Part Of: Notebook Series -- Pocket Notebooks

[NP102-F] PN-15-06-08 (1915)

The dated entries in this pocket notebook cover the period May-July 1915. The book was used by Edison to record ideas about business matters, experiments to be tried, and other tasks to be performed. Some of the entries have been crossed out. Others appear to repeat entries from earlier books. Included are experimental notes pertaining to disc records, new phonograph horns, and battery cell tests, as well as numerous chemical experiments to be tried. There are references to Edison's new benzol plants at the works of the Cambria Steel Co., in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and the Woodward Iron Co., in Woodward, Alabama, as well monthly production figures for the Woodward plant. Also included are references to the rebuilding of the Edison Phonograph Works after the fire of December 1914. In addition, there are sales numbers for Edison phonographs and records and for the Telescribe, a combination of the telephone and dictating phonograph; notes on voice trials for recording artists; and comments by Edison about the lack of opera and classical recordings in his company's catalog.

Among the numerous Edison employees mentioned in the book are H. H. Meno Kammerhoff, supervisor of operations at Edison's new chemical plants in Silver Lake, New Jersey; chemists Victor L. King and Ludwig F. (Louis) Ott; Harry T. Leeming, head of the Purchasing Dept.; Charles W. Luhr, superintendent of the West Orange laboratory; engineer William H. Mason, who supervised the installation of the Johnstown and Woodward plants; and John V. Miller, Edison's brother-in-law and manager of the Edison Chemical Works at Silver Lake. Chemical manufacturers and suppliers mentioned by Edison include Butterworth-Judson Co., Du Pont de Nemours, General Chemical Co., Heyden Chemical Works, Merck & Co., Mitsui & Co., and Monsanto Chemical Works. The pages are unnumbered. Approximately 150 pages have been used.

Courtesy of Thomas Edison National Historical Park.

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