[D8332E], Letter from Francis Robbins Upton to Thomas Alva Edison, January 4th, 1883
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D8332E
→ View document with UniversalViewer
→ View document on Archive.org
→ Re-use this digital object via a IIIF manifest
Title
[D8332E], Letter from Francis Robbins Upton to Thomas Alva Edison, January 4th, 1883
Editor's Notes
Lamp co. is abt 25K lamps behind its orders. "As soon as the Isolated Co. place their order for 50.000 lampe we can see daylight, and if we can have 40 cts. for lamps and the money due us we shall be able to run one more row in the pump room without danger of incurring increased liabilities. It is exceedingly important that we have the five cents soon as they are now putting in very large orders for the U.S." The contract Insull showed me is not sufficient protection for Lamp Co. from risk of Light Co breaking the contract. "From all I can learn regarding Maj. Eaton and Mr. Lowrey they do not intend to give us any contract but one that they can drive through in the future." Says 50cts per lamp is a fair price. Right now we lose abt 10cts ea, "with every disposition shown on the part of those directing the policy of the [Light] company to take all the prifit when any [are to seem]." "The leading directors of the Edison Co. say that they wish to draw all companies into one grand company. That means that they will take the Lamp Factory and all its rights. Now that we have risked $200.000 in this place and pointed out the way that it can be made profitable they wish to reap the profits." Thinks that Eaton and Lowrey "are leading us a wild goose chase and that they never intend to tie the Light Co's hands to any one place to get lamps." "For the present we are making asses of ourselves to give a smaller corporation ten cents on every lamp out of our own pockets with no guarantee for the future, not even a permit to use the apparatus we have for this special one purpose."
Author
Recipient
Mentioned
Date
1883-01-04
Type
Subject
Folder/Volume ID
D8332-F
Microfilm ID
67:97
Document ID
D8332E
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University