[D8807AAM], Letter from George Edward Gouraud to Thomas Alva Edison, February 29th, 1888
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Title
[D8807AAM], Letter from George Edward Gouraud to Thomas Alva Edison, February 29th, 1888
Editor's Notes
I have made an arrangement with Barrett, by which he undertakes to edit the scientific portion of the above, and I hope you will supplement our efforts by promtly sending me everything which you have which will contribute to a successful issue of so interesting a publication. Will you please send me whatever you have which may have been written by others, as shown by the newspaper extracts referring to your life, which, after collating, I will hold subject to your order. Also please send me bound copy of your American patents; I shall give a summary of these, with dates and details. We want the book to be profuse in illustrations, and it is desirable that these should include whatever we can contribute of interest under all heads, so please send me complete photographic views of Menlo Park, the scene of your early works, of your home and birth place if you have it, -if not, describe it to some one who can sketch it near enough for our purpose, -as many views of your present beautiful home and grounds as possible, views of the exterior and interior of your new lab and works, also interior and exterior views of your lamp factory and Schenectady works. From many of these I shall have photographs taken on glass for use with magic lanterns for illustrating lectures, which I will arrange to have given in all countries with which I am concerned. Let the views of Llewellyn Park include that beautiful valley through which Mrs. Edison drove me one morning. I must ask you also to surreptitiously obtain a photograph of Mrs. Edison, which, out of too much modesty she refused to give me when I was there. Please get good photographic views of the interior and exterior of your great central station, good views of some of your most important machinery, such as your first dynamo and your last, showing the progress. Anything which you or your able assistants can do to facilitate this matter, will be gratefully received. I would also like good portraits of your most valuable associates, such as Bachelor, Johnson, Upton, Insel, etc. These views will be useful for yourself and for Gilliland in his operations. The great thing is to get it all done as quickly as possible, as I want to bring the work out as the first book printed under such interesting circumstances--from the phonograph's dictation. Dwyer Gray, one of the Home Rule leaders, and the owner of one of the principle papers, the "Freeman's Journal," is chairman of a self-setting type machine which he is anxious to have do the printing of this book from the phonograph. He is the man, whom you will remember, who had the courage and ability to take issue with the Postmaster General in the House of Parliament, which resulted in compelling the Postmaster General to remove the restrictions on the telephone. He is a first-rate fellow, and while I of course see that giving his machine the eclat of printing the book will place him under obligations to us, I nevertheless see, as you will, that we will get sort of a quid quo quo. [new name mentions: Prof Barrett, Bachelor, Johnson, Upton, Insel, Dwyer Gray]
Author
Recipient
Date
1888-02-29
Type
Folder/Volume ID
D8807-F
Microfilm ID
121:696
Document ID
D8807AAM
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University