3
men wanted more information about costs, and prompt billing. needed the company and
they needed him. The various
Edison companies had installed their own men the lab to
carry out testing research into their products.
Free advice and consulting was dispensed both Edison
. 1888 Edison proposed
that the Edison Electric Light Company pay him weekly stipend
to cover the costs experiments done their behalf before a
formal bill could prepared. didn't mean this.
A strong bond existed between the electrical companies
and the West Orange laboratory, which had symbiotic
relationship with the rest the organization. The Edison
Lamp Company, for example, paid the salaries the team who
tested incandescent lamps Building and the Edison Machine
Works paid the wages some the experimenters working on
insulation. They put many conditions on
weekly payments that Edison gave disgust and swore that
he would never ask the company for any more money support
O
the laboratory.
The means bring order Edison's billing practices
was evident the headquarters the Electric Light Company;
they would place the laboratory within the bureaucratic
structure and control with paper. This was, doubt, precipitated
by Edison's serious cash flow problems the lab, but the
Electric Light Company had intention giving Edison carte
blanche carry out research. repository technical information and
experience, the lab served all parts the electrical empire
