Two Early 1879 Holograph Letters by Theodore Vail, Architect of America’s Bell Telephone System and the First President of AT&T; together with Four 1892 Letters by Other Bell Company Regional Executives

A small archive of six letters written to C. Jay French, general manager of the American Bell Telephone Company, including two holograph letters and a telegram written in 1879 by the Theodore Vail, who oversaw the building of America's first coast to coast telephone system. The remaining four letters are from four business colleagues in 1892. Each set of letters is neatly pinned together at the upper left corner: the first with an autograph note by French; and the second with a clipping outlining French's career. Both sets are in fine condition overall. Contemporary journalists called Theodore Vail the "Cincinnatus of Communications," and modern biographers call him "one of the two or three foremost organizing geniuses in the history of American industry." In 1878 he was called to run Bell Telephone as its general manager, just two years after Alexander Graham Bell patented his invention of the telephone in 1876. He helped establish the country’s first commercial telephone exchange lines in 1878, and organized the Bell empire in the 1880s. The two Vail letters retained by French reveal his direct management style: the first was written to the head of a regional Bell company at Cincinnati, to introduce French: "… As he will be in your city for a few days I would like if you would give him all the insight possible into the manner of conducting an exchange, and, also, any other information in regard to the Telephone business that may be in your power." The second letter outlines French’s duties: "You will make it your first duty to visit the different agencies of this Co. and establish a correct, uniform, and prompt system of reports to this Company … You will consult freely and fully with all agents … You will impress upon the agents the necessity of the Company being fully advised as to the operations of the agency. In all cases we desire reports of the business – In all cases, also, it is the desire of this Company that the agents’ interest be consulted." The other set of letters were written by four leading managers to congratulate French for his promotion to general manager of the American Bell Telephone Company in 1892. A scarce cache of letters documenting the beginning of America’s telephone exchange network. A list of both sets of letters is available.…