The Colorado Springs power company sued Tesla for electricity used at that experimental station. Tesla's Colorado laboratory is torn down and is sold for lumber to pay the $180 judgment; his electrical equipment is put in storage.
"The New York Sun" reported the strange goings-on at Tesla's transmitter. It stated, "all sorts of lightning were flashed from the tall tower and poles," and "the air was filled with blinding streaks of electricity which seemed to shoot off into the darkness on some mysterious errand."
In his "My Inventions" autobiography Tesla states, "When in 1900 I obtained powerful discharges of 100 feet (in the Colorado Springs laboratory) and flashed a current around the globe, I was reminded of the first tiny spark I observed in my Grand St. laboratory and was thrilled by sensations akin to those I felt when I discovered the rotating magnetic field."
In 1896, Tesla was issued a patent for a corona discharge ozone generator using charged metal plates to act on ambient air. He formed the Tesla Ozone Company and went into production of these units. His customers were naturopaths and allopaths who welcomed this powerful therapy into their practices. Breathing of ozone bubbled through olive oil and other oils was widely practiced at this time, and the Sears catalog of 1904 offered a unit for this purpose using eucalyptus, pine and spearmint oils. Tesla produced a gel made by bubbling ozone through olive oil until it solidified, and sold it to doctors.
Tesla signs over 51 percent interest in his patents and inventions, including future ones, relating to both electric lighting and wireless telegraphy or telephony for a mere $150,000.00.
Tesla rival, Guglielmo Marconi, succeeds in sending the first radio transmission across the Atlantic Ocean. The Morse code signal for the letter "s" traveled more than 2,000 miles from Poldhu in Cornwall, England, to Newfoundland, Canada.
Construction finally begins for Tesla's most ambitious project, The World-Wide Wireless System known as Wardenclyffe Tower.A roadside view of the Wardenclyffe tower and lab.
May 13th, 1899: Tesla Lectures In Chicago
On the way to Colorado Springs, Colorado, Tesla first stops in Chicago, Illinois for his "Teleautomatics" address/demonstration before a meeting of the Commercial Club. Colorado Springs experimental station with Union Printers Home in the background.
May 17th, 1899: Tesla Arrives In Colorado
Tesla arrives in Colorado Springs to continue high-voltage/high-frequency experiments that had become too large for his New York lab. He stayed at the Alta Vista Hotel in room 207.Room 207 of the Alta Vista Hotel where Tesla stayed.
June 15th, 1899: Experiments Begin In Colorado
The first experiments in Colorado Springs Experimental Station were performed. Tesla records his initial spark length at five inches long, but very thick and noisy.The Alta Vista Hotel letterhead from the time when Tesla stayed there.
July 3rd, 1899: Terrestrial Stationary Waves
Tesla claimed discovery of a new geo-electrical phenomenon, which he said would allow for the transport of electricity around the world. Terrestrial stationary waves were first observed by Tesla and formed the basis for his wireless energy transfer plans and wireless communications.Colorado Springs, Colorado with Pikes Peak in the background.
1899: Tesla Moves To Waldorf-Astoria
Upon receiving a $100,000.00 investment from John Jacob Astor, Tesla promptly moved into the Waldorf-Astoria, which Astor owned. It was, at the time, the world's tallest building and is described as "extolling the essence of exclusiveness, cordiality, pomposity, and elegant grandiosity to the masses."Discharge from the top of "extra coil," produced by a single closure of the circuit of very short duration.
1899: Tesla Listens To The Stars
Working late one night on his powerful and sensitive radio receiver, Tesla observed strange rhythmic pulses on the receiver. He concluded that there was no possible explanation other than some effort was being made to communicate with Earth by creatures from another planet. Tesla reveals the discovery and is highly criticized.View of interior, chiefly showing condensers, break motor and regulating coil in primary of oscillator. Westinghouse high tension transformer, supply transformers and arresters in background.
View of the laboratory from the Pike's Peak side.
Interior of Colorado Springs Laboratory.
Colorado Springs, Colorado from around the time Tesla was there.
Waldorf-Astoria letterhead from the time when Tesla resided there.
The world famous Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York from around the time Tesla stayed there.
Probably the most famous photograph of Tesla, a double exposure with him seated below massive streamers.