[LB057694], Letter from Edison Phonoplex System, Alfred Ord Tate to Producers and Refiners Oil Co Ltd, August 2nd, 1893
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/LB057694
Transcription
EDISON PHONOPLEX SYSTEM. 30 Park Place, New York. August 2nd, 1893. Producers and Refiners Oil Co., Ltd., Oil City, Pa. Dear Sirs:- Your letter of inquiry concerning the Phonoplex addressed to the Edison General Electric Company, has been referred to us for attention. The cost of complete Phonoplex equipment is about $80. for each office, including the necessary battery. In a Phonoplex circuit, intermediate offices not included in same require to be bridged by means of a condenser at a cost of $12. each. All the instruments used in connection with the Phonoplex are furnished at absolute cost price, the bills which we render for same being duplicates of those received by ourselves from the manufacturers. The annual royalty charged for the use of the system is $50. for circuits of 50 miles in length or under, and for longer circuits the royalty is $50. per year plus $1.00 per mile for each mile in excess of fifty. This royalty is charged only for such periods as the system has been in actual operation; that is to say if a company employing the Phonoplex should find it desirable to discontinue its use for say three months in each year, they would only August 2nd, 1893. be charged for nine months royalty, therefore our licensees commit them-selves to no expense in connection with the system excepting where they are receiving the benefits to be derived therefrom. In addition to the charges enumerated in the foregoing, the time and expenses of our expert while installing the system are also charged against our licensees, but as it takes only a short time to equip a circuit this item does not amount to much. If you will send us a diagram of the circuit, the Phonoplexing of which you have in mind, indicating the number of offices to be fully equiped and those which would require bridging, also the size and length of the wire, we will furnish you with an accurate estimate of the cost of the equipment, etc. We are sending to you by this mail pamphlets explanatory of the Phonoplex and should you desire any additional information on the subject, we should be very much pleased to supply it. Trusting that you will decide upon adopting the Phonoplex, which you would find of the greatest assistance in connection with your telegraph work, we are, Yours very truly, EDISON PHONOPLEX SYSTEM. By A.O. Tate M.