The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-18

Mr.. Frank J. sprague's Rejoinder to
Mr.. Edison.

To THE EDITOR OF THE suH---Sir. Mr..
Edison's letter In The SUN OF septem.
Der 4 lacks something Of accuracy.
Neither OF us invented thu dynamo
electric machine. whether used as gen.
orator or motor. Each devised q type
to meet a specific need. They were not
equivalents, and except that both were
founded on basic principles developed by
others in the period from 1880 TO 1874
there was no more similarity between
the Edison dynamo and the sprague
motor than between a brindle pup and
q greyhound.
In connection with this permit me to
quote an Edison interview OF September
n, 1884, In reply to query about the
"transmission OF electrical force" "a
follows:
That problem has been pretty we'll
worked out. young man named
sprague. who resigned his position a.
an officer OF our navy to devote him
self to electrical studies. has worked
the matter up In q very remarkable
way. His 10 the only true motor
Also an. Edison Companys circular
Of May IS, 1885:
A practical motor has been q want
seriously felt in our system
The spraEus motor 10 believed 10 meet
all the exiEencies OF the case,
and the Edison Electric Light Com
pany feels that II can safely recon-
mend II to lite Licensees as the only
practical ana Scopomic motor existing
! to-day. Our own company has no in
terest whatever in the SpraEue COM
pany, and does not derive any benefit
through this arrangement.
The many distinguishing features Of
the Richmond equipment are too well
known to require enumeration. The
system OF main and working conductors
and many other details used were de-
veloped and patented by me, but Edison
generators were used at the central
| station.
AS to the conduct Of business. Mr..
Edison was not q Croesus or my COM
pany q mendicant, but Mr.. e. H. John
| son, being president of both the Spraguo
and Edison companies, sought to avoid
antagonistio expansion of the former. and
| arranged for a part OF Its manufacture
ing. Apparently the company was an
acceptable customer and paid Its bills,
for the report OF the Edison Company
for 1889 states:
The business given by the sprague
| Company to the Machine Works tabout
| hve-eighths Of the total showed SUCH
an extraordinary increase during the
past summer and fall that your board
OF trustees deemed Il their duty to
make an effort to bring about prac-
| teal consolidation OF the two inter-
| ests. The company has been 30
| successful that out OF the 200 electric
street railways now In operation or
In the course OF construction In the
United States the Sprague Company
has equipped at least one-haif. and
over 90 per cent. OF the entire number
are operated on the general plan
originally laid down by the company
as the pioneer In this field OF electric
| work. and are based upon its patents.
| There arc at present In use
| nearly 5000 sprague motors Of all
| classes. applied to ny less than lbo
different industries.
While my naval training dt rs moi
qualify me for membership n the
Mathematical Society. It has taught me
to avoid sailing in uncharted seas
| without compass or lead, and has sew
erai times proved its saving grace In
reports affecting Edison matters.
The claim that Mr.. Edison lent "the
aid Of my thisl men to pull the scheme
through" is so novel that in Justice to
my early associates I must request the
name Of any men in his employ who
are thus distinguished, and II he cannot
recall them hope they will announce
themselves, SO that even at this late
date I may thank them.
FRANK J. SPRAouE.
NEW York, September IT.