The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

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Metadata

Title

[LB009176], Letter from Thomas Alva Edison to Edward Hibberd Johnson, October 9th, 1881

Editor's Notes

Look at the article in the Engineer (by Swan) on page 229 of September 23rd 80!! You will see the cheek of the fellow!##So far I have been able to find nothing about Swans doings in the proceedings of the new Castle Society except a publication in 78 or 79 about a Carbon Lamp with a pencil of carbon in it. I think you had better hunt up all the Transactions of this Society (I forget the exact name) and also have some one go to New Castle or [Lyme] to find a member who has attended all of the meetings of the Society during the last few years and ascertain just what he did have.##You will see that the fellow [states] that he plated the carbon to the platinum in 1879. He is now trying to get the credit of this The question will naturally arise why does not he do it now as it is the only practicable way to fix the carbon to the clamps. Why does he adopt his present cumbersome plan if he had the plating business two years ago. It is very evident that seeing how we do it he now wishes to claim it, having been so successful in getting his claim, to the lamp generally, [resofning]##It is essential that some communication should be made calling attention to the following:-##1st He did not apply for any patent until after my lamp had been announced all over the world##2nd That the records of the Society shows that he had only an old King Lamp with a pencil of carbon##3rd That he now knows that we plate the carbon to the clamps and although not having even tried to patent it he announces that he had it. That he showed it to Sir William Armstrong but did not mention it at the Society. Sir William Armstrong could have been easily mistaken not being an expert and also being an interested party, as I understand, makes the whole thing look very suspicious.##Of course these various reflections on reputable people are all [sub uosa] but I think after you have satisfied [goure-] as to the facts you should call attention to the matter##Your orders for machines lamps and engines are all being attended to. We will take care not to mix up orders.##I cannot understand why Gouraud does not give his orders. He must understand that in as much as we have to supply a great many people he cannot expect to be promptly attended to unless he orders quickly

Author

Edison, Thomas Alva

Recipient

Johnson, Edward Hibberd

Mentioned

Engineering

Armstrong, William George

Gouraud, George Edward

Swan, Joseph Wilson

Insull, Samuel

Date

1881-10-09

Type

Letter

Subject

Competition and market structure

Purchases

Carbon, coal, glass, ceramics

Engines, boilers, prime movers

Incandescent lamp

Dynamos and generators

Folder ID

LB009-F

Microfilm ID

81:60

Document ID

LB009176

URL

https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/LB009176

Rights

Thomas Edison National Historical Park

Publisher

Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University

Has Version

Archive.org Viewer, Microfilm Series Reel 81

License

CC0 1.0 Universal

Item sets

[LB009-F] LB-009 (1881-1882)