[E1188-F]

https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/folder/E1188-F

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Part Of: Edison General File Series -- 1911

[E1188-F] (E-11-88) West Orange Laboratory and Associated Companies

This folder contains letters, primarily by William H. Meadowcroft, that were written to keep Edison informed about laboratory and company operations while he was away in Europe in August-September 1911. The letters report upon the work of numerous employees, including Chief Engineer Donald M. Bliss; Albert F. Wurth, head of the department making molds to manufacture duplicate phonograph records; and experimenters Edward L. Aiken, Sherwood T. (Sam) Moore, and Frederick P. Ott. Occasional reports by members of the laboratory staff, including Jonas Walter Aylsworth and Ludwig F. (Louis) Ott, are enclosed.

The Edison companies mentioned in the correspondence include the Edison Storage Battery Co., the Edison Portland Cement Co., and the Lansden Co., a manufacturer of electric wagons in which Edison purchased the controlling interest. There are numerous references to Edison's alkaline storage battery, its use in lightweight electric delivery wagons and submarines, nickel flake separation tests conducted by chemist Ignacy Goldstein, and an experimental plant installed for that purpose in the chemical room at the laboratory. Also included is discussion of the activities of storage battery company employees William G. Bee, Walter E. Holland, H. H. Meno Kammerhoff (formerly of the Deutsche Edison-Akkumulatoren-Co. in Berlin), and Harold H. Smith.

Other subjects mentioned in the letters include disc molds and labels, diamond reproducer tests, varnishes for cylinder records, and Amberola cabinets cast in concrete. The development of Edison's Home Projecting Kinetoscope is also discussed. A few items concern Edison's own activities, including his European trip and a request from Popular Electricity for an interview.

All of the documents have been selected except duplicates.

Courtesy of Thomas Edison National Historical Park.

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