[D8848AAO], Letter from Ezra Torrance Gilliland to Thomas Alva Edison, March 19th, 1888
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Title
[D8848AAO], Letter from Ezra Torrance Gilliland to Thomas Alva Edison, March 19th, 1888
Editor's Notes
"The commercial end of the Phonograph business needs my personal attention badly and I think from this time forward I shall give it all of my time. I will enumerate the important things that ought to be attended to at once and you will readily see that it will take up all of my time between now and the time when the factory will begin to turn out machines. ### First; to determine accurately the cost of the apparatus, as this forms the basis of all our agency contracts and it is absolutely necessary for us to know these facts before we can negotiate with any agency. ### Second; To get out the cuts and prepare the matter for the descriptive pamphlets and cuts and written matter for the book of instructions. As the matter now stands, we are within two weeks or less, of having machines ready for market and not one contract closed with any agent and no printing or advertising matter of any kind. Up to the present time this has been unavoidable, but it need not be postponed any longer, as it is definitely understood just what we are going to put out and I can have a machine within the next two or three days to put into the hands of the draughtsman and engravers and within the next few days if I give my time to it, we can determine all questions of costs of manufacture. The detail cuts of the recorder and the reproducer can be left until the last thing so as to include any changes that you are likely to make. ### Keller is clear up on his parts to the commutator and the brass part of the spectacle and the food lever. He ought to have these parts at once or he will be obliged to lay off some tool makers. ### I sat down with Batchelor Saturday and gave him my ideas in regard to the unfinished parts. He can finish thm up just as well as I can and has said that he would be very glad to do so. ### All of the money that we expect to make out of the Phonograph from this time forward depend upon this end of the business an I trust that you will agree with me that it needs my undivided time and very best efforts." Yours truly, E.T. Gilliland [Marginalia: "File phono"]
Author
Recipient
Mentioned
Date
1888-03-19
Type
Folder/Volume ID
D8848-F
Microfilm ID
124:298
Document ID
D8848AAO
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University