E. R. Beers Electric Company Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Beers, E.R.
label: Names
content: E.R. Beers Electric Supply Company.
label: Names
content: General Electric Company
label: Former owner
content: Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of
label: Names
content: Schuylkill Construction and Supply Company.
label: Names
content: Edison, Thomas A. (Thomas Alva), 1847-1931
place: label: Place
content: Shenandoah (Pa.)
label: Place
content: Bloomsburg (Pa.)
topic: label: Topic
content: Electrical engineering
label: Topic
content: Electric apparatus and appliances
label: Topic
content: Electrical equipment
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by E.R. Beers, December 1985.
creator: label: Creator
content: Beers, E.R.
setName: label: See more items in
content: E. R. Beers Electric Company Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: The collection documents E.R. Beers's business records, his personal collection of Edison trivia, and correspondence between Beers and General Electric (1909-1922).
bioghist: label: Biographical/Historical note
content: The Schuylkill Electric Construction & Supply Co., a small electrical operation in a very important period of time, 1909 to 1938, particularly for electrical appliances reflecting the conversion of gas lighting to incandescent lighting to decorative and arc lighting. At first there were two stores, one in Reading, Pennsylvania and one in Shenandoah, PA.  The partnership was dissolved January 1911, resulting in the closing of the Reading, Pennsylvania store and the continued operation of the Shenandoah, Pennsylvania store.  The Kauffman Electric Co., Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania was purchased in 1919 and named the E.R. Beers Electric Company.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 6.3 Cubic feet (6 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1909-1938
custodhist: label: Ownership and Custodial History
content: Transferred to the Archives Center from the Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, August 7, 1986.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0232
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Business records
label: Type
content: Papers
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Robert Ageton, 1989.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Business records -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Papers
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: This collection consisting of records of the Schuylkill Electric Construction & Supply Co. and the E.R. Beers Electric Co. and includes correspondece, advertisements, sales receipts, limited cash statements, and bids for electrical modifications.  The bulk of the data is from the period from 1909 through the 1920's and mid 1930's. The collection contains advertisements that reflect the introduction of the electrical appliance to the home. Important transitions in the electrical industry are represented.  For example, in July 1910 there is an acceptance by Lehigh Valley Railroad of rewiring of the Shenandoah Station according to "the rules and regulations of the Underwriter's Association" and agreement to furnish certificate of approval. Further, in February 1922 there the statement "Service for direct current motors is gradually being eliminated and will eventually be discontinued ... ."