A SELECTIVE MICROFILM EDITION PARTY (1911-1919)
Thomas E. Jeffrey Senior Editor
Brian C. Shipley Theresa M. Collins Linda E. Endersby Editors
David A. Ranzan Indexing Editor
Janette Pardo Richard Mizelle Peter Mikulas
Paul B. Israel
Director and General Editor
Sponsors
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey National Park Service, Edison National Historic Site New Jersey Historical Commission
A UPA Collection from
LexisNexis-
Thomas A. Edison Papers
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey endorsed by
National Historical Publications and Records Commission 18 June 1981
Copyright ©2007 by Rutgers, The State University
All rights reserved. No part of this publication including any portion of the guide and index or of the microfilm may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted m any form by any means— graphic, electronic, mechanical, or chemical, including photocopying, recording or taping, or information storage and retrieval systems— without written permission of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
The original documents in this edition are from the archives at the Edison National Historic Site at West Orange, New Jersey.
ISBN 978-0-88692-887-2
THOMAS A. EDISON PAPERS STAFF (2007)
Director and General Editor
Paul Israel
Senior Editor Thomas Jeffrey
Associate Editors Louis Carlat Theresa Collins
Assistant Editor David Hochfelder
Indexing Editor David Ranzan
Consulting Editor Linda Endersby
Visiting Editor Amy Flanders
Editorial Assistants
Alexandra Rimer Kelly Enright Eric Barry
Outreach and Development (Edison Across the Curriculum) Theresa Collins
Business Manager Rachel Wcissenburgcr
BOARD OF SPONSORS (2007)
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey National Park Service
Richard L. McCormick Maryanne Gerbauckas
Ziva Galili Michelle Ortwein
Ann Fabian
Paul Clemens Smithsonian Institution
Harold Wallace
New Jersey Historical Commission Marc Mappen
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD (2007)
Robert Friedel, University of Maryland Louis Galambos, Johns Hopkins University Susan Hockey, Oxford University Thomas P. Hughes, University of Pennsylvania Ronald Kline, Cornell University Robert Rosenberg, John Wiley & Sons Marc Rothenberg, Joseph Henry Papers, Smithsonian Institution Philip Scranton, Rutgers University/Hagley Museum Merritt Roe Smith, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORS
We thankfully acknowledge the vision and support of Rutgers University and the Thomas A. Edison Papers Board of Sponsors.
This edition was made possible by grant funds provided from the New Jersey Historical Commission, National Historical Publications and Records Commission, and The National Endowment for the Humanities. Major underwriting has been provided by the Barkley Fund, through the National Trust for the Humanities, and by The Charles Edison Foundation.
We are grateful for the generous support of the IEEE Foundation, the Hyde & Watson Foundation, the Martinson Family Foundation, and the GE Foundation. We acknowledge gifts from many other individuals, as well as an anonymous donor; the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies; and the Edison Electric Institute. For the assistance of all these organizations and individuals, as well as for the indispensable aid of archivists, librarians, scholars, and collectors, the editors are most grateful.
A Note on the Sources The pages which have been filmed are the best copies available. Every technical effort possible has been made to ensure legibility.
PUBLICATION AND MICROFILM COPYING RESTRICTIONS
Reel duplication of the whole or of any part of this film is prohibited. In lieu of transcripts, however, enlarged photocopies of selected items contained on these reels may be made in order to facilitate research.
EDISON GENERAL FILE SERIES
1912
Edison General File Series 1912
E- 12-01 Advertising
E-12-02 Advice E-12-03 Articles
E-12-04 Autograph and Photograph Requests
E-12-05 Automobile
E-12-06 Aviation
E- 12-07 Banking
E-12-08 Battery, Primary
E-1 2-09 Battery, Storage - General
E-1 2-1 0 Battery, Storage - Country House Lighting
E-1 2-1 1 Battery, Storage - Delivery Wagons - General
E-1 2-1 2 Battery, Storage - Delivery Wagons - Endurance Tests [not
selected]
E-1 2-1 3 Battery, Storage - Delivery Wagons - Lansden Company E-1 2-1 4 Battery, Storage - Edison Storage Battery Company [not
selected]
E-1 2-1 5 Battery, Storage - Electric Vehicles
E-1 2-1 6 Battery, Storage - Federal Storage Battery Car Compay
E-1 2-1 7 Battery, Storage - Foreign - General
E-1 2-1 8 Battery, Storage - Foreign - Bergmann, Sigmund
E-1 2-1 9 Battery, Storage - Foreign - Japan
E-1 2-20 Birthday Celebration
E-1 2-21 Birthday Greetings [not selected]
E-1 2-22 Book and Journal Orders
E-1 2-23 Business Propositions [not selected]
E-1 2-24 Cement
E-1 2-25 Cement House
E-1 2-26 Charities and Loans
E-1 2-27 Christmas and New Year Greetings [not selected]
E-1 2-28 Cigarettes
E-1 2-29 Clubs and Societies
E-1 2-30 Deafness
E-12-31 Edison, T.A.
E-1 2-32 Edison Club [not selected]
E-12-33 Edison Crushing Roll Company E-1 2-34 Edison Star [not selected]
E-1 2-35 Education
E-1 2-36 Electric Light
E-1 2-37 Employment
E-1 2-38 Equipment and Supplies
E-1 2-39 European Tour (1911)
E-1 2-40 Exhibitions
E-1 2-41 Family
E-1 2-42 Fan Mail [not selected]
E-1 2-43 Financial [not selected]
E-12-44 Foreign-Language Documents (Untranslated) [not selected]
E-1 2-45 Fort Myers
E-1 2-46 Glenmont
E-1 2-47 Halogen Products Company
E-1 2-48 Health and Diet
E-1 2-49 ' nsurance [not selected]
E-1 2-50 invitations [not selected]
E-1 2-51 Lectures [not selected]
E-1 2-52 Legal - General
E-1 2-53 Legal - Litigation
E-1 2-54 Menlo Park
E-1 2-55 Miner's Safety Lamp
E-1 2-56 Mining - General [not selected]
E-1 2-57 Mining - Metals and Other Minerals
E-1 2-58 Mining - Ore Milling
E-1 2-59 Motion Pictures - General
E-1 2-60 Motion Pictures - Educational Films
E-1 2-61 Name Use [not selected]
E-1 2-62 Patents
E-1 2-63 Personal
E-i 2-64 Phonograph - General
E-1 2-65 Phonograph - Edison Phonograph Works
E-12-66 Phonograph - Foreign
E-1 2-67 Phonograph - Music Publishers
E-12-68 Politics
E-1 2-69 Port Huron [not selected]
E-1 2-70 Proudfoot's Commercial Agency [not selected]
E-1 2-71 Radio
E-1 2-72 Real Estate
E-1 2-73 Receipts [not selected]
E-1 2-74 Religion and Spiritualism [not selected]
E-1 2-75 Secretary [not selected]
E-1 2-76 Stock and Bond Offerings [not selected]
E-1 2-77 Tasimeter
E-1 2-78 Telegraph
E-1 2-79 Telephone [not selected]
E-1 2-80 Thomas A. Edison, Inc. - General
E-1 2-81 E-1 2-82 E-1 2-83 E-1 2-84 E-1 2-85 E-1 2-86 E-1 2-87
E-1 2-88
Thomas A. Edison, Inc. - Accounts Tidal Power
Warren County Warehouse Company [not selected]
West Orange Laboratory - General
West Orange Laboratory - Hutchison, Miller Reese
West Orange Laboratory and Associated Companies - Letters
and Reports to Edison
X-Rays [not selected]
Edison General File Series 1912. Advertising (E-12-01)
This folder contains solicitation letters from advertising managers. The selected items relate primarily to the promotion of Edison's alkaline storage battery in electric automobiles. Included are circulars by Converse D. Marsh of the Bates Advertising Co. regarding marketing strategies in Boston.
Approximately 40 percent of the documents, including all of the correspondence with Edison marginalia, have been selected. Among the unselected items are additional circulars by Marsh, solicitation letters from the Exhibitors Advertising Co. and McClure's Magazine, and an appeal from the Glen Ridge Public Schools.
A
The Converse D. Marsh Company
r$ Spruce St., New Tork
May Becond 19 12
This is a copy of a letter we arc sending the Electric Vehicle Manufacturers not represented in Bocton wherein wc are enclosing 2 co-operative advertising pages from the Herald and Transcript.
We are onclooing you herewith 2 pages torn re¬ spectively from the Herald and Transcript of Boston showing the co-operative advertising page for the Electric Automobile.
Next Saturday and Sunday there will be evon more of this advertising.
Why don't you get representation in Boston, the place where things are boing done? As you probably know, the Electric Vehicle business iB increasing faster in How England with Boston as a nucleus than in any city in tho coun¬ try. Ho big business is boing done yet but sales are doublod or trebled what they were a year ago and 5 or 6 tiraos what they wore in 1910.
Wo don't claim to scratch the surface yet but we do know that with this co-operative advertising going on we will soon have a fairly big furrow plowed and I predict that in a year from now, Boston will be the centre of Electric Automobile activity in the United States.
Yours very truly.
cdh/eg
The Converse D. Marsh Company
l$ Spruce St., New York
May
seventh 19 12
Electric
This is a copy of a letter Vehicle Manufacturers in th<
>"c arc sending the United Statoo.
Mayor Fltr.gerald of Boston addressed The Elec¬ tric Vehicle Club a few days ago and ho told thorn, amidst much applause,, what Boston was doing in improved street paving. This improvement is a groat thing for the Elec¬ tric Automobile in tho street of Boston although in the suburbs the streets are perhaps averaged better than any other city in America, and the Massachusetts highways have been famous ever since the days of the bicycle.
Yours very truly.
CD]' /EG
the Dates Advertising Company
office or
CONVERSE D. MARSH
CHAIRMAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
15 SPRUCE ST. NEW YORK
ENT RANCH TO OFFICE FLOORS 3- STORY
Telephone Numbefe
4421 Beelmian
4422 J
May
ninth
HIS
This is a copy of a letter wo are sending the Electric Vehicle! Manufacturers in the TTnitod States.
On last Wednesday I road a paper before The El¬ ectric Vehicle Club of Boston which had a deeper import attnehed to it than simply the question of advertising. Yours very truly,
cd;:/eg
10B. A. Kdinon, <L^CX ^
- . . ^r~z<^
■~ “£:^j — <-
I would like very much! to have I Jy_^. —
„ Cf
the advertising _—— — T"**“ '
more important £,<-*.&Cs
I have gone intc game, because I think it is field today than any other i
Ab you may or may not know, X believe your judgment to be practically infallible, and it would help me very materially, if I could learn from you whether the line pursued in this opening fire, strikes the responsive chord.
*2
X expect to be in Chicago for the next two or three months. If you can spare a few moments for the task, I should certainly appreciate a line from you.
P. I,.
- P.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
»u
the Bates Advertising Company
CONVERSE D. MARSH
CHAIRMAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
15 SPRUCE ST. NEW YORK
ENTRANCE TO OFFICE FLOORS 5- STORY
Sept.
5,
Telephone Numbefc
4420 \ .
4421 Deekman
4422 J
1 9 IE .
Thomas A- Edison, Esq.,
Edison Storage Battery Co.,
Orange , N . J.
Dear Sir:-
We have today mailed you copy of the Motor Truck Booklet issued hy The Edison Electric Illuminating Company, '"his shows you Just one activity of the work in Boston. Within the next six or eight months you will see results in Boston that will surprise you. In the meantime I might call your attention to Electric light Company has yet that we are sending you.
Yours
PKiFMM
the fact that no other published a booklet like
very truly ,
THE BATES ADVERTISING COMPANY,
,ive Committee.
P. S. This is a copy of the letter we are Electric Vehicle Manufacturers.
sending to all The
Edison General File Series 1912. Advice (E-1 2-02)
This folder contains unsolicited correspondence from inventors and others asking for Edison's advice on technical matters or his assistance in improving or promoting inventions. Included are comments by Edison regarding the profits earned by inventors and remarks concerning specific technologies or scientific phenomena such as static and atmospheric electricity. Also included are comments about the work of Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius and German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz. Some of the letters pertain to consumer demand for refrigeration and, in the aftermath of the 1912 Titanic disaster, methods for detecting icebergs in sea water.
Less than 5 percent of the documents have been selected. The unselected items received a perfunctory reply or no answer from Edison.
T'hphon, 460 PLUMBERS. HOT WATER
P.O.Box us md STEAM FITTERS
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Elmira, H.Y dU-o. Cf
Scheme for saving lives of miners
Jan, 10, 1912 ^ u>L^'in.e>£‘
‘ U,«wT«.
in case of mine explosions. ft£
Mr. Thos. A. Edison, aL*yfc*V ‘T^'^'V \
For some time past whenever l vea.A^&^ a
attendant loss of life, I always think*^^3st3tvCy^w^^^rc\cC have been saved by use of the following A&cvjXe^ apparatus^ 0
Place at convenient positions th^ghout |the mine smakfrooms built of concrete or steel or iron plate of the necessary thickr^ss, and rendered as nearly air tight as possible, into which the men could go in case of accident. These rooms to be connected with the outside world by means of telephone connection, pipes for pumping fresh air to the men, and ventilating the rooms. P-robhbly it would be possible to send liquid food through pipes to these rooms as well. Also some stock of canned goods might be kept in the rooms. Thus the men would be able to exist for some time in comparative safety, until their rescue could be efected, and their whereabouts amd condition could be known by means of the telephone.
Personally 1 am not in position to know the conditions in the mines at such times, and this scheme may not be at all practicable for some good reasons which I am unable to anticipate. If there is any value in it I would be glad to see it carried out in the interest of humanity.
If there is value in the idea as a business proposition for a pattentee or manufacturer I would be glad to profit by it as the originator of the idea, but am in no position to try it out for myself.
I do not really expect an answer to this letter ( and I appologize for trespasing on your time etc.) unless you see value in the idea and feel disposed to make reply.
Very respectfully,
_
#512 Fitch St., Elmira, M.Y.
Mr Thomas A. EdiBon Menloe Park K.J< Dear Sir:-
^inghamton N.Y. Jan 15th. 1912
fy\/U\ £*(*-
. >-©-«- !«•
I hope you will pSbabi ray freedom in address ing you,
bjLca-rvT 0 0- Kna —
ask: ttei
r
I am in serious need of ^dVi'ce^and knowing of'jfour wid| elxperi
lArCOt<- C*. V^w\w«uw o^u.evrv «vw<Ujj » •-*
enoe in patent matters and l^buls^^^d5°rL^™* ^ a^ki^- this favor which if granted I assure you^rill not js forgotten if X am successful with ray invention. _
I have Invented a nut lock, which is an ^solute look, nut a highly ornamental device, but a simple device that locks by obstru ction instead of by friction as most inventions of this class do.
My papers have just been filed in the patent Office so I cannot describe it yet but will send you full dlscription later.
My object in writing you is for advice as to the most advantagious manner of marketing my invention, the amount X should expect to get for it & ect. I will stato here there is no question as to the efficency of my device as I have given it a rigid test and the cost ftf manifacture will be extremely small perhaps one cent per nut above the regular cost of same.
The nut can be applied to any bolt without any previous preparation of the bolt so you may base your advice on the assumption that the device is absolutely practical and economical of construction As a device of this kind is more needed by railroads than any other class of consumers X have conceived the idea of trying to sell the rights to the various rail road corporations at a per mile rate, on their holdings.
Thomas A. Edison #3
Rather than sell the patent outright to one oompany.
Hoping the foregoing information is sufficient for yoy to form an intelligent opinion of my needs.
I will close with a farther assurance that any advice you may be able to give that will assist me in advantages ly disposing of my patent will receive an equitable enumeration.
I remain respectfully yours.
V
WISCONSIN BOX CO. BOXES AND BOX SHOOKS
Ihos.A.Edoson
Orange ,11. J .
;?an 15-12
Boar Sir : .
Have you over investigated the natter of whether there is not a considerable quantity of elootriety generated from a stean pipe and engine while the sane is in operation? The writer Believes that there is considerable on account of the friction of all the parts mainly nade by the friction of the stean. It is possible there is enough of Intent fcleetricty in theso parts if thorc was sone means of tjl.ing sane off and putting it into commercial use .to bo of value.
Very respectfully,^
M -W
> *- % »j*r.
L
fi/lT- i"C* /
w ,POA
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ESTATE OF WALTER B. DUFFY
EXECUTORS
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Memphis, Term., Feb. I, 1912. , New Jersey, J . ^ o-f
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Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange ,
Sir:- ’ta-
I am writing to you for information.^%^.4
I have filed an application for pate in the^U. -S^y^fcgnt Ojj- ^ fioe for a machine, of »hich the A Zfr X
in* model in order to enable them to fully'knd readily understand its «■
'Vsvt^vv
precise operation. And I am enclosing herewith drawing an^a wrft^ ten desription of it, which I would ^mce for'"yout^ look over; tt^T is to say, if you have no objections and give me your opinion as tq its feasibility. ^ ^ *U*m~~*.
It is very artful in design, and can not be made under ordinary circumstances, as much skill and a great deal of money is required.
I have some money, but not enougjTDo carry out my plan, and it is my object in view to get sufficient jWprital^behind me to make the proper experiments, and, for this reas^\_^^Xwc3Jgip^#n^Mq)laining the : matter to you, because I believe tha^Oif I can get you to sanction or regard my theory as worthy of att^niJor^V^fii&i^e^fc^^ persons as Mr. Carnegie to defray the expense of experimenting, whrchgjg*, in my opinion, the only sure way of knowing whether or not it is foible.
I understand that in 1902 Mr. Carnegie, with a gift^f ten mil¬ lion dollars, founded in Washington the Carnegie Insj^ute for Orig¬ inal Research, and that the policy of the Institution is that only those inquiries are aided which give promise of fruit, and in every case the grantee requires to be a man of proved ability. I am not a man of proved ability; but, nevertheless, I entend to ask this In¬ stitution for aid any way, and I thought that it would be best for me to f irBt explain matters to you and get you to approve of my plan and I ask you, for this reason, to look over my drawing, etc., and then, if you have any confidence in its feasibility and do not care for me using your name and influence in procuring money to make such exper¬ iments; that is, so for as your opinion goes, I would be glad if you
2.
would state the confidence you have in it, in a letter and also give me permission to use the letter to help influence persons to whom I may apply for help. In other words, it is necessary that I furnish positive evidence that the invention is feasible before I can procure financial assistance from any man of intelligence, and if you will send me a certificate which furnishes such evidence that will enable me to convince men, such as Mr. Carnegie, that my views on the sub¬ ject deserve the carful examination by such exact tests that will enable ub to KNOW, not guess, whether or not such a machine is or is not operative, you will do me a great favor. If, on the other hand, you think the invention is feasible and desire to become a joint patentee in the matter; that is, so far as foreign patents are con¬ cerned i you may do so if you desire to furnish the required sum your¬ self for making the experiments, etc. But this, however, does not include the United States patent. I understand that the time in which to file patent applications under the rules of the Internation¬ al agreement has recently been extended to twelve months, which begins to run from the date of filing the United States application, which gives the inventor an opportunity to secure foreign patents on all the countries which are members of the Union, which are: Austria, Hungary, Great Britain, United States, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, Portugal, Mexico, Servia, Tunis, Brazil, Guatemala, San Domingo, Queensland, Australia, New Zealand, Dutch East Indies, Japan, Cuba, and Dutch WeBt Indies. In the event you should want to take me up on this proposition and become a joint patentee on the foreign pat¬ ents, please write me what proportion of these patents you would want for this service.
My invention relates to means for making possible the production of perpetual motion, and it consists of a device which is admirably adapted to accomplish the purpose in view. But, nevertheless, it proves a work of time and some difficulty to remove an impression so
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"Boots, Shoes and Rubbers For All Mankind
FALKENSTEIN’S
DAYLIGHT SHOE HOUSE
2J8 WEST FIFTH STREET BETWEEN ELM AND PLUM
PHONE CANAL 1137-R
yjl(, ESTABLISHED ISSS '
V-- CINCINNATI. Q\.'/
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Boots, Shoes and Rubbers For All Mankind
FALKENSTEIN’S
DAYLIGHT SHOE HOUSE
2J8 WEST FIFTH STREET BETWEEN ELM AND PLUM
PHONE CANAL 1 137-R
ESTABLISHED ISSS
CINCINNATI. O., - —190 -
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Columbia Baking and Bottling Co.,
WHOLESALE
BAKERS OR BREAD AND' CAKES.
Bottlers of All Kinds of Soft Drinks.
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OFFICE OF TOWN CLERK
■own. conn., Febr.uary -2a,... 1 9 £
The Great & Only Thomas A Edison, 0^ ^
Orange, H.J. ./£ ^
My Dear Sir:- ^
You have been at the Rockfeller In^ftu^fr ^ j and mentioned that they had a dog that was keptfwi-Jgpl^^ storage with his heart out for a certain time la^dfaj^thej^ time of the writing was apparently as lively a&
I am very sure it was your writing, but I can not t^?l w tjjjpctfa/
1 saw it> mV
Win you please inform me on this; I take great i retire iftLfn modern science and am very sorry I misplaced A^t .tjjljtffele. Feeling already vei'y much indeptded to you, I sin/sa^ely b6pe I shall be the proud owner of an answer from*1miXFath£r of Science" Thomas A Edison. v\,
Yours most respectfully.
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R. D. WINSIIIP & COMPANY
i March 14th, 1912.
I-tA
Mr. Thomas. A. Edison, ^ jL\<,
Orange, Usw dorsey^ ^
Dear Sir: U°co^4 ^ ^ ^'f ^
Please pardon tho liberty I am taking. But I want to see if you can help mo out 'in trying to get rid of the Sulphur and lead that is in the sample of Cotton ^
Seed Oil that I am sending you .tod^y under separate cov^, f
er- ^ ,
/n Hr CO t/Lc o IvC.jfc^W
. With youruhorough knowledge of electricity,
I't-seems to mo that you could find a way to aP^y °^^: ricity to this Oil that wouia make the lead and, sulphur precipitate. ^ oCr ^ *,2^6
to »okolte^krs?s.oSSMo''’'«^
“? «,* au
and four hundred degrees fahrenheit, and if it turns the Oil black, or if it turns the silver black, we cannot use the Oil, but if it leaves the silver and oil untouched, it
I, on .isht to
If you woul^VLike to have a larger sample of Oil I will take great pleasure in .sending it to yo»*"- (v.hci-CvJv
Another thing I would like tdjask and that is what
Another thing I wouia like toyasK anu “““ -
Dimple method could I use to let electricity feo i -S-1, Could I use a transformer attached to an e^eot^°ld
light fixture, and let the two wires lay in the Oil? V/ould that have any acti^on^ whateva^on the
ie.CU.tf
VT'U - - K
Jjr&eJL *
K. D. WINSIIIP & COMPANY
If not takinp too much of your valuable time will you please answer as quick as possible.
Yours very truly, H.D.V/III3HIP & CO.
aV*
April 3, 1912
J Jw^vv^ C tMtXriSj
/V ttL E*V— *u-U£fc*>* Ls tr- a* ^
Dear gir^ t,;T<A V*o— -
I appeal to you as an expert.
VO ovu- <*-/v'fAt el>U.nie'Jc « -t'V'A^T •
Wi$l Vou (please tell me if \
C.cnvi*i-»»-/-Cv4 4|i.uh<k( im (lv.« C-WfvC,-)
^ there is any truth |or possibility, of ^
^Truth inj thp statement's contained, in vuVlw w»i- r^vc-iv*-—* (X-yv *•* i, the enclosed, newspaper clipping?
r truly yours , C&~
^ Jt'
ity Superintendent of Sc
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.,
Llewellyn Park, Orange, N. J.
^ I r i
i erst. and. that in your engineer
L
K^y \c//> '//or/'-,
April 20, 1912
y
r work you are some- times interested in new power plants. The writer would like to ask if you Lav.- ever seriously considered the first oil engine on the marketjWViich -rivals the steam engine in reliability and at the same lime far excels any other form of motive power in eoon omy. We can point to a record of:
1 b.H.P. with a fuel cost of l/6th of a cent per hour.
Ir y,H1 w-uld like to have » copy of engineering data, tests, et
k.,,.slv a) vi ae ar.o itwHl he sent promptly, showing this economy, K.n.iy aivi-.e
Please c so s-te If you wish to receive any interesting literature we publish on the subject from time to time.
Yours very truly,
DE LA VERGMJ5 MACHINE CO.
Vice Pres^
$
O^a 3-ffi.c " ~ * X . 'IL^ s“'
^ iUb^y, N.Y. , April 22f(^|-
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Mr. Thomas A. Sells on, " *" •■ I
Vi^vw,
vJ^ \\^t--t- Llsipllyn Sark, H.J.
Dear Sir,-
You have done so much to make lifer®01,0 worth living, that I want to v/rite to you about something which you can ao to add to your long list of helpful achievements. It is for the housekeeping women that I write. The problem that much concerns them now is the family ice box. It is a necessity, but it also is a nuisance. It drips into a waste pan when that is not running o- ver, either because we forget to empty it on time, or because it has filled faster than usual on account of the weather. Also, it is a damp contraption and might be oiled "nasty" at timeB. How, why can not you, with your great knowledge of chemistry, invent some sort of a freezing mixture that could be placed daily, or, better yet , two or three timeB a week, into a receptacle that we could place in the ice compartment of the ice box, and which would give off a dry cold that would take the place of the faBt melt¬ ing wet ice? Of course the mixture would have to be cheap and the container ought not to cost too much, although I think that any woman would be willing to pay reasonably to get such a boon as this artificial cooler wo uld be.
Respectfully yours.
^ .A
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A cheap device for giving notice or a change in the temperature or tne sea water, indicating the proximity of ice, might I fancy oe contained in a cigar shaped enclosure to he towed astern or a vessel ny a wire, somewhat as is now the patent ship's log. the apparatus on the principle of a iirnace thermostat ana Dy means of an electric connection to ring a oell on the bridge when danger was indicated.
seems to me when it is necessary to cut into asphalt pavements for the laying of a sunway, for Instance, it might he done where a trolley or arc light wire was accessible by constructing a metal sleage with sharp \J shaped runners the necessary distance apart. These runners to De heated white hot Dy electricity and drawing the sledge or sleigh slowly over the course, I imagine that the asphalt would be
Very respectfully yours,
517 V. Onondaga si
vs/
ESTABLISHED
l&J&t
..fir// r/r/f/rrrJ'/'
copying papers, grass bu
TISSUE, WHITE AND CREAI TISSUE, CARBON ANO MAI
\BLE ADDRESS, “MONDIA, NEW YORK."
Thos. A. Edison,
finer//
, fif/etn'w?* s^C- JJi
L 15th. _ /■// _ 2
MEADOW CROFT.
Llewellyn Park, orange N.Y.
Lear Sir:- ' - - rr~'
Louis H. Seuhert, who haB recently demonstrated to me his patent hall hearing, says that he called upon you some time ago and that you were considerahly impressed with this article.
May I ask you for your general opinion as to the value of this hall hearing, if you remember the incident of his visit, and are you willing to tell me whether or not you consider it worthy of manufacture.
Anything you may he good enough to say X will of course regard as strictly confidential.
Thanking you in advance, X am, . .-—j
Very truly yours, /
t,y
' tr
It/*
y' *>”* jf MjT wvsv'v
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ti The National:
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J A? $?*" *??’• ffl/s
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nUve just learned of yt/ur jt? \
^ j" new invention for eliminating electric- \J^ \ y
, V
ity in paper in the press-rooms. Could you advise me where I can get some in¬ formation ±n reference to this with a view to the utilization of it in our hand¬ some new building?
Think you will he interested to know that we are about to become the State printers for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Wish sonc time when you are in Boston you could come and see what has been called the model printing plant of this section.
With best regards, believe me,
Yours sincerely.
jmc— f
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IE
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Mr. Thomas A .Edison ,
Oran.e. K.Y.^" ^ _
D8Rr Slrl way I submit and idea for vonr Considerat<U<to
^7
"7 .
considerate
obtain enorpv dirict from coal.
kalce coal to a fine dust, and inject the dust together with compresed air into a motor cylinder. Somewhat in the line of the DissGl Motor.
Bowles, Cal
FRED K. MAKING
C°"' ST5Kay 28tH, 1912.
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.,
o/o national Phonograph Go., Orange, I. J.
Dear Sir:-
Under separate cover please find an electrical device, manufactured in Japan, which can he carried in the pocket.
By pressing one of the button the instrument is used as a search light and by pressing the other button tho instru¬ ment is used as a cigar lighter.
I have never seen any such device manufactured in America and take the liberty of suggesting that you place some such device on the market. It would certainly have a great sale, especially among those accustomed to use autumobiles.
In case you adopt this suggestion I feel sure that I can depend upon you to make mo adequate compensation for the^^.
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GRAPHOPHONES IVERYTHlrtGlNjaDsfijt ^
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<^Mr^ThoBV nj Dear Sir
J
5Jtm Ijurk July !
3 A. Edison,
Llewelyn, Orange, 1>.
J5 GHOVlF'h XO 80% BIG U-t* jruui xo*
| yoi* the luesvion I had written y X I sLw that y ova wore too busy.
•ing to my visit and when you weie unu
S V«r Uw, ‘ \Xl
. * i i somgjjhat embarrassed because of the staff
iV 5 1 . r, i/C ,/^rSWnfi considering that the subject
, of4xplrts thatWT aiT^nd, consio. ^ ^ tfaat goea however,
1 wai oujof your line of 1 ^ gtudie8 I an. interested in
1 Ittteg tb state that the °7°°5hntir,e",a for I urn a mechanical
»• »»
[ Sf^hd .,»d«-d hardnena «»»«.•
; 1 ok Mums t™ »■ « sssi,n.1,5;i5ss-i‘-s;~t.
S^haffe b<4n a moot interesting conversation.
tn
y± —
« Vhn-i3 bf^n a moo -
1 t i NPwu. 1. 1. «■* «V™“ ItTS 2K“»? i! ii rsess-sss-s.
srCrJs jss
l I enclose.
^ Al„„ do ,o» r.S.rd thj d»"'?Uetr»S: it
to be the some aa the S^^lP^be charged with ions, so that cathode current which I t>elie r-t autE0f consideration,
OT"“1' the
l»TO.tlE.t5d“L,2to‘yS S”.SoS”.oioi‘”o »»“* tboro»ei.iy.
rassns s\r*.
Snstrument & (£0. page ...M....
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
shortest possible time.
nopinE that I have not bothered you too much already, I ;:eg to remain,
Yours
•erytruly^
rjts
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Ur. Thomas A* Edison, Orange, IT. J.
KINDLY ADDRESS LETTERS
TO THE COMPANY
MR. WfLUi i«. rOS't
Bear Sirt-
Ur. 0. W. Post is anxious to seoure the '
names and addresses of manufacturers of delioate ^ O' instruments which show the amount or variation afQ electricity in the atmosphere and in the eartyOif such instruments are made. “
He wishes to use this in connection with his rain making experiments. If you know of any such parties will you kindly send us the names and addresses and very muoh oblige,
Peekskill N.Y.
GimV
I
£S£r»t W'aU-S^lLoglBg’l icing your Work .
Moscow. Russia.
14/37 August 1912.
for troubling you with my letter
Thomas Edisson, Esq.
taking ^
I have decided to write you, being fond of the work which is here s^okeji^S y)sii& believing that it can be of some service in the business that it concerns.
in th e’.Htt&lb sure is described the construction of an appara- tus for making groups of contacts with different periods of separate contacts, >r>Sb'/- means of pressing on separate keys.
^ 1 this apparatus, working three years with the
idea of arranging a keyboard for direct transmission of the Morse
characters which would be more convenient for manipulation than trans- ... . , p.QOV ' ,
missijpfiNfey 'the ordinary Morse key ( XVrt ).
To what extent this aim is attained by my apparatus, it is not
for me to Judge before you but I will tell you only what I have done:
I have arranged an apparatus (photograph of which is enclo¬ sed) as per the enclosed plans, for lack of time, with only 11 cha¬ racters. With it I made a trial of transmission at 19 kilometres.
I send you a piece of the tape with the characters received on theN receiving apparatus during thlB transmission (at a speed of 3 cha-\^ racters to the second). The characters on the tape have not come out clear because they were badly made in the model.
I am sending you also a section model of the apparatus, which comprises one key (letter F). As you see, the construction is very simple,- almost all the parts can be made by stamping.
On the 8-th October I9II (new otyle ) I applied for patent In Russia (without "THE APPLIANCE TO PRESS UPON THE KEYS AT WILL » ) -Certificate N2 49832, 8-th October I9II.
I have not applied for patent anywhere else.
I taKe the liberty or offering my worlc for your attention. If you find that this apparatus can be applied practically ar.d If you wish to undertake anything for Its realisation then I am enti¬ rely at your service.
Here in Russia it is very difficult to carry out anything new as here both official institutions and private persons are accus¬ tomed to utilise only what is already Known and already tried by others ; they have a great distrust of anything new.
I do not wish to trespass further on your time to relate to you any of my other worlc In this provlance, and in conclusion I again apologise for troubling you.
With best wishes,
I am, Dear Sir, Yours respectfully ^
p.S. I am a Bulgarian ; I have been in Russia only four years and am employed as an electro-technlc .
Russia, Moscow. Mjasnitzlcaja, N5 60, KV.N2 14. N. Kapanoff.
Adress :
If you find it necessary to apply for patent in your country, then please inform me of this, if it is not already too late.
(The application, as you Know, will only he legal if filed not latter than the 6-th October (new style) of this year). I have already pre¬ pared plans and description, which I can send you, together with the necessary testimonial, Immediately.
Perhaps it will he interesting to you to have some informa¬ tion with reference to the application of various systems of tele¬ graph apparata here in Russia:
a) The most widely used is of course apparatus Morse.
h) Weatston's apparatus is used to some extent (more in Siberia, generally in Asiatic Russia).
c) The Hughe's apparatus is going out use.
d) The Bodot apparatus is used in very limited quantities (complete installation of two stations of the "quadruplex Bodot costs 36000 francs).
e) The Murray apparatus is not used.
Generally expensive apparata, which need careful attantion, have no chance of extensive use here in Russia. The majority of Rus¬ sians have not the ability to apply themselves diligently to mecha¬ nism, as the people in your country are accustomed to do (I saw a telegraphist tie his cigarette to the regulator of a Morse apparatus in order to slacken the pace), therefore a simple apparatus similar to that mentioned above would be widely adopted here.
FLOYD F. TODD
E TESTING SPRCIAMS
M
Forest City, Pa. September 12, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison, ^ ^ ' 3fS^roaeWj
East Orange, N • J • ^ ^ ( ^
V.’hy is it that manu requires two eyes so situated that he may focus them in unison upon objects looked at, in order^p see in relief. q^^Lsxm, e>SJL- -Le-dL^
I have discovered th© secret of Binooular Vision, and have produced a perfect relief or solidity of effect when viewed with a single eye. ^
By a certain prooess or method I oan^produce a scene upon a view finder, as viewed with one eye, so^fetrrtt-appears out * in a perfect relief or Steroscopic effect.
I have every reason to believe that this effect may be reproduced on the regular moving pictures scene tt- upon a single
you understand, Mr. Edison, that photographs as well as Moving Pictures are void of relief or solidity of effect. While they have a certain ammount of Perspective — the true relief as viewed with the eyes naturely or through a steroscope is entirely lost.
They tell me you are always interested in new ideas and discoveries, and if you feal interested in this matter 1 will be glad to take this up further with you, provided I might be assured of your personal attention.
Yours very truly.
• ft/te
Optometrist
HALBERT P. HILL,
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS AND MANUFACTURERS
HILL APPARATUS
30 CHURCH STREET,
Gentlemen:
Some twelve
fifteen years ago, there waa marketed a thermo dynamic pile, used or intended to be used by the telegraph companies to do away with primary battery for their local circuits.
This couple or pile was heated on a gas jet, and I under¬ stand that your company bought the outfit and took it off the market.
I am making some experiments and would like to get one of those couples, if you still have any of them. If you can furnish me with a sample, and advise me as to the patent condition, and what royalty your company would ask for this equipment.
I appreciate the diet that this dates back ten or twelve years and will have to be referred to several departments for reply* but the matter is quite urgent, and I believe it will pay you to take the mat¬ ter up, and let me hear from you at your earliest convenience.
I would like to have the following information:
Can you furnish the original outfit as marketed, and at what price? What is the output in capacity, volts and amperes, and at what or in other words, how many B. T. U's per Watt?
temperature,
Thomas A. Edison Co.>
Oct. 4th, 1913.
Thanking you in advance for this information, we Yourn respectfully,
HALBERT P. HILL, INC.
HPH/ETO.
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Feasibility of an universal Alphabet': After n
careful study of the phonetics of the world ' sNrtiltured languages- - thanks to the facilities offered to me at the library of Congress by Mr .11 Putnam and at the Smithsonian by Mr .Scudder— I have come to the conclusion that such an alphabet presents no insuperable difficulty and that its vocal fixation and subsequent disser.inatior belongs properly to your invention-- the graphopuone.
It presents no longer any difficulty that should deter us from so necessary a step which is bound to come sooner or later We certainly do not wish to admit that we are still for such an undertaking. It can be so and it should over .that u word .written, no matter from what language should leave- no question in the mind of the reader as to its proper pronunciation or accent. How is it now? le there one you would accept as authority on the pi names occurring in a daily newspaper? . dona by having a simple alphabet without diacritical murks, except one to point out the accent of that word, but with a letter for every well-defined sound, using the Homan, if you wish, as a basis, since this is gaining the most ground.
i uncivilized so the world
in all America whom iciation of even the it can be so. It can
X have already been able to arrange the vorel sounds , the most difficult portion therefore, in a soientifio and graphic manner, that leaves no doubt behind as to the correct sound of any vowel ir. question X now wish to ash the question: Can the graphophone be so altered as to admit readily of setting the same at any particular place or sound and to prolong and repeat that soud at libitum? If this can be done/ it will prove the means of a closer union between all the nations of the world and will do more for the World's Peace movement than all the millions Hr. Carnegie has devoted to that purpose. It can be done.
Of the 4000 or more existing languages there are less than a hundred cultured languages endowed with a literature .only these require our consideration. Of these only, the sounds collected , fixed by letter and redistributed will form an alphabet for each nation and a complete universal alphabet for each nation's scholars while the graphophone will be the abiding record and the type as the platinum metre in Paris is the type in exact measurement". This means for you a number of grapho- phones in every nation ana their normal schools.
hoping that such charges in the graphophone can readily be
Very respectfully yours
/jl// G S'G'
©ttauia SCattaaa (Ear Wnrka
Mr. Thomas A. Edisoi
' ? " t ( 'ur 1 “^WM- ^ Uvt
^uinu.
Please note carbon copy o^ietteranclosed, which I have apnt ^
> of the Universities hoping me B0tae jipf ormatlon. ^ ^
Of course and beyond the sk&^^FaldoubjI ^u^could efilve this
Of course and beyond the t
problem easily and simply if brought to youratifent*l°i - time and inclination to give it a very little thou^ti^.___--- ^ If you have not the time or 'inc f^nali o^co^ld you refer it ie most likely to help me? "
Yours very truly.
©ttauia Kansas (Ear Works
(Ottawa. Kansan Nov. 23 1912
Hr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, N.J. Exploration of the bottom of bodies of
clear water t
Dear Sir : — - <hhhhhhhhhhhhhj«
Please accept my thanks for your letter of Nov. 19th. in reply to mine of 14th.
If you can possibly remember names of experimenters who saw objects in 120 feet of water at night I would bo very much obliged for the information so I can get in touch with them. I have written to all the Universities and Technical Schools to learn what they know on this subject but so far vour letter is the only encouragement I have had to proceed.
Yours very truly.
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Yours rospocifully.
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Edison General File Series 1912. Articles (E-1 2-03)
This folder contains correspondence requesting Edison to write articles, letters from journalists seeking to interview him, and unsolicited correspondence relating to articles about Edison or his inventions. Many of the letters bear marginalia by Edison. Among the documents for 1912 are Frank W. Taussig's review of Edison, His Life and Inventions in the Quarterly Journal of Economics (August 1912) and a draft letter by Edison to the St. Louis Republic concerning his alkaline storage battery. The correspondents include longtime Edison associate Francis Jehl; Pierre V. R. Key, music critic for the New York World ; journalist Edward Marshall; Russian-born writer Ivan Narodny; and A. Ratner, an engineer and publicist in St. Petersburg.
Approximately 30 percent of the documents have been selected. The unselected material consists of items which received a perfunctory response or no reply from Edison.
Scientific American
yixfrftf sc. co. k/o
January 8, 1912.
Mr. Thomas A. Fdison, Orange , M . J. Dear Sir:-
The Scientific American would like to publish a ra
complete article on your Concrete Furniture, as soon as you are ready to give it attention. Could you tell us approximately
:essary information?/;
va it}i^u|n^
4 ;f J-c-C
Mr. ThomaB A. Edison, ^
Hanlo Park, New Jersey . 'J>tf
Dear Sir:-
UTould you kindly tell me if anything came of your "auto¬ matic stores" idea? (Times, May 15, 1910). I liked it. Have you any printed matter on city markets? I am collecting data on the subject, from this country and Europe.
Hespeotfully,
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
rA*^°
March 25, 1912.
Bear Mr. S' i eon:
Your, letter saia you would he ready for me In "one week, or two weeks", hut I've been 111. Today was my first whole day out for many weeks. '.Vheri may I oo me over?
Thomas A. S ison, Hs.-,uire, The Edison laboratory. Orange ,
Sew Jersey.
)ei\ely
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
BIOGRAPHICAL DATA FOR PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVELY BY THE
INTERNATIONAL WHO’S WHO
PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1158 Broadway, New York City, U. S. A.
TL Who’s Who is now in all the leading Libraries and Universities of the world, including
Berlin1, ImperiS’ Li™wy°ofaRuMia*UOxford>aCarnbridget,Han'a»'din YalV^Princeto^an^McGulTunivenSe”, Public and Carnegie Libraries, etc., etc.
//, Place ol
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Positions Occupied, Etc. / e*>p***~
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The last time X had uic honor altd'
. ’as at the conclusion of the
JU "'alclorf, as you were about to go do'vn 011 the olStftty*'* .SJ'v.C/l / > a cl: whatf tine this coinin'- week say I have the u 3^^%,,., } (j\
inference with you in Orance^r jrho^can^^aeot yo« ^ V° <" i
Thomas A. Edison,
■ dear Mr. Ed is 01 f speaking with yo
)t iit
natters'to speak" to you about' in connection with entirely, and not any favors. /;
I want to make a suggestion regarding uncaps k.able,
by survivors of the pa s s enger s. °
Ky surrestion is that all these life boats, of the new
life boat from its davits.
„ *. » i s,rc?«Ls sKf^SsT
bf-Sno^S.”! 'hlllVuir^SI $Ly M MS? Is «§ ifrfirlHf
bv survivors. so that shipTseil^ this peculiar color of light will Sow that it means a wrecking party survivors,
6*»r -^^nlTonT^r^^^p^^ tter iec °o^d furnish Woulf lerovfabsolutely effective' andte ^^a^onfhlaflifiht^t
the very highest power would be very effective.
crss s*as 3sgis&;*s=s,2 s r^u^r;
s?oC»r.f is Insivf 2?irs srs”
^"LSSSS.^SS- * additional lives might have teen saved.
««il3sSsK^
would^enabl^the'passengers to get away with the life boats in
safety.
I believe th.t UU*£ SS^'ttS’Jiopt*
S'Mfffi MHpjfoi s,*SiS e fi,“ SS^X fSHJEVS e“^“e^.=u X See « —
and see you.
for tl*rW%SrTi1rSKn^S‘«S»°S|JS.JSil;SL?.rI
- ~ tM
e.„u.ebt.^rb?ypK»ssir^sf.sr^.;:-iMr5s;”a''u
Your Mew York newspaper friend.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
:*x»ei sopy
' fu^torato of the First Baptist Churoh
at nights tosrn, B. J.
“0. P. Eaofesa, t. D.
To Hon. Edvard tauterbaoh,
How Tort City.
Bear Siri- „ .. writes no that you uro personally
..P^w **& Si« “ »£f °r 1“11S ““
hero, share ha resided for years* WDS ono Df our foraaoot
ciUaono, a very *a& c^to
KOB Erur.onich, Canada , *h«ra C . w by all — a man of
Sg^SSrS SS SfSi^g SJS&^W
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tie history of thlc seetion for f ^ cotorial service in tho Kothodiot
noc-na. ,,r> ^VVeron** mother sac a pioun, devoted Christian
aoiam bolovod by all. respootfuiiy.
(Si •■nod) ■
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ilote
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his vary highly. 3WS»r<llQnu0ff^h^Ipiviai^*of the tho Pennsylvania S.S. Ui&tbtosn is on thv X£boy tivioxon opo sovo;1 cl-lUrCha®
half nay botveon Saw , Yo^n m lA ^ m-p^ra to?' sonool. The town io in
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SIS ;S?»£w»»» Miv.r«iw.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
NEWARK ADVERTISER: THURSDAY. JUNE 8. 1905
would certainly have done myself the honor of calling upon you before but for the dreadful Titanic disaster. In working 30 hours with but one hours sloop in my nows paper capacity in the interests of my dear, distinguished and now departed friend and hero the Col. John Jacob Astor, I gave up a weeks time to this matter. I would be pleased to avail myself of your kind mention of the fact that you are usually in your office and call upon you on Uonday of next week.
The movement I have suggested in my letter to you regarding the Ocean crafts I am pleased they liave met with your endorsement. I have not mentioned these matters to anyone but yourself. I see that the United States Govern¬ ment lias offered large sums of money for the most improved plans and methods for life saving, and to make Ocean traffic safer.
Permit me to trust that you are enjoying your usual good health and may you long live to be a blessing to man kind is the sincere wish of your newspaper friend and adminer.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
13th May, 1912.
Thoa. A. Edison Esq., Edison Laboratory,
p;fv
iO (»JL, C. \|Ovl
L<vto>Q /vecfcta
s >cLa^| ■ £«>«■
O-
THOMAS B. DONOVAN
Gditar “Bern ese Oberland Journal " .C (Winter and Summer EdilSii)
BWI^Kp.
Telephone: Interlaken 9.
. A. Edison,
West Orange ,
Hew Jersey, U.S.A
°! '
Dear Sir*you may remember. that during your Visit to Interlaken last summer, you were kind enough to receive me one evening at .your hotel, for the pxirpose of an interview. I now venture to address you on a subject of some importance to you and to a wide circle of people in Europe, being assuredjthat my l^ter will be ■ considered with the same courtesy which I met with personally.
You will probably be surprised to/learn that an utterance purporting to have been made by youhAs been utilised by a com¬ bination of Tyrolese hotels and inserted in the daily press as a sensational advertisement. >he advertisement reads as follows:
"In my opinion, the Tyrol is the most beautiful country of Europe.
It is absolutely/elightful for a motorist to be able to enjoy the magnificentmountain panorama from the splendid roads. - I believe this opinion to be shared by all my countrymen, who, I notice, come in great numbers to the erand Tyrol, which I
d_j__s o 3
regar/as more beautiful than Switzerland.
1 JUJL+-- _
I should not have bothered you with this matter, but for the ' faot that it has been discussed in the press, and the bad taste of comparing the two countries to the disadvantage of the one in an advertisement has been commented upon. The using of your name for such a questionable purpose has' also been severely condemned ,' and the hoteliers in question have been "hauled over the ooalB" for utilising for such an advertisement an utterance made in an interview with the press - or perhaps not made at all.
As a considerable amount of ill feeling has been caused in Switzerland by thife widely spread advert isementjalluding in dis¬ paraging terms , to this country, the expression from you of your disapproval of its publication would be greatly appreciated.
1 should be happy to forward it to the proper quarters . I may mention that the interview you so kindly awarded me was used for ‘purely literary purposes, and not for those of propaganda.
With many apologies for troubling you in the matter, and anticipatory thanks for an early reply,
I beg to remain, dear Sir,
Youtb very truly.
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THE WESTERN UNION.JTELE0RAPH; COMPANY
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™?4hu“ ^UNKEPE*T?Dd»IE3aAx!'E.°^J i< dellratO b, of ib»„»4er. u^Jer Ho eoddUlon. n.m«l Q E LV , D EBE BHOOfts. GENERAL M«H»OtR:
Received at_^ - — - — — ■ •
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To thob a rniaow ' — — — - -- . . ■
ED I SOM LABORATORY _ _ _ _ _
ORANGE N.0» _ -, • - —
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^4N0-4-AMJlU«_EQR - TOWRWO^ - -
‘ EDWARD MARSHALL 12 36 A.i7
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aj3$e.(« dpa oUt 16th May, 1912.. ’
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1
My dear Ur. Edison,
You ought not to wait , in announcing the now diao record by means of a newspaper artiolo, «r your regular advertising campaign to begin. After this campaign has begun, the matter will not be treated as news, whereas, if you present it as another of your discoveries, ti» matter will get anormous publicity of a value rtiicih paid advertising oouia not have. Some newspapers might shy at ”• hut ninety percent of them would handle it as straight news. Combined with an amplification of what you told me about the falsity of many great ■ ™ioes an4 your investigations in measuring the vibrations, there should be an interesting article, which would^ undoubtedly be given space. >
Very sincerely yours.
bujtH*) Uc6cJiAJi4'//
Thos. A. Edison Esq., Orange ,
Hew Jersey.
■ fV \
U!> ■ '
24th May, 1912.
My dear Mr. Edison,
I await your convenience on tiie/2fijmograph matter. In the meantime, another matter has oome forward of very great importance Wo both you and myself - really of the grfea,test importance. If you will let me /know when you — Sill let) have fifteen minutes, i/shall be very glad to lay it before you. It jtif LI interest you deeply.
Very sincerely yoyii
Thos. A. Edison Esq., Edison laboratory, Orange, K. J.
MEADOW CROFT.
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
EnvAHD MahsiiaiiL
loth June, 1912.
My dear Mr. Meadoworoft ,
I received the hook this morning. Thanks very ir.uoh indeed. I will find out where Mr. Carnegie is today. My autographed edition will he among my most valued volumes.
Very sincerely yours,
( P
Vf. H. Meadowordft Eso.,
The Edison laboratories. Orange, Hew Jersey.
't-M.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Edison Laboratory,Orange,N.J.
My dear Mr.Edison:-
June 26th.l912
. yJU* ts^Ld- y
(Jykzt c<- A ^ ii- w,ia &
y «*. kai^v^i %**■> t
largestr and best Hungari anneTfBpagerytha^ ^ *— i^^ki clTyoiTare qu^tedPto have said VaVi^vrti^e^ereyin "thi s \i
One of the
Pesti Hirlap.have brought out a notice to a reporter of the New York Sun,that you
woman- that was yoked, to- an ox in' ploughing.. &. TheY report
sayf this woman yoked as described above near the Royal Palao^t _
and have taken offence that Such a false faot Should be circulated in America .
I know that you did not say ap to anyone, and know too that no wheres in Hungary are women ever yoked to the plough. I enclose you a leaf of the Pesti Hirlap of June 22nd.that contains the accuSation;and I have had a German translation made which I enclose also for I know you have men at your office that understand German;
In order to satisfy public opinion I think it may be well if you would write a flat contradiction that you never uttered Buoh words and that your idea of the country here has always been expressed otherwise.
With best regards to you and yours,! remain, ^ -p s lA* o>t-o
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
(Ungsrisches Anderiken filr Edison.-) Laut Meldung unseres New-Yorker Be- rlchterstatters hat Jene Ne.chricht , daos Hofrat Stefan v.Fodor ein lcunst- voll ausgestattetes Album fiir Edison herstellen liess zum Anderiken en Je- ne Te.ge,welche der weltberuhmte Amerilcaner vorlges Jehr in Budapest und Fozsony verbra.chte , e ini germao a en gemiscbte Gefuhle erweckt.-Ein unci das andefe Budapester Blatt hat an diese Nachrlcht auoh Jene Bemerkung ge- fiigt, class sich. an den ausgezeiohnet gelungenen Aufnehmen.Yfelche die ochon- sten Furikte von Pozsony und Budapest zeigen, jeclenfalls nicht nur tier Uei— ster, sondern a.uch seine zahlreichen e.merikenisch.en Besucher 'ergotzen. wer- den.Das ist eben,wovor sioh ciie amerike.nlscb.en Ungern eher fOrchten.als dass sie es wttnsobten.Edison bet sich namlich.wie vrir es in der Hammer vom 2 , Jfinner 1912 erwahnten.seinerzeit vom Newyork Sun interwievieren las sen bezuglich seiner europ&ischen Erfebr ungen und demals tisohte er dem aimerikanischen Publikum zuerst auf .class :,,clie sohlechteste Saohe, die er auf cUeser Welt seh.cUe Ofner konigliche Burg ist .welohe jeden- falls im Gederike.lbum enthe.lten ist und welche desbe.lb die sohlechteste Sache ist, well Edison nicht sehr weit von diesem Sobe.tzpalast angebllch elne ins Joch gespannte Frau sah.wie sie mit einem Ochsen zusammen cien Pflug zog.Seit clame.ls heben a.uch enclere BIStter geschrieben, ciass slob, die Hand Edlsons immer in eine Faust ballt.wenn er die Ofner lc6nigll- cbe Burg erwahnt, letzhin aber.ke.um vor einem Hona.te.ha.t er im Behmen ei- nes Interwiew die von ihm angebllch. gesehene, ins Joch. gespannte ung,Fra.u a.uch a.bzeichnen le.ssen.Wenn wir uns nicht tauschen.prengte die Ofner Burg im Hintergrunct des eigentumlichen Bilcies .Wie unser Berich.tersta.tter er- fahrt.erhielt Edison schon mehrere protestirende Brief e in ciieser Angele- genheit.doch umsonst.Bie ins Joch. gespannte ungenlsche Frau ist ihm zur wehrhnftigen Wehnidee gewor den, hi e von lasst er nicht nach. unci hat er hie2»- iiber in den letzten Monaten sich. mehr geaussert.e.ls uber seine letzten
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Erfindungen.Unci Del 00 einer Gelegenheit lot er immer neuerdings unci neuerdings e.ufgebre.cht gegen das glanzende Mnigllohe P0.le.i0 dee elen- cien exmen Lejnues.Unter solchen Umst&nden 1st es e.uf 0 Sichere eu neh- men,cte.0S Bdison entweder e.uoreiosen vrird das Bild der IcBniglichon Burg e.u0 dem Album, Oder e.ber nur deshalb dexinnen belie. It en wird.wenn er dasselbe seinen G&sten und den Reportern seigtjwelohe letzterer Pe.ll eehr webrscheinlich istjdeaiit er binsufiigen lcenn.de.ss nelie zu diese® Pe.l8.0t so gepfltigt wird.dass men einen Ocbsen und eine Pre.u zuse.mmen ins Jocb spannt.
SLAVIC- AMERICAN LEAGUE
J ^
^ ' P *
f' new
ty***
Thomas Edison Esq.
Llevelin Park, East Orange-
Uy dear Ur. Edison-
I have been asked by the Mew York American and the rest of Hearet’s papers, to write an intimate psychologio and philosophic article about your views of life, science, progress, soul and religion, as I have done recently and have begun to do, for the periodicals. With this in view X wish to visit you any time convenient for you, as soon as possible. I hope that, you will remember my visit seme years ago with my lady friend to you and Mrs. Edison, and I still remember several of your expressions on the philosophic subjects I touched. The interviews, as a rule, are superficial and on timely subjects, but X have taken a different point, and treat them from the subjective point of view. Hoping that you will not refuse my request, I beg to remain
Kost sinoerely yourB
y?
Tipton, Iowa, July 27, ^ '
k lV '- .
4 ,/ i„l' /
■y / . >
V* <*•
Mr. Thomas A. yd is on,
We st Orange , !T . J .
Near Sir:-
I have just read an article entitled, "How Can a Man Keep Well and Grow Old.!! "Thomas A. Kdison Tells Why He Is Never Sick."
By P.ichard Cole Newton, M. D.
I am preparing a discourse on the Human Machine and while I should of course feel at liberty to quote what has been published in your words in the article referred to, I will thank you very much if you are disposed to do bo, to send me some observations that may be in your mind on the subject and that you will permit me to quote from you. I could not hope to take any great amount of your valuable time but would thank you for whatever you are willing to say to me.
Yours very truly,
August Twenty-fith. 1912
Dear Mr. Mead owcr oft:
Your note of July Twenty-sixth has been pursuing
hb about the land and has just caugit up with me. X had a very dishonorable and neglectful young secretary, who has done mahy things he shouldn't and left undone many things he should have done. The mailing to you of the marked copy cf "The Boy's life of Edison" must have been one of the latter. I know just That I marked, however, and it won't tain me long to run through my other copy of the book and mark it. X iiall -Siennot send it to you but nring it or* to you with my own fair hands and wooden leg.
I'm going abroad in the faLl. Be thinking of ary service which you or Mr. Edison msy wish to have me do you over there. I shall takB in most of the larger cities and to do something for you both or either one of you would add pleasure to the trip.
Since rely yours ,
William A. Meadowcroft, Esquire, The Edison laboratories. Orange, H. J.
X M* a;e«W*^ ‘ lUttf- +»wi* l^-*f 3
r"
12. v- U<
September Eighth,
1912^ ^tCC lv.
:i
*****
vJknrii*** £\£& Y (' ^ ^
De£x Ijr*. Sdis<m: ^ i
x 3ust —a ,0 town MH
my neck in the police scan al ever s}.nce ’ HrreJLs^Jiote from Printers ’ Ink, a very high-class traae^P^blic^fc^m^ Th^e |j| y^
'.vould particularly like to say somethi^^tM^Tic^that^is, J unless, among your manifold Ij^erarte ^eTeJmay he *6na v/l^cll would he helped hy a statement c^this*4‘rl in a tradT^icalion of^thal ’ sort - I won’t bother you
vending machines I'll come over 4s»so^n asthe police trials get star¬ ted. **•
’ !5y God, the rottenness of this town.* I ha. to known before that it was vile, hut nor; how great its true stench is^JtiTT se.ti listen¬ ing to divers matters at Police Eea ouarters, a^ce^ly, it occurred to me that the usefulness of men like you and Justice) doff does not stop with the inventions which you mate or tte^pefisions which he gives upon the bench. You are leaven for a^jfig^ jviciosuness , which, without your earnestness and decency would sink, utterly
Siijcetily, v
Hau^
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
&*£ rc/A
REVIEWS
DYER AND MARTIN’S LIFE OF EDISON1
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
REVIEWS 777
in the best combination, the qualities that make the ideal organizer of industry. He has drive, the energy of a titan, an unfaltering persistence, a capacity for enlisting the enthusiasm of his followers; daring, too, and willingness to assume the risks of novel enterprises. But he is not an intuitive calculator, not an adept in financial management nor quick in financial reckoning. In lus early days, when the first large lump payment for a successful device was made to him, he thought he might get for it S3000, possibly $5000; his breath was taken away when he was offered $40,000. And tho he was then already in business on his own account as electrical engineer and contractor, and indeed had dabbled in undertakings of his own from boy¬ hood, he received from this transaction his first check, and knew so little of business ways that the drawer of the check and the bank teller were able to amuse themselves by paying over to him piles of small bills which he carried home and guarded all night. The next morning the joke was carried no further; the victim was told how to deposit his check and open a bank account (1, 133). At a period considerably later he received by cable an offer of “ 30,000 " for his in¬ terest in an invention; he accepted, but it was not until the draft arrived that he learned that he was to receive not 30,000 dollars, but 30,000 pounds sterling (1, 185). At still another time he was offered $100,000 for on invention, and accepted; but, wishing to be assured of n settled income for a period in the future, stipulated that the sum was to be paid in instalments of 86000 a year spread over 17 years; a mode of payment which was, of course, agreed to with alacrity by the other party. A second offer of $100,000, for another invention, was shortly after accepted on the like stipulation, and with the same ignorance of tho pecuni¬ ary worth of deferred payments (1, 180, 183). There are abundant other indications through these volumes that book-keeping and accounting were neglected by Mr. Edison and were not readily understood by him. (See, for example, 1, 135.) If he prosecuted his enterprises to financial success, it was because his other qualities made that of pecuniary
■ negligible.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
778 QUARTERLY JOURNAL OP ECONOMICS
On the other hand, it cannot be said that money has been indifferent to Mr. Edison, or that his energies have been applied without influence from the money-making ambition. His first patent (1869) was for a vote-recorder; its fate is interesting in more ways than one.
The purpose of this particular device was to permit a vote in the National House of Representatives to he taken in a minute or so, complete lists being furnished of all members voting on the two sides of any question. Mr. Edison, in recalling the circumstances, says: "The invention when completed was taken to Washington. I think it was exhibited before a committee that had something to do with the Capitol. The chairman of the committee, after seeing how quickly and perfectly it worked, said: ‘ Young man, if there is any invention on earth that we don’t want down here, it is this. One of the greatest weapons in the hands of a minority to prevent bad legislation is filibustering on votes, and this instrument would prevent it.’ ” (Pp. 101-102.)
His biographers remark elsewhere: —
From the time of boyhood, when ho first began to rub against the world, his commercial instincts were alert and predominated in almost all of the enterprises that he set in motion. This character¬ istic trait had grown stronger as he matured, having received, os it did, fresh impetus and strength from his one lapse in the case of his first patented invention, the vote-recorder. The lesson he then learned was to devote his inventive faculties only to things for which there was a real, genuine demand, and that would sub-
fortunate circumstance that this lesson was learned at the outset of his career as an inventor. He has never assumed to be a phi¬ losopher or " pure scientist.” (P. 239.)
It is to be noted, also, that he seems to have been im¬ mensely concerned with keeping his intentions secret until he had secured the protection of the Patent Office (I, 273).
Mr. Edison’s pecuniary career has been checkered. He made a fortune in connection with the incandescent light, — tho not from the patents, but from connected manufac¬ turing enterprises (II, 661, note). He lost everything in the magnetic iron ore venture, as is noted below; and he became rich again from sundry inventions and enterprises
REVIEWS 779
of later date, — cement-making, talking-machines, moving picture-machines, and so on. I quote again: —
All his lifo he has had a great deal to do with finance and com¬ merce, and as one looks at the magnitude of the vast industries he has helped to create, it would not be at ail unreasonable to expect him to be among the multi-millionaires. That ho is not is due to the absence of certain qualities, the lack of which Edison is himself the first to admit. Those qualities may not be amiable, but great wealth is hardly ever accumulated without them. If he had not been so intent on inventing lie would have made more of his great opportunities for getting rich. If this utter detachment from any love of money for its own sake has not already been illustrated in some of tho incidents narrated, one or two stories arc available to emphasise tho point. (P. 661.)
One of the stories adduced relates to a loan requested from the City Bank in Now York, and not granted. Tho president said to Mr. Edison, “ What you want is a partner ” ; a remark which seems to have been taken by Mr. Edison os an intimation of a design to get an illegitimate slice of his gains. Whether or no the remark was sinister, it seems to have had its justification. There is abundant indication that he was an erratic person in business matters; and he may have needed a partner quite as much as Watt needed Boulton.
Mr. Edison’s iron-ore enterprise (narrated in chapter IX) illustrates not only the ups and downs of his pecuniary career, but the spirit in which he took hold of his ventures. He conceived the idea that the vast deposits of low grade magnetic iron-ore in the Eastern region could be profitably utilized in competition with the Lake Superior ores. He bought in New Jersey a largo tract of land — “a mountain of rock containing only one-fifth to one-fourth magnetic iron” — and proceeded to tear down the mountain, grind the rock to powder, and extract the iron. The venture was conducted with extraordinary energy. A village was created at the site, crushing machinery of novel type in¬ vented, a magnetic separator devised, elaborate apparatus installed for putting up the ore in briquets suitable for
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
780 QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
transportation and smelting. Doubtless, there is no reason for discounting what is said in these pages about tho inven¬ tive and organizing genius shown. But a commercial 1
failure the enterprise did prove. Possibly the explanation ;
lies, as the biographers state, in the unexpected cheapness I
of the competing Lake Superior ores; and it may be that in the future the Eastern ores will again be utilized on Mr. j
Edison’s plans. But the fact remains that in this case the inventor was his own backer, embarked his entire fortune, and lost everything.
None the less, tho spirit in which this very enterprise was pushed, and tho failure finally accepted, shows that money-making was not the only thing that stirred the man.
He lost in the venture the fortune of a couple of millions
which he had made from the electrical ventures afterwards i
consolidated in the General Electric Company. He was j
immensely interested in the technical problems of the ore
plant. A conversation relating to this phase of his career
is reported thus: — i
We got a New York nowspaper, and I called his attention to tho quotation of that day on General Electric. Mr. Edison then !
asked: “ If I hadn't sold any of mine, what would it be worth to-day 7 ” and after some figuring I replied: “ Over four million j
dollars.” When Mr. Edison is thinking seriously over a problem 1
he is in the habit of pulling his right eyebrow, which he did now :
for fifteen or twenty seconds. Then his face lighted up, and he ,
said: “Well, it ’sail gone, but wo had a hell of a good time spending j
On the psychological issue, the verdict on the whole ,
seems to be, not proven. Obviously the man is veritably possessed by an instinct of workmanship or continuance; j
just as others are possessed by the instinct of rhythm, or j
of combat, or of the curiosity of science. It is clear that the love of distinction and the more material self-regarding ,
motives have also moved him. What has been the share of tho two sets of motive forces in bringing him to his achieve¬ ments seems impossible to say. Doubtless he could not !
say himself. The psychologists are able to do no more for
REVIEWS 781
us than enumerate and classify, with more or less uncer¬ tainty, the human instincts. They can assure us only that the love of wealth is no simple thing, but very complex; and that man is moved in his industrial efforts by a variety of impulses, some of them agglomerated in this composite love of wealth, some of them quito distinct from it. Wo are so immersed in the present individualist system that we can hardly conceive how we should act under conditions totally different. Prediction might be expected to be easier as regards those rare persons, like Mr. Edison, in whom some particular bent appears with extraordinary strength. Yet even hero we cannot be sure. What sort of things would he have worked at in a collectivist society, and would his services have been greater or less ? To these questions we can give no convincing answers.
F. W. Taubsiq.
gtCKflTtfHlIKt
Mr .Vlioma--- Alva ttlJ son . .
I.lewellyr. Park St .Pc
VA«-^
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• or u/ry-ui ion..
address :
to you -tncl in vthi-h I li Uraph^tlint you have ki
•*.. riiiju'.ii.vly my little Hv.ssi on jourr-.-.l 3. m- set dang iiwa had the- pleasure to put ir- 1910 yov.r ph«to- .ndly sent to tf with your esteemed Idler of Sept .
v:mo( !
, the Laboratory of you)
- I t
and of the year. I am
>:u..e and that I could publish 1»- uy Mod eat magas »>* . ’-'ii thl 3 .y« tr , writing myself alitor- 1 -11. the articles. It though I have 1000 subscribers, vh 5 oh nay each Hbl.S.- . ird have -2 ready lost during the years a large suit..
irt u,w of the best Pater t-Off ices "Kaupe Tnchek -1 off' during 1" years •
X a., a consul ling-engineer it- technic -.1 advertisements and-.tuu o.te? izn -na lv the Singer Co to give consultations in publishing puffings etc.
Perhaps' you would be so kind to send mo a look with a full description of -tour inventions or your life, which I will IV.r tr-c-slale into Kussiar. In r gage and publish it.
T. hope you Will not consider me obtrusive .1 esteem you And your sow. Your photo is always standing tse before me on cy / table • t>y sei'di ng anyth i».
•elation her. t
7
PENNSYLVANIA
' Oct. 10, 19X2.
Dear sir:
The Saturday Evening Post desires t« obtain an interview from Hr. Edison in re¬ gard to his work on moving pictures for ed- ucatioxml purposes. The editor, Ur. Lori- mar is particularly interested in its ef¬ fect not only on education in general but especially on the development of backward children.
Wll you kindly see if you oar. arrange such an interview?
lly husband - Henry Beach loodham - who is accustomed to interview big folk, tells me that I must Bay something about myeolf, so that you will know whom to ex¬ pect. I have had quite a contact with edu¬ cational matters. Further than that I have written quite a little, and my spring book, "Iblk festivals" (Huabsch) has had a very kind reception.
Hoping to hear favorably from you soon, ‘ , Cordially. yours, i ■'
■maAH yviw-f h
FRANK R WILSON PUBLISHER
Uhe Sioux City DDaily Die to 8
Sioux °ity, Io.t October 10. 1912.
Thomas A. Edison, Menlo Park, H. J. Dear Sir:
I SH attaeh a copy of a jingle which is one of a series which has been appearing daily in the Hew York Globe, the Chicago Hews, the Philadelphia Bulletin and a number of other papers that are affiliated with the Asso¬ ciated newspapers, a syndicate with offices in the Singer Building, Hew ZH# York. The stuff is written purely in a spirit of fun, and the author trusts to the good nature of the subjects to aooept it in that light. I am asking each of said subjects to autograph his particular Terse as a personal faror to me, and I enclose a slip for that purpose. I thank you now for whaterer kindness you may see fit to show me in this connection.
Hews,
Sioux City, Io.
Introducing You to Famous Individuals II
By John "W. Carey.
AVho plugs some twenty hours bi n day— (Skidoo, you Busy Ik !) — $ inventing this and also that— of H Menlo Park, the viz! Who sa the sleep game’s overplayed— a: all that sort of stuff— for any mi four solid hours in bed is quite enough! Who ’d have us lie on i concreto couch — asbestos sheets "■ and such (in which event, four q hours in bed we’d say, were much too much)! AVho’d dearly love, * no doubt, to keep the world pi awake all night-, as that would n< niean big doings for his incandes- Ju cent light! Who gave to ub the y, phonograph — ye ragtimo in the is can — but who is otherwise O. K. tju, Tom Edison’s the man. /'*
THE SIOUX/CITY DAILY NEWS
319 5th St. Stf ux City, la.
fa. £ C^J<LtTK.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Telegraph and Telephone Age
PUBLISHED ON THE FIRST AND SIXTEENTH OF EACH MONTH. FOUNDED IN
A Semi-Monthly J
J. B. TALTAVALL,
Telegraph. Telephone and Subma Interests and Radio-Telegraphy.
253 BROADWAY,
New York, October 17, 1912.
Hr. V/. II. Ileadoworoft ,
Edison Laboratory,
West Orange,
N. J.
Dear Hr. Ileadoworoft
The enclosed copy of a letter mailed today to Mr.
E. B. Hudson explains itself. In case Mr. Hudson is hot in town, we thought it best to send the copy to you.
We would like to receive the Edison message Saturday morning. All Mr. Edison need say is something like the following: “Greeting to the Old Time Telegraphers' and Historical Association and the Members of the United States Military Telegraph Corps assembled in reunion at Jackson¬ ville, "etc., etc.
Mayor Jordan of Jacksonville would greatly appreciate a message to be read at the banquet and General Manager Bel- videre Brooks of the Western Union Telegraph Company, llew York has detailed an operator to look after the New York end of the Jacksonville special wire on this occasion to handle Mr. Edison's message as well as others from Andrew Carnegie, Theo. N. Vail, Col. R. C. Clowry and others.
Awaiting your valued favors, we are,
Yours very truly.
Publisher .
JBT-EKH
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
October 17, 1912.
Mr. 2. E. Hudson,
o/o Thos. A. Edison, Inc.,
West Orange , IT. J .
Dear Mr. Hudson:-
The President of the Old Time Telegraphers' and His¬ torical Association, Hon. W. S. Jordan, Mayor of Jacksonville •Pla., desires me to get from Mr. Thos. A. Edison, a reply to a message ,of welcome that will be sent to him on the n.ight of the banquet at Jacksonville, which' will occur next Thursday. The Old Time Telegraphers' and Historical Association, will meet at Jacksonville next week. Will you kindly have the message of greeting from Mr. Edison prepared in advance and send it to me and we will place It in charge of the proper party in New York who will be custodian of the serveral simi¬ lar messages until the night of the banquet when they! will ' be sent over a special wire to Jacksonville to be read dur¬ ing the progress of the banquet by Mayor Jordan.
Kindly give this matter your promptlattention as the writer will leave for Jacksonville on Saturday, and oblige. Yours very truly,’
Publisher.
JBT-EKM
P. S. - To make sure of securing something from Mr. Edison,
We have forwarded a copy of this letter to Mr. W. II. Meadow^, croft. .
|
\> T° |
Telegraph and Telephone Age PUBLISHED ON THE FIRST AND SIXTEENTH OF EACH MONTH. |
|
Hr. 'll. H. ideadowrcroft. |
A Semi-Monthly Journal Devoted to Commercial and Railway and Radio-Telegraphy. J. B. TALTAVALL, PuousHcn. |
|
253 BROADWAY, New Yorkt-O..Q.%...f ... . |
|
|
Dear Hr. Ueadov.croft: - |
In reply to utta.ch.ed, the matter of Hr. Edison's 1 it tended to on the special wire to the banquet nail, ige reached us from llew York, signed by^mr.^
.lie Reunion was the greatest s lers Conventions so far held.
Thanking you for your kindness in the matter and with best
jbt/jos.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
^rrcajM (Scfeum/,
T
Oot. 30/12
Mr. J. 3. Taltaval,
253 Broadway,
Ilew York City. •
Bear Mr. Taltavall:-
It just occurred to me that I have not written to you to confirm the telephone message which I sent to your office in regard to the matter of a message from Mr. Edison to the "Old Time" Telegraphers.
At the time your letter was received, Hr. Edison's mother inlaw had just died, and he v/ent to Akron, Ohio to the funeral service and did not get hack for several days.
Of oourse, this upset everything and, therefore, the special telegraph message could not he arranged for.
I told your secretary over the telephone that Mr. Edison had previously written Mayor Jordon in re¬ sponse to his invitation, and in the latter had sent his greetings to the memheis of the Association.
I trust all this was thoroughly understood. Yours very truly,
Cl£-0%4J£i
whm/es
Dlplom-lngeniwif
ft R a t n e i*.
Diplbm-rngenieuf- ft R a t n e r,
I have received in good state the four photos ana tne description of your XX 0entury Suburban Residence, which you were extremely kind to send me. I will transform it in Bussian language and I am sure it will be of great interest for my readers. Prom the above you can see that I am the representative of the German Journal "Ze itschrift fur praktischen Maschi- nenbau", which is the translation of the "American Machinist" .1 esteem very much the editor of it .Mr .John Hill, of whom I had so much Aeard from the Manager of the Pneumatic Tool Co. in this town, Mr .John K.Lencke .This man came about 11-12 years ago from your land and was the first, who introdu¬ ced here the pneumalic Tools and erected a plant for making them.I believe that even at present nobody else is able to make these tools here .In win¬ ter 19o8 Mt. John K.Lencke made his usual trip to U.s.A and then he brougl2 to me a photo of you.Mr.John Hill was then kind enough to send me a book with the National Songs of America.lt was my desire to know the words of the son&Yankee Doodle", because nobody here could me tell them-Now I am
satisfied.
Please , receive my deepthanks for your kindness.I have a little booklet with the thoughts of Carlyle and there is at the end written: "A friendly thought is the purest gift that man can afford to man"
I will send the copies with the article registered.
Very
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
GILBERT H. MONTAGUE
x*o*c
My dear Mr. Edison:- On November
Hovember 13t 11,1912.
2nd X wrote Mr. Dyer stating that
the editor of Leslie's Weekly, with whom I had recently been conferring, was planning an Inventors' dumber; and that his art editor had suggested a frontispiece showing a bust of yourself in a Hall of Fame, surrounded by medallions representing famous inventors; and that a signed article from yourself v/as desired. Since most of the articles were to be directed generally against the pending Oldfield bill, something on this line waB particularly desired from you.
Mr. Dyer suggested that I combine several paragraphs of your letter to the Pate/it Committee into an article of moderate size and send it to you or to him for final approval. Accordingly, X have combined several paragrapns of your letter into an article of such length as the magazine can use, and I am submitting it herewith. If it is satis¬ factory, will you kindly write me, authorising the printing of this article in Leslie's Weekly over your facsimile sig¬ nature; and may I trouble you to write your name upon a separate slip of paper so that it may be reproduced for
publication?
With regards, I am,
Thomas A’. Edison, Esq,., c/o Thos. A‘. Edison, Inc. Orange, N.J.
Very truly yours,
enclosure:
GILBERT H. MONTAGUE
November 18 th , 1912.
My dear Mr. Dyer:-
Herev/ith I hand you a copy of a letter and proposed article which 1 am today sending direct to Mr. Thomas A. Edison, pursuant to the suggestion contained in your recent letter.
As the time is rather pressing, I will thank you for any assistance which you can give in ex¬
pediting the matt<
Vary truly yours,
Frank 1. Dyer, Esq., president, Thomas A. Edison, Inc Orange, 1T.J.
- '
s/y'/A
1/ ff St/' ^ }/<
enclosures
y* tv p"'
v & y s
c tv. 4 v.
/'/// ^
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November 22, 1912.
. H. JAeadovdroft ,
Thomas A. Edison Bibratory, Orange, N. J.
Bear Sir:
I am phased to Know tnat ar. interested in tne
story you mention, published in last Sunday's World. I will take great pleasure in meeting Ur. Edison if it is oonyenient for him to see m0 some morning the latter part of next week of the week after.
P.V.R.K.-A.
JOHN _ l !•*'
CAt* u "
GILBERT H. MONTAGUE , X r
^ => ,y> ^
N EW YO R K J /
November 23rd, 1912. /
My dear Mr. Edison:- /
On November lath, 1912 I wrote you regardin'" tiie article which .is desired for publication in Leslie's weekly; hut I have not yet received a response from you.
As the time is rather pressing, I take the liberty to remind you about the matter. /
With regards, I an, /
Very truly yours,,/
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.*-, ‘
Orange, N.J.
r
/
Ur. V/.H. Meadowcroft’, Assistant to Thoms A Edisor Edison laboratories,
Orange N.J.,
Dear Jflr. Meadowcroft:-
*- sc* 1
I aw writing to express to Mr. Edison, through ,.ycuf j, appreciation of his courtesies to me when I visited hi^in^O ran g and for the knowledge he gave me. ,.J> s' s'" > . rj
felt that there was so much Mr. Edison said that is wholly ne< which, as v/e both know, presents facts of deep interest if tiJrrey \m presented in an entertaining manner. X
In short: I should like to write a specia' for the new magazine of The World, concerning those musical inve gations on which Mr. Edison's marvelous mind is now employed*.^
I should, likewise, like to prepare The Saturday Evening Post — t.a which I arija regular
of which calls for more information - 4“" *’”*
Music which Mr. Edison is < .
development of the people'
r Mr. Edison' i
_ _ _ tributor--w i
_ _ _ concerning the Scientific Si<
itined to make an important factoj/ir artistic understanding of music.
, be available
Under another cover I am taking the liberty of forwarding two copies of recent issues of The Saturday Evening Post, in which will be found two installments of a feature I wrote called:
The Inside of the Singing Game. I am sending it that you may both have a better idea of how ouch an> article, or series of art-
~irf7T7mrT IIIILIM ll Incidentally, Mr. Edison may find matters of inter¬ est contaiiJed in the Post stories — for they deal essentially with facts.
Assuring you of my consideration of your kindness to me when I was in Orange and with my sincere compliments to your distinguished chief, I am,
could so cl early and so authoritatively brine lief ore tie people the possibilities of the next ten years in the light of the discoveries and advances of the year which is just closing. I don't mean by this , nor does Hr. liearst mean, any ironclad predictions, but a broad analy¬ sis of v/hat is lilcely to happen along the following lires:
The development of the moving picture in our business, social and educational life. The moving picture is now being used to bring to people's minds lessons in hy¬ giene, in efficiency and in morality. I have, by the way, some very excellent still photographs from the :3d is on Com¬ pany for another feature along these lines, but which will not militate with anything that you may say.
SECONDLY : In the production of energy. Goal is rapidly disappearing, and what will take its place when the supply gives'- out?
THIRDLY: The Rood supply.
are still dependent
jNetDp^^^teruan
T. A.E...#2.
upon the slow proooessos of nature as middleman, '.'/ill ;e ever be aisle to extract our food directly from the elements in the earth or in the air?
POURTh: Education: V/e have never specialized in the education of children, and this is the age of specialists. Perhaps the moving pictures and the phonograph may he great factors in this development.
PIPTH: in the care of the hody. In the light of Dr. Carrel’s experiments ^will science he ahle to confer actual earthly immortality upon man hy presenting him with healthy hits of machinery every time the old pieces run out? This is necessarily a very brief outline.
\7e feel that such an interview with you would he
the means of making hundreds of thousands think a little het- and ,
ter,Kawaken others to the possibilities arouna them.
There is no scientist, it seem to us, whose words would have so great a carrying power in American as yourself, and, at the same time, there is no medium so great as ours to carry what you have to -say.
Very truly yours,
SDIF'AY EDITOR.
MEAOo*°<*>n-
Dec • X4 , 1912.
5^;
1/U t
Hr. William H. Meadowcroft,
Assistant to ThomaB A Edisr '
Orange, ff.J. ,
Dear Mr.Meadowcrof±:-
. I have your communication of l3ie 12th,, which Mr. Edison conveys through you his wish to wait until February before going at length into The Scientific Side of Music .
/ In so far as preparing a broad and comprehen-A
sive special article, such as this title indicates, I can rea-^_ dily see that Mr. Edison would wish to v/ait until he is properly "primed." But I sincerely trust ncpbjection v/ill be made to The World printing a story in its Sund'ay Magzine section on :How Edison Puts the Tape Meadure on Sigging Voices and Bates them according to a Scale of 100. Percentage'.'
We have made preparations to run this article shortly and the story, in point of fact, is already written. I hope Mr. Meadowcroft, that Mr. Edison will offer no objections for there will be nothing appearing that can in any way operate to his annoyance.
A further reasen why he should offer no objec¬ tions to our using this Btcry is the publication, in the laBt issue of Musical America, *an article in which Mr. Edison 1b quoted and in which certain material 1 purpose using is already in print.
I will forv/ard the manuscript of the article f I have prepared for The World to you for Mr. Edison"B inspection p and any suggestions he may care to mhke for eliminations or 1 additions.
As for The Scientific Side of Music Btory — which we can make of country-wide importance and deep human interest— I -would he greatly helped if Mr. Edison would permit me to <’■0 over certain matters with him some time in January.
That will give me time to write the article — which will require much care and considerable^M«fe— so it can he considered for editorial consideration hy- The Saturday Evening Post At a date permitting possible publication in March; for , as you prohahly. know, this magazine "makes up" several weeks in advance of printed day of issue.
Incidentally/, X have some valuable information' concerning vocal art science to impart to Mr. Edison-, which he may find of uBe. With kind regards, T ““
Very truly yours,
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Mr. William H. Meadowcroft,
Assitant to Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, H.J.,
Dear Mr. Headowcroft:-
Thank you and Mr. Edison for your courtesy in O.K.-ing the copy of the suggested story for the MagAa^e Section of The World. We appreciate it.
All we need now is a hit of information to give the article more weight and interest--that being HOW Mr. EdiBon establishes, scientifically, the amazing things in music which he does,
What we --and the public, too--are anxious to know is how Mr. Edison:
Establishes timbre.
Establishes the rate of tremolo.
Establishes trueneBB of pitch.
And all the other facts contained on hiB chart.
X believe you and Mr. Edison can appreciate that the HOW of it is of paramount importance, and that it will give to the article a note of authenticity not now present.
Will you, then, kindly forward this information at Mr. Edison's and your earliest opportunity, when I shall in¬ corporate it in the article and, if you wish, forward the proofs for final O.K.-ing before publication. Wishing you gentlemen the compliments of the season, good health and contentment, I
Edison General File Series 1912. Autograph and Photograph Requests (E-12-04)
This folder contains requests for Edison’s autograph or photograph and letters of acknowledgment from persons who received his autograph or photograph. Among the items for 1912 is a letter from New York philanthropist Mary Robinson Wright, the widow of James Hood Wright, concerning a meeting with Edison and an Italian sculptor named Ximenez. Another letter from composer Luigi Romano, who would later write a "Kinetophone Waltz," encloses reviews of his "Titanic Symphony." Also included is an exchange between Edison and his chief engineer Miller Reese Hutchison in which Edison declines a request to sit for New York photographer Benjamin J. Falk, who wanted to "try out his new color photography." Other correspondents include E. H. Bancroft, son of William L. Bancroft who apparently visited Port Huron, Michigan, with Edison in 1898; sculptor Frank E. Elwell; Irwin W. Howell, a former employee of the British Thomson-Houston Co.; and New Jersey congressman Eugene F. Kinkead.
Less than 5 percent of the documents have been selected. The unselected items consist primarily of unsolicited correspondence from Edison admirers, autograph collectors, educators, newspapers, and periodicals.
|
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|
214 OUACHITA AVENUE j |
Hot Springs, Ark.,- Feb. . 26,.. 1912. 191 1
The Private Secretary, Thomas a Edison, Orange, N. ■
Bear Sir:-
*^V
in ihe fail of 1696 my Fattier, the late wm 1- Bancroft, made final visit to his old home, port Huron, Mich.., and together with Mr, Mi son was there entertained by their mutual iriend '>r. 0 Brin ,T. Atkinson, at his summer home "The Old Bunce Place"
At that time I understand, Mr. Edison rave .Tas. M. White, photographer, a sittin.fr and a personal* exchange of photographs was made, t have recently obtained from the White studio a e rt Mr. Edison's. Tt would add rreatly to *h.e. of the possession were it autographed by him - and T would thank you to brinrr it to his attention.
Doubtless he is besieged with similar quests, but T venture mine with a feelin<r that peihaps it mi<rh t afford him also a pleasure.
Kindly convey to Mr. Edison compliments from my Mother and .mention that on March -™^_next _+ ov* « nav - she turns her B7th.. tixe
SS4SS ssrs." ~ - -
£4 •• -vU. K< /J fcit
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WASHINGTON
June 7, 1912.
Mr. II. F. Hiller,
Thomas A. Edison Laboratory,
Ornngo, Hew Jersey,
My dear Mr. Miller*
I have yours of the 4th instant enclosing Autograph of Mr. Edison. I want to thank you very much for your Kindness in this matter, as noil as for the promptness nith which you complied nith my request.
TTith personal regards, bolievo mo.
EFK-R
ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT.
PATERSON,
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of r
The Greater J. D. Williams Amusement Co. Ltd.
Dear Mr Edison,
Mr J, D. Williams, Managing Director of the above Company,
would like very muoh to have an autographed photograph of yourself - enlarged if possible - to put fen his new executive offices. Crystal Palace Building,
He is making a collection of the photographs of the men who have made the Motion Picture business famous, and wants them to adorn the walls of his office.
It is intended to have the arrangement of these photographs carried out in a very unique way, and he will personally deem it a great favour if you will kindly forward the photograph abovementioned to our agent in New York - Mr. L. M. Hoto, 146 West 23rd Street, Hew York City, who will be glad to defray all expenses incurred therewith.
Thanking you in anticipation,
I am, faithfully yourB,
Would you honor me with your autograph upon one (or both) of the enclosed post-cards. I did not have any cards that would exactly "fit"' your genius, but the two enclosed are favorites of mine— Ilfracombe, as a place which I have visited; and “Eventide"' as a beautiful reproduction .(on a small scale) of Professor
Von Hier's painting.
I have indicated with a small ctobb, on each card, where the autograph may appear to advantage.
Thanking you most cordially, I have the honor t® remain.' Respectfully yours,
'WcU^uB.
FRANK EDWIN ELWELL
12 HUDSON PLACE
New Jersey
Sculptor ot tbc Statues
Orange, N. J.
New Life,
IJonney Memorial, Lowell, Dickens and Little Nell, Fairmount Park, Philatlcl Rear Admiral C, H. Davis, Vicksburg, Miss.
General Frederick Steele, Vicksburg, Miss.
/Ill Rhode Island Mcmorj: Vicksburg, Miss.
Mr. Harry D. Miller,
West Orange,
“• My Dear Sir:- Pa- X want to thank you most sincerely
for your kindness to me yesterday in permitting me to see that wonderful soul at work.
,K The vivid impression I obtained in those
few precious moments will stay in my mind until slay.
photographs , especially
I would like the one shown me in thf
Washington, d. <y ou may have ani^Mr^ Edison1
and any others highty.This will S%3,iUl{%
_ _ _ ' x'
valuable data . Of the man I got a gocifi shot
at him yesterday -but any data lik^prof ile^)or ■" t*
Lo- * V -
other photographs will be of value later and
should be made i
w. Of course I do r
o^stT Aberdeen, Scotiamjth the notion that X am a great sculptor or any- at Aberdeen.
,LS in gold, silver and bronfahing like that but that I am a sincere one
L rcJT- > -/ft L,
reaching for the truth and the beauty in the truth is I think evidenced in my work in Orange.
Give that big soul my love and thank him for the honor he paid me yesterday. J . rfl
^jfflA/6cfis>cr^:
'Mvvs hmrm /pz/Aj ifcz pAffirf?* ph^y f ycn*s urtnc^cj @cvi luw\ ^ Slft/it# tp rfa tJy Art mt4¥-, -Color (hh±sf irtflw
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making a great Btature to commemorate the progress of this century in every line, Art, Music and Science. As the greatest is Electricity, his object, is to make the central figure represented by you. He also wants to make a small bronze bust of your self to present to you. This would require three or four sittings of possibly half
hour each. The desire to accomplish thiB was the cheif object of his visit to the United States. I am writing this for Mr Ximenez because he does not write English and X accompanied him yesterday to assist him by interpreting as we are old friends, and 7/e regretted not seeing you.
I knov/ that you are very much occupied, but if you will give Mr Ximenez an interview at your convenience he will appreciate it.
With compliments,
Faithfully,
Bear Mr Miller:
X appreciated so much your kind attentions to Mr Ximenez and myself yesterday. I have just written a letter to Mr Edison as you suggested and as X know you are very close to him I feel assured lb that you will arrange an interview as soon as possible.
With compliments,
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3LE ADDRESS* G EVECO’’
ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
INCIPALOFFICE AND FACTORY LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y.
November 26, 1912.
My dear Meadowcroft:
just before X went to England eleven years ago to start an Edison lamp Factory for the B. H. 1'.. I went to Mr. Edison and ashed him for a signed photograph to take with me. After considerable per¬ suasion, he very kindly gave me what X wanted. Naturally, I was very proud of this picture, and as soon as our office building in Rugby was completed, my picture was borrowed? and placed in the most promi- uent position in the Board Room where it still hangs, for when I left last summer to come back to this country, I found it practically im¬ possible to bring my picture with me.
What I would like to have now is another signed picture, and while I know how difficult it is to get one. I feel that if you bring the circumstances of this case to Mr. Edison's attention, and consider- ing the holiday season .just approaching, I am sure you will be able to convince him how much I will value such a gift. The one I had was a rather large picture, and I saw a few weeks ago in Mr. John Howell's house a signed portrait about cabinet sise and this is what I would like to have.
During my stay in England I saw a great deal of Sir William Preece and Sir Joseph SWan, both of whom used to enjoy reminiscing about their meetings with Mr. Edison, particularly Sir William Preece, for whom I developed very great affection.
I am now over here with Mr. Wagoner and am talcing a keen interest in Mr. Edison's remarkable battery, and I hope one of these days to have an opportunity to see you at Orange.
Do you think you can get a picture for me to replace mine captured by the Britishers?
Yours faithfully,
Jtcow
W. H. Meadowcroft, Esq., Edison laboratory, Orange, II. J.
Edison General File Series 1912. Automobile (E-12-05)
This folder contains correspondence and other documents concerning the repairs and registration of Edison's personal vehicles. Also included are items pertaining to technical development of automobile ignition systems. A few items bear marginalia by Edison. Among the correspondents are industrialist Henry Ford and his secretary Ernest G. Liebold. There are also letters and reports by employees of the Edison Storage Battery Co., including chief engineer Donald M. Bliss and sales manager William G. Bee.
Approximately 50 percent of the documents have been selected. The unselected material includes sales solicitations, invitations to events sponsored by the automobile industry that Edison did not attend, duplicates, and documents that duplicate the information in selected items.
LPRp'SENTATtVE IN
LONDON
to QjteMS Co.
Magnsto
L£VAU-OIS-PERRET
10-82 BROADWAY
NEW YORK. U.S.A. Jan . 1912.
5^ fib,
Edison, AK .
New Jensey . ' \ V /x’']
Dear Sir:-
Mr . Carl Broesel, Manager of the Simplex Kotor Car Company, of Mew York, sent me to-day for personal inspection a Simms Magneto, which had been fitted to a Simplex car which I understand is your property.
I am sorry if the Magneto should have given you trouble, but upon close examination, I find that there iB nothing wrong whatseover with the machine, except that the carbon-holder of the high-tension current had been binding or rubbing on the slip-ring, due to some end-play in the armature, apparently caused by some knock. This matter was at once remedied and the machine in question returned to the Sinplex Motor Car Company
in perfect order .
I was also informed by the said firm that your chauffeur had complained that the machine in question was a second-hand one. I hereby beg to state that such is not the The machine is entirely a new one, for a firm of a
IS MAGNETO COMPANY,
. ...Mdison .
reputation such as the Sin^lex Motor Car CoJt©any of Hew York or our own, would not allow a Magneto which is second-hand to te passed off for a new machine. If your chauffeur perhaps refers to the timing lever which was slightly scraped inside to insure an equal break and make, I understand that this is usually done by the Simplex Motor Car Coiqoany prior to the despatching of any car for final adjustment of the timing.
I can assure you that our Magnet is made in every way of the best possible materials and highest class of workmanship and finish, thus insuring the highest mechanical and electrical efficiency and reliability.
Always at your services,
I remain. Dear Sir,
Very truly yours.
IBS /DM
Doar Sir: -
In further reference to the letter which the Simms iiagnoto Co. wrote you on Jan. 2d, beg to say that v.e have the Simms magneto which you had trouble with on your car hack from the Simms Co. and this instrument is now in perfect order.
If you wish us to , v/e will he glad to out this hack on your car.
If you prefer, we would ho very glad to have you keep the Bosch magneto, which you now have, and trusting that you will havo no further trouble with your Simplex car, we beg to remain
Yours very truly,
SIM?L3Z ;\'J TO MOBILE CO . ,
C.B.— B.H.
Jan. 9th, 1912,
REPORT ON AUTOMATIC BATTERY CHARGER ATTACHED TO PIERCE ARROW CAR
• A email stock dynamo was used for this and a
centrifugal switch made to close tho circuit when thG voltage was high enough to start oharging and open the oirouit When the charging current was above the' capacity of the dynamo.
The only accessible place to drive from was the pump shaft on engine Which made from 300 to 500 R.P.K. at a oar speed of from 8 to 28 miles per ho'ur.
She dynamo had to be run from 2100 to 2500 R.P.M. to generate up to the capacity, and owine to the slow speed of driver and very short oenter distances between driving shaft and dynamo, it was impossible to get a belt drive to give results. We, therefore, rewound the stock generator for t-lower speed, (of course cutting down its capacity) and now have it mounted in oar, generating about from 1 to 2fc amps. A discharge test will be made on the cells to-night and?' I will report the results. $
We are now rewinding one of the small shaving machine motors to aot as a low voltage generator at a much flower Bpeed ' whioh will make a simple belt drive satisfactory.’' This new dynamo will also have larger shaft and bearings, a more sub¬ stantial commutator , and will have a higher current o opacity.
AUTOM O B I liE IVlANU ^G^LI B ERS
Dolroit.UiS.A.
Ur. W. G. Bee, Manager,
Edison Storage Battery Co., Orange, H.J.
We have been hard at work re-designing our motor and finally succeeded in moving the carburetor to the other side, and getting it plaoed in Buch a way as to make it commercially feasible.
In doing this, there remains on the right hand side of the motor q space 5 in. wide, 8 in. high, and 16 in. long to bo used for a starting, motor and generator.
' We are making a Bmall motor and generator
set here equipped with two comnutators and two windings, one to generate at 600 r.p.m., and the other for starting at 1,500 r.p.m. As soon as the castings are out, we will send you a set. These you oan out and slash aB you like.
I hope that you can see your way dear to build a maohine to fit this space, of your own design.
Other data on the speed of the motor ahd power required to turn it will be sent later.
Very truly yourB,
^ '
Jan. 23rd, 1912.
Ihe snail "Emerson" notor, which was rewound to a low votage dynamo, has been attached to the Pierce Arrow Car for charging the ignition oells.
The generator furnished from three to five amperes at average road speeds.
fhe generator speed nay vary from 1360 R.P.K. to 1800 H.P.H. and give effective charging current throughout the range without any danger of burning it. out.
A record will he kept of the approximate number of miles covered by the car and the discharge of the battery at the end of each day’s run.
HP1IBY FOP.D,
Detroit
JanunryF.Oth , 191?. .
Mr. 1. Bee. Soles Manager,
Edison Storage Battery Oo.,
Orange ,11. j.
Dear Hr. Beet¬ le are today sending you By express a special vanadium steel shaft which yon may use instead off' the crank now on the oar shipped you.
This will no doubt facilitate your experiments with a starter.
I-r there is anything further in this line with which we oan assist you, i trust that you will advise me.
With kindnst regards , and with Best wishes for early success, I am,
Yours very truly,
P.G.SieBold,
dec. to Henry Ford.
1912.
W. G. Beo, Esq., Sales Manager,
Edison Storage Battery Co., Orange H.J.
liy Dear Sir:-
Supplomontary to our previous correspond¬ ence I am horowi th enclosing blue print showing the gears of the £otor all in mosh, also the size of the pitch and number of teeth. The centers of the gears have been accurately dosignod 60 as to cloar all mov¬ ing and stationary parts of the magneto. This is the highost speed attainable on the generator when batter¬ ies are being charged.
We are also enclosing a schedule showing the different speeds of both tho engine and generator when tho car is operating at a certain numner of miles per hour.
I trust this will be of assistance to you in your experiments.
Fell. 15th, 1912.
P:i?.L IHIHARY TEST OH 3130TRI0 STARTER FOR .
"FORD" TOURIIIO OAR
The test was made with a gear ratio of 1 to 112 .ora motor to engine ana ignition furnished by the battery.
It was found that 5 - 3-4 cells will do the work 3 good as 10 - B-2 , as shovm hy the following:
5 - b-4 6 to 8 15 to 35 )
6 _ B-4 6 to 7 15 to 50 ) Started promptly
10 - B-2 6 to 8 15 to 35 )
Although the motor will turn the engine over until the machine starts, the margin of power is so small, especially with the B-2 cells, that, should there he undue friction in engine hearings, the outfit might stall. It was therefore de¬ cided to change the gear ratio.
It is assumed that the magneto will no longer he used for starting when the car is equipped with batteries, con¬ sequently the speed of cranking can he reduced and thereby con¬ serving the battery energy and widening the margin of power.
The above tests were no de on partially discharged
jj"j
Feb. 26th, 1912
Ur. Henry Ford ,
33. G. Siebold, Secretary;!
Detroit, Itich.
Dear Sir:-
Referring to the battery starter on which wo are experimenting for your car, v/n have now gotten to a point where wo will he able to got some definite figures regarding the number of possible starts, amount of energy required, etc.
In the sample car yon sent us I note that when cold it re¬ quires from 0 to 12 turn-overs v/hon cranking hy hand. In other words, it is a difficult oar to start oold, whereas after it has once been started and warmed up it will then restart promptly on an average of a single turn without ahy difficulty. I am writing you at this time to rscertain if this condition is a normal one for this size and typo of engine. In other words, must we figur- our starting apparatus to start the engine cold, requiring 8 to 12 revolutions of the crank shaft at a fairly high speed, or shall we take some lower figure? We appreciate all the information you can give us, as it makes a great dif- ferenoe in the sisef: cost of the starting motor, size ana number of cells, as to how many resolutions yoti must figure on for average starting^
yours very truly,
, CHIEG ENGINEER
dmb/ks
pel). 26th, 1912.
TEST OH ELECTRIC CEAHKER POE "POKE" SOUR III® C.AR
Sixty complete starts wero rs de, each at an average current of IB amperes ana an average of 7 volts. 6 B-4"Kdl son- cells being used to furnish the current for cranking. Prom the amount of electrical energy consumed, ns mentioned above, the cranking could easily continue for three or four hours steady. , She engine will not start when cold, due to low rate of speed in cranking and the fouling of the spark plugs by splashes of cold oil . When the engine is not cola, ignition will take place on a half turn of the crank shaft.
A test was also mode using 10 3-2 colls, but the drop in voltage at about three tines normal current was too great and. , therefore, gave no bettor results than six B-4 chile.
9 5>he mtlo between electric motor and crank shaft is now 245 to 1. This will be lowered in an effort to get more speed at the crankshaft. Of course, the motor being series wound may drop in speed with increased load so that nothing may be gained; in that event the motor will be wound for higher speed.
Our starter turns the crank shaft over 50 R.P.N.. which is sufficient to start the engine, excepting in cold weather. Hr. Vim. Almquish says the Pord car requires a higher cranking speed than that, due to the short stroke of the engine.
Karch 6th, 1912.
RRPORT Oh KKBCTRIC CRA1IKBR FOB "FORD” TOURIHO CAR
One of the vibrators of the spark coil was stuck due to fusing of contact points. Fh’S caused one of the cylin¬ ders to Hiss. After that was put in order, the cranking motor was ottnohed with a ratio of 182.5 to 1; the fields of the motor were put in parallel in order to speed the motor up.
The outfit operating on 6 B-4 colls will start the engine in less than a turn at an average current consump¬ tion of 33 amperes and 6 to V volts.
Many starts were made, each starting the engine in less than three-quarters of a turn on the crankshaft.
The Apnle Dynamo sent here for test by Hr. Henry Ford, personally, was attached to the engine and driven by 1 flat belt from the fan driver. It will be quite feasible to use the fan itself as an idler and belt tightener, thus getting a double advantage.
The generator operates very satisfactorily and will oharge at a 10 ampere rate at a car speed of 18 to 15 miles.
A cut-out switch will be arranged to prevent the discharge of battery through dynamo when engine is running too slow or when standing still.
We now have the cranking motor wound with very heavy wire, cutting down the drop in the windings to a minimum; this will enable us to get cranking power with a Sweater margin, thus preventing the electric motor stalling under heavy com¬ pression or bad starting conditions of engine.
March 13th, 1912,
MOTES PIT STARTER FOR FORD CAB
We used a series wound 6 volt motor; armature coils in parallel; normal current 35 amperes with an overload of 100$. Suggest using a compound wound motor.
Spur gearing should he used on account of cheapness and if necessary 3 pairs of gears, in order to get the same in the required space. If a special motor were designed, the frame being made long and of small diameter, it is probable that it could be placed under the hood.
CHAIN DRIVE
The motor is geared to the original shaft with a l/2" pitoh roller chain and suitable sized sprocket. This chain has an ultimate strength of 1200 lbs. We used four 6-32 screws to fasten one of the sprockets to its hub. These screws ought to shear at 1000 lbs. per sq. in. There ought to be some kind of a shook absorber to take care of the KICK-BACK in starting. If shearing pins are used they ought to be so designed as to be easily renewed in case of breakdown.
CLUTCH
It is necessary to have some kind of a clutch, vfrich will turn the engine over by the motor, but will allow the engine shaft to revolve with running the motor.
HOLLER CLUTCH
We used a roller clutch, which works very well. The only trouble we had with the clutch was in getting the materials to stand up under the severe strain of cranking under compression. Every time a piBtan goes over the center, the oompressianreacts and strikes a bio w on the mechanism.
With a motor speed of 2500 E.P.M. and a ratio' of 125, engine was cranked fast enough to fire with the magneto in about two rev. of engine shaft, engine being cold. When using battery, engine was invariably fired when cranked less than 3/4 of a turn.
(2)
For the battery we use six cells of the Edison Storage Battery , type B-4
CURRENT
The amount of current used in cranking was 25-60 amperes and 7 volts.
GENERATOR
We mounted an Apple generator, furnished by Pord, on a bracket attached to the engine. For our experimental purpose, we drove the generator witn a ono inch belt from the fan driving pulley on engine shaft. The pulley on fan shaft was used as a belt tightener
A chain drive ought to be substituted for the belt, as being quitepositive and requires less attention.
SPEED
The speed of generator is the same as the engine. A current of 10 amperes was generated when oar travelled 32 to 15 miles an hour; at 25 miles 25 amperes; at 28 to 3D miles 25 amperes, and belt would slip when generat¬ ing about 26 amperes.
HEAT
Ur, Edison raised the question of heating the generator due to its proximity to engine. After a run of two _ hours, charging current varying from 3 to 26 amperes, there was a temperature rise at commutator of 27° C; total temperature being 41° C.
A. W. FLEMING
April 5th, 1915
J-T' , 4*»*
Mr. R. A. Bachman:- Edison Storage Battery Co.
Referring to the Ford Experimental car, we arc keep¬ ing careful record of the daily mileage and the start and stop on the automatic starter, so as to got some tangihlo data for Ford, in order to prevent any mix-up. Fleming, the draughtsman who worked up the details, is the only one Who has permission to use the oar and keep the records. !7e should have an average run of 20 to 30 miles per day. or sufficient to determine the least amount of of running necessary to keep the hattory charged and do all the starting.
My idea in having Hr. Fleming take the car after 6 o'clock was so as not to disturb during the day. I presume that eaoh time Before he takes the oar out if the record book is O.K.'d hy you. Hr. Hiller or myself this will cover tho ground.
DK3/I33
CHIEF RHGIIISER.
Copies to Messrs. H. F. Hiller, Brady & File.
June 14th, 1912
Hr. Henry ?ord,
yord Motor Co.,
Detroit, Hi oh.
Dear Hr. Pord:-
You will probably remember me as I5r. '.'.cl Ison’s assistant whom you met in the Library when you were here.
The object of thiB letter is to ash you if you would like to have an opportunity of examining an im¬ proves pop-valve for gasoline auto engines, invented by one of our men. It seems to be a good thing , as ?.t ensures a better seat for the spring anci thus prevents back-firing. It is also cheaper to manufacture and- renders it much easier to replace a broken spring.
It has not boon seen by any other automobile manufacturer, ana as you are the maker of the largest number of machines. I thought you might be interested in having the first opportunity.
Should you decide on looking into it, I presume you would like to have it sent to you personally.
Yours very Jruly,
whh/es
Vto. H. Uoadavcraft, Ssci-,
Oranso, K.J.
Doar Slr:-
your lotto i- of tho 14th lnrt. raooivod on w return to tho city aftor an aboonoo of oovoral days.
Ur. Ford requests that you sond on tho pop-
. . „ ...in look it ovor and report
valvo yon mention, and wo vm J-uu*v
further to you.
Kindly forward this in oaro of tho writer. Verytruly yours.
Secratary to lLiHICf F(ED^\
}
June 25th, 1912
Mr. 33. Or. Diebold,
o/o Mr. Henry 3-’ord,
Detroit, I-Iich.
Dear Sir;-
I am s ending to you Toy prepaid express the poppet valve about whioh 1 wrote Mr. Vord.
As you will see that the advantage of this construction is that the spring tes a secure seat which al¬ ways provides a proper and regiilar tension and cannot get out of place. This prevents back firing. You will find in the paokage a rough hand-made seat whioh is intended to illustrate the idea that the seat can be struck up cheaply. In addition to the ncreased safety and efficiency of the valve, tho inventors claim it is cheaper to manufacture.
They also see a way to use the same idea in cheap baby carriages, but they will have to divide their patent application on that.
tfou are the first to have an opportunity
of examining this device.
Yours very truly.
whh/ks
Mr. Fleming
The Ford Car is to ho thoroughly cleaned up, with the Btartar, dynamo, lights and battery in running condition, and tho oar not to ho uoed for any purpose what¬ ever except for demonstrating to interested parties at the requeBt of Mr. Edison, Hr. Bachman or Mr. Bee.
bub/rs
/
CHIRP SHGIHEBR.
Copies to Messrs. Edison, Bachman and Bee.
10th,
1912.
Vfo. U. lleadorccraft , 3sq,. , Orange, H.J.
Dear 3irs-
Wo havo taken the opportunity of looking over tha poppot valvo you aont in for inspection.
Dili 3 v;as also rofarrod to lir. Ford, raio beliovos tho valve used on our oars is ocjually officiant aid. consists of lass parts.
V/o are ro turning tho same to you by oupross prepaid, and thank you for your kind intorest in tho
Vary truly yours.
Secretary to ilHIHV FOrtD^
Ur. w. 0. Boo, Ugr. of Uales, Thoms A. Edison, Ins., OranGO , H . J .
Lly Boar Ur. Bee:-
Ur. Ford has just loft for an oxtended tour throush Europe, and prior to Ms auostod the writer to advise you that wo -ro raaKii^ conSdorablo progress with the starter and hope Before Ioiig to have soiid intorostinc information for you.
We expect Ur. Fold home about tlio 10th of September when I will at once take up t him, and write you further.
With kind personal resards, I a Very truly yours.
his matter witl:
Secretary to HBHRY i’OHD .
/7
4X Mar"
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Thomas A. Edison Jnc.
Orange,N. J.,TJ.S.A.
Edison Phonographs and Records Edison Primary Batteries Edison Kineto scopes andMotion Picture Eilms Edison Business Phonographs
ssp* ■ :J> w12*
DICTATED
TRANSCRIBED FROM
EDISON BUSINESS PHONOGRAPH
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
ate/f NJ^W york
THE
ecrIta^y of State
^lUTOMpBILE BUREAU
Thomfs A. Edison West \Oraitge;,
Dear Sir:-
I beg to advise y< that registration piateHl^. _
ordered by you, has been racdtVM /(,* from the manufacturer and is now at this office ready for delivery.
Kindly call for same immediately returning temporary plate and certificate 5&S0 loop'd to you, pending the receipt of vour plate from the manufacturer.
SECOND NOTICE
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
West Orange, N. J.
Dear Sirt-
Unaer date of Aug. 26th this Bureau advised you that duplicate plate No. 11917 was ready for delivery, and requested that you return Temporary Plates and Certificate No. 053 , which has not Been done.
I now teg to advise you that unless the Temporary plates and Certifi¬ cate loaned you are returned by Sept.
34th , it v/ill be necessary for this Bureau to notify the Police authorities to apprehend you.
Respectfully yours.
State.
TDS:MTL
My dear Mr. Edison:-
As an owner of a Detroit Electric car, you have undoubtedly an unconscious interest in the latest develop¬ ments which have contributed to the maintenance of the De¬ troit Electric's position in the electric automobile field.
That you may be more fully acquainted with the newer practical ideas which find expression in our 1913 de¬ signs, we are mailing you under separate cover, a copy of our latest catalog, produced in such a size as to permit of it's convenient preservation for future reading, should you so desire.
The advanced features of these new cars are so completely in evidence, by simply glancing at the frontis¬ piece of the booklet, that it would be almost superfluous for us to further mention them here. Suffice it is to say that the Clear Vision Brougham (the car shown in the fron¬ tispiece and also on page eight) is a car whose new prac¬ tical features will, we firmly believe, revolutionize electric automobile body building by 1914. It, therefore, gives us much pleasure to be able to offer such advanced ideas in 1913. It is but another evidence of our intention to keep the Detroit Electric in the lead - a policy whose constant maintenance cannot fail to promote a feeling of pride in the minds of all Detroit Electric owners.
Trusting that the information provided in the booklet will prove to be of live interest to you and as¬ suring you that any comments you might care to make would be of equal interest to us, we are.
WJSTO/CB
Yours very truly,
ANDERSON ELECTRIC CAR CO.
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Edison General File Series 1912. Aviation (E-12-06)
This folder contains unsolicited letters from aviators, inventors, enthusiasts, and journalists requesting Edison's advice, assistance, or opinion on matters related to aviation. The three selected items for 1912 contain marginalia by Edison. Among the correspondents is author Frederic iV. R. Dey, who had previously interviewed Edison on the subject of the storage battery.
Less than 5 percent of the documents have been selected. The unselected items consist of letters that received no reply or that received a perfunctory response such as "out of my line."
U;
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“-KliAJrfi&p i i * V, ^
Ts^^lBANStR^WNil?^0 Insurance
442 Broadway ^AKf jND1ANA
l“‘s 19. February 1912rt.fc,*-",%i «
^ v/* v
Thomas A. Edison Esq: \S
East OranfeT N. J .
[onorable Sir. x
r0 I read in the Papers WKeryou expressed yourself very
greatest Inventor of the past and this century, to submit very humbly the papers of invention patented September 5.th: 1911 No:1.002.682 under the name of Telescopic Airship.— Inviting you kindly to prononoe olso the walue of this invention by your very apreciated consideration and to
Hope your Honor will goodly satisfy my warm wishes.
Our lord mai bless your Words — With long life for this,
211£
Broadway
Gary - Indiana.
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Edison General File Series 1912. Banking (E-12-07)
This folder contains correspondence soliciting Edison's opinions about finance, the gold standard, antitrust policy, and other economic subjects. Among the documents for 1912 is a draft letter by Edison discussing America as a manufacturing and exporting nation and the industrial potential of Buffalo. Also included is a letter by Paul H. Cromelin, managing director of the National Phonograph Co., Ltd., concerning a pamphlet on cooperative stores in Great Britain, which he sent to Edison at his request.
Approximately 40 percent of the documents have been selected. The unselected items consist primarily of unsolicited correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other printed matter.
NATIONAL PHONOGRAPH CO. LTD., EDISON PHONOGRAPHS & RECORDS, EOISOW WORKS,
WlLLESDEN
jiwePHC/V,' .
>r/jf£/ru W#a-n.2.19i2.
Mr .H.y.Jtiller, Se cret ary ,
c/o Thomas A. Edison Inc., 0BA2JCE, K.J.
A
f
pear Sir,
"fours of pecember 21st, indicating 'rr .Edison's desire to obtain literature relating to the Co-cperative "tores ir. r;ngland is duly received.
I have pleasure in forwarding you under separate cover for Mr .Edison, a. report of the Korty-third Annual Co-operative Congress which was held at Bradford last year.
This contains a fund of information of the kind Mr .Edison prob¬ ably is seeking. With this you will find a number of pamphlets on the co-operative movement which will probably prove interest -ing.
I have been endeavouring to get a set of the rules as approved by the Government but could not obtain sane today. I hope to get it later and will forward same to you.
If there is anything else Mr .Edison needs in connection with the matter
Pamphlets sent:
Lecture on the History & Objects of co-operation.
The C. IV. S. today.
The Early Days of A Co-operative Society.
How to Start Co-operative Stores, and various other circulars
JJme ilhiff.ArketnssiuT.
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BABSON'S STATISTICAL ORGANIZATION
Roger W. Babso'Ni pr
I^ay es/j-i
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it* f
DU,-' lmo'vlj, I tool:
Boar I,ir.' Edi o
I.
, . , tv?
up publicly the discussion of an /
ad.iuctr.'.oi^t of tlio tariff in accord- l* ance wi thi your suggo r/t i on to mo th rouch Ur. Mallory. Your/ idea sconed to take well in 'Washington, end yesterday an anendmoiit to the IIousc Stool Bill, along the linos ov your su~gection, was offered 'by Senator Ilowlandc. Trust¬ ing you will Xect/ivo the erodit for this and with Txyidoet regards, I am.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
.'Hfr' c^
V»V
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
62d CONGRESS, 2d Session.
H. R. 18642.
IN THE SENATE OE THE UNITED STATES.
May 28, 1912.
Ordered to bo printed.
AMENDMENT
Intended to bo proposed by Mr. Nkwlands to tho bill (H. R. 18642) entitled “ Ail Act to amend an Act entitled ‘An Act to provide revenue, equalize duties and encourage the indus¬ tries of the United States, and for other purposes,’ approved August fifth, nineteen hundred and nine.” Insert the fol¬ lowing :
Whereas certain of the duties heretofore levied by law on articles imported from foreign countries into the United States are so high as to encourage and facilitate the imposition of exces¬ sive prices for similar articles of domestic production and whereas such excessive duties fail to produce sufficient revenue, and
Whereas both the Republican and Democratic parties have, by declarations in their respective platforms, committed them¬ selves to a revision of taritl' duties, the former to a revision based on the ascertainment of the difference in the cost of production at home and abroad with a fair profit to the manu¬ facturer and the latter to a revision and gradual reduction of the tariff to a revenue basis, and whereas both parties have declared that such revision should be accomplished with a duo regard to the interests of domestic workers and without destructive readjustments of domestic industries, and
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
2
Whereas neither of such parties is in complete control of legislation and either party is able to prevent the other from carrying out completely its principles and policies, and compromise is therefore desirable and necessary, in order to prevent a dead¬ lock in legislation prejudicial to the interests of the United States,
1 Now therefore, he it enacted:
2 Section 1. That on the first day of January, nineteen
3 hundred and thirteen, a reduction of ten per centum shall be
4 made in the duties now imposed by law on articles imported
5 into the United States from foreign countries, and that on the
6 first day of January of each year thereafter for the period of
7 four years a further reduction of five per centum shall bo made
8 on such duties until a total reduction of thirty per centum in
9 such duties shall be made: Provided, however, That such
10 reductions shall not apply to duties on articles which have
11 been specifically fixed by law at this session of Congress or
12 shall lie hereafter specifically fixed by law : And provided
13 further, That such reductions shall not apply to duties on
14 articles the importations of which during the previous fiscal-
15 year have equaled one-tenth of the production of similar
16 articles in the United States.
17 Sec. 2. That the ascertainment of the facts upon
18 which the foregoing provisions shall take effect shall be made
19 by a Tariff Commission consisting of five members, to be
20 appointed by the President, by and with the advice and
1 consent of the Senate, of whom no more than three shall .
2 belong to the same party; that the terms of the commis-
3 sioners shall be one, two, three, four, and five years, respec-
4 tively; and that the President in appointing such comniis-
5 sioners shall designate the terms of each; that at the
6 expiration of such terms the term of each successor shall be for
7 the period of five years.
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
62D2DcosSr} H. B. 18642.
AMENDMENT
Intended to bo proposod by Mr. Newlands to tho bill (II. R. 180421 ontitlod “An Act to amend an Act entitled ‘An Act to provido rovonuo, equalize dutios and oncourago tho industries of tho United States, and for other purposes,’ approvod August fifth, ninotoon hundred and nine.”
May 28, 1012.— Ordoreil to bo printod.
sourtosy
$ ,
^ u\ Cf
, Thomas A. Edison,
Llewellyn Park, H. J.
Hackensack , K. J.,
Me, 10, 1912.
JLXZ***^ u
W*
„(Ll.VU*
Lear Sir-- ^
As per slip herewith a Brooklyn Association is quoting you in regard to the value of gold, and is using what you are alleged to have said o rewritten ^ throwing .a douht » of gold as a unit of value.^jj^^ [{
If this association is quht ing.f ro^oroj printed ^ddres^r^ ^
[dvise mo where/ it
L*,-^ UlJ^ 1- J
will 02 glad to
can he obtained. ^ C*““ I I
« i. •» «* «* “ 10 “^zJilS^4°txsssz
value of gold would he if its use in making jmoney was abandoned- -
'frVkV<-f
co abandoned. . .
■$SK n*
i'ioe of a unit ofjraA««^ot to
The practical question is what day and year to year. It is the measure real value (value in terms of labor o^gertion) invariably, for this is impossible. Ho commodity can do that/ All we can seek- in a unit is the fixing of a certain quantity cfsoaw commodity, to represent in a concrete way a certain amount of labor or exertion. This being done, the value of other commodities can be measured with
facility. Yours very truly,
ve—
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
Why GREATLY overrate the INTRINSIC value ol ANY metal ?-WHY?
Mr. Thomas A. Edison, the Sage (who « ~
counsel ‘hroutH.out «>o worUl as oho ^^^OTABLY. ^ Klh„Mon Promoters Association (oorrespon.
rent experts In Metallurgy anil the uses ot menus in the arts amt manufaetures) ilcolarcs, emphatically, that gold Is almost without INTRINSIC value. He has.
trough the press, also suggest. .... _se Is the gliding of picture frames, called attention to the fuel that ttv value of gold is, in VERY large 1 - current market price thereof '
COMMERCIAL artificial, the ...most SOLELY .■limited purchase
due to the laws directing the unlimited purchase ot that metal and Its Coinage by the United States and rr^at Britain at figures designated by those laws which MOST absurdly make gold, WHEN COINED,
deuce office, 104 Fort Greene Place, Uiooklyn, 1 City) will pay One hundred (5-100) dollars t person who first succeeds in submitting to It a clear demonstration of material error in Mr Edison a state- |„ ri! the Intrinsic value of gold. as mentioned hereon That the whole truth of the matter should be widely declared is Important to everybody. Will mv '10(1 00 to the person who first delivers, say, anVunce of material, native or Imported, properly certified to be a specimen of a usable and TKU1 “Standard of Value.”
, S t on ce^M
•^(viMe to cx jU-oCrraj tvt (2u*^oJci
cd? \C\fi. pj-v-ti c/Yvt" Jt/m< urfio G.O'uJot 'Vi o-%~
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Edison General File Series 1912. Battery, Primary (E-12-08)
This folder contains correspondence relating to the commercial development of Edison's primary battery in the United States and Great Britain. Among the correspondents are Edison's sales managers for primary batteries, G. E. Hales of the Edison Manufacturing Co., Ltd. , and Elisha E. Hudson of Thomas A. Edison, Inc. There is also a letter by Frank L. Dyer, president of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., concerning the use of primary batteries with railway signals.
All of the documents have been selected.
/by by
?ch. 1, 1318-
j. J. lionncd 7, Kao..,
52 Broadway, Haw "fork.
;-y deer Ur. Kennedy:
t f,u informed that the Hull Signal Coop any has oecurea ft contract fron the Canadian Buoifio Hallway Conpeny ior the Hu tails. tion of signals. requiring E.ppro:tinatoly 6000 cells of primary huttcry.
She Bdiaon Battery, u& you know, com¬ plies in all ronpoote with tho H. 8. specif iefttiona, ana unlasa there is acne substantial reason why another type of hftt- gtory should ho used. X would he much obliged |i<|yo^|V-’ill favorably consider tho BdiF.cn ^B£|tor3|.
S 2
djr relatione with the Canadian facific
j people are entirely friendly, and I oa
quite certain that they would ho clod to soo Edison Bat tori oo used.
Yours very truly.
President.
Edison Manufacturing Co , Ltd.
JEdisoix Works
Willtisden . 1 11 notion, London, N.W.
' oEH/on. ^
Mr . E. B, Hudson,
Manager of Sales,
Primary Battery Department, Thou . A. Edison, Ino-, Orange, New Jersey.
Bv the favour of our Managing Dlreotor, Mr. Paul H. Orowelln, I am permitted to place before you my Ideas of the poo- aible developments of the EDISON BSCO PRIMARY CELLS In this coun¬ try.
Having for the past twenty years been actively engaged in the development of all olasses of electrical enterprise, I feel sure I am competent to ;Judge of the peculiarities and restric¬ tions of this market.
For many years past the Edison Primary Dell has been known by nano to all connected with the electrical trade, but has been associated in their minds with batteries of the Bunson,
Baniell and Bicromate types, whose only use was in the laboratory or on the testing bonoh. In fact, I am sure, that nine out of ton, electricians in this country who know the Edison Cell exists would tell you that when not in use the element must be removed from the solution .
The only information that has been available for the trade here has been derived from seeing it featured in the various cata¬ logues published by such firms as Messrs. Verity's Ltd., and the General Electric Co- Ltd., principally in connection with electric fans, which outfits have been regarded as toys, or at best make¬ shifts to be used in places abroad where electrical supply is not available .
Mr. B. E. Hudson, Contd.
Prom tha above remarks you will roadily nee that our first work over here will be of an educational nature, and there¬ fore it will be necessary for \ts to be in a poult. ion to answer ouestions, not only in relation to the Battery itself, but also its various applications.
Supposing wo introduce the subject of electrical sig¬ nalling to a Railway Company - in the majority of cases they will wish for Information on the entire Installation, and if you could let uo have catalogues of the Companies in the States who make a speciality of this business, we could place before them the in¬ formation therein contained, and I have not the slightest doubt, sorioua investigation would result , all of v/hioh will tend to the benefit of the Edison Primary Battery business.
As a further example take the list of dental motors published by the Ritter Rental Manufacturing Co., of Rochester, M.Y., vfhlch you so kindly sent and which will be of the greatest value to us. I shall be able to place thlo list before manufac¬ turers of Cental Appliances, of -which we have many, and they v/ill at once see the utility of the Edison Coll for their business, but it would be a very different proposition if I had not got a list to show them, and could only outline the idea to them.
Tha electrical and technical side of the coll you can safely leave in our hands, as the curves you have already supplied are very complete, with the one exception that they do not show the behaviour of the cells under momentary heavy discharge, with long periods of rest in between.
You will doubtless be interested to know that a firm of Organ Ruiiders are at the moment considering applying BRCO's to work their system of eleotrio organ control. I am getting all tha information from them I can, and will forward it on to you in due course.
In conclusion I can assure you that there is a large field hare for these Batteries, if worked properly. It will take some time and effort, but once we get the Colls well into the trade, good and steady business will result .
tir. 33. E. Hudson. Contd.
A most important point for us will bo
establish a reputation for prompt delivery.
Yours very ,iruly.
Primary Battery Department, EDISON KAHUPAOTUHIBO CO .LTD • ,
May 7th, 1912.
Mr. D. M. Bliss:
There is a considerable market, through the jobbers and dealers, with which the Primary Battery Deportment is doing business, for a small power battery motor, for experimental work ana the operation of various light power consuming devices, which could be made in the same size and of many of the same parts used in the construction of the Dictating Machine motor. It iB probable, in fact, that the motor you ore now preparing for Battery Fan Motors will answer this purpose.
Such a motor will take the place of many of the "toy" motors now on the market, and for this purpose should be operable on approximately two volts. The name "Edison" will go a long way toward inducing sales in this field, but the selling price will also be on Important factor.
Please let me know If it will be prac¬ ticable to get out such a motor, statin., as nearly as possible, what will be the cost to' this department.
E. E. HDDS OH.
/CC to Mr. C. H. Wilson CC to Mr. H. C. Durand,
Edison General File Series 1912. Battery, Storage - General (E-12-09)
This folder contains incoming correspondence and interoffice communications relating to the commercial and technical development of Edison's alkaline storage battery at his laboratory and by representatives of Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Included is discussion of advertising, personnel, equipment and supplies, patent rights, and relations with competitors and clients, as well as specific commercial usages of storage batteries. There are several items written by Edison or bearing his marginalia, along with many letters to Edison by his personal representative and chief engineer Miller Reese Hutchison. Some of the internal communications relate to the Gouin battery, which was discussed by J. A. Montpellier at the International Congress of Electrical Applications in 1911. There are also items pertaining to cell tests conducted on behalf of the German government and to the use of storage batteries by electric locomotives, including a report from the General Electric Co A few documents concern a "Battery Service System" for the General Vehicle Co and negotiations with that company that directly involved Edison. Among the correspondents is John R. Markle of the International Electromotive Co in Detroit, a longtime associate who wanted to establish a marketing agency for Edison's storage batteries. Other letters discuss recent or upcoming meetings with engineer and former associate Phillips B. Shaw, former laboratory employee Alfred J. Thompson, and representatives of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co.
Approximately 70 percent of the documents have been selected. The unselected items consist primarily of unsolicited correspondence, including a few letters concerning windmills, that received no reply or only a perfunctory response from Edison; additional letters by Hutchison that appeared as advertisements in th e Army and Navy Journal', duplicates and documents that duplicate the information in selected items.
January 13, 1912.
Hr. Jldison,-
Martin of the Electric Light Association, is getting up a lecture bureau, to supply the Association with good material for their monthly meetings. He has from from 7,000 to 3,000 members in these Oompany Sections, who are excellent people to reqch, but they suffer from the lack of good material. They soon exhaust local talent. His idea is to furnish free through his Bureau, good technical leoiures and addresses, accompanied, if possible, by lantern slides and moving pictures. He wants a good lecture on Edison Storage Battery, and wiints me to get it up and deliver it in this vicinity in person. At points too remote for me to reach, he would like to have it in printed form, accompanied by lantern slides, so that either our agent in the vicinity or a merabe1' of the Section who ie familiar with the battery, can present it. Each of these lectures is to be copyrighted, and then, at the end of the season, they can be published either by the Association or by the persons supplying the material^, if deBired. He is already ar-anging for several of these lectures, aiSjffliough he does not fcxpect the scheme to go into operation until next Pall.
I have written him, stating that It would be a , great pleasure to supply him with all the material and a full line of lantern slides. I will deliver the lectures myself in cities adjacent to Hew York, and we can take care of
-2-
supplying the memberB who will deliver the lectures in remote sections, with sufficient information to enable him to do so, especially with the lantern slides to guide him.
’This for your information.
HUTCH .
\
January 16, 1912.
Ur. Edison, -
I have the following letter from Washington?
"Was interested to see developments on Norfolk Requisition 218, for small battery for Preston. I had a look at it, and turned it over to Mr. Todd. Reynolds of the Electric Storage Battery Co . seems to think it is time for him to do or say something, so he put in about three pages of "knocks" on Edison Cell, and the interest¬ ing part is that he could not say anything effective7. The Michigan battery oame through Jjagain in New Sork Yard requisition, and was approved, so presume yon have furnished it by this time. 1 hear you may have to pass »p the job with the Bureau of Yards and DockB for Floating Crane, but refused to believe it, as it comes from the camp of the enemy. The point made is that you haven't a battery of proper Blze.
"I have a new scheme under way, whereby an Edison Battery will replace one of the two motor generators for telephone talking current supply. Will try to have this in addition to the auxiliary lighting battery,
"Mr . Carter, £ow assistant to Courtney, is trying to get order to p^Jfhhc^|£all, and will probably show up about the 18th or 19th. He will be here quite some, time, and when a new officer comes, ,<(ill bo in the same position Oeurtnsy was to 8. S. Robinson. Hs is a fine fellow, and will call at the Electric Storage Battery Company ' e Works first, and they will naturally try to fill him up. He hasn't taken any interest to date in batteries, so X haven't talked the subjeot much with him.
-2-
"They are shy ofcaah, and it lock3 10 if they would not buy the batteries for the fcrlington tireless Station before next fiscal year, §• e. July first, 1912.
"I expect to leave sometime this week for a trip of eight or ten days. Am going West as far as JJadison, Wis. Please send copy of Army and Navy Journal addressed direct to Chief of Bureau of Steam *nEin*«ring. that wo may file them with other data.
X took one of my extra copies down to be kept there until yours arrive.
' "Your articles are all to the good, and to my mind, about tht right style. A friend of mine who is Secretary to Roberts on the House Naval Committee, asked. me about Fdiaon Batteries, for Submarines, and when I asked him where he get the notion, he said he had read every article of your arts, and always looks forward to them in the Army and Navy Journal.
"As you will note, 1 am shy of news business, but will hops for more next time.
that sounds like
January 17, 1912.
Mr. Edison,-
I have Just .turned over to Smith, for test, on following hasis, an A-4 cell having the water seal or trap, in the top. phis I have designated as No. H-75.
When a cell 18 overcharged for a prolonged period, the entire gas space becomes filled v/ith a foam, resembling sea foam. This passes into the trap, and seemB to form a continuous passago between the interior of the oell and the outlet, so that if the cell is exploded, the fire is carried through by means of these bubbles. This has been obviated by plaoing a piece of gauze over the intake of the trap.
When a cell is charged, thereby becoming heated, the gases within are naturally expanded. When the cell cools, a partial vacuum exists within, which tends to draw the water from the trap i'to Vne cell, thereby rendering it non-protective. I have obviated this by plao¬ ing a small gole in the partition within the trap. Ab the vacuum forms within, the drawing of the water into the small compartment naturally lowers the level’ of the water in the larger . compartment, uncovering the fhole, and allow¬ ing the air’ to pass through and into the cell, without pulling the water with it.
It is proposed to refill the cell throughithe water seal, but if a supplementary vent is not provided
-2-
in the oell, there is no way for the air within to get out, and it becomes impossible ’to get the water to flow in. 1 have overcome this by the supplementary vent, which I have provided for experimental purposes in the form of a standard filling bung.
As a precautionary measure, I wish to endeavor to freeze the solution in the trap, so as to determine its practicability in vehicle work. Naturally, if nothing but pure water exists in the trap, it will become frozen, and effectively seal the cell. If there is KOH present, it will lower the freezing-point.
These various features are easily taken care of in Submarine boat work, and actual experiment has demonstrated that the potash 13 washed from the gas,- and does not de¬ posit on the top of the cell, or even discolor litmus paper at the outlet. I am curious to see if the size of trap I ’am able to get into a vehicle oell will operate ’ thus satisfactorily.
1 propose to first determine the B^filcacy of the trap for ridding the gas of potash.
The effectiveness of the small hole for relieving the vacuum Within will come next.
• The freezing -will follow.
It is stands up satisfactorily under these tests, we will explode the cell under varying conditions, apd will then he ready for consideration aB to embodiment on vehicle ■ cells .
DEPARTiiENT 03? COMMERCE AND LABOR.
Light-house Service.
General Depot,
Office of Inspector, Third District, Tompklnsville, New York.
January 20th, 1912.
M. R, Hutchison,
O/o Edison Experimental Laboratories,
Orange, N. J,
My dear Hutchison, -
Referring to your letter of January eighth, and our conversation on the night of the 18th re, the General Electric Company's attempt to produce a 600 candle power lamp:
In looking up the matter, I find that they hope to have a.laijip of 200 to 300 candle power at the Depot, sometime in the future, for a try-out. If this is successful, they them propose to attempt a higher candle power. As this matter hah been in their hands for a year already, it looks to me like a slow proposition, and you and I will hardly live to see their 600 candle power light., unless somebody stirs them up. With this situation, can you not get your man busy at the Edison Laboratprv, and see if we cannot get some results? I do not think the General Electric Company will make good.
Sincerely,
(Signed) C. D. Stearns. U, S. IT., Inspector.
Long Acre Electric Light & Power Company
4G)5b roadway
New York
Thomas A. Edison, Esq. ,
East Orange, E.J.
My dear Mr. Edison:
In talking with Mr. Hayne, who represents the selling end of the Diesel Engine with the eastern territory,
I was very much pleased when he told me that we were all coupled up with the Edison battery in pretty good shape; also that re¬ cent contracts made hy the Bureau of Yards and .Docks covering one 100 K.W. set to be installed on each pontoon crane for the Boston Hayy— Yard and the Pearl Harbor^ary Yard, Edison batter- ies^being part of the complete equipment so that the current to charge the Edison batteries will be developed by the only
January 27, 1912.
Mr. Edison, -
1 have just received information from Robinson of the Banner Safety Lamp Company, which seems authentic.
A man in the employ of the people in Newark, who make '
this little alkaline battery, is very anxious to get a position with Robinson, and is reporting to him what the Newark people are doing.
They have applied for, and have been allowed, patents on a form of plate on which they use tubes, the same as ours, but placed horizontally instead of vertically in the plates. They are | using iron and nickel, and, Robinson says it will be difficult for anyone to see the difference between the two cells.
The fact that we have not gone after them has le£d them to believe that we do not think much of the Edison Battery patents. They have therefore taken liberties with them. They remarked to this man that they have been making this alkaline battery for several years, and that we have not even attempted to stop them.
They state tftat they are now so convinced that they are not infringing, that they are installing machinery to manufacture these tubular constructed cells, and expect to have them on the market about the middle of March.
Robinson is coming out Wednesday to see Lanahan of the Legal Department • I eipect to be in Washington Wednesday, and if you want to talk with Robson on the matter, I will instruct him to call on you.
The Newark people have already made two of these cells, and are testing them out. They report results as very satisfactory.
I am dictating this before going to New York in connection with that Royal Gorge Railroad proposition.
January 39, 1912.
Mr. Edison, -
I am satisfied, from the sluggishness of new business in Edison Battery, that whatever money we are spending for advertising through the columns of the med¬ iums used is not being well enough done, or the selection is poor.
I want to talk this matter over with you when you have the leisure and time to do so.
K, B, H,
My dear Mr. Edison: -
The data you gave us on the Illinois Central Kail- road's servioe, to enable us to submit plans to you for the eleotrio locomotives we would propose for use with your storage battery, was as follows for the three classes:
Freight Service: Length of run - about 10 miles. Maximum weight of train exclusive of locomotive - 1000 tons. Maximum speed with this weight of train - 15 miles per hour.
PBKsenger Servioe: Length of run - about 10 mileB. Maximum weight of train exclusive of locomotive - 500 tons. Maximum speed with this weight of train - 40 miles per hour.
Switching Servioe: Maximum weight of train exclusive of locomotive - 500 tons. Maximum speed with this weight of train - 8 miles per hour.
This data will be sufficient for us to submit locomotive designs for the Beveral classes of servioe. I find that we do not need further information to prepare the descriptions and drawings for which you asked.
The work is well under way and we hope to have it in your hands by the first of next week.
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY SCHENECTADY, N. Y.
The motor oontrol is being laid out to operate with the motors in series, series parallel, and parallel, supple¬ mented hy shunting the motor fields and it is probable that no external resistance will be required with the possible exception of the first position of the controller in order to handle the looomotive alone when ooupling to oars.
It appears that the same looomotive oan be used in either the passenger or switching servioe with simply a higher speed gearing for the passenger work.
Should I be away, Mr. Dodd will deliver the drawings and description to you as you may have some comments or ques¬ tions to ask with regard to what we propose.
Tours very truly,
Engineer, Hy. & Tract. Dept.
WBP/H
January 30th,1912.
Hr. Edison;-
Hr. Bourquardoz suggests that you write a short note to dol. J. Rupert thanking him for the order which he gave Hr. Bonrquardez for 21 trucks equipped with Edison Batteries. It might he well to express yourself and give your opinion of the life that will he given hy these batteries when properly taken care
February 1, 19X2.
Mr. Edison,-
I have been requested, by the Navy League to attend the convention and banquet in Washington in the latter part of Fsbryary, at which banquet President Taft, Secretary Meyer, and practically all the Government Officials will be present.
They want me to deliver an addreso on the subj eot of Edison Storage Battery for Navy use.
Pretty good advertising.
OS
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February sixth, 19 12
Mr, Charles Edison,
6 Louisburg Square,
Boston, Mass.
Bear Oharles,-
Your 'postal received.
I have instructed that enough KOH be forwarded to you, to enable you to refill your cellB , Be Bure to have the electrolyte one-half inch above the tops of the plates, and dump out all the electrolyte before putting in the new.
I am sending you by registered mail, one of the 16 candle power, three volt lamps I had made special to order. I had the hallucination that this lamp had been forwarded to you when the batteries were forwarded, but find I must have dreamed it.
Beach has a man working for him, named Scott. Scott knows more about. thiB Beach Cs.r in a minute than Beach will ever know, X refer to tho practical operating data, etc. I got in touch with Scott on this North Newark proposition, and he says the best thing for me to do is to call on Mr, Parsons, Division Superintendent in Jersey City, and talk the matter over with him. Parsons can give mo ail the data we want. I have been endeavoring td get hold of Parsons for a couple of days, hut he has been away. I am called to West Point Wednesday noon, to spend the night, and give the Cadets a lecture of Edison Stor¬ age Battery Thursday morning. I am returning to Orange Thursday evening, and expect to leave Sunday night on an extended trip through the West and parts of the HaBt, for the purpose of starting something in the way of the use of Edison Battery for ignition, lighting, Belf-starting, etc. This lethargy is getting on the nerves of your father and myself, and we have determined to pitch in and boost things a bit. He wants me to call on the various raanuf- actueers, and by taking the matter up directly with the presidents of these companies, start something. While it is- out of my Department, as far as the sales are concerned, I am perfectly willing and anxious to do anything I can to promote the welfare of the Company, because I am tired
-2-
of seeing that Company a drain on the XfSI^if
F£„5?S£ "
finger nails behind.
You might suggest ' to the Head of the Electrical
awK:ffit^S3~-is3=
fore. the entire student body.
Dr. T. C. Martin, the Secretary of the National
OsSSSSH&Kfe a?
hSt gldovm togtho benefit of the Company.
I will try to get an opportunity of ageing Par-
avrassy* SSSr-
are other lines to -he 'ol„n ^hc thing up while
under consideration. I want to clean tnc^tpi 6^^
I am at it. It is J^^.^^omcbile trip, I will hare a it. When I return from my automcone better opportunity.
Yours sincerely.
nWV-'
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general electric company
* SCHENECTADY, N. Y.
\ld>&
Thomas A. Edison, Esq.
\&-1
February is
Dear &ir:-
Enolosed herewith we are pleased to send you pre¬ liminary specifications and approximate prices for eleotrio locomotives to he used with your storage batteries, in passen¬ ger, freight and switching service, as specified by you at our reoent conference.
Very possibly you may desire some further informa¬ tion and we would appreciate the opportunity to discuss these specifications with you. If you will kindly advise what day it will be convenient, Mr. Dodd or mysblf will hold ourselves in readiness to meet you at your office in Orange.
Yours very truly,
( v
Engineer, By. & Tract. Dept.
VJBP/H
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
SCHENECTADY, N. Y.
Soheneotady, H. Y., Feb. 10, 1912.
Mr. ThomaB A. Edison,
Orange, E. J.
Dear Sir:
Referring to preliminary report on electrio locomotives for use in connection with your storage batteries, which we are today submitting for your con¬ sideration, our approximate price is $24,600.00 F.O.B. Soheneotady, for the first locomotive for either passenger freight or switohing service as covered by report above referred to and specifications Hos. 859 and 860, and an approximate prioe of $22,000.00 for subsequent locomotives
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
rrelimmary report
|
os ' pjT.unTHTG LOCOMOTIVES ! |
||
|
L ^ ' 'for - \ • • 1 TOISOTT STORAGE BATTERY |
Submitted by General. Eleotrio Company
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
PRELIMINARY REPORT OH- ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES
EDISON STORAGE BATTERY.
Submitted by-
GENERAT. ELECTRIC CO. SC HE1IEC TABY , II . Y
[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
STORAGE BATTERY LOCOMOTIVE.
The enclosed speoifioations, curves ana description cover a locomotive which is proposed to ho operated in