[LB028520], Letter from Thomas Alva Edison to George Edward Gouraud, March 5th, 1889
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/LB028520
→ View document with UniversalViewer
→ View document on Archive.org
→ Re-use this digital object via a IIIF manifest
Title
[LB028520], Letter from Thomas Alva Edison to George Edward Gouraud, March 5th, 1889
Editor's Notes
"Mr. W.J. Hammer is to have charge of my full exhibit at the coming Paris Exposition and I have tonight given him a letter of introduction to yourself and requested him to consult with you in regard to the exhibition of the Phonograph. ### As I have previously written you, the phonograph is to be exhibited in the American section of the exposition, a very large portion of which has been set apart for the display of my inventions, and while I have perfected arrangements to make the Phonograph a very prominent feature of my exhibit bearing in mind the important part which it will play with respect of your relations to the same, I have considered it desirable that Mr. Hammer should meet you and receive your views concerning the details of its exhibit, and have instructed him to respect your wishes to the fullest possible extent consistent with general instructions he has already received from me. ### This without doubt will be the best opportunity which can or will be had to introduce the phonograph to the peoples of Europe, in fact the whole world, and it is my desire to take every advantage of it is I know heartily seconded by yourself I feel sure that I can count upon your candid cooperation and valuable suggestions to make it a pronounced success and it seems unnecessary to ask you to assist Mr. Hammer in carrying out my wishes with which he is already familiar. ### I have considered your recent correspondence in regards to the expense connected with this exhibit and still think that the whole of the expense attendant upon the exhibition of the phonograph should be borne by yourself but as you appear disinclined to concur in the view of the case I am willing to bear as equal share of the cost of exhibiting this instrument in so far as it is displayed within the limits of the space devoted to my other inventions and to the exhibit of co. equality with these. Of course if you arrange for any extraordinary exhibitions of the phonograph by which I mean any display apart from the exhibit I have already provided for through Mr. Hammer, the expense of the former must be wholly borne by you. The financial obligations which I have been obliged to assume in connection with this whole exhibit, and from which you will derive a not inconsiderable benefit have been so enormous that I do not feel able to incur or share in any additional expenditure. ### Mr. Hammer will draw upon you at the end of each month for that portion of the expenses which is chargeable against yourself and I wish you to kindly arrange to meet his drafts in this manner. At times as they may be needed or called for I will forward Phonographs and supplies of various kinds and assist in every possible way to ensure the success of my exhibits." Yours very truly, [signed] TAE
Author
Recipient
Date
1889-03-05
Type
Folder/Volume ID
LB028-F
Microfilm ID
138:979
Document ID
LB028520
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University