[D8820AAU], Letter from John F Randolph to Alfred Ord Tate, September 15th, 1888
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Title
[D8820AAU], Letter from John F Randolph to Alfred Ord Tate, September 15th, 1888
Editor's Notes
"The contract and minutes which you gave me the afternoon that you went away were copied in the Minute Book before I went to sleep that night and early in the morning I had Mr. Maguire make me two copies of same with the charges which you told me about and as soon as they were finished I had them compared and handed the same to Mr. Edison who signed them as President of the Edison Phonograph Company and also by him personally and he instructed me to have Mr. Batchelor and myself witness same and then put the Seal of Company on same. ### And as soon as it was done immediately copied one of them in the minute book as per your instructions. ### Mr. Edison told me to hold the said argreements until you returned, one he said was for the Company and the other for him. So I hold both until you return as requested by Mr. Edison. ### The day after you left Mr. Seely came out and saw Mr. Edison and I was instructed by Mr. Edison to give him a thousand dollars on account on the Laboratory Books of $388.57 making in all a total of $1388.57/100 and the same day Chas. A. Schierer and Co. drew a draft on us for the amount of their account which was $81.01 and I paid same and also sent out check as per your request to Mr. Christopher Baker for $526.02/100. ### Regarding the note from Mr. Geo Worthington for $450.00/100 Mr. Edison said he would discount it so I sent him a check for the amount by the following mail. ### Mr. Hutchinson came out here with two notes from the Sprague Company for $5000 each and Mr. Edison told me to give him two notes in exchange for same and hold them until they become due so I have put them in the safe. ### I recevied a check from the Edison Lamp Co for $350 and deposited it in the German National Bank and I hold a check for you from the same Company for $12.00. ### The Pay Roll amounts this week to $1443.75 and Mr Edison instructed me to pay the Contract for the 21 Phonographs, so tomorrow I will have to draw about $2100. ### There have been about 100 notices sent up to me with instructions to put in each envelope when I pay off which reads as follows:-- ### "Under no circumstances will employees be allowed to take their friends through the Laboratory. ### No special privileges will be given hereafter to anyone." ### Signed Thomas A. Edison ### The following cables have been received and sent up to the present time. ### Sept 12th 1888 ### From Bath to Noside N.Y. ### "Mescio. Yes but think you should reserve option to subscribe half Capital of Company on ground floor terms." ### Mr. Edison said hold this the above cable until you return. ### To Noside N.Y. ### "Bravissimo read twenty new, cable date of sailing of machines fifty per day will not be enough." ### Sept 13, 1888 ### To Gouraud Norwood ### "Six machines are in Express Office now awaiting steamer. Don't allow Gilliland to have any phonographs to exhibit. I want nothing more to do with him, explanations by letter. Shall make some machines with foot power, phonographs proper will interchange with Motor or foot power." ### Edison ### On Thursday Mr. Edison gave a contract to Mr Rayser one of our machinist for 20 Transmitters at $2.00 each and 40 receivers .50 each. ### Since you left we have had a Phonograph put on an old Graphone stand and is run by foot power and it is a great success and works very good, in fact a great deal better than the Graphone. ### All the bills for August have been sent out and in a day or so I am going to try and collect a check from the Edison Lamp Company for their account and I hope it will meet with your approval. ### To day Saturday I had to draw a check for $2100 as Pay Roll 1443.75 and Contracts $654.20 amount to 2097.95. ### Copy of Cable from Mr. Gilliland Sept 13, 1888 ### Sale made to Lippincott exactly as represented and had your approval Lippincott volunteered make subsequent agreement had good object in so doing I see nothing underhanded in this transaction. Your interests were in no way injured thereby, I have throughout acted under Tomlinson advice you certainly are acting without knowledge of facts and are doing me great injustice have in this and at all other times worked faithfully in your interests, shall return at once. ### Signed Gilliland Hotel Victoria ### In regard to the above cable I have sent a copy of same to Mr. Lippincot as per instructions of Mr. Edison. ### Now as there is nothing else to say except everything is running nicely I will close hoping you are having a great time. I remain" Very truly, John F. Randolph
Author
Recipient
Mentioned
Date
1888-09-15
Type
Subject
Folder/Volume ID
D8820-F
Microfilm ID
122:653
Document ID
D8820AAU
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University