These documents relate to the operations of Phenol Plant No. 2, owned by Thomas A. Edison, Personal, which began producing phenol (or carbolic acid) during the summer of 1915. Among the selected items are several daily production reports signed by division manager Edgar S. Opdyke, bearing comments by Edison. There is also a communication from Opdyke's successor, Wilfred S. Dowling, regarding an explosion in June 1916 that injured three employees and destroyed part of the building. Other correspondents include Edison employees Charles T. Dally and William H. Mason.

Less than 5 percent of the documents have been selected. The unselected material consists primarily of financial and accounting documents and numerous routine daily production reports.