[D0204AAN], Letter from Willis N Stewart to Herman Ernest Dick, August 1st, 1902
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D0204AAN
Transcription
62 Hackford Road, Brixton, London, S. W. Aug. 1, 1902. H. E. Dick, Esq. Marenisco, Mich. Dear Mr. Dick:- I am in receipt of your esteemed favor of the [17th?] inst., for which I thank you. The employment which you suggest in connection with the starting of your various factories would quit me exactly, as I have a wide acquaintance with the best electrical and technical people in most of the Continental [illegible]. I shall be glad to accept any arrangement which you may think fair. You may not know that under the new law in Austria-Hungary a Patent must be worked within one year from issue, and that the law is very strict, requiring a bona fide manufacture. In Belgium the lime is even shorter, as the work must be done within one year of first working elsewhere, which would mean within one year of the time you started in America. As there are a lot of people on the Continent watching your every movement in order to find an opening for infringement, I mention this in order that you may not be left start of time. If you give me the work proposed, I ought to learn every detail of the work as soon as possible, as things move slowly on the Continent. In the early days of the electric light business we all paid somewhat dearly for our lack of experience. As I am now quite at liberty, I can come to New York and go into training whenever you may think it best to send for me. I should expect merely minimal pay until active work begins, but should like to get a thorough mastery of every detail. I cannot attend any traveling expenses, as I must look after my family but will be satisfied until any arrangement you may make. When in New York I will give Mr. Edison more complete details and evidence on Patent matters, and have some Patents of my own on new applications of the battery which you may be able to use. I thank you very much for your kind offer, and you may be sure that I shall be just as full enthusiasm and hard work in the Edison interests in the future as I have been in the past, while I hope that my knowledge of how things are done here may be of value to you. Trusting that you will send for me at an early date so that I may be learning something useful, I am, Sincerely Yours, W. N. Stewart. <Dyer> <[illegible]> <E> [TAE Marginalia]