2S7 Wangemann material Biographical Collection. Instead, was
285 Marshall, Recollections ofEdison, pp. Petit was based Building but had office the
third floor, doubt close the phonograph testing room. Hibbard was one the first engineers hired West Orange
to work developing one product exclusively.
Mary Childs Nemey interview with Walter Miller, Notebook N-28-11-01, pp. was one several formally-
trained German experimenters the West Orange laboratory and like them was
called ’’Professor’ the rest the staff. 50-52. was head the experimental phonograph
department the laboratory. had least three assistants: Arthur Payne, John Marshall,266 and
Joseph Harris.271
Charles Hibbard.H. Wilson Hird, August 18, 1911 (in 1911, Phonograph-Manufacture).269 While
working the disc record project carried out test pressing coated blanks in
this room. was not assigned
an unskilled helper, was common practice the laboratory. Wangemann was German experimenter who helped
build recording studio the third floor and was charge making records. Petit had assisted Bell and Tainter their Volta laboratories
and was lured away the West Orange laboratory.
271 Frank Dyer Samuel Insull, March 23, 1911, Record Manufacturing Division Records, Box 17. 1906 joined the laboratory
and moved into office the third floor.
270 C.
78
. His task was improve the business
phonograph and explore new types dictating machines.
A.Charles Deshler. Deshler was charge the lamp testing operation this
floor. expert making records from celluloid, Philpot
was hired away from the Indestructible Record Company and brought West
Orange before 1910.266
266 Edison Pioneers Records, Box 23.
He joined the staff before 1889. 92-94, 97.270
Albert Brian Philpot.267 spent part 1889 Germany
demonstrating the new Edison phonograph. Theo Wangemann. joined the staff 1888
and became important figure the development cylinder and disc records
and the construction machines duplicate recordings, with several patents
awarded these areas.
Albert Petit.268
Wangemann was struck and killed train June 1906. was aided his recording work by
the young Walter Miller, who picked the tricks the trade from him.
269 Historian’s Note 90