[D8840AAA], Letter from Samuel Flood Page to Thomas Alva Edison, January 24th, 1888
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Title
[D8840AAA], Letter from Samuel Flood Page to Thomas Alva Edison, January 24th, 1888
Editor's Notes
"I have been very much interested lately in the account which I have seen from time to time of the important patent which after a long contest extending over some seven years your patent office has issued to you. You will understand that I mean the patent which is stated to cover broadly the entire subdivision of the Electric Current. What is the number and date of the corresponding British patent? I recently met Mr. Grosvenor Lowrey in Switzerland and he was speaking of the pleasant and interesting conversationo he had had with you when dining at Mr. Villard's and he told me a good deal about this important patent and incidentally said that we were very much interested in the patent question, as by our Agreement with you it belongs ot our Company [New Letter] "The Use of electrical apparatus in connection with the solution of the transportation problem is becoming so general in this country that it is probable that the scope of the Section of Steam Transportation, which is now under my charge as Curater, will no doubt be englarged so as to cover such matters. If you have any suggestions to make in regard to the preservation of the history of the birth and development of the electrical locomotive, propeller, &c., I should consider it an honor to have you communicate with me in regard thereto. ### The failure of those who took part in the early solution of the railway problem to preserve the results of their experiments is a serious drawback to us now in making a collection illustrating the birth of the American railway and Steam locomotive. Hence we are anxious to take such steps as may be necessary to prevent a similar condition of affairs when electricity as a motive power shall have come into more general use." Yours respectuflly, J.E. Watkins [Marginalia: "I have preserved nearly all of my data on the Early Electric RR Experiments."] [New Letter] "I am very glad indeed to hear of the great progress which you have been making since the Consolidation of your forces in the States and I am sure you also will be glad to hear that we have made very considerable progress during the last few months in England. You know that we are hampered by the Electric Lighting Act of 1883 which absolutely prevents anything like the general establishment of Central Stations. In spite of that the work is going on. Isolated installations are increasing in this country and in the teeth of the Act efforts are being made in various places to establish Central Stations. I may tell you for your own information that our sales of lamps for the six months ending 31st December last reached 182,000. If only we could have Central Stations in England Electric Lighting would advance with rapid strides. I am sure you will also be interested in hearing of the High C.P. Lamps we are now manufacturing. We have got a few 850 C.P. lamps in use and we are prepared to make up to 1000 C.P. We mark these lamps for an efficiency of 3 1/2 watts per C.P., but I have no doubt that before long we shall be able to run them at a higher efficiency, and even now I think that as soon as we are able to supply them in quantity they will prove very formidable rivals to arc lamps. Our suit against the Anglo-American Brush Company for infringement and their cross suits against us will probably be tried this Spring. We are advised that we shall win." Yours very truly, S. Flood Page
Author
Recipient
Date
1888-01-24
Type
Folder/Volume ID
D8840-F
Microfilm ID
123:782
Document ID
D8840AAA
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University