[D0104AAF], Letter from Willis N Stewart to Thomas Alva Edison, June 4th, 1901
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D0104AAF
Transcription
London, June 4; 1901 Dear Mr. Edison:- I have for a long time connected with the firm of Thos. Bolton + Sons, the largest manufacturers of copper and aluminum in the Kingdom. Mr. Bolton Sr is a man of very high personal and financial standing, is a large shareholder in many of the best British electrical undertakings and a Director of several while he is a great friend of Lord Kelvin and others of his class, who are associated with him in various undertakings. Mr. Bolton owns several valuable American patents, and is able to command almost unlimited capital for his five large factories or for anything which he takes up. I have been able to render him good been able to render him good service on several important matters, and having advised him that the storage battery business is not the coming thing he has asked me to take up the matter with a view of further business. He is already in view the acquisition of some Continental Patents, of which he has been informed by his agents abroad, and which may or may not have value. If you have not disposed of the rights of your new battery for the United Kingdom + Colonies, South America or Austrio-Hungary, or either of them, and are disposed to deal with people who do not go in for stock gambling and are able to privately provide ample capital for any good thing, I shall be glad to know of it. As you know, I can do business in So. America with capital behind me, and I as well as the firm have many friends in Austrio-Hungary which is a particularly good country for automobiles, Vienna being second only to Paris in their use. Also, our Balton is closely interested with the great So. African magnates and the larger banking firms of England and the Continent so that he is able to place any large business offering ample guarantees. Mr. B. has heard good reports of your invention and being an automobilist himself appreciates at its full value the importance of your discovery and what is better, unlike some Englishman he is a thorough admirer of your genius and appreciates your discoveries. Furthermore, you will remember that I was hard hit by the cholera epidemic in Chile when on the point of success, and that I wasted 10 of the best years of my life there without any result. If now, I can join in this new business, it will at last enable me to pay off old scores. If you can offer Mr. Bolton anything in either of the countries specified, or elsewhere, kindly drop me a line at the following address and I will come discuss business and fully inform myself. Or a cable to the second address will do as well. But in recommending Mr. Bolton's firm I can assure you that you will find it a pleasure to do business with them, and that no one in England can do you more good. Sincerely yours, W.S. Stewart. c/o Thos. Bolton + Sons 90 Cannon St. London, England [TAE Marginalia] <Dick-Stewart is a neir do well, unlucky but honest. E>