CENTIMETERS Compilation © 2007 LexisNexis Academic & Library Solutions, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All nghts reserved. ,aSd Uoru 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 Mizclle Peter Mikulas Indexers 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 Smithsonian Institution A UPA Collection from LexisNexis* 7500 Old Georgetown Road • Bctlicsda, MD 20814-6126 Edison signature used with permission of McGruw-Edison Company Thomas A. Edison Papers at 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 in 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 Hochfeldcr 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 Weissenburger BOARD OF SPONSORS (2007) Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey National Park Service Richard L. McCormick Maryanne Gerbauckas Ziva Galili Michelle Ortwcin 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 1915 Edison General File Series 1915. Phonograph - General (E-15-65) This folder contains correspondence, interoffice communications, and other documents relating to the commercial and technical development of Edison's cylinder and disc phonograph. Included are letters pertaining to the selection of talent, music, and musical instruments for recording; customer relations; and activities among Edison’s agents and competitors. Many of the incoming letters bear Edison's draft reply in the form of marginalia. Among he documents for 1915 are numerous items regarding the marketing of the Edison Diamond Disc phonograph. A communication from Walter L. tcKert general auditor of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., lists monthly expenses for recital and demonstration work from September 1914 through January 1915 There are also references to recitals sponsored by local phonograph dealers. In addition, there are testimonial letters and reports by demonstrators in regard to a series of non-commercial recitals at churches, hospitals, schools, police and fire departments, fraternal lodges, and other organizations. A sample of these documents has been selected. Other items relate to the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego and the Panama-Pacific Exhibition in San Francisco, the preservation of sound recordings, and product quality testing. Also included are recommendations of songs and recording artists, complaints about the technical and artistic quality and limited repertoire of Edison recordings and suggestions for improvements in the phonograph, some of which Edison referred to members of the laboratory staff for consideration and comment. Several documents refer to an attachment that would allow the lateral-cut records produced by Victor and Columbia to be played on Edison Diamond Disc phonographs. At the end of the folder is a 72-page pamphlet with annotations by Edison, entitled Edison Retail Salesman's Sales Manual along with a promotional brochure for the Edison Dictating Machine entitled The Goose, the Typewriter, and the Wizard. The correspondents include George L. Babson and L. S. McCormick of the Phonograph Corporation of Manhattan M M. I B|acJman of ^ Phonograph Co. (Kansas City), Herbert E. Blake of Blake & Burkart, H. H. Blish and George C. Silzer of Harger & Blish, C. E. Goodwin of th Phonograph Co. (Chicago), and numerous other phonograph dealers and marketing representatives. There are several letters by Thomas P. Westendorf, composer of "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen," which reportedly was Edison’s favorite song. A letterfrom investment banker, benzol supplier, and phonograph enthusiast Clarence Dillon recounts an amusing anecdote about his six-year-old son (and future U.S. Secretary of the Treasury) C. Douglas Dillon. Approximately 25 percent of the documents have been selected. The material not selected includes unsolicited suggestions and inquiries from inventors and other unsolicited correspondence receiving no substantive reply from Edison. Also not selected are lists of phonograph dealers, letters of transmittal and acknowledgment, and daily and weekly reports concerning quality testing, sales, and other commercial matters. Edison General File Series 1915. Phonograph - General (E-15-65) July - December Doar Mr. Meadowcrof t : The Edison Phonograph arrived a few days ago and it was put into opera¬ tion by the man you kindly sent. It is oortainly a wonderful instrument and I have greatly enjoyed some of the splen¬ did rooords. Please aooept my best thanks for your kind interest in this matter. Mr. YJ. H. l.toadoworoft , Edison Laboratories, Orange , H . J . JL„ My dear Mr. Edison: I wish to express to you my best thanks for your kindness in send¬ ing me the new phonograph and reoords and particularly for the highly valued dedioatory plate. I have already enjoyed several of the splendid reoords, among which I have found the Female Solos and Violin Reoords to be exceptionally fine. I shall treasuro this gift most highly and valuo it also for the friendly continent with whioh it was convoyed, as indicated by tho namo plate. Again thanking you most sin- Thomas A . Edison , Esq . , Orange , Hew Jersey. Master and Miss Paradofska WJ at ^ j July 6, 1915. u / -r(^
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[ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE]
THE NATION’S HEART
(ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS)
LO, a mighty nation,
Standing for the Right, -
Justice . . . Honor . . . Duty. . .
Through the threatening night.
America, My Country,
God’s glory shines on thee,
And patriot hearts calling.
From the prairies to the sea.
All honor to Our Country !
Where e’er her children be,
Loyal hearts are calling,
From the prairies to the sea.
Hark the patriot voices
Sounding far and near !
Glory to the banner
Of our country dear!
Warmer now the heart beats,
Bend before the prayer
Of a mighty nation
Quick to do and dare.
All honor to Our Country 1
Where e’er her children be,
Loyal hearts are calling,
From the praries to the sea.
. \
Then onward, Christian Nation !
Upward be your way,
Ever toward the glory
Of the Perfedt Day. ,,
Peace with Honor ever
May your watchword be,
The dtars that bless your banner . v
Shining gloriously.
All honor to Our Country !
Where e’er her children be, r
Loyal hearts are calling,
From the prairies to the sea.
—Frederic A. Whiting.
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district (Court
Upper Montclair, IT. J.
Aug. 30, 1915.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Orange, U.
Bear Sir:-
Uh^0<^
U^*-"
Enjoying a vacation visit with a daughter and three
fine grand-children at Upper Montclair, am booked to leave for
Denver Wednesday evoning.
To oee you for a minute and shake hando with you
any hour Tuesday or Wednesday would greatly please me.
By telephoning may son-in-law, Ur. Frederick T.
Rubidge, 491 Broad, I would be sure to gat the message.
k
Respectfully yours.
130 if &
Hew York, September Hintb,
nineteen fifteen.
wouia like very much to bring to you Hr. William
j. Eobinson, Hr. Robert C. Mayer and Thomas C.
Meadows , who have the most interesting and un¬
usual proposition I have ever seen in the motion
picture business. I feel that it is most im¬
portant that you meet those people as the propo¬
sition is sufficiently unusual to attract your
immediate attention.
Hill you kindly let me
know as soon as possible what day. after Tuesday
of next week it will be convenient for me to bring
.these gentlemen to see you.
3
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Sapt. 10th. 1915.
Ur. A. G. Whyte,
To Whyte's Uotion Picture Enterprises Ino.,
110 West 40th Otreet,
IJev7 York City.
Dear Sir:
Your favor of the second instant to
Hr. Edison was received. He has been exceed¬
ingly busy day and night at his chemical plant
a few miles away from here, hence the delay in
reply.
Mr. Edison says that you can come
over at anytime and he will see you. I would
suggest that you call me on the telephone in
advance of your coming. Lot me also add that
ho expoots to he away on Wednesday of next week.
Yours very truly.
Mr. Thomas A. Edison,
Llewellyn Park,
Orange, Hew Jersey.
My dear Mr. Edison:
while I am in this part ol the world, it has occurred
to me that nothing could possibly give me more pleasure than to
see you, and so X wired you, to-day, asking for an appointment.
Xi you will be good enough to let me know where and
when, after the receipt of this, I can see you, I shall be very
much indebted to you.
VA-W, etc (6*1 *~Wl\
Cl WaJu) *
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Oot. 4th. 1915.
Mr. Keufel,
$ Keufel & Esser,
300 Adams Street,
Hoboken, JJ. J.
Bear Mr. Keufel:
I spoke to lir. Edison in regard to the proposed
visit of yourselve and your two son^to our plant. He wishes
me to say to you that after the fire we placed our machinery in
various shops, and that while we are working in some of the build¬
ings,. much of the machinery ie still scattered about in different
plaoes. He expects, however, that by Christmas, wo will be in
our newly renovated concrete buildings, and then he would be glad
to have you go through, as the shop is organised on a new and en¬
tirely different basis from other shops, and ho is sure you will
be pleased.
Yours very truly.
Assistant to Mr* Edison.
at-Orange.N.J. 30m9 time before November 9th. If such a visit is possible
will you kindly advise me. You will also note that it is the intention of
the Club to carry out a strickly iraerlcen programm throughout the year, in
keeping with the spirit of Neutrality.
Some years ago, I think 1898,1- as a youngster had the
pleasure of meeting your youngest Son at Chautaugua.N.I. where we spent
many happy hours ae playmates in Miller Park, sailing boats in the miniature
lakes in Pnlistine.
you that it
the Club.
If you are in a position to give me assistance I assure
will be appreciated not only by me but by the other members of
Yours very Sincerely,
Mr. Thomas A. Edison, & W _ H' , fl,
sr-ri*,. ly/ ^
My dear Mr. I-de-sun: Tas we always pronounce your name in Chin£
I am just in from five years of fascinating lecture
work in China. This was preceded by eight years of investigation
and experiments in the use of science lectures as a "leans of
reaching the leaders of the Empire, and more oken
Republic. Single individuals on our lecture staff have spoken
to ten thousand people per week for ten weeks in succession.
This marked appreciation on the part of such Sreat_numbers
has been a great encouragement, but not more so than the ex
pressions of appreciation and co-operation from the officials
of the National government and from the governors and other
officials of the provinces. President Yuan Shi-Kai has for
several years contributed, and Vice-President *;i *uen Hj"f
is one of our very enthusiastic boosters. Just before I left
Shanghai^ the redeems a bunch of letters ‘‘•I81"0”
in acknowledgment of a little memento we in
recognition of their fine co-operation in a nation wide
lecture campaign. In these letters are many interesting things,
and I quote this from His Excellency T'an Hsiang Ming, at
Changsha:
(From the Military Governor of Hunan to
Messrs. G. 8. Eddy and C. H. . Robertson)
'•I most respectfully write this letter in answer
to yours, the contents of which I was exceedingly pleased
to read. That you should have come from your Sreat
opportunities to our humble place to conduct these meet¬
ings, with the result that very many of our scholars
and literary men have cane to see and know you. 1 with
them greatly endorse and appreciate what you ^avedoneu
And although the pressure of official duties interfered
with my having been a better host, I am constantly in
Thomas A. Edison
12/7/15
remembrance of you. Nov/ on receipt of this book
of beautiful pictures I opened and looked at it,
and recognize the earnestness with which you two
princely men work for the progress of the world,
both by exhorting men and regardless of the toil
and exposure. As the breezes of spring make all
the earth to blossom with life, so the places to
which you go change as the blossoms change the
mountain sides. As I look back upon the days of
your visit X still think of them with astonishment
and look forward with the hope that we shall meet
again.
"Although you are separated far from me, I
trust you will not forget and that sometime I may
have a letter of exhortation from you. So I
specially write this letter to thank you and wish
for you a virtuous peace."
I am in America for a year, most of which will be
spent at the University of California in scientific research
work and in digging up ideas and equipment for my associates
«,v,n nn the road in various partB of China to-day.
I have spoken so often of you to the people of China
and with such appreciated hearing that it is my earnest desire
as I go back to carry with me a more intimate knowledge oi
your work and, if possible, to be prepared to extend your
influence by a more accurate and stirring presentation of your
creative woric . One of the greatest sorrows of my thirteen years
of life there has been to observe the loss that all the world
suffers because of its failing to receive the results of the
undeveloped genius of China. I tell them that if America
produces one Edison, China ought to have four, and I believe th/t
the future holds for us even such a wonderful pro bo ect.
Lectures on Wha-shJng^un and Lin-kun have been per¬
fectly remarkable in their influence upon Chinese audiences.
Y/hen X go again I should like to take a really effective one
on I-de-sun also. To this end I would appreciate it greatly
if I might have an opportunity to meet you and to observe some -
Thomas A. Edison -3- 12/7/15
thing of the wonderful work that gathers around your personality.
I expect to be in New York in the spring, probably in February
or March, at which time I will communicate with you and find _ ^
if it will be convenient for you to grant this privilege
China.
Very sincerely yours,
chr/ibp
{. ROBERTSON
Dec . 13th. 1915.
Mr6. MS. Beckett,
Bolton, Mass .
My dear Mrs. Haekett:
It would not he polite in writing o letter to a lady
to ref or to "old times", but I am certainly glossed o have a
noto from you after the little while has elapsed since we last
met. There are some things we cannot discuss, and one of them
is the index finger of Old Father Time when he points to the
children. I am a 'Noting "grand-pop" to two promising youngsters.
1 am glad to learn that you are such a flourishing
fruit grower. It is better than passing your life fussing with
a lot of papers and the other things incident thereto. I am
still in the vortexv and this year has been the busiest of them
all.
If your son will come over to the Laboratory and see
me some day when he is in the vicinity, I think I can make the
promise that we will let him see something of what is roing on
around here, and try to make it pleasant for him. All the boys
who have uny red blood like to see "the wheels go round".
fir. Edison is very well. He certainly seems to have
the secret of perpetual youth, and energy, - especially energy.
It is undiminished.
with kind regards, I remain.
Yours very truly.
Mr.C .H .Robertson,
San Franoisoo.Cal.
Dear Sir: —
I am in receipt of
your favor of the 7th inst., which I have read
with much interest, let me say in reply that
if you will call at the laboratory when you come
East in the Spring, 1 shall be glad to see you.
You had better tele¬
phone to the laboratory from Hew York when you
arrive there, so as to make sure I am available.
Yours very truly^"
A.H,
My dear Mr. Edison:-
I have a grand-son about eleven years old,
who lives In Birmingham, Ala. His father and mother were origi¬
nally from East Orange, where I live myself. This boy has for a
long time expressed a desire to meet and shake the hand of Mr.
Edison, and asked if that wish could not be gratified when he came
on with his parents to spend the holidays at my house in East
Orange.
Now, my dear sir, I ask you if it would be possible
to gratify that boy's wish, that he may shake your hand. If you
will please drop me a line to the above address, and let me know
when it will be convenient simply to see the boy, X would esteem
i t a wonderful personal favor, and thank you very much therefor,
I recognize that you are a very, very busy man, but, my dear sir,
that is my boy -- I ask the privilege for him.
Incidentally I would say, that I lived in Metuchen
when you were working out thd Electric scheme at Menlo Park, N, J,
and at that time I used to be around your, wprks very much watch¬
ing it.
In the hopes that you may gratify this boy's wish,
|
i
I am,
Very truly yours.
Dec. Slst. 1915.
Mr. Daniel Pierson, Jr.,
827 Broad Street,
Newark, H. J.
Dear Mr. Pierson:
Your favor of the 18th instant
to Mr. JEdison was received. He requests mo to
say in reply that if he is here at the Lab¬
oratory when your grandson calls, he will be
glad to shake hands with him. Mr. Edison will
be away from the laboratory on Thursday of this
week, but I expect he will be here Friday and
also Monday and Tuesday of next week. Please
ask for me when you call.
Yours.'.very truly,
Assistant to Mr. Edison.
•t. ifcvi
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Edison General File Series
1915. Phonograph - General
(E-15-65)
Undated, ca. 1915
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