Thomas Alva Edison

“THE ISSUE IS FACTORIES OR DEATH!”

Edison made much of his income from manufacturing his inventions and endeavored to manufacture all of the parts needed for his electrical system from the generators down to the sockets and lamps (bulbs). He had expressed belief in the importance of manufacturing to Major Eaton, who was the Edison Electric Light Company Vice President and General Manager at the time this document was signed and would become its President the following year: “’Since capital is timid … I will raise and supply it. The issue is factories or death’ (Morris p.406).

Edison was in the midst of opening multiple factories for power and lighting-related needs when this document was prepared and sought assurance that he would be the exclusive supplier and he promises to supply 1,000 lamps per day to fulfil Company needs.  The document also refers to his right to sell lamps royalty free to countries other than those in North or South America. Since the Edison Electric Light Company held the patents on the lamps he had invented, he was required to pay the company royalties on all those sold in America. The directors of the Company were likely happy to leave the manufacturing to Edison who, with his associates Charles Batchelor, Francis Upton and Edward Johnson, pulled $35,000 of their own funds to found the Edison Electric Lamp Company – soon after changed to Edison Lamp Company. Most interestingly, Edison includes what is referred in article V, section 2 as “Exhibit A,” designs of the two lightbulbs that he manufactured: a standard 16-candle lamp and a half power 8-candle lamp.

Samuel Insull, who signs here as witness, had just joined Edison at the beginning of the month as his secretary. He would go on to run the Edison Machine Works in Schenectady and was involved in the founding of Edison General Electric, which became General Electric in 1892.

Not included in The Papers of Thomas A. Edison; Josephson, Matthew. Edison: A Biography. New York: [2003]. Morris, Edmund. Edison. New York: [2019]; Stross, Randall. The Wizard of Menlo Park. New York: [2007].