The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

Transcription

Thomas Cochran Esq
Guarantee Trust Company
316 & 318 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia
My dear Mr. Cochran
Since writing you my last letter I have been very busy here, trying to arrange with Edison and in settling the difficulties between Hubbard & Tainter. We have at last set all got finally arranged and satisfactory to all concerned. The Edison matter is still in process of negotiation. Col. Goraud's claim is most absurd and I have no doubt but in a little while he will see the foolishness of holding out any longer, and will come to our terms such proposition as he makes and which Theodore has cabled down from America is absurd and foolish and not worth considering for a minute. We are absolute masters of the situation here, and no one knows it better than Goraud, in the last two days he has shown evidences of weakness and I think in a little while he will settle on our terms. He and Edison have had a quarrel and his position is very weak indeed.
Now I am engaged on a very large financial matter with Col. North whom every one says is by far the best man I could have in England, from present indications it looks as though I will be able within a very short time to close a deal with him that will be more satisfactory to you and everybody else. He is dealing for Great Britain alone on the basis for one million pounds and 30 percent of the Stock and I finally feel that he will carry out this negotiation successfully.
I am to go to Paris tomorrow to have an interview with him and his associates at the Grand Hotel as he is most anxious to begin the matter at once so as to be ready to have the entire matter settled by about October 1st., I have a good deal of confidence that he will be able to carry out this plan, and I will write you fully the result of my interview with him on Monday next. Now as if this business with North was done entirely by me for you, I desire if it is successful that you should get the full benefit of it, as the thing here is going to be an absolute success beyond any question for everyone here who has seen the machine at the Exhibition predicts for it a great future and amongst these are many of the most practical men in Europe.
Now I am quite satisfied with the position Therefore has been taking recently, he has been assuming too much authority and there are many very important matters that arise from day to day which need careful discussion and consideration, in one instance lately I found he intended to decide an important matter himself and I plainly told him that I did not wish him to make any decision on any matter without consultation with me for, I did not wish him to place any more responsibility on you than he did on the Firm of J. & W. Silligon, and that I was there to protect your interests and that I was going to do it and in no case must he place any responsibility of nature or description whatever upon you, as already you had done more than anyone else. I also found that on many matter pertaining to this business he was receiving letters from New York giving him information which he did not tell us and which he had the right to know, to this Macfadden and I both strongly objected and told him that all matters upon graphophone business should be open to us all and should not be apart of the private correspondence of Silligman Brothers. He said that in future he would arrange it as we requested. I wish you would write me and keep me fully informed as to all the little matters that come up as many of the details might have important bearings on matters here. Write me also about the organization of the Company and as to its stock issue. I have been waiting to hear from Bryon as he promised to write to me and send me something to sign, he has not done so. I wrote him last week a strong letter telling him to deliver the stock to you without further delay or I would place the matter in the hands of my Attorney, he has no right to keep the stock one day as it is all paid for and belongs to me. I expect that on receipt of my letter he will send the stock to your son if he does not do so I shall send my Attorney to him. Please let me know what you are going to do about your accumulator of stock and bonds and whatever you do I will do also.
Please write me fully and at once with relation to all matters and how is the Chicago Elevated getting one. This of course is a personal letter and only intended for you but before closing let me once again assure you most emphatically that I am more than satisfied with the position of things here and I feel very certain that for England alone we will get the full amount of our Capital Stock and that too very soon, and I believe that we will get both Edison and Goraud and a man much under five hundred thousand dollars and by joining them we will more than make that in the additional price that we will get.
With kindest regards to you and your son,
I am
Yours very sincerely,