[LB016263], Letter from Thomas Alva Edison to Societe Electrique Edison, May 7th, 1883
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Title
[LB016263], Letter from Thomas Alva Edison to Societe Electrique Edison, May 7th, 1883
Editor's Notes
ANNOTATED AND PROOFREAD, 13APR05 DAVE H. Referring to your favor of the 28th. of March, I have looked very carefully into the matters complained of by the Milan Company in their letter to you of the 21st. of January and beg to submit to you the following:##FIRST. In relation to the regulators for central station dynamos of which it is stated that we sent six instead of four, I would state that it is our habit here to put in our central stations extra regulators to provide against a breakdown of those regulators in use. This practice we consider necessary as, should the field regulators break down, there would be very great trouble and delay if no extra ones were kept on hand to take the place of those having failed.##SECOND. With reference to the feeder regulators of which we sent 12 instead of 8, this was done by me after looking carefully into the requirements of the Milan Company. Taking the number of feeders, the lighting to be done, and the fact that it was proposed to light the La Scala from dynamos entirely separated from the central station, I considered that it would be necessary for the Milan Co. to have 12 of these feeder regulators. My authority for making these alterations in the order as transmitted to me by your representative, Mr. Bailey, is contained in his letter to me of the 15th. of September as follows:##"You will notice that Prof. Colombo in his letter of the 12th. inst. says that these letters contain only a summary of what he considers necessary to order, but he understands that you will take care that nothing of what you think necessary for the success of his station is omitted and he expects that you will make no variation in the order that you may consider useful."##The alterations above referred to were made in consequence of these instructions and also owing to the various conversations I had with Prof. Colombo during his stay in New York when he especially stated that he wished me to send to Milan every thing that I considered necessary.##THIRD. The error the Milan Company complains of and which occurred in my invoices of November 13th. is owing to a mistake on the part of the Electric Tube Company and I accordingly give you credit for $92.35 as requested.##FOURTH. With reference to the 65 meters of 2 4 tube billed in my invoice of the 12th. of February, I would draw your attention to the Compagnie Continentale's letter to me of the [6]th of January which reads as follows:##"Please send at once to Milan for the central station there 65 [aters] of main conductors No. 2 4 tube."##I read this letter as asking for 65 meters of 2 4 tubes and would submit that the only constructin that can be placed upon the order. I am very sorry that what we sent was not what the Milan Company required, but I cannot say that the fault is ours and do not think that it would be fair to charge us with $414, 98 cost of same.##FIFTH. With relation to the Armington and Sims engines sent to Milan, on the 2nd. of February I wrote you fully explaining my cable to you of Jan. 30th. as follows:##"Shipping two Armington & Sims Milan leaving settlement same future adjustment."##In my letter referred to I wrote as follows with relation to this matter:##I have ordered two Armington & Sims engines to be sent to Milan but I shall look to you for payment of same. I have taken this risk as I do not wish to delay matters by any controversy as to payment and I wish it clearly understood that in sending them I do not admit the validity of the claim made by the Italian company."##I asked that a copy of this letter should be sent to the Italian Company which I understand you did. I cannot see why the Italian Company should say that I changed my opinion with relation to this matter when 15 days after the cable was sent they received from you copy of a letter from me explaining at length the exact meaning of that cable.##I would beg to remind you that in sending these various things to the Milan Co., I have simply acted as your agent. I have had to buy the goods from other parties and have been obliged to pay for them. I get no profit whatever out of thee transactions and am out of pocket the amount which the Italian Company refused to send credit for. I think if you read over the whole correspondence in connection with this matter and the copies of the letters addressed to me by Mr. Bailey giving me the Compagnie Continentale's orders for the gods sent to Milan, you will see that I have not gone beyond the instructions contained therein. I enclose you a copy of the various letters addressed to me by Mr. Bailey as representing the Compagnie Continentale, for your information.
Author
Recipient
Date
1883-05-07
Type
Folder/Volume ID
LB016-F
Microfilm ID
82:380
Document ID
LB016263
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University