Scott C. Cutter Letterhead
Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire",, May, 1970, page 22

Scott C. Cutter

Manufacturers of CUTTER PORCELAIN TREE INSULATORS
For ELECTRIC LIGHT AND TELEPHONE USE

OSWEGO, ILLINOIS

Side Panel with Picture:

THE only insulator on the market today that is practical and will do what an Insulator should do (protect both operator and tree owner).

THE above cut illustrates an Insulator applied to limb with Cutter Insulator attachment eliminating all complaint of Tree Owners and Tree Wardens thru its method of installation, and requiring but five minutes to apply. The cut very clearly shows where the swaying of the limb has completely worn insulation from line wire, which was imbedded in limb before Insulator was  attached.

The Cutter Insulator was produced to satisfy a long felt want for a real tree Insulator and stand today paramount above any Insulator on the market.

It embodies simplicity, easlity applied, appeals to linemen, absolutely harmles to tress, study construction, carrying exceptionally high voltage (24,800 volts dry flashover; 14,900 volts wet flashover) as per test made by University of Purdue Electrical Engineering Department, and endorsed by over 600 of the larger utility compaies and municipalities of the United States and Canada, also State Commerce Commissions.

Only Tree Insulator on the market with an analysis.

Don't destroy your public relationship.  Insure it with a Cutter Insulator.

How much better should it be to be good?

Body of Letter:  Letter written by Dick Augustyn using the Cutter letterhead.

Dear Crown Jewels,

As I knew the town of Oswego, Illinois, was not too distant from me, I decided to visit there and learn what I could about the Scott Tree Insulator. After a few inquiries about town, I learned that Mr. Scott C. Cutter passed away in 1950. His beginning in this field was with an electrical degree in college, and then  he worked for a phone company. These were very early days, and Mr. Cutter is said to have installed the first phone system in Oswego, Illinois.

After some time in the telephone company, a misunderstanding occurred, the phone company claimed his invention of that time, and he moved on. After this period he became a pharmacist with a drug  store of his own in Oswego. His relatives say his heart was always in the electrical field. And so he devised his  Tree Insulator. Time and dates are unsure but the Tree Insulator was first produced in glass with an APR 26, 04 PATENT. These  were produced by Pittsburg Glass Company. As patents expired, there came the advent of the ceramic or porcelain Cutter and advanced patent dates, the most recent the JULY 23, 29 date. This variety has a telephone wire application, and a slightly larger one has a raised bead along the side for a water drip line.

The porcelain pottery Cutters were made in East Liverpool, Ohio, by an unknown company.  Orders for the ceramic Cutter have come irregularly, the last one being about 10 years ago.  Many records of where Cutters were shipped as since gone, but Mr. Cutter's son has said that many many went East to Massachusetts and New York and wherever people wanted to save their trees.  Most villages and towns with private electrical companies ordered the Tree Insulators.  I, myself, have climbed two trees in such a town and brought down 6 ceramic Cutters and 2 glass.

This letter is superimposed on an original letterhead of 20 years or more go, which Mr. Cutter's daughter was gracious enough to give me, besides her time.

Dick Augustyn

640 S. Harvard Ave.

Addison, IL  60101