[D8750AAJ], Letter from Uriah Hunt Painter to Edward Hibberd Johnson, November 20th, 1887
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Title
[D8750AAJ], Letter from Uriah Hunt Painter to Edward Hibberd Johnson, November 20th, 1887
Editor's Notes
"Some time ago you wrote to me and stated that Mr. Edison desired to have a meeting of the Phonograph Co. called for the purpose of making some changes to oblige him. I wrote opposing the calling of the meeting until we had a majority of the stock to vote whatever you and he and I agreed upon. ## I offered however in case that you chose to chance it on getting left in the minority to give you my proxy which would cover nearly if not quite one half of the stock. ## You did not accept that offer, nor did you send me the proposed programme. ## I do not know what has been done by you on Mr. Edison in the last sixty days towards getting the stock to control the old Co., but I am now ready to vote on 10,300 shares, exclusive of the 1,800 owned by Mr. Edison, Col. Reiff and yourself. ## 9,801 shares are a majority of all the stock entitled to vote. ## I am in favor of creating a new Company to whom shall be designed our contract with Mr. Edison, and the purchase from him by the means of additional stock or money of the toy and clock contracts, which have lapsed and fallen back into his hands. ## Mr. Hubbard has sent his resignation as President and Director of the Old Company to you, as I am now informed. ## Will you please confer with Mr. Edison at once and arrange for a meeting the last of next week bearing in mind that it takes ten days notice to the stock holders to make a legal meeting. ## There is no necessity for calling a meeting of the Board as all it could do would be to submit recommendations to the stock-holders which we can just as well submit without the intervention of a Board Meeting. ## Mr. Hubbard authorizes me to say to you that you have authority from him and in his name to call a meeting of the stock-holders, you of course signing as secretary, by direction of the President. ## Please urge Mr. Edison to give this his immediate attention, as I cannot learn that any steps have been taken by him to prevent the infringement of his patents by the Western Electric Company who are making three hundred for the Graphaphone Co. of Washington, or by a Company now understand from Mr. Gilliland that he has organzied to manufacture them in New Jersey at some place that I know forget the name of. ## If it will expedite matters any I will agree to meet Mr. Edison Mr. Batchelor, Col. Reiff and yourself at any time as we give constitute a majority of the Board of the Edison Co., which Board you no doubt recollect was elected by you and I to carry out the agreements made with Mr. Edison prior to your going to Europe for him on the Telephone business."
Author
Recipient
Mentioned
Date
1887-11-20
Type
Folder/Volume ID
D8750-F
Microfilm ID
120:240
Document ID
D8750AAJ
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University