After advancing money Lansden for
several years and seeing improvement the truck, Edison
purchased Lansden's company June 1908 for $35,000.VIII-15
To help with this work, Edison encouraged John Lansden, Jr. acquired the companies
manufacturing the spring motor and eventually even controlled
the construction the wooden cabinets. The
optimism and confidence 1900 was gone 1910.
The impressive growth the Edison enterprise came a
result the phonograph boom the turn the century. series of
difficult technical problems experimental projects, damaging
court decisions, and finally depression the core business
forced attention the organization the Edison enterprise.
to develop delivery wagon truck and put the lab's
machine shop Lansden's disposal December 1904. Lansden
subsequently organized the Lansden Motor Car Company and set up
a factory Newark. Although was learn
that there were limits the strategy vertical integration,
he nevertheless pursued the same policy with the phonograph and
secured much greater success. was in
. Through
closer supervision— particularly with the aid Chief Engineer
Miller Reese Hutchison— Edison hoped that could force
Lansden improve his product, but eventually concluded
that "Lansden has ability experimenter allowing him
21
to ahead throwing away money." Disappointed, Edison
concluded that was best concentrate the battery and
let others manufacture the vehicles.
In 1910 was the verge financial crisis
