Howell Edison Trial Dollars at stake

Historic Edison Collection

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The money at stake was staggering, which can best be put into perspective by looking at the valuation of the electric industry the year Edison won his courtroom victory. Applying the data from the page below, the early 1890's estimate of capital invested in the electric industry in the United States was $275,000,000. Converting that amount into current purchasing power, the same investment today would be equivalent to $6.24 Billion. Since the legal battle was waged nearly simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic and the European electric industry was of a similar size, it may be estimated from today's perspective that the victor of this war would control an industry worth more than $12 Billion. It is interesting to note that the $12 billion valuation was for a fledgling industry only a decade old from the time Thomas Edison and Joseph Swan had invented their rival electric incandescent lamps.

Pages 85 (below) from "Evolution of the Electric Incandescent Lamp"

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