The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

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Metadata

Title

[X120CAG], Letter from Frank Julian Sprague to Deutsche Edison Gesellschaft, William Joseph Hammer, December 27th, 1883

Editor's Notes

[14 pgs USEFUL ANNOTATION ON MATHEMATICAL METHODS OF WORKING OUT CONDUCTORS IN VILLAGE SYSTEM; also edison effect and snapshot] Recounts startup of Sunbury & Brockton stations. TAE put him, Clarke, & Campbell on mathematical calcing of feeders--now he can do in 2-4 hours what was done at MP in 6 days; has also proved some Menlo work wrong. Wrote Edison "hot" letter giving Insull the devil; he is too conceited and sometimes forgets himself. Working on new electric motor and taking out foreign pats but TAE doesn't know yet. ## [USE FOR ANNOT ON MATHEMATICAL METHOD OF DETERMINING CONDUCTORS] [14 pgs] One week after starting Sunbury station in July, TAE recalled me to NY. With Clarke, Campbell, and "someone else" started "an attempt to mathematically determine the feeder & mains of the town plants without going to the trouble of practical experiment at Menlo Park. After 3-4 days blind work, I began to work backwards, and soon had it by then. Then I became expert in this work, and soon could lay out the mains and feeders & the right sizes in 2 to 4 hours where it had taken 6 to 7 days"; also "proved Menlo Park work all wrong." Then went to Brockton & started 1st 3-wire underground system. Village receipts generally double expenses. "Edison is really running [the?] business." Discusses failure of Brockton station b/c overloaded feeder; TAE came up. Sketches & describes new pressure indicator (seems like his own design). Now working on new feeder equalizer and a "boss" ampere meter of his own design. Working up a new motor and taking out foreign pats but TAE doesn't know yet. Wrote TAE a hot letter from Brockton giving Insull the devil: "he is too conceited and occasionally forgets himself."

Author

Sprague, Frank Julian

Recipient

Deutsche Edison Gesellschaft

Hammer, William Joseph

Mentioned

Edison Electric Illuminating Co (New York)

Edison Machine Works

U.S. Navy

Sonn, George C

Dean, Charles L

Clarke, Charles Lorenzo

Andrews, William Symes

Soldan, Gustav

Campbell, John R

Johnson, Edward Hibberd

Beves, Arthur S

Upton, Francis Robbins

Locke, Frank

Insull, Samuel

Edison, Thomas Alva

Date

1883-12-27

Type

Letter

Subject

Patents

Electric traction

Central stations

Cables, feeders, and other exterior elements

Three-wire system

Folder ID

X120C-F

Document ID

X120CAG

URL

https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/X120CAG

Rights

The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations

Publisher

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

Item sets

[X120C-F] Frank J. Sprague Papers