[LB052183], Letter from Alfred Ord Tate to S Bydell, September 9th, 1891
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/LB052183
Transcription
Sept. 9, 1891. Mr. S. Bydell, Kokstad, East Griqualand, South Africa. Dear Sir:- Your letter of 28th of July, in regard to mica, was received in due course of mail, and the same has been perused by Mr. Edison. The latter has also examined the sample of mica which you kindly sent, and he says that it is of no value of electrical purposes. In the State of New Jersey alone there are over 300 mines containing mica of the same quality as the sample submitted by you, from which large quantities of the material can be obtained - from two to ten tons per day. Mica for use in the electrical business must come in perfectly flat sheets, free from rinkles or breaks; size from 3 X 3 to 8 X 8. The price varies according to the size. Sheets 3 X 3, perfectly flat, without any rinkles, colored or uncolored, sell for 50 cents a pound; sheets 6 X 6 bring $1.50 per pound. There are enormous deposits of mica over the border in Canada. There is one mine there where thousands of tons of mica are in sight. There are also numerous deposits of the mineral in the United States, and the market at the present time is somewhat glutted. Thanking you for your letter I am, yours very truly, AO Tate Private Secretary.