But the business soon grew too big for the shop.

Orders fell five weeks behind.

Agents stormed and fretted.
Some action had to be taken quickly, so licenses were given to four other manufacturers to make bells, switchboards, and so forth.

By this time the Western Electric Company of Chicago had begun to make the infringing Gray-Edison telephones for the Western Union, so that there were soon six groups of mechanics puzzling their wits over the new talk-machinery.
By 1880 there was plenty of telephonic apparatus being made, but in too many different varieties.

Not all the summer gowns of that year presented more styles and fancies.