[LB009283], Letter from Thomas Alva Edison to George Edward Gouraud, November 10th, 1881
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Title
[LB009283], Letter from Thomas Alva Edison to George Edward Gouraud, November 10th, 1881
Editor's Notes
Referring to our cable correspondence as the Electric Light plant I have received from Drexel Morgan & Co notification that they are prepared to pay for 17 plants on receipt of Invoice & Bill of Lading. The Dynamos are now being packed & will be shipped this week.##I have duly received your favour of 29th. I am rather surprised that I should have been put to the inconvenience of having machines on my hands on which I could not realize while I awaited the receipt of your letter asking me to forego any profit on them to which as a manufacturer I am very justly entitled. You seem to forget that I have made a heavy investment of my own personal funds in order to create an establishment where I might e enabled to turn out Dynamo machines at a low price. The figures I name to you are much less than you can get them manufactured elsewhere & will enable you to sell at a price which will kill all competition. I know also that we have an equal advantage in possessing a much better article to present to the public.##To provide funds to start the Edison Machine Works I have been obliged to sacrifice a great deal which [never] could only be justified by the extreme necessity of Building up such an establishment & were I to accede to your request I should have a very [large] capital quite un[comunerative]##As a matter of fact I do not at present make a cent on a single Dynamo sent out of my works & do not expect to for some time to come. As to the lamps I sell them to you at the same price I have to pay the Lamp Co & the sockets & other sundries are also charged at prices paid Bergmann & Co##I think if you were to get estimates from other people to turn out any number of the machines you will not wonder at my surprise at receiving your letter
Author
Recipient
Date
1881-11-10
Type
Folder/Volume ID
LB009-F
Microfilm ID
81:97
Document ID
LB009283
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University