[LB058406], Letter from Alfred Ord Tate to Frank P Furlong, November 23rd, 1893
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/LB058406
Transcription
November 23, 1893 Frank P. Furlong, Esq., 818 Main St., Hartford, Conn. My dear sir:- Reply to your letter of the 7th inst., addressed to Mr. Edison, has been unavoidably delayed. Concerning electric railways, Mr. Edison directs me to inform you that so far no method of electrical propulsion has been devised that is superior to the trolley system. Storage batteries, in his opinion, are not yet commercial, and he thinks it will be a long time before they are made so. The trolley system can be rendered unobjectionable if iron poles are used and placed on each side, with the wire in the middle. The city should not allow unsightly wooden poles to be erected or tolerate poor construction. By giving proper attention to these matters of detail, all the objectionable features of the trolley system can be eliminated. Yours very truly, AO Tate Private Secretary. M