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