[D8965AAB], Letter from New York Herald, T L McAlpine to Thomas Alva Edison, February 22nd, 1889
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Title
[D8965AAB], Letter from New York Herald, T L McAlpine to Thomas Alva Edison, February 22nd, 1889
Editor's Notes
Mr. Thos. A. Edison: Dear Sir: In accordance with your request on Wednesday last I submit the following faccts with regard to the [Denison-Radcliffe automatic telegraph instrument. this is the joint [and sution?] of the gentlemen whose names the instrument bears, but Mr. Robert D. Radcliffe has power of Attorney to transact all business corrected with its promotion. It was patented in Washington in 1885, and later in England France and Germany.##It is claimed for this instrument that it will send automatically and autographically from 150 to 200 words a minute, and can be operated with the electric force that works the morse instrument. The basic principle of the patent is the arbitrary arm to the end of which is attached our [electrode?] which does the writing. The operation of the machiens at the two ends of the wire is perfectly synchromatic. The writing is done on a paper with a metallic surfacce, and the receiving paper is to be treated with a solution that will make the writing on it permanent. In the laboratory experiments we are using a paper that is not permanent. The ink used has an infusion of shellac which offers resistance and changes the current, so that the electrode writes only one way. The ar--- awakes about 1000 vibrations a minute, and has a sweep of about two inches. T--s it would take i-- ten or twelve lines of such writing as this, and reproduce it just as it appears here. In a test which was made recently it covered a strip 17 inches long and having five lines of writing in 95 seconds.##It is claimed that this instrument would replace the telephone for local business, and be of uncalculable benefit to bacckers, shipping merchants, manufacturers and other business even Mr. Croley, the chief of the police telegraph in this city has seen it in operation and expressed the opinion that it would be of great calue in the department when speed and perfect accuracy are essential. Mr. radcliffe holds that the instrument could be made to do long distance telegraphing. The longest test it ever had was on a looped wire of 120 miles length upon which it did satisfactory writing.##The Police Commissioners at a recent meeting granted Mr. Radliffe the privilege of using their wires to test the instrument , but he is unfortunately so straitened in means that he is unable to have the instruments necessary for this purpose built.##The laboratory is at No 76 [Beekinan?] street, on the third floor, and Mr. Radcliffe's name is on the door. Mr. R. is in attendance every day from 11 to 3 p.m. and would be pleased to see yourself or any representative you might send, and to afford you every opportunity for examining and testing the instrument with the hope of soon seeing yourself or one of your experts I remain Respectfully yours T.L. McAlpine City Department N.Y Herald [name mentions: Denison-Radcliffe, Mr. Croley]
Author
Recipient
Date
1889-02-22
Type
Subject
Folder/Volume ID
D8965-F
Microfilm ID
128:270
Document ID
D8965AAB
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University