While Edison was alive looked after the interests his West Orange laboratory
and ensured that got the funds continue work.511 Policy introduced 1915
established modem divisional structure the Edison enterprise and had given
each division manager freedom develop his own product. Williams Mrs.
513 Norman Speiden interview, June 1973, Oral History Project, 1.S. was understood within
Thomas Edison, Inc.616
When Edison died the response his family and some devoted members his
laboratory staff was preserve things that had been associated with him. Thomas Edison, Inc
was made several factories New Jersey: Bloomfield, New Village,
Kearney, Silver Lake, and West Orange.
511 Scrapbook (cat.
Edison" the struggle obtain research dollars within the organization. 44,472), "Miscellaneous 1937-1940," Scrapbook Collection. Edward Hughes (Mina Edison had remarried), Charles Edison and Theodore
Edison, December 15, 1938, Historical Research Dept. that "the laboratory under the special protection Mr.
512 "Minutes Executive Committee Meeting," May 12, 1920, 1920, WOL-Financial. This
155
. These managers
naturally wanted control research and development their products and soon
set their own laboratories.
515 C.612
With Edison dead, money for research immediately reverted the divisional
laboratories.
The problem for the West Orange laboratory was that each these products was
made separate division Thomas Edison, Inc.514
The laboratory was described having the atmosphere necropolis.513
The picture emerging the laboratory the 1930s one group buildings
almost empty people but full objects: boxes documents and old files,
machinery and "historically interesting equipment," cans film, magazines and
books, and anything that might have come into contact with the great man. The
management was ready branch into whatever products could keep its men at
work. 24-hour watch was
established over the silent buildings the West Orange laboratory and special
pass was required gain entrance. 1920 there were signs rivalry between these
divisional laboratories and the central laboratory West Orange. and each division had its
own laboratory and its own production engineering staff., Reports and
Correspondence relating the History the Edison Laboratory from 1935 1949. Edison’s family closed the facility and its employees went into the
laboratories and factories the various divisions.
514 "Historical Department Progress Report," February 11, 1936, Historical Research Dept.lesser cast small products such spark plugs and medical gases
