These clippings cover the year 1913. Most of the items are taken from newspapers, but there are several longer magazine articles as well. Many of the clippings relate to the introduction of the kinetophone (a motion picture synchronized with a phonograph), which caused a brief but intense sensation in cities and towns across North America. Included are articles about kinetophone films planned or produced by Edison on political subjects, as well as his attempt to secure dramatic artists such as Sarah Bernhardt. Other topics include Edison's receipt of the Rathenau safety medal for his battery-powered miner's lamp; attempts by the Industrial Workers of the World and the American Federation of Labor to unionize the employees at Edison's manufacturing plants; and the replacement of his battery production facility with a new building.
In addition, there are clippings relating to activities of Edison family members, including Charles Edison's decision to drop out of M.I.T. and go to work for the Boston Edison Co.; his visit to Colorado during the summer; a minor injury sustained by Theodore Edison when a homemade bomb in a glass bottle exploded; and Theodore's arrest for speeding and driving without a license in his father's new touring car.
Approximately 30 percent of the clippings have been selected. In addition to numerous duplicate versions of most of the stories, the unselected items include speculative articles about the impact of talking motion pictures on the legitimate theater; descriptions of traveling kinetophone exhibitions in various towns; news stories about local Edison utility companies; and dealer advertisements for the Diamond Disc phonograph.
Additional clippings about the introduction of the kinetophone can be found in Cat. 44,489, Cat. 44,490, and Cat. 44,491 in the Scrapbook Series. Courtesy of Thomas Edison National Historical Park.