[D9240AAG], Letter from Alfred Ord Tate to New England Phonograph Co, Augustus Newman Sampson, January 1892
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D9240AAG
Transcription
Proposed letter to New England Phono Co Dear Sir:- Referring to your letter under date December 21st, 1801, in regard to the duplication and made of musical and other phonographic records, we take pleasure now in advising you of the position of the Edison Phonograph Works as established by its agreement with The North American Phonograph Company by its agreements with The North American Phonograph Company and the contracts between The North American Phonograph Company and its licenses, including the New England Phonograph Company. These contracts confer upon the Edison Phonograph Works the exclusive right to manufacture musical and all other records and sell the same to authorized purchasers and the making and selling of such records by the New England Phonograph or other license companies is in violation of the contract rights of the Edison Phonograph Works. Under these circumstances, in law and in fairness, the party-entitled to make complaint is the Works whose rights are being invaded by the local companies and we take this opportunity to protect against the violation of contract obligations by your company to the injury of the business of the Edison Phonograph Works. Concerning our intention, respecting the duplication of records made by the New England Phonograph Company and others, I beg to say that the interest of the Works demand the adoption and endorsement of a policy which will give them control of the business in question. We are in no way responsible for the present situation and are not acting purely on the defensive; and any methods which we employ are forced upon us through the necessity of self-protection. We have made a large investment for the purpose of carrying on this branch of manufacture and we hope that at no distant day The North American Phonograph company will with the co-operation of its license companies unite with the Edison phonograph Works in putting the record and duplicating business on a basis on which will justify the heavy expenditures already made and about to be made in this connection, by Mr. Edison and the said Works. Yours truly, SECRETARY.