[D8849ABD], Letter from Edwin M Fox to Thomas Alva Edison, August 18th, 1888
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Title
[D8849ABD], Letter from Edwin M Fox to Thomas Alva Edison, August 18th, 1888
Editor's Notes
"Hearing that you were out of town, I have delayed replying to your esteemed favor enclosing a communication from Col. Gouraud re Mexico. Im glad to learn that Col. G. has made no disposition of Mexico and Central America and that he favorably inclines toward Mr. Connery. I immediately wired the latter to that effect. This morning I received a letter from him so cheerful in its character as to the outlook for the phonograh in his country, that I want you to see it, but as it containes some sub rosa information with regard to his plans, which he strictly enjoins me with reference to, I had better, in order to comply with his wishes, hand it to you in propria persona. I know you will be glad to see it and I therefore will avail myself of personally calling on you at your laboratory on receipt of word from you, when you can conveniently see me. ### I have lately examined the so called graphphone, and unless my memory is at fault, I have heard your first phonograph with the tin foil cylinder talk more distinctly. It may be that the samples I have seen were not good ones, but this is my candid crtiticism. One thing I am positive about, and that is, for clearness and accuracy of reproduction, it shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath with the phonograph. To my mind it seems a shame that those Washington pirates, by making a few mechanical inventions, not touching the real principle, and only such as any good mechanic might make, should be able, by reason of their business contracts, to go scott free in the United States and Canada. Probably as a business line of action, it was judicious for you rot overlook their piracy in that territory, but that none the less in my opinion makes them infringers. ### If I should go to Mexico (and Mr. Connery has made me a very tempting offer which I am seriously considering) one of the first things I should do, if it did not conflict with your interests, would be to work for a judicial adjudication stamping them as infringers, should they show their faces in that country. I think that with Mr. Connery's able assistance and with some short, sharp, quick and inteligently directed legal work in the courts of that country, we could bring that about. ### Please advise me by return mail when it would be convenients for you to see me at the laboratory." Truly yours, Edwin M. Fox
Author
Recipient
Date
1888-08-18
Type
Folder/Volume ID
D8849-F
Microfilm ID
124:539
Document ID
D8849ABD
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University