[D9223AAJ], Letter from William J Jenks to William Kennedy Laurie Dickson, December 2nd, 1892
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D9223AAJ
Transcription
Letterhead of Edison Electric Light Co. Edison electric light Company, Edison building, NO. 25 BROAD STREET, New York, Dec., 2, 1888. W. K. L. Dickson, Esq., Edison Laboratory, Orange, N. J. Dear Sir:- I am experiencing considerable difficulty in attempting to stimulate the recollection of those men who took part in the experiments with compound wound dynamos at Menlo Park ten years or more ago. When I told Mr. Edison the other day what I was trying to do he immediately said “Hughes, Andrews, Dickson.” Mr. Hughes had no electrical knowledge at that time, as I understand him, and was simply interested in seeing the apparatus ready for the exploiting of a motor business. Mr. Ott says that he conducted a number of experiments, and that the record of those experiments was entered in detail on the note-books of that period, but I am unable to find any note-book which has the data required. I have discovered about 200, some of which are at Dyer & Seely’s, others in the produce Exchange Vault, and others at the Laboratory. Have you any note-books which would throw any light upon the date of any such experiments, either for electric railway or for electric lighting? Any light which your recollection or your note-books may throw upon this matter is likely to be of great importance, as we are daily becoming clearer on Edison’s invention of the self regulating dynamo. This is broader in its scope than the compound wound dynamo, because the idea [top of paper torn off] excited for an initial electro-motive force [portion of paper with writing is missing] field magnetism by means of a series coil to keep that initial E.M.F. constant at the brushes, or at some point distant from the brushes as the case may be. Your early attention will therefore greatly oblige me. Yours very truly, W.J. Jenks. [Inclusion of illustration]