529 Organization the
museum progressed, but slowly.F. product line, 1939.
529 Frank Foley Larchar, November 19, 1942, Historical Research Dept.
Thomas Edison, Inc. March 1943 only one person was responsible
for the full-time collections care originally assigned the entire Historical
Research Department. This title suited organization with
numerous diverse operations, ranging from the manufacture automotive parts
(by the Edison-Splitdorf Corporation), the production Edison Portland
Cement, and the fabrication children’s and nursery furniture (by the Edison
Wood Products Company Wisconsin). had called itself the Thomas Edison Industries since the
1920s part its promotional activities. this time, and the late 1930s well, tours the
158
.626
524 Theodore Edison Lockhart, November 22, 1939, Historical Research Dept. Its survival a
testament Edison's strategy constantly developing new and diverse products.527 Only the dictating machine division,
with its factories the old Phonograph Works, used the West Orange laboratory
as its research and development arm.624
One reason for the pressure remove the machine tools from the laboratory was
the recovery Thomas Edison, Inc. from the Depression.
828 John Nichols S.
As with World War the coming war 1939 brought new work and new
research challenges the West Orange complex.milling machine from the laboratory and the first steps towards the museum as
we now know had been taken.’’526 The Edison enterprise
therefore rode out the greatest depression American history and 1939 was
manufacturing wide range products: dictating machines, primary batteries,
storage batteries, spark and glow plugs, magnetos and ignition coils, medical
gases, and control valves and devices.
He also managed pass the burden leadership new generation the
Edison family. Larchar, March 1942, Historical Research Dept. Again many experiments were
carried out for the Navy and again they remained secret. The Ediphone therefore became the one
living link with the past Building 5. Charles had learned his lessons well, writing "the strength our
situation that have diversity businesses.
526 Brochure Thomas Edison, Inc.
525 Charles Edison TAE, (undated, but prior 1929], D-Box Collections, Box Dl, Battery, Primary,
History folder.628 For brief time
Army Air Force machinists trained the machine shop, but because the machines
were antiquated, the program was discontinued.
627 "The Thomas Edison Industries" promotional pamphlet, Ediphone Division records
