, ▁until ▁February , ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁an ▁employee ▁of ▁the ▁Ed ison ▁Electric ▁Ill umin ating ▁Company ▁of ▁New ▁York , ▁which ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Ed ison ▁Company . ▁ ▁At ▁Ed ison , ▁Williams ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁duty ▁as ▁assistant ▁in ▁the ▁chemical ▁meter ▁department . ▁From ▁this ▁period ▁his ▁adv ancement ▁was ▁rapid , ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁speed y ▁grasp ▁of ▁conditions ▁and ▁the ▁energy ▁he ▁displayed . ▁He ▁was ▁made ▁super int endent ▁of ▁interior ▁construction ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 , ▁and ▁was ▁electric ian ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁until ▁ 1 8 8 8 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁super int endent ▁of ▁the ▁under ground ▁department , ▁general ▁inspect or ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁and ▁general ▁agent ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁ ▁Later ▁career , ▁connections , ▁and ▁hon ours ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Ed ison ▁Company , ▁Williams ▁was ▁made ▁the ▁general ▁commercial ▁manager . ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁Williams ▁was ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Ed ison ▁Company . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War , ▁Williams ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁Vol unte er ▁Forces ▁which ▁m ined ▁New ▁York ▁har bor . ▁This ▁work ▁was ▁done ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁the ▁regular ▁army , ▁and ▁he ▁commanded ▁a ▁volunte er ▁elect rical ▁force ▁organized ▁from ▁members ▁of ▁local ▁elect