[D8966ABJ], Letter from U.S. Post Office Dept. Foreign Mails, Nicholas Montgomery Bell to Thomas Alva Edison, March 30th, 1889
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Title
[D8966ABJ], Letter from U.S. Post Office Dept. Foreign Mails, Nicholas Montgomery Bell to Thomas Alva Edison, March 30th, 1889
Editor's Notes
Washington D.C March 30th, 1889####Sir:--####Referring to your reply, under date of the 23rd, of January last, to my letter No. 84 396, of the 16th, of the same month, enclosing a descriptive pamphlet and other documents relative to your "Phonoplex System of Telegraphy" for the information of the Postal Administration of Germany: and stating that it would give you pleasure to present to the German Administration a complete equipment for two phonoplex terminal stations, for exhibition in the Imperial Postal Museum in Berlin; I have to inform you that the tenor of your ommunication and the documents referred to were promptly transmitted to the German Office.####A communication has now been received from the German Office dated the 27th.ultimo, to the following extract (translation) from which your attention is invited, viz:--####"The Imperial German Post Office, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of letter of the Post Office Department of January 28th.1889, and to express its thanks for the aid given in acquiring the Edison Phonoplex Telegraph apparatus for the Imperial Postal Museum.####"It is a special satisfation to the Imperial German Post Office to learn that Mr. Edison has declared himself willing to present to the Imperial german Postal Museum a complete apparatus for telegraphic communication between two terminal stations.####"The Imperial German Post Office would request the Post Office Department to express its thanks to Mr. Edison, and, in recognition of his kindness, to transmit to him the Books &c, which are this day forwarded in 3 separate packages, addressed to the Post Office Department.####Mr. T.A. Edison,####Orange,####New Jersey.####"The Imperial German Post Office will be still more obliged to the Post Offie Department if it will receive the apparatus from Mr. Edison, and forward it to Berlin."####The three packages referred to in the foregoing extract are said to contain the following articles, viz:--####1. Photograph of Burgers Water-color painting 'Union of Posts and Telegraphs.'####2. Postal Guide.####3. Imperial German Postal Territory 1878;2 volumes.####4. Report of the Administration of German Posts and Telegarphs.####5. Statistics of German Posts and Telegraphs.####6. Pamphlet History and Development of the Telephone, 1880.####7. Experiments Nova (ut vacantur) Magdeburgies, by Otto von Guericke.####8. The Book of the World's Post.####Pfau's Portfolio of Photographs of post office buildings."####They are now in the custody of the postmaster at New York who, if you so desire, will be instruted to forward them to you direcct, at Orange, New Jersey.####If you will forward to this Office, securely packed, the phonoplex apparatus for the Imperial Museum, it will give the Postmaster General pleasure to cause it to be transmitted to Berlin in ompliance with the request of the German Office.####I am, very respectfully,####Your obedient servant,####Nicholas M Bell####Superintendent Foreign Mails.####[name mentions: Otto von Guericke, Nicholas Bell, Pfau, Post Office, Germany, Imperial Postal Museum, Thos Edison]
Recipient
Date
1889-03-30
Type
Subject
Folder/Volume ID
D8966-F
Microfilm ID
128:289
Document ID
D8966ABJ
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University