The names the payrolls indicate that Edison
maintained his practice hiring machinists from northern and western Europe,
especially Germans.
Assuming that Ott was the second floor, follows that Wurth was duty on
the first floor and supervised the heavy machine shop.
The records the machine shop employees during Period (1901-1914) show
that Edison still hired machinists, laborers, and boys and still maintained a
hierarchical pay structure. the time the first
World War there appear have been two time clocks use the main
laboratory building: clock and clock ("all executives and office men the
laboratory") and two different payrolls.214
A change the laboratory organization 1918 established general foreman in
charge both machine shops. also hired many Scandinavians machinists and
experimenters.
214 R.
Charles Wurth. Kellow George Clark, December 29, 1917 (in 1917, WOL--Employees). These volumes are the Account Books Records Edison NHS.216 His employment lasted
until least 1910. 1891 Wurth was
described experimenter the payroll records.216 The machinists still
called their boss the superintendent, although his powers appeared have been
diminished this change. acted assistant the chief engineer, who
also held the title division manager the laboratory.217
Charles Schiffl.
218 "Distribution Labor No. Wurth joined the laboratory staff 1888. the 1890 labor
records Charles Wurth noted superintendent, along with John Ott. (1891-1893), and "Distribution
of Labor No.
215 John Constable Charles Edison and others, April 1-1, 1918, Engineering Department Records, Box
5, Laboratory binder. (1893-1896)."213
213 TAE Charles Batchelor, undated (in 1888, WOL--General, D-88-56). (1890-1891); "Distribution Labor No. 1888, Edison told Batchelor raise the wages of
experimenters James Gladstone, Arthur Payne, Cuntz, Deems, Fred Ott, and
Jonas Aylsworth because "these are good men.
During the period 1915 1931 the distinctions between experimenter and
machinist grew more pronounced, with the former joining the ranks the
administrative staff and the latter’s prestige declining.W.supervisory status. The transfer Charles Schiffl the laboratory from the
Phonograph Works December 1909 was significant event the history the
67
.
217 Edison NHS Card Catalog
