[D8204ZCF], Letter from George Frederick Barker to Thomas Alva Edison, May 30th, 1882
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Title
[D8204ZCF], Letter from George Frederick Barker to Thomas Alva Edison, May 30th, 1882
Editor's Notes
Your letter of the 9th was duly received. I believe you have done wisely in going back to Menlo Park; at least for the summer. The worry and annoyance of your life in New York was telling your health and strength. I am much obliged for what you have done for me in the matter of the Congressional appropriation. I hear the matter comes up in connection with the Sundry Civil Bill which the Committee are to consider the present week. I have brought all the influence to bear on the different members of the Committee that I could control and I hope it may go through; though I am afraid it will hang fire in the House. Major Eaton writes me that he has sent a check for $200b to Prof. Mendenhall as a retainer. Prof. M. has also written me that the carbon buttons came safely & were received just as he had broken the only one he had. You will be interested I think in his paper. The Houghton Farm people wrote me and I referred them to Daniel Draper, who is the Director of the Central Park Meteorological observatory & who has worked at all these things. the best thing for them undoubtedly, is Becquerel's thermo-electric differential thermometer. That is the only thing I know which will do what they want. Upon my return from N. Y. on the 14th, I found here a postal card from Pres. Barnard of Columbia College as follows: "I should like to know what progress you are making with the School of Electrical Engineering"? Mr. Insull told me when last I saw him that he would send me the next day the rough draft of a letter you purposed to write to the Trustees of Columbia College urging upon them the importance of organizing a school of Electrical Science. I spoke with Mr. Lowrey about it and he thought it an excellent idea. But I have not yet seen the letter. Mr. Lowrey, Dr. Draper & Prof. Chandler all will do everything they can to help the matter along. I am quite anxious that something should be done before Mr. Lowrey goes to Europe. I expect to come over to New York on Thursday to remain until Monday. Would it not be possible for you to meet those gentlemen say at Dr. Draper's for a conference on this matter while I am in New York. Everything seems ripe now for starting the movement. Dr. Draper is very much pleased with the elegant way in which you fitted up his laboratory. I think however he will have to have a 110 volt armature. I am writing under a B lamp at my house run from a secondary battery at the University 4 squares away, the current coming up on my telegraph wire. The battery works well. When do you start the New York plant? Cordially yours
Author
Recipient
Mentioned
Date
1882-05-30
Type
Folder/Volume ID
D8204-F
Microfilm ID
60:163
Document ID
D8204ZCF
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University