing of a flying machine, and a letter of introduction to Thomas
Edison, the electrical wizard of America. Upon meeting, Edison sent
Tesla to fix the SS Oregon as a test and was so astounded that he
offered Tesla a job at his factory.
Tesla and Edison had different views about electricity; Tesla wanted to
develop an alternate current while Edison wanted to stick to the
direct current system. Edison offered Tesla a large sum to make his
direct current system more efficient, but when the work was done, Edison
refused to pay. Tesla quit and when things were looking bleak, he met
George Westinghouse, who also thought that alternating current was the
way to light up America. He gave Tesla a job and in 1896, Tesla and
Westinghouse built a generator at Niagara Falls that was able to send
power as far as Buffalo, New York.