THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 


 
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 FIKST SERIES 
 
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 GRAHAM'S 
 STANDARD PHONOGRAPHY 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 ANDREW J. GRAHAM & CO,. 
 1135 BROADWAY
 
 Coyyright, 1899, by ANDREW J. GRAHAM & Co.
 
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 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 Mr, L. B. Hotchkiss, Supt.^ Sioux City, Iowa. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Replying to your letter of the I7th, I would say, 
 If you are keeping switch engineers on their engines at Yankton 
 and Sioux Falls, or anywhere else, in order to comply with my 
 instructions of Nov. 28th, stop it. 
 
 The order is intended to apply to trains on the road, so that 
 somebody will be with the trains all the time, and that the men 
 on the train, including the engine and train crew, will not all 
 side track them and leave them in order to go to saloons, lunch 
 counters, hotels, or to hunt prairie chickens, etc. It does not 
 apply to yard engines. 
 
 You will have to allow the switch engineers their time, if you 
 have held them in service during the noon hour. [137 words.] 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 F. E. SMITH, Genl. Supt. 
 
 Mr, J. II. Anderson, General Freight Agent, Chicago. 
 
 DEAR SIR: I enclose statement of interchange business with 
 connecting lines as shown by our junction reports, Forms 37 and 
 38, December, 1894. 
 
 The 87 cars received from the C. B. & Q. at Davis Junction 
 consisted of coal from mines on the C. B. & Q. destined to points 
 on our line. The 13 cars delivered to the C. B. & Q. at Davis 
 Junction consisted mostly of zinc ore from Mineral Point, con- 
 signed to Peru, 111., on the "Q." There were also several cars 
 of hard coal shipped from Milwaukee to C. B. & Q. points, [no 
 words.] Yours truly, 
 
 S A. JOHNSON, A. G. F. A.
 
 jo BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 Mr J. B. Miles , Asst, Commissary, New Orleans. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Referring to your letter of the 25th inst., I would 
 say, if you can purchase at 16 cents per pound, boiled hams, 
 trimmed, suitable for use on buffet cars, you should do so. This 
 rate is lower than we have been able to obtain heretofore at any 
 station. You should watch the quality closely, for the price 
 specified is very low for the quality we require. 
 
 Regarding the prices for the other meats, I do not understand 
 why they are submitted, unless you are preparing for the Mardi 
 Gras. [100 words.] 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S. H. HUDSON, Commissary. 
 
 4 
 
 Mr. F. E. Meyer, Dist. Commissary, Philadelphia. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Gorden & Dilworth have put up a one-order plum 
 pudding with sauce. 
 
 In my estimation it is far superior to the American brand, and 
 if the price is more reasonable than we are paying for the 
 American, we will try the Gorden & Dilworth. 
 
 Please advise me what quantity would be required to furnish 
 your cars for, say, a month. I mean, of course, only on the 
 lines you are carrying it. Also state price you paid last for the 
 pudding including the sauce. [93 words.] 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S. H. HUDSON, Commissary. 
 
 Mr. M. J. Glazier, Agent, Western avenue, Chicago. 
 
 DEAR SIR : We have not received a report of the distribution 
 of tonnage from various eastern territories, sent via our line 
 through Chicago since the 5th inst. 
 
 In canvassing the matter with you it was understood that three 
 days was considered the outside limit necessary to have the re- 
 port prepared. The 8th, therefore, is due here to-day. 
 
 It appears very much as if the work were not receiving proper 
 attention, and I wish you would take the necessary steps at once
 
 B US f NESS LE TTERS. 5 1 
 
 to have the report reach this office in accordance with our talk 
 about the matter. [105 words.] 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S. A. JOHNSON, A. G. F. A. 
 
 DEAR SIR : We have your letter of the 2d inst. in reference to 
 dashpot plunger, and will get this off very promptly. Please 
 return to us, by freight, the plunger shipped you in September. 
 
 We note your instructions to send you, as called for by your 
 order of July 25th, two inlet valves instead of one outlet valve. 
 We will do all we can to get this material off within the next 
 week. [74 words.] 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 GENTLEMEN : Referring to the lot of bar ends, mentioned in 
 your favor of recent date, from 8 inches to 4 feet long by l / to 
 i^" inches thick, we would ask you to advise us kindly a little 
 more definitely what this stock consists of. Are they sheet and 
 tin bar ends of a uniform width, or ordinary merchant bar ends ? 
 If it is flat stock from 5^" to 9^ inches wide, we might be able 
 to use a part of it; but if it is ordinary bar ends, of rounds, 
 squares, etc., we should not be able to use it. [104 words.] 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 GENTLEMEN: We are now ready for the balance of the No. i 
 Railroad wrought scrap. The last lot we had from you was not 
 just what it should have been, as it contained a large number of 
 short pieces of rods which were entirely unfit for bundling pur- 
 poses. 
 
 What we desire is scrap which is suitable for bundling. This 
 short scrap, as you are aware, can be procured in almost any 
 quantity, at from two to three dollars per ton under the price we 
 are paying you for this No. i. We trust, therefore, that you will 
 look after the quality of this lot very carefully. [106 words.] 
 Yours truly, 
 
 SHAWNEE FURNACE Co.
 
 52 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 GENTLEMEN : Yours of the 28th ult. was received this morn- 
 ing. Regarding your telephone inquiry of the gth, will say that 
 our Mr. Johnson was out of town, by reason of which no definite 
 information could be furnished you from this office. 
 
 We will now say that we are doing practically nothing, al- 
 though we have been running a little at times, and we are not in 
 need of anything in the way of bars. Although we have orders 
 booked for quite considerable amounts, we find that customers 
 are exceedingly slow in specifying; and, moreover, we do not 
 think it is best to push customers at such a time as this if they 
 are not really needing the material. 
 
 We will see that you are advised at least a week before we 
 shall be in want of any more steel. [139 words.] 
 Yours truly, 
 
 LAWRENCE MACHINE WORKS. 
 
 DEAR SIR: We have your favor of the 28th ultimo, and in 
 .eply we beg to quote you for seven or eight kegs of square-head 
 machine lo'.ts, with cold punched C. & J. octagon nuts, 55 and 
 25$ off list, f. o. b. Pittsburg. If you can give us prompt cash 
 for these we will allow you 5$ off; but if, as you intimate, you 
 will be obliged to give us paper at four months, there will of 
 course be no discount, and we shall be obliged to ask you to add 
 interest at the rate of 6$ per annum for three months of the time 
 taken. 
 
 We hope you can favor us with your order. [122 words. | 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 GENTLEMEN : We beg to solicit your inquiries for prices on 
 Alleghany foundry pig iron, made by Alleghany Iron Co., Iron 
 Gate, Va. 
 
 This furnace is situated almost alongside the well-known Low 
 Moor, Longdale, and Princess furnaces, and will use the same 
 high-ciass ores that they use. carefully selected and washed
 
 B U SI NESS LE T TERS. 53 
 
 with the celebrated New River, W. Va., coke a-s fuel. We are 
 authorized by the company to guarantee that the metal will not 
 be surpassed by any coke iron made in Virginia. It will be 
 found particularly valuable for high-class machinery castings, 
 pulleys, cylinders, steam pumps, etc., etc., and would be an 
 ideal mixture with standard Tennessee and Alabama brands. 
 
 We should like very much to send you a sample car, and hope 
 to be favored with your inquiries. [132 words.] 
 Yours truly, 
 
 DEAR SIR: I return herewith correction notice on shipment of 
 stone consigned to John Fiske, as per way-bill No. 2345 from 
 Jersey Point, July 22d, reducing the freight charges from $597.96 
 to $298.98. 
 
 Also enclosed please find draft No. 1468 in your favor for 
 $298.98, covering the amount to be refunded, provided the con- 
 signee has paid the original amount of freight charges, in which 
 case you will please send his receipt to this office for the refund. 
 
 If settlement of the bill has not been made, the draft should 
 be remitted to the Treasurer for your account. The draft, to- 
 gether with the same amount to be collected from the consignee, 
 will cover the original amount of charges on the shipment. 
 [145 words.] Yours truly, 
 
 13 
 
 DEAR SIR : With reference to the enclosed letters returned for 
 postage, the General Superintendent's circular of July 4th, 1.894, 
 provides as follows : 
 
 " Fifth. Letters or packets containing manifests, bills of 
 lading, freight tariffs and passenger rate sheets, loss and damage 
 claims, tracers and junction car reports, exchanged between 
 agents of the system and agents of other roads over which the 
 ariffs to which they relate pass, may be carried." 
 
 The contents of these envelopes are manifests for the C. & A. 
 R. R., and I think they come under this provision of Mr. Wes-
 
 54 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 ton's circular. 'If not, we should like to know where to 
 the line, [no words.] 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 DEAR SIR: Again referring to the attached correspondence, 
 the point I wish to make is that if the Saginaw River R. R. 
 issues general instructions, printed or otherwise, that affect the 
 movement of cars or the billing thereof to and from points on 
 the Michigan Central R. R., the proper officials of this road 
 should be given that notice. 
 
 Certainly you in the first instance must have had some authority 
 for asking us to instruct our agents in a general way what to do. 
 What we want is a copy of that authority. In other words, we 
 want the General Freight Department to notify us of everything 
 pertaining to its instructions governing shipments to and from 
 this road. Yours truly, 
 
 DEAR SIR: I enclose herewith original and card way-bill for 
 shipment of empty beer barrels, erroneously billed from your 
 station to Milwaukee, Sept. I2th. 
 
 Please issue a correction, making way-bill void, and issue a 
 new one to Smithdale, in accordance with instructions of sheet 
 No. 6. Send without delay the new way-bill to agent at Smith- 
 dale. 
 
 Please advise when done, and also state under whose instruc- 
 tions you way-billed the shipment to Milwaukee. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 GENTLEMEN: You will perhaps remember that I purchased a 
 supply of the Delaware chairs for our college at St. Louis one 
 year ago. 
 
 We are about to open an academy in Ohio, and I write to 
 inquire if you will furnish the chairs at the same rate again. 
 You delivered those for $14.00 per dozen. As our new academy
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 55 
 
 5s so near the factory, we should be entitled, I think, to the 
 difference in freight. 
 
 The number needed is twenty dozen. 
 
 Please let me hear from you at once, addressing me here. 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 DEAR SIR: Replying to your letter of the I4th inst., I will say 
 that I will inform you more definitely concerning the work just 
 as soon as I am able to do so. It may be that the question can- 
 not be fully settled before the opening of the next term, but I 
 will write you before that time, if there is any change in the 
 circumstances. 
 
 I shall be glad to welcome you very heartily to our work, and 
 hope the arrangement may prove mutually profitable. 
 
 1 shall be here for the remainder of this month, and after that 
 my address will be as usual. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 -18- 
 
 DEAR MADAM: Replying to your letter of the i2th inst., duly 
 received, I will say that the Academy at Farmington will open 
 Sept. i3th. 
 
 Of course I have no authority to fix the salaries, but judging 
 from the amount paid elsewhere, I should think it would be not 
 less than $9 nor more than $10 per week. 
 
 The assignment of work will necessarily depend somewhat 
 upon the make-up of the faculty. It would be very proper for 
 you to correspond with Prof. White, expressing your choice in 
 the matter, as it will be left largely with him to arrange the 
 work. 
 
 You can secure a calendar as suggested in the Herald of last 
 week; they were not ready when I left ; so I have no copy with 
 me. 
 
 I shall be here the remainder of the month, if you desire to 
 make any further inquiry. 
 
 Yours very truly.
 
 56 BUSINESS LETTERS, 
 
 Mr. C. W. Clark, Providence, R I. 
 
 DEAR SIR : I am glad to hear you are so well situated. With 
 prospects so encouraging, I think it would be a mistake to leave 
 your present situation, although I am very sorry not to have 
 your assistance here. 
 
 We have a very good staff selected. I think I shall fill the 
 place I held for you with a very good man, with whom I have 
 had conversation to-day. He has done this work for Chicago, 
 Philadelphia, and other papers, and I think will do very well. 
 
 I wish you would recommend a good man in your city to 
 . cover the field for us. Of course we prefer a man employed on 
 a morning paper, and he must be a hustler in order to fill the bill. 
 Possibly your own duties would enable you to undertake it lor 
 us. If not, find a good man and get him to send in an appli- 
 cation stating just what his territory is, so that I can know 
 exactly what his field will be. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 Mrs. Caroline H. Marsh, Oakville, Ky. 
 
 DEAR MADAM: Yours of Nov. 28th was received some time 
 ago. In reply, I will say all manuscripts ought, if possible, to be 
 typewritten before sent. Where this is impossible, we can have it 
 done at five cents per hundred words. I should be glad to look 
 over any of your manuscripts at the usual rates, and advise you 
 concerning them. It is impossible to give an opinion until 
 examination has been made. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 SIR The Secretary of War has ordered that wherever the 
 interests of commerce shall so demand, the submarine mines 
 now placed in various rivers and harbors along the Atlantic, 
 Gulf and Pacific coasts shall be removed or exploded. You are 
 authorized to remove or explode, as in your judgment will be 
 best for the interests of the service, wherever the interests of 
 commerce so demand, the submarine mines in the various river? 
 and harbors under your charge.
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 37 
 
 It is intended that the cables, junction boxes, anchors, case- 
 mate appliances, etc., shall remain in position/and that you shall 
 have ready at each harbor the necessary mine cases, explosives, 
 etc., so that mines to replace those removed can be laid im- 
 mediately upon receipt of telegraphic instructions. In removing 
 the mines and withdrawing the charges the utmost care must be 
 observed, as it is possible that the friction arising from unscrew- 
 ing the plug might cause an explosion. 
 
 Should you deem it best, in the interests of the service, to 
 ^xplode the mines in position, you are authorized to do so when- 
 ever you have on hand sufficient materials to replace them. In 
 firing the mines you are requested to personally superintend the 
 operation and to carefully observe the result in each case, so 
 that the information gained, which will be of great value in 
 future operations, may be carefully collated in the interest of 
 the science of war. 
 
 You will please notify by telegraph the Chief of Engineers and 
 the Division Engineer of your division whenever you are ready 
 to explode the mines, so that they may have the opportunity of 
 being present should their other important public duties permit. 
 
 In all this work you are requested to use the utmost care; to 
 see that the harbor or river in the vicinity of the mines you pro- 
 pose to explode is absolutely clear of vessels when the explosion 
 takes place, and to be more than careful on every possible point 
 in case it is your intention to take up the mines and remove the 
 charges. 
 
 The views of the Torpedo Board in reference to removing the 
 charges have been requested, and will be communicated to you. 
 Wherever the mines now placed do not in any way interfere 
 with commerce they need not be removed. 
 
 DEAR SIR : You are respectfully advised that the several sub- 
 scriptions of $500 each inclosed by you under date of June 21, and 
 accompanied by your check for $80,000, are not accepted, but are 
 held in abeyance for your further advice. It was- the plain 
 intent of Congress, in the legislation authorizing the issue of the 
 bonds now in question, to give to persons of moderate means
 
 5 8 B U SI NESS LE TTERS. 
 
 the opportunity to invest their capital, or a part of it, in the secur- 
 ities of the United States, the evident underlying thought being 
 that thus our frugal citizens would come into a closer interest 
 with the Government of which they form a part. Whatever 
 operates to defeat this thought and purpose defeats or circum- 
 vents the intention of Congress as embodied in the law. The 
 circumstances surrounding the subscriptions forwarded by you 
 as above referred to. carry a presumption that they are not the 
 expressions of a bona fide purpose on the part of the pro forma 
 subscribers to become investors in and holders of the bonds 
 applied for.l On the contrary the presumption arises that the 
 subscriptions are really in the interest of a class whose claims 
 are distinctly deferred until after the several subscriptions of 
 individuals shall be first accepted and the lowest amounts first 
 allotted. The duty of this Department requires a reasonable, 
 yet diligent guardianship of the rights of those in whose 
 behalf the law has special regard. The Department, therefore, 
 deems it proper to require from you a clear and unequivocal 
 staiement that in appearing for the persons whose names are 
 signed to the subscription paper you are bona fide acting in their 
 behalf, and not for the ulterior advantage of yourself or any 
 other interest. 
 
 In the absence of a satisfactory statement from you to this 
 effect, the subscription papers, with your check, will be returned 
 to you. Respectfully yours, 
 
 LYMAN J. GAGE, Secretary. 
 
 DEAR SIRS: We were surprised to have our draft of August 4th 
 for your invoice of June 2d, 30 days, which we extended 30 days, 
 returned with the notation, " Not correct." Kindly inform us 
 why you question the correctness of the account. We suppose 
 this answer was given to the bank by one of your clerks under a 
 misapprehension regarding the arrangement made with you as 
 to the extension of the bill. As the bill is now due we return 
 the draft to-day and trust you will meet the same on presentation. 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 CONKLING & WERT.
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 59 
 
 -24.- 
 
 Mr. Jas. A. Mulcarry, Agent, Rockfard, III. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Reply to your favor of the 27th ult. has been 
 unavoidably delayed. 
 
 I now beg to state that under the proceedings of the Wisconsin 
 Committee the following resolution was adopted : 
 
 "That on Aug. ist, 1895, the present tan bark rate from 
 VVausau and Merrill, Wis., to Rockford, 111., be advanced to 12 
 cents per hundred pounds, and that rate to Rockford from points 
 on the C. & N. W. R'y, from wh'ch points rate of 10 cents now 
 applies, be advanced to 12 cents on same date, with lumber rate as 
 maximum." 
 
 It was also 
 
 " Resolved, That rate of 12 cents per hundred pounds be 
 authorized on tan bark, carloads, from Wausau and Merrill and 
 C. & N. W, points provided for in above resolution to Freeport, 
 111., the lumber rate to be maximum; date same may become 
 effective to be fixed by the chairman of the Western Freight 
 Association . " 
 
 I presume this will give you the information you desire. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 25 
 
 Mr. C. A. Soule, Asst. Genl. Supt*, Milwaukee. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Cars in transit are frequently robbed by tramps 
 and thieves. They break the seals and enter through side doors 
 or gain entrance through end doors. 
 
 Instruct train men to watch their trains, and when cars are 
 discovered that have been entered and robbed, they must stop at 
 the first station and have the agent reseal the cars, and report by 
 wire to H. P. Crowther the train number, car number, initials, 
 and number of seal put on, also give same information to the 
 agent upon arrival at end of run 
 
 Instruct agents at division stations to make a blind tally of 
 the contents of broken packages, recooper them, and report to 
 Mr. Crowther by wire, giving train and car number, initials 
 consignee, and destination. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 F. E. SMITH, Genl. Sit ft.
 
 60 SC7STNESS LETTERS. 
 
 Mr. D. W. Sheridan, A. G. F. A., Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Referring to the attached would say, -we are now 
 allowing passengers to ride on all Southwestern division freight 
 trains that can carry passengers without being delayed in getting 
 over the road. 
 
 It is simply impossible to give special permits to the traveling 
 representatives of any firm. If we give them to one, we shall 
 have to give them to all. It seems to me that a firm like Ingram 
 & Co. are taking a very peculiar position when, on account of 
 our declining to comply with the unreasoaable request of one of 
 their representatives, they permit such representative to work 
 against this company. It seems to me our relations with them 
 are such that they should control their own business, and not let 
 one of their subordinates do it. 
 
 So far as the Northwestern road is concerned, it is their practice 
 not to allow their freight trains to carry passengers at all, ex- 
 cept by special permit, which, I understand, they are very 
 particular about granting. 
 
 Our practice is to allow some freight trains on every division 
 to carry passengers, principally as a matter of accommodation 
 to traveling men. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 27 
 
 Mr. E. R. Banks, A. G. F. A., Chicago, III. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Herewith is all correspondence in connection with 
 beer shipped from Milwaukee to Carrollton via Aurora. 
 
 As stated in previous letter, the time made via Aurora would 
 enable these shipments to take your fast train out of that point 
 for Carrollton, but our present arrangements are that this busi- 
 ness shall be routed via Port Byron. Is not the time via that 
 route satisfactory ? And if not, can it be made as good as via 
 Aurora? 
 
 You understand that at present we have no arrangements for 
 delivering this business to you at Aurora or divisions applying 
 on same, and unless there is some serious difficulty in the way
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 61 
 
 of making proper time via Port Byron, we should not care to 
 make the change at present. 
 
 Please advise me as to this, and oblige. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S. A. JOHNSON, A. G. F. A. 
 
 28 
 
 Mr. Jas. Brink, Supt. t Milwaukee, Wis. 
 
 DEAR SIR : We have agreed to allow stoves to remain in five 
 of the beer cars used by Milwaukee brewers. These cars are to 
 be used for no other purpose than beer shipments. 
 
 Whenever the stoves in these cars are used, the brewers must 
 setid a man in charge. The agent and yardmasterat Milwaukee 
 must be instructed not to permit cars with fires in them to leave 
 the station, unless a man is in charge, in the car, where he must, 
 remain. Mr. Smith should advise the brewers that their men 
 must put out the fires at the end of the outward run, so that cars 
 will not have any fires in them on the return trip. 
 
 If the weather is mild and they do not use the stoves, it will 
 not be necessary for a man to accompany the car. 
 
 When a man is in charge, the way bill should have a notation 
 to " pass man in charge to look after fires." They will them- 
 selves arrange for the return trips. This arrangement to con- 
 tinue only during the balance of this winter. Then the stoves 
 are to be taken out. Cars will not be equipped with stoves for 
 next winter's business. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 F. E. SMITH, Gen/. Superintendent. 
 
 2Q 
 
 Mr. J. D. Hagan, General Superintendent, Chicago. 
 
 DKAR SIR: Replying to your letter of January 5th, I beg to 
 say that our practice is not to use the cars of other companies in 
 construction service ; that when it is done it is a violation of 
 instructions. It is not our practice to accept nor to make bills 
 for rental of cars when so used, and until it is a uniform prac- 
 tice with other roads we shall decline to do so. 
 
 In this connection I beg to say that the rules proposed by the 
 American Railway Association cover such cases, and impose a
 
 62 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 penalty for such misuse of cars, and that I am in favor of the 
 general adoption of the rule. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 JOHN SWAN, General Superintendent. 
 
 Mr.J. G. Goddard, Supt. Chicago. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Returning enclosed in relation to new track on 
 west side of our main track at Kankakee north of the stone 
 bridge, I would call your attention to letter attached from our 
 agent. 
 
 My idea is that this track should be extended north to a point 
 as near the railroad crossing as possible, using it for a business 
 track in place of the present one. Then extend the present 
 business track north as far as possible and make it a second main 
 track in Kankakee yard. In order to accomplish this it will be 
 necessary to cut off the stock chutes on stone dock. This can be 
 done without any serious detriment to business. It would be 
 as Mr. Scott says, a help to connect this track at north end as it 
 now lies, but it is too short for good service. It should be ex- 
 tended north as far as possible by cutting off stock chutes and 
 stone dock, giving a good long business track. We could then 
 use the present business track for passing trains. 
 
 We need every inch of track we can get at Kankakee, es- 
 pecially in that portion of the yard. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S. B. OSBORNE, Sufi., 
 
 3' 
 
 Mr. A. B. Abrogast, Div. Freight Agent, Kansas City. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Mr. Shuman has issued under head of circular 
 F46, information that in many cases it has been found that 
 refrigerator cars that are billed as empties from Chicago and 
 other points to Missouri river stations, contain freight which is 
 not billed from point of origin. Cars are billed as empties, and 
 by accident have been discovered to contain freight. 
 
 These cars are padlocked on both sides, and packing houses 
 have refused representatives^ of the Inspection Bureau per- 
 mission to unlock the c.irs.
 
 B U SI NESS LE TTERS. 63 
 
 Will yon please see that in all cases the agents or representa- 
 tives of the Inspection Bureau are afforded all protection and 
 assistance in getting at contents of cars so billed.' 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S. A. JOHNSON, A. G. F. A. 
 
 32 
 
 RICHMOND, VA., Nov. 29, iSqS. 
 Messrs. Rich & Jones, Petersburg, Va. 
 
 GENTLEMEN : Referring to our conversation of yesterday after- 
 noon in regard to the heating of your dwelling, I wish to state 
 that my estimate included a thermostatic damper-regulator, 
 operated by the temperature of the living rooms ; that is, if you 
 set the thermostat to close the dampers in the heater at 70 de- 
 grees thev will not close until the temperature of the rooms 
 reaches that point, and will hold the heat at that point as long as 
 there is any fire in the heater by opening and closing the dampers 
 according to the changes of the temperature, This should have 
 been mentioned in the specifications, but was overlooked. There 
 is also an error in the paragraph under the head of " Painting 
 and Bronzing." It should read "The painting and bronzing to 
 be done by the heating contractor." By making a change in the 
 heater to conform with the heating surface, substituting an or- 
 dinary damper regulator for the thermostatic regulator, leaving 
 out the pipe covering, altitude gauge, and radiator platforms, to- 
 gether with the extra labor required to fit up the same, I can 
 make a reduction of $150.00 from the original price. This is fora 
 guaranteed apparatus, and one that will conform with the pro- 
 posal which you referred to yesterday. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S3 
 
 LEXINGTON, KY., Oct. i, 1898. 
 Mr. Thomas Cowan, Henderson, Ky. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Your letter of yesterday is received and contents 
 noted. We have reset the pump to give your painters water to 
 use in the house until the city water is turned on. You say that 
 we should not have taken the pump out. If you will look up 
 our estimate of July 7 you will notice that it is stated that the
 
 64 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 tank service, which includes the pump, is to be disconnected. 
 The paragraph pertaining to it reads as follows : " To discon- 
 nect the tank in attic and make a direct connection with the city 
 water; to place a safety valve on the kitchen boiler and close the 
 tank service pipes." When we examined the premises with Mr. 
 Brown he asked us if we could dispense with the tank and make 
 a direct connection without putting in new piping. We told him 
 that we could, and made our estimate accordingly. 
 Hoping this explanation will be satisfactory, we are, 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 H. B. SMITH & Co. 
 
 CHATTANOOGA, TENN., Oct. 5, 1898. 
 Mr. Edward Sounders. 
 
 DEAR SIK: I have examined the roof of the building No. 148 
 Washington street, and submit the following estimate for re- 
 pairing it : I will cover the main roof and reline the Mansard 
 gutters with I. C. oil finished roofing plate, also put up galvan- 
 ized iron leaders from the main roof to the gutters, and replace 
 the slate, where it is necessary to take it off, for the sum of 
 $225. I would suggest that you have the roof graded to each 
 corner, instead of two corners, as it is now, so that the water 
 will not lie on the roof and rust the tin. I have included the 
 neressary leaders to do this in my estimate. Awaiting your 
 orders, I am, 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 R. M. WILSON. 
 
 35 
 
 NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 1898. 
 Mr. H. K. Page, Jersey City, N. J. 
 
 DEAR SIR : I was very much surprised when Mr. Smith in- 
 formed me that the heater I put in your house on Park street 
 was not giving satisfaction, as I had visited the house and 
 found everything all right, apparently, and requested the tenants 
 to inform me of any defect, should any appear. As I had not 
 heard from them I supposed everything was all right. Upon a 
 personal examination I find that the principal cause of the failure
 
 B U SI NESS LE T TERS. 65 
 
 lies in the openness of the building on top of the foundation, 
 which allows the air to circulate up through the partitions 
 around the steam pipes, thereby condensing the steam before it 
 reaches the radiators. If you will have some improvements 
 made to the building, you will find the heater to have sufficient 
 capacity to heat all the rooms properly. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S. L. MERCER. 
 
 Mr. I. F. Pretlow. 
 
 DEAR SIR : I have made an examination of your house on 
 Rock Rapids avenue, and I herewith submit an estimate for a 
 sewer connection to be made on the East Fourth street side of 
 the premises : I propose to obtain and pay for the sewer permit 
 and lay a vitrified sewer pipe to within ten feet of the north cellar 
 wall, from there continue a cast iron soil pipe through the cellar, 
 and connect with the pipe now in the building ; to place a trap 
 and fresh air pipe at the north cellar wall -; to do all excavating 
 excepting rock ; replace the sod in the yard, and finish the sewer 
 connection in complete working order, for the sum of $84.60, 
 payable in thirty days after the completion of the work. Await- 
 ing a reply, I am, sir, 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 P. W. OLIVE. 
 
 37 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS, IND., Nov. 30, 1898. 
 Mrs. Mabelle Wray, Fort Wayne, Ind. 
 
 DEAR MADAM : Referring to my examination of the plans for 
 a cottage to be built for you on Prospect avenue, your city, I 
 submit the following estimate for hot water heating : I propose 
 to .furnish the various indirect radiators as specified, containing 
 575 square feet of heating surface, with .indirect boxes, galvan- 
 ized iron ducts, floor registers and safety nettings ; finish all ex- 
 posed, piping and radiators in aluminum bronze, and erect the 
 apparatus incomplete working order, for the net sum of $356. 73y 
 I guarantee this apparatus to heat your cottage to a temperature 
 of 70 degrees in, zero weather.
 
 66 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 Hoping to receive your order, which shall have my prompt at- 
 tention, I beg to remain, 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 WILBUR H. PERKINS. 
 
 N. V. Drake, Esq., Orange, N.J. 
 
 DEAR SIR: In reply to your letter of recent date, I beg to say 
 that I have made an examination of School No. 6, and suggest 
 that the heating capacity be increased at least 350 square feet of 
 radiating surface I believe from what information I can re- 
 ceive from the janitor that the boilers have capacity enough 
 to carry this additional surface, and I submit the following 
 proposition : 
 
 I propose to furnish and put in coils having 350 square feet of 
 radiating surface properly distributed in the halls, with all the 
 necessary connections, hangers, bronze, etc., connected in com- 
 plete working order, for the sum of $213. 
 Hoping to receive the order, 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 D. JORDAN. 
 
 BURLINGTON, VT., Mar. 25, 1898. 
 Mr. Thomas Forrest, Montreal, Can. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Replying to your favor of the 23d, would say that 
 we regret to learn of the rusted condition in which the first of 
 the ropes we sent you arrived. They certainly left here in good 
 condition and were well covered with varnish. We have no spe- 
 cial mixture which we use for these ropes other than ordinary 
 asphalt varnish, but we would advise you to cover your ropes 
 with a mixture of wood tar and sawdust ; this we have always 
 found is the best possible medium to keep the ropes in condition 
 provided, however, that it is applied evenly enough to prevent 
 their rusting. 
 
 Another good mixture, if you have no wood tar, is one of or- 
 dinary coal tar pitch, melted with a small proportion of tallow, 
 also with a little sawdust, and laid on as heavy as possible, so 
 that all the interstices of the rope become well filled. 
 
 Yours respectfully,
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 67 
 
 40 
 
 BALTIMORE, MD., Oct 14/1898. 
 Messrs, James Carlisle &> Co. , Louisville, Ky. 
 
 GENTLEMEN . Your recent favor with regard to sal amoniac 
 duly received. We usually purchase what we use ourselves 
 from our Philadelphia house. We requested them to ship you a 
 barrel by steamer, but they advise us that the smallest quan- 
 tity they can buy of the regular grade sold for galvanizing is a 
 cask of 1300 or 1400 Ibs., at 7J^c. per Ib. ; and that there is another 
 grade of somewhat better quality, which comes in casks of 750 
 Ibs. each, at 8c. per pound. If you wish us to ship you either of 
 these kindly inform us or write direct to them on the subject and 
 they will attend to the matter promptly, charging you oi^ly the 
 cost of handling in addition to the price they pay for it. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 STEINHAUSER & BLUMENTHAL. 
 
 41 
 
 OSWEGO, N. Y., April 23, 1898. 
 Talcott, Williams & Brown Bolt Co., Wilmington, Del. 
 
 GENTLEMEN: Your favor of the 2ist inst. has been received. 
 The cause of the delays you complain of is really not attribu- 
 table to us, but rather to yourselves, and is chiefly due to the 
 constant changes you are making in your orders. We have at 
 present over a hundred tons of scrap billets and rods specially 
 prepared for your use, and which is practically of little or no use 
 to us without reworking. Now, 'as we understand it, you are 
 going back to boiler plate rods. We had ceased buying boiler 
 plate when you changed your orders, as there is very little de- 
 mand for it in general use ; consequently, it has taken us some 
 time to buy enough to start again. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 42 
 
 METUCHEN, N. ]., Sept. 10, 1898. 
 
 Messrs. Williams & Sons, Reading, Pa. 
 
 GENTLEMEN: Your favor of the 8th inst. received. We should 
 be pleased to furnish you iron wire rope of the sizes mentioned, at 
 30 per cent, discount from the enclosed list price, or cast steel wire
 
 68 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 rope at4o per cent, discountfrom the enclosed list price, freight paid 
 to Reading. As you will see, we make two kinds of rope, 19 
 wires to the strand and 7 wires to the strand ; the former is, of 
 course, the more flexible. We write under the impression that 
 j'ou want a transmission or hoisting rope. If, however, you re- 
 quire standing rope for guys or something of that kind we would 
 refer you to our galvanized rope, the discount on which is 35 per 
 cent. The price list enclosed gives you the requisite informa- 
 tion as to the weight per foot of the various sizes. 
 Hoping to be favored with your order, we are, 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 BARDWELL & Co. 
 
 Messrs. Baring d^ Thompson, Schenectady, N. Y. 
 
 GENTLEMEN : Your favor of the 22d inst. received. We have 
 no price list for sheaves for elevators and derricks. We have a 
 large number of patterns of different diameters and weights for 
 such purposes, and we can make wheels from these patterns at a 
 price varying from gc. per Ib. in the rough for large sizes to ice. 
 per Ib. bored and turned for small sizes. In the event of your 
 having any inquiry wherein you can specify, approximately at 
 least, the diameters and weights of the wheels wanted, or state 
 the strains to which they are to be subjected, we can then make 
 you figures on the lot. It is also necessary, of course, to let us 
 know whether the buyer wants the castings rough, or with 
 grooves turned, or with the hubs bored, or with the hubs key- 
 seated. 
 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 MANLEY & MCALLISTER. 
 
 44 
 
 Erenchtown Spoke Works, Frenchtoivn, N, /. 
 
 GENTLEMEN: Enclosed please find check for $15.50, in pay- 
 ment for scrap iron as per memorandum herewith. We regret 
 that there was not a more distinct understanding when you tele- 
 phoned us concerning the scrap iron you had to offer ; we should 
 have stated to you that it is almost impossible for us to use iron 
 which has gone through a fire. In the case of the heavier iron.
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 69 
 
 such as shafting, etc., it is apt to be so bent thaf we cannot make 
 much use of it without spending a great deal of money in 
 straightening ; and in the case of the lighter iron, such as hoop 
 iron, the burning renders i!; almost valueless for subsequent use. 
 Yours Respectfully, 
 
 45 
 
 Mr. Walter H. Vreeland, Worcester, Abass. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Your favor of the 3d inst. received and contents 
 noted. We call your attention to the large amount of extra ex- 
 pense we have been under in boxing your material the way you 
 desired. When the contract was made we supposed that we 
 should ship the material as we ordinarily do, in box cars, with 
 the small and delicate parts properly boxed, but with the large 
 parts all sent loose. Following out your instructions, however, 
 we have boxed everything except the buckets and the large 
 8-foot sheaves. It was in doing this work that we incurred the 
 extra expense. If you do not see the justice of this extra 
 charge, why of course we can say nothing further in the matter. 
 
 , Yours respectfully, 
 
 Messrs. Hamilton 6 Newman, Carthage, 0. 
 
 DEAR SIRS: Your letter of the gth inst. is received. In reply 
 will state that Mr. Samuel H. Burt, whose letter you sent us, 
 which we return herewith, signed our contract on April 26th, 
 1898, so his order was not held for that reason. It was shipped 
 on May I2th, and we sent you on that date bill of lading for the 
 shipment. We cannot understand why the goods have not been 
 delivered. We have two tracers out on same, and we understand 
 you have endeavored to locate the goods from your end of the 
 line. We shall send another tracer to-day. . If you do not re- 
 ceive the goods within a few days, please advise us and we will 
 make a duplicate shipment. 
 
 Respectfully yours 
 
 JOMMES & JONES. 
 
 47 
 
 Mr. Lewis Keating, Columbus, Ga. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Replying to your letter of the lathinst., will state 
 that we have communicated with our Mr. James B. Randolohre
 
 7 o BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 garding your application, and have his reply in which he speakl 
 quite well of your qualifications. We havenot decided to increase 
 ourforce in Georgiaand Florida, but if we should do so we will take 
 your application into consideration. Please inform us by return 
 mail what salary you would expect, and whether you are in a 
 position to begin work on September 1st, in case we should de- 
 cide to give you employment. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 Messrs. Kellock & Sons, Trenton, N.J. 
 
 DEAR SIRS: We have your letter of the nth inst. We shall 
 have the wheel and penstock entirely removed to-day, but should 
 like you to send a man here on Wednesday to direct us in regard 
 to the foundation. You have sent no blue print showing the di- 
 mensions of this wall, and we are in doubt as to how it should be 
 constructed. If you will send a man on Wednesday, we will have 
 masons here to proceed at once according to his direction. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 FERGUSON & MARTIN 
 
 49 
 
 Messrs. Damson & Brooks, Lexington, N. C. 
 
 GENTLEMEN : Your bill of April 3d, 30 days, $325.76 due 
 May 3d, is unpaid. On May I3th we sent a sight draft on you 
 for collection to the Scotland Neck Bank, of Scotland Neck, 
 N. C., but have been unable to secure any return thereon, 
 although we have written the bank to report on the draft. We 
 would thank you to send us check for the amount by return mail. 
 We are' holding an order placed by you on June 26th with our 
 Mr. Stout. Please let us know whether it is your fault or that of 
 the bank that the return has not been made on the draft. 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 BURKE & CLARKE. 
 
 Messrs. Trotter & Newman, Quattticc, Md. 
 
 GENTLEMEN : Your letter of the 25th inst. is received. In 
 reply will state that our rule is to require all persons who buy 
 our goods in jobbing lots to sign an agreement to maintain
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 7' 
 
 prices. This rule has been adopted by us for the mutual protecv 
 tion of the merchant and our company. It has worked well in 
 every section where it has been tried. Merchants prefer selling 
 under contract to being unrestricted. However, we are intro- 
 ducing the goods in your territory, and as they are not yet fully 
 established, we shall not in this instance insist upon your sign- 
 ing the agreement, hoping that you will find it to your interest to 
 do so a little later. We have entered your order for shipment, 
 and will have the goods go out the latter part of this week, un- 
 less advised by you not to fill the order. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 .57 
 
 Mr. George Fitzgerald, Jersey City, N. J. 
 
 DEAR SIR : We are in receipt of your letter of the 3d inst., with 
 orders 409 to 522 inclusive, all of which we enter for shipment 
 with the exception of 410, which you will find enclosed herewith. 
 We cannot ship B. Mahoney except for cash or C. O. D. Mr. 
 Mahoney has no rating in Bradstreels', and Dun quotes him 
 "less than $1,000, fair." When you return we should like you to 
 call on Mr. Mahoney and advise him as above, and state that it 
 will be necessary for him to pay twenty-five cents express 
 charges that were incurred in the last shipment made him, by 
 reason of his having refused the goods when delivered by the 
 express company. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 PATERSON & ERASER. 
 
 52 
 
 Mr. F. J. Fiedler, Brownsville, Tcnii. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Enclosed find copy of letter received from Did- 
 lake & Co , of Cairo, 111., regarding their last invoice, viz., June 
 gth, 60 days, $345.75. We have written them that inasmuch as 
 there was delay in filling the order we recognize the justice of 
 their claim and will, in case they ask for an extension when the 
 bill matures, grant it. We also write them that we will call youi 
 attention to their communication and have you assist them in 
 disposing of the goods when you resume work. This you will 
 please do. Return letter with your reply. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 BRIGHAM & MANN.
 
 72 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 53 
 
 Mr. Harvey Jenks, Pensacola, Flor. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Your letter of the 5th inst. addressed to our Mr. 
 T. C. Jenkins is received. We very much regret our failure to 
 receive your order for C. D. Ericsson, Tampa, Flor., in season 
 to ship last month, so as to enable you to receive the rebate 
 payable July ist. You state that you placed the order on the 
 23d. We did not receive it from our Mr. Jenkins until the 2Qth, 
 too late for shipment on - that date. The next shipping day was 
 July 2d, on which date the goods went out. Had we received 
 the order one day earlier, the shipment would have gone on the 
 2gth of June and you would have received the rebate thereon for 
 the quarter ending June 3Oth. All rebates have now been figurer 
 up and we expect to begin paying them to-day. 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 KAMMEL & Co. 
 
 54 
 
 Mr. Horace B. Lowe, Flemington, N. J . 
 
 DEAR SIR: It has been customary with us in previous years to 
 grant our retail salesmen, employed in canvassing the trade in 
 New York State and New Jersey, a vacation during the month of 
 July. We have concluded to pursue the same course this year. 
 Therefore, after completing your labors on the soth inst., you 
 will please retire for the month of July. We will pay your salary 
 for half the month. No allowance will be made for traveling 
 expenses; therefore, when you finish your work next Tuesday 
 send us your expense sheet, with check covering funds which you 
 may have on hand, senc you to defray your traveling expenses. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 55 
 
 Mr. D. (J. Wightman, Marshville, Flor. 
 
 DEAR SIR: We were indeed very much surprised to learn 
 through your letteV of the I2th inst , that Mr. Adams had been 
 obliged to make a voluntary assignment of all his property for 
 the benefit of his creditors. We beg to hand you enclosed here- 
 with verified itemized statement of our account against Mr. 
 Adams, showing $240.68 due. As soon as you have completed
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 73 
 
 taking stock and made a complete detailed inventory of all the 
 assets, we should be pleased to have you inform us as to the 
 amount of his liabilities and assets, and what percentage the 
 creditors will receive. 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 RIPLEY & GARSIDE. 
 
 Mr. William //. Davison, Rcine, Ga. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Mr. Campbell has sent us your letter to him of 
 the 2ist inst , and we hand you enclosed herewith verified item- 
 ized statement of our account against Brooks & Elliot, Rome, 
 Ga. This accounts as you will observe, has been on our books 
 since 1890, and we should be pleased to receive a remittance 
 from them for balance due, to wit: $87.96. We show on this 
 statement credits amounting to $74.38. If they are not in a posi- 
 tion to pay all the amount at once, we should be pleased to ac- 
 cept something on account, with the understanding that the bal- 
 ance will be paid in a short time. 
 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 MORRIS & JOHNSON. 
 
 -- 57 -- 
 Mr. Jacob Griffith, Chicago III. 
 
 DKAR SIR : We are in receipt of your letter of the 23d inst., 
 with your daily report ov the same day. We have taken pleasure 
 in entering your sub-orders, 97 and 98. They will go forward in 
 the manner you request. 
 
 Mr. Duffy writes that you asked him to forward you $10 to de- 
 fray your traveling expenses for the balance of the month. As your 
 expense sheets now go to Mr. Duffy for approval before they come 
 to us, you should anticipate your wants. When you find your 
 balance running low, request us to mail you check. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 SULLIVAN & WALSH. 
 -- 5 8 -- 
 Messrs. Hightower & Peeples, Brunswick, Ga, 
 
 DEAR SIRS : We have your letter of the i8th inst. We find 
 that we wrote you on February 4th and March 6th, in regard to 
 the complaint rendered by Hall & Knox, Sandusky, Ga. Ours of
 
 74 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 the 6th was in answer to yours of March 5th, and you will ob- 
 serve by referring to our letter that we stated : " We should like 
 to close this matter, but cannot do so until we have your reply." 
 Now that you explain the circumstances we will allow you credit 
 for the amount of their claim, to wit : $28.75, and you in turn 
 will please credit their account with this amount. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 PITNER & GRIGGS. 
 
 59 
 
 Columbus Table Company, Columbus, Ohio. 
 
 GENTLEMEN : We are in receipt of your favor of September 
 16, enclosing order, and also check for $48.68, which we have 
 placed to your credit. We do not think it is just to ask us to 
 stand the express on our invoice of June 5th, under the circum- 
 stances, as we got the order out very promptly. We will, how- 
 ever, give you credit for the amount the freight would have 
 been, 80 cents. 
 
 We enclose a statement of the balance of your account unpaid, 
 and would ask you to either send your check, or your 30 days' ac- 
 ceptance for same at once. We are in urgent need of the funds, 
 and must insist upon a settlement in one way or another. We 
 trust you will appreciate our position in this matter, and let us 
 hear from you by return mail. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 ALDRIDGE & SHOVE. 
 
 60 
 
 The Monarch Table Company, South Bend, Ind. 
 
 GENTLEMEN: We are in receipt of your favor of July 3ist, 
 asking if we should be able to furnish you from 500,000 10750.000 
 feet of tops during 1899, the sizes to be the same as those we 
 have been furnishing you. We, of course, shall be able to fur- 
 nish the quantity, but can not do so at the price at which we 
 have been furnishing you tops. We took your order just as we 
 were entering in this business, when we had refuse lumber 
 enough to build all the tops we were making. Since then we 
 have taken a good many more orders, and have to buy a large 
 amount of the lumber used.
 
 B USINESS LE T TER S. 75 
 
 The lowest price we can now make any one on this class of 
 stock is 10 y z cents per square foot. We should be glad to enter 
 into a contract with you at this price for the quantity of stock you 
 expect to require, after the contract we now have has been filled. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 LUDLOW & DlNGLEY. 
 
 61 
 
 The Everett Flint Paper Co., Boston, Mass. 
 
 GENTLEMEN : We are in receipt of your favor of recent date, 
 and note contents. Our sander man reports the paper as being 
 in good condition when it was received, and he thinks it was 
 thoroughly dry. All the paper we used has been destroyed. 
 However, we have instructed him to put some of this paper on 
 the sander, and to save it for vsturn with the unused rolls the~first 
 of next week. 
 
 We regret exceedingly that we are unable to use the paper, as 
 we certainly should be pleased to give you some business in this 
 line, and we hope your efforts to produce a good article will yet 
 have their reward. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 WORKINGTON & DUNWOODY. 
 
 Mr. Frederick Schloss, Paterson, N. J. 
 
 DEAR SIR : We have your favor of Aug. n, enclosing order 
 for single-ply bass-wood veneers. We are also in receipt of a 
 letter from the parties who are cutting these veneers, saying that 
 they will not be able to furnish this stock immediately. How- 
 ever, we have sent your order on with instructions that if they 
 can fill it by the time you require they may go ahead with the 
 order, and if not, to wire us. As soon as we hear from them we 
 shall advise you fully. 
 
 Some time since you promised us that as soon as you had a 
 meeting of your foremen to find out what panels they needed, you 
 would send us an order for same. Up to this date we have not 
 heard from you on the subject. We shall be pleased if you can 
 send us some nice orders. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 MORLEY & HARCOURT.
 
 7 6 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 Mr. D. E. Pease, Durand, III. 
 
 DEAR SIR : The delay in replying to your favor of Nov. 4th to 
 Mr. Porter has been unavoidable, owing to investigation. 
 
 We have gone into this matter pretty thoroughly with our 
 agent, and from the information obtained, I do not see that you 
 have any particular cause for complaint. Our agent assures me 
 that he has in all cases divided cars equally. 
 
 There is certainly no intention on our part to interfere with 
 your business, nor not to keep you well supplied with cars, so 
 far as is possible. But you must understand that at present we 
 are very short of cars on our system, and in many cases can 
 furnish only a few, where many are ordered. In such cases we 
 endeavor to be as fair as possible in the distribution and give 
 proportionately to each one. 
 
 If you have any further trouble, I shall be glad to hear from 
 you, and will do all in my power to see that your business is 
 taken care of. 
 
 I/ 
 
 -64 
 
 Mr. G. L. Hamilton, Sxpt., Chicago. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Referring to your letter regarding carload of 
 shingle machinery from Oshkosh destined to Seattle would say, 
 that I have had this matter up and find that the agent billed 
 same in error at carload rate for machinery. It passed Minne- 
 sota Transfer in error and was delivered at destination on basis 
 of the same rate. 
 
 I have had this matter up with the Northern Pacific people and 
 they advise me that shipment was inspected at destination, and 
 the inspector at that point, together with the railroad agent, de- 
 cided that billing at carload rate was correct, as shipment prop- 
 erly consisted of saw-mill machinery. 
 
 Regret the error in this case, if shipment was improperly 
 billed, but from investigation I judge it was not. 
 
 Yours truly,
 
 B U SI NESS LE TTERS. 77 
 
 Mr. R. Mosefy, Agent, Monroe, Wis. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Referring to your telegram, attached, regarding 
 moving of hay press from Monroe to Brodhead for C. H. 
 Hobart, free, on account of his having been burned out, would 
 say, we appreciate the fact that Mr. Hobart's business is valuable 
 to us, but you understand such things as this occur daily at some 
 point on our line, and should we undertake to give relief to all 
 who suffer thus, we should be hauling a good portion of our 
 business for nothing. 
 
 W,e, of course, desire to assist our friends where it is possible, 
 but I think Mr. Hobart, as well as yourself, can see the effect of 
 conceding charges in such cases. I understand that such things 
 have been done in the past, but the custom was established at a 
 time when we got good rates on all business handled, but the 
 scale has been decreasing right along, and at present we are not 
 gettifxg any rnore than will pay us for service rendered. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S. A. JOHNSON, A. G. F. A. 
 
 Mr. H. P. Fitzwilliam, Freight Claim Agent, Chicago. 
 
 DEAR SIR : I enclose some papers relative to shipment of 
 wind-mills made from Decorah, Iowa, to Chillicothe, Ohio. 
 which was very badly delayed. The investigation so far will 
 explain itself. 
 
 Pending presentation of claim, will you kindly take the 
 matter up and have the following points straightened out : Ship- 
 ment left Decorah Oct. 2nd, and did not reach Savanna until 
 Oct. 7th. Have the delay in this case accounted for, and also 
 investigate and advise as to subsequent shipment on Savanna 
 way-bill 1558, Nov. I7th, shortage on which appears to have 
 been forwarded on that day to complete shipment. 
 
 What I wish to know is, was the shortage the fault of this com- 
 pany, or the fault of the shippers? 
 
 Would also call your attention to Mr. Reynolds's letter of 
 December 3d, in which he states that he wired Savanna several
 
 78 B U SI NESS LE T TEA'S. 
 
 times for prepayment on this shipment. Ascertain why these 
 telegrams were not replied to and prompt prepayment made. 
 
 Mr. Angell is anxious to get all the information possible in 
 connection with this shipment as quickly as it can be obtained. 
 Will you please give this your immediate attention, and oblige, 
 Yours truly, 
 
 S. A. JOHNSON, A. G. F. A. 
 
 Mr. W. Carter, General Manager, Buffalo, N. Y. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Your two favors of the 3d at hand and fully noted. 
 I am glad you are hurrying the steamers. Just at present we 
 are having all the property we can take care of, and a little more, 
 how long it will last under my instructions to agents generally 
 I am unable to say, but I thought it was a fair proposition, in 
 view of the fact that it was likely to come faster than we could 
 take care of it, to advise them as I have. When I see it be- 
 ginning to slacken, I will take measures to pick it up again. 
 Although it is not good policy to play fast and loose, yet under 
 the circumstances it seemed to me to be the only thing to do. 
 
 As I wired you to-day, we have sixty-two hundred tons on 
 hand in both places. Of this the New York will take twenty- 
 two hundred tons, leaving four thousand tons, which will prac- 
 tically load the Vancouver and Eola, and we are certain to ac- 
 cumulate enough and more than enough to load the Venta 
 by the time we get her 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 E. C. LAMSON, Agent. 
 
 68 
 
 Mr. Harold McDonald, Cleveland, 0. 
 
 DEAR SIR: I have your letter of November I3th relative to 
 sugar losses by canal and lake. 
 
 It seems to me absolutely impossible for us to determine here 
 what packages have received damage while in our hands. As I 
 have previously advised you, it would be necessary for us to 
 weigh every package and have it scrutinized very closely before 
 delivering to teams, in order to determine whether the packages 
 had been recoopered, and this process would make deliveries so 
 slow that we should be unable to transact our west-bound bus-
 
 B U SI NESS LE T TERS. 79 
 
 iness through our premises and give steamers any dispatch what- 
 ever. Besides, it would be expensive in the matter of clerk hire 
 and extra labor, with the added result that our claims for loss 
 and damage would not be materially reduced. I am satisfied 
 that 99$ of the claims that are made are just, as the scale weights 
 at the consignees' stores are essentially accurate. 
 
 In regard to the closing paragraph of your letter I would say, 
 that the methods in vogue up to this time with us are those 
 which you adopted when you were agent at Chicago, and I have 
 been unable up to this time to evolve any better, taking every- 
 thing into consideration. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 J. L GODDARD, Agent. 
 
 f>9 
 
 C. A. Andrews, Sitpt., Omaha. 
 
 DF.ARSiR: The time schedule for conductors was based on 
 their making a certain average rate per day for thirty-one days 
 in a month. 
 
 If, as a matter of accommodation to them, the runs are ar- 
 ranged so that some crews make over mileage and other crews 
 make under mileage in a month, it seems to me that the matter 
 should be arranged on a basis that will give each crew a full 
 month and no more. The total mileage made by all of the 
 crews will not exceed the mileage specified in the schedule. 
 
 Take it up with the passenger train crews on this basis, and 
 see if it will not be satisfactory to them. In the long run, it will 
 be perfectly fair to all the men. Of course we do not wish any 
 of the men to move, or make any change that will impose a 
 hardship on them. On the other hand, we expect them to meet 
 the company in the same spirit, and be willing to do what is fair 
 in the .natter. 
 
 Regarding Conductor Miller, would say, if in running special 
 trail s he made 635 miles over the maximum mileage mentioned 
 in the schedule for a month's work on his regular run, he is en- 
 titled to pay for it at the rate specified for over mileage to pas- 
 senger conductors. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 F. E. SMITH, Gen/. Supt.
 
 8o B U SI NESS LE TTERS. 
 
 Mr. H. R. A'irkpa trick, G. F. A. 
 
 DEAR SIR : After conversation with you yesterday on the tele- 
 phone, I received by mail a copy of your circular of Nov. 13th, 
 and also received another copy this morning with memorandum 
 that you advised the agent at Marshalltown to receive six cars of 
 freight consigned care of the Anchor Line. 
 
 There is no question but that you have the privilege of saying 
 what you will or what you will not do in reference to steamboat 
 freight, but you will remember that I have had conversations 
 with you for the last three or four years in regard to this closing 
 business, and that at no time has this company placed your com- 
 pany in any unfair or uncomfortable position. You have not 
 been called upon to pay out one cent on account of our failure to 
 take property. Our western agents have instructions always to 
 take property the i$th of November conditional upon our ability 
 to forward by lakes. In the event of our not being able to do it, 
 we are allowed to forward same all rail at correct rail rates. 
 
 In view of these facts, I think your position towards this com- 
 pany is very arbitrary. I see no reason why we should be pre- 
 vented from taking care of our business from points on your line 
 simply for the reason that some other lines with whom you con- 
 nect fail to do their business in a business-like manner. I think 
 you would consider it rather arbitrary if we should decline to 
 deliver to you property that shippers and consignees were anxious 
 to have go over your system, simply because we had been un- 
 fortunate in our relations with your western competitors. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 FRANCIS WHIPPLE. 
 
 Mr. S. Simpson. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Referring to proposition you made some time ago 
 to make joint switching service at Milwaukee would say, I was 
 misinformed as to the situation at that place when I declined 
 your proposition. 
 
 I have had occasion to look into it recently, and I am con- 
 vinced that your proposition was a good one, and will save 
 money for both companies. If you are still agreeable, we will
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 81 
 
 make a joint switching arrangement at that place commencing 
 May ist, we to furnish the engine and engine-crew three months, 
 and you to furnish them three months, turn about, and make 
 bills against each other the same as we do for joint engine at 
 Janesville. 
 
 As our joint engine at Janesville will be relieved on May ist. I 
 should like to furnish the engine for the three months commenc- 
 ing May ist. 
 
 I presume the same switchmen will be employed all the time, 
 and carried on your rolls when you furnish the engine, and on 
 ours when we furnish it. 
 
 tkider the present method of doing the work, the patrons of 
 both companies at Milwaukee are dissatisfied with the service. 
 
 I think the proposed arrangement will be satisfactory to them 
 and will be cheaper for both companies. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 R. A. RAWLINGS, Supt. 
 
 District Superintendents : 
 
 The General Freight Department has issued new instructions 
 vo agents in regard to weighing of grain at milling or cleaning- 
 in-transit stations. 
 
 At a number of such stations there are private track-scales. 
 You will please see the owners of such scales and arrange with 
 them for the weighing of grain of all parties received at or 
 forwarded from such stations. You will also give instructions 
 to agents at all such points, that the weighing on any private 
 track-scales of shipments received or forwarded must in all 
 cases be done by station agents, or other authorized represen- 
 tative of this company. 
 
 Owners of private scales have in nearly every case been aided 
 by the railway company either in the way of material, labor, 
 or transportation and we expect that they will permit us the 
 use of their scales. 
 
 Advise me promptly the names of all stations where milling or 
 cleaning-in-transit business is conducted at which there are 
 private track-scales, and of the arrangement that you have 
 made with owners of such scales for their use by the company. 
 
 General Superintendent.
 
 82 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 73 
 
 Mr. Norton Truax. 
 
 DEAR SIR : The enclosed notice has been forwarded me by 
 the Superintendent of our La Crosse Division. 
 
 In regard to it I beg to say, that where our agents are also 
 agents of your company, it is not practicable to carry out this 
 plan, and we object to doing it, for the reason that agents do not 
 have time to carry the mails to the post office, nor do they have 
 time to get such mail from the box and carry it to mail cars on 
 trains, as when trains are at their stations they have all they 
 can do attending to passengers, baggage, etc., and have no time 
 to perform this- work. 
 
 An additional objection is that the U. S. Post Office officials 
 object to agents of railway companies receiving mail for delivery 
 to mail cars, claiming that where the salary of the postmaster is 
 dependent upon his sales it seriously interferes with his 
 revenues. 
 
 I trust you will see the reasonableness of our objections and 
 recall those instructions at all points on our lines where our 
 agents are also agents for the express company. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 LEONARD McPHAiL. 
 
 74 
 
 Mr. John L. Warner, Secy., Atkins 6 Co., Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
 DEAR SIR : I am in receipt of your favor of October gth en- 
 closing your claim on 32 cars at $7.50 per car for switching 
 charges. 
 
 I beg to advise you that I cannot allow $7.50 on twelve-ton 
 cars. I have advised you to this effect on a previous occasion. 
 I would say to you again that notwithstanding Mr. Mansfield's 
 letter to me, I have no arrangement with him to pay at the rate 
 of $7.50 per car on such amounts. If either you or Mr. Mans- 
 field will refer to my letter of July 2?th last, you will note that I 
 stated: "This you understand is on the basis of 15 cents per 
 hundred to New York and we absorb switching charge of $7.50 
 per car. Please advise your people to load the cars as heavily as 
 possible." These cars were loaded to me from your works all
 
 BUSINESS LETTERS. 83 
 
 the way from 30 to 40 thousand pounds, and were split here 
 according to your directions; consequently the spirit of our 
 agreement is not lived up to when you charge me with switching 
 a number of cars that were not switched. 
 
 I also note that you billed on the 17th and igth of October, car 
 to Salford and Telford, Penn. -This was done alter I advised 
 Mr. Mansfield that we could not allow switching to those points. 
 
 I wish you would kindly correct your bill and send it to me at 
 once, in order that- 1 may pay the same. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 Mr. D. Linday, Agent, Hawkeye, Iowa. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Replying to your request, attached, for rate on 
 butter, carloads and less than carloads, from Hawkeye to New 
 Orleans would say, the rate on butter, any quantity, in carloads 
 from Davenport to New Orleans, is 40 cents per hundred pounds. 
 From Hawkeye to Davenport use Iowa distance tariff, which 
 makes rate of 19 cents on carloads and 35 cents on less than 
 carloads. This is the lowest combination. 
 
 If you wish rate via Illinois Central, use Iowa distance tariff, 
 Hawkeye to Dubuque, which makes rate on carloads 18 cents, 
 and on less than carloads 22 cents. Rate from Dubuque to New 
 Orleans, carloads and less, by the Illinois Central, is 95 cents 
 per hundred. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 7 6 
 
 Mr. E. Ketchum, D. F.& P. A., Mason City, Iowa. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Referring to your letter of the 2d inst. in which 
 you refer to mine of the 2gth ult. , in which I quoted you rate of 
 38 cents on wheat from White Lake to Topeka, Kansas, would 
 say, this is the lowest that can be made and is the sum of the 
 locals via Council Bluffs. 
 
 Rate from White Lake to Council Bluffs is 24 cents ; Council 
 Bluffs to Topeka 14 cents; through 38 cents. 
 
 White Lake to Kansas City 32 cents ; Kansas City to Topeka 7 
 cents ; through 39 cents.
 
 *4 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 
 The lowest combination is made by using locals via Council 
 Bluffs, as you will see by the above comparison. 
 
 Yours truly. 
 
 STUYVESANT STERN BACH. 
 
 77 
 
 Mr. C. A. Henry, Supt., Dubuque, Iowa. 
 
 DEAR SIR: We contemplate loading an air-brake freight car 
 at Dubuque daily, Sundays excepted, for points on the Daven- 
 port and Calmar Line north of Monticello. 
 
 This car should go out each evening on the Illinois Central, 
 and it will be necessary to haul it from Farley to Monticello on 
 our passenger train. If a large amount of freight were in the 
 car, it would go north from Monticello; if a small amount.it 
 would be transferred at Monticello, and the car returned to 
 Dubuque. 
 
 Would it be necessary to change the time of our passenger 
 train between Farley and Monticello in order to put this arrange- 
 ment into effect? And on what train would the empty car be 
 returned to Farley? 
 
 -78- 
 
 Mr. E. F. Carter, Supt., Sioux City, Iowa. 
 
 DEAR SIR: I send you correspondence regarding time slips of 
 Engineers L. A. Downer and E. Monk, for doubling Sioux Falls 
 hill, when directed by train dispatcher to take more than a full 
 train, and double if necessary. 
 
 I find that under these circumstances it has been customary on 
 runs of one hundred miles or more to allow actual mileage made 
 in doubling a hill when run is completed inside of time allowed 
 for making it under the schedule. You will therefore please 
 approve these slips and advise the engineers that allowance 
 will be made. Of course this allowance is not to be made where 
 regular doubling tracks are put in, and trains are regularly given 
 such cars as will require the doubling of certain hills. 
 Yours truly, 
 
 EDWARD HICKOK, Gen/. Supt.
 
 3USINESS LETTERS. 85 
 
 79 
 
 Mr. C. A. Peabody, Supt., Mason City, Iowa. 
 
 DEAR SIR: I am informed that it is customary to run light 
 engines on your division without a conductor ; that you fre- 
 quently send an engine from Sanborn to Hartley to help trains 
 into Sanborn with no one in charge but the engineer and fireman. 
 This is contrary to instructions and must be stopped. 
 
 No engine should be run on the main line without a conductor 
 in charge. When a light engine is run backing in the night, a 
 headlight, or despatcher's lantern, should be fastened on the cab 
 or on the tender. 
 
 ' In ordering engines to help trains, the rule requiring the first 
 man due to go out to be called for the service, must be followed. 
 
 Mr. H. G. Baker, Coal Traffic Manager, New York. 
 
 DEAR SIR: In reply to your letter attached hereto, I beg to 
 say that the connecting line moves these cars on the regular 
 way-bills, and that as a great many arrive here in the night, 
 when they come under the direction of the yardmaster and are 
 handled in haste to avoid detention, errors are easily overlooked. 
 
 Our records of this business are made from tissue copies of the 
 way-bills furnished us by the forwarding agents, which we look 
 over, and if we find errors we issue corrections; in fact, the way- 
 bills to which you make reference in your letter were so corrected 
 by us. 
 
 I will endeavor to have the night force look after the matter 
 more closely in the future, and I hope you will have no further 
 cause for complaint. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 GEORGE H. KENYON, Agent. 
 8 i 
 
 Mr. I. L. Gage, Superintendent, Akron, 0. 
 
 DKARSIR: In reply to your favor of yesterday relative to 
 telephone service at this station, I would say that such service 
 between this station and West Winfield is indispensable. We 
 find it necessary in the movement of trains into and out of the
 
 86 B U SI NESS LE T TERS. 
 
 yard, for the use of the yardmaster for other purposes, and also 
 to deliver messages to the shops, there being no operator in the 
 office at West Winfield. 
 
 The phone at this station is furnished free but the one in the 
 other station is paid for by the C. & C. people. These phones 
 are connected with the Central and are used by the patrons of 
 the road to communicate with us concerning freight, etc. 
 
 A short line between the stations would serve my purpose bm 
 would inconvenience many of our shippers. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 J. D. BARNES, Agent. 
 
 Mr. IV. A. Quinn, Freight Claim Agent. 
 
 DEAR SIR: Kindly note attached correspondence relative to 
 one barrel glassware consigned to the Thomas Dry Goods Com- 
 pany, St. Louis, Mo., forward from here on Franklin to Chicago 
 way bill No. 251, January 23d, 1899. Our second tracer has 
 developed the fact that the shipment was checked short at 
 Chicago, this being our first notice of the shortage. 
 
 The shipper of this barrel, who is a very good patron of the 
 road, is very indignant in regard to the delay, and says he is 
 likely to lose the trade of the firm thereby. 
 
 Will you kindly endeavor to locate the goods, have delivery 
 made, and advise me of the same, so that I may convince the 
 shipper that we are not indifferent in the matter. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 K. T. YATES, Agent. 
 
 83 
 
 J. L. Henning, Esq, Supt. t Adams Ex. Co., Chicago. 
 
 DEAR SIR: This afternoon Constable Delong, of this town 
 served an attachment (copy enclosed) on one package said to 
 contain 500 cigars and a watch, consigned to J. K. Blossom, and 
 also on a box and package said to contain cigars, watch, and a 
 dice machine consigned to H. J. Atkins. Goods were shipped by 
 Upton & Co., No. 250 State street, Chicago. Party making at- 
 tachment is J. F. Branders, who claims that Upton & Co. owe 
 him fifty dollars for salary.
 
 B USINESS LE TTERS. 7 
 
 Kindly advise as soon as possible what action we are to take 
 in the matter, as proceedings will be taken before a Justice of 
 the Peace here on the 8th instant. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 P. L. LANE, Agent. 
 
 - 84 - 
 Mr. Elmer Horkman. 
 
 DEAR SIR : I have your favor of January 3d, and must say 
 that the calm assurance with which you simply state that, " I 
 have searched our office and am unable to find the tickets " rather 
 appalls me. These tickets were sent to you upon your request, 
 in order, I presume, that you might verify our claim upon you. 
 It was no particular accommodation to us to forward -them to 
 you, and it is a serious loss to us not to have them. The money 
 value of the coupons belongs to one of our connecting lines and 
 unless you can locate for us by whose trains they were honored 
 it will be impossible for us to allot the proportions due ; and your 
 replv, you will certainly concede, is not satisfactory. I want the 
 coupons, and the question is, What are you going to do about it ? 
 I regret to have to be so emphatic about the matter, but the ne- 
 cessities of the case fully warrant it. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 WALLACE MCKEI/VEY. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Returning papers in the case of Martin & Jeffrey 
 claim : 
 
 This way-bill was reported by you on the iSth. It should have 
 been sent to this office on the igth. The Superintendent did not 
 make his request until the 2Oth, and you sent it to him attached 
 to the damaged report on the 2ist. 
 
 It is absolutely imperative that the original bills, when re- 
 quired, should be sent to this office, and if you had followed your 
 instructions in this case the Superintendent's office would have 
 been properly provided for and this office saved the annoyance 
 of hunting over the country to get this original bill. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 SETH METCALF,
 
 88 BUSINESS LETTERS. 
 8ft 
 
 DEAR SIR: Referring further to the case of Warren V. 
 Webster : 
 
 Since forwarding my last letter to you Mr. Webster has been 
 in to see me, and seems to feel that his suspension is a reflection 
 on his honesty. I endeavored to impress him with the fact that 
 there was not the slightest suspicion as to his honesty in the 
 matter, but that the suspension arose from lack of confidence in 
 his ability to perform such service as might be required of him. 
 
 I am under the impression that Mr. Webster has had an 
 excellent lesson taught him, and believe he would makea valuable 
 man for you if reinstated and permitted to resume his position. 
 His failure in the present instance was not so much because cvf 
 ignorance as for his almost unaccountable forgetfulness, and he 
 is desirous of being taken back because of the seeming re- 
 flection upon his honesty rather than on account of any im- 
 mediate pecuniary necessity. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 87 
 
 MY DEAR SIR: I have your favor of June ^th, for which I 
 thank you. I understand the situation thoroughly, and will 
 make such arrangements that the time of payment of bills shall 
 rest very largely with yourself until such time as your contracts 
 are finished and business settles down in its regular working 
 groove 
 
 I hope you understand me fully that we insist upon the pay- 
 ments being made on certain fixed dates, not as any reflection in 
 the slightest on your company, but as simply enforcing discipline 
 on our road. If I give way in one or two instances the agents 
 will immediately seize upon it as a precedent for leniency in 
 directions in which they may be personally or socially inclined ; 
 and for this reason I have to be more than ordinarily particular 
 to see that the persons who are accorded the privilege of making 
 settlements semi-monthly comply strictly with our terms. 
 
 If at any time any of our agents -are disposed to be supercilious 
 I should esteem it a great favor if you will advise me of the fact. 
 Very respectfully yours,
 
 s 
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 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
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