Edward C. Smith to Henrietta Fletcher, 1873 October 5
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Your welcom favor of Sep 23d came safely to hand with inclosed draft for $147.29
for which you will please accept my most sincere thanks for it was greately needed by me for I was about straped for I am
paying out so much for advertising and geting started in business with no income
at present that it makes me hard up but I expect soon to begin to have in some
of the bread that I have been casting upon the waters for the last few weeks but
yet I must cast more befor it will return
I intend to go to the
Southern part of the state and introduce my Milk [Pans] in a
few days and I dont know but what we may settle there after a while perhaps
right in an orange grove They awarded me a prize of a ten dollar
& an honorable
recomend from the Society at the State fair besides I took several orders to be
filled between this and spring but that wont buy bread now nor pay rent--but
right here the fire bells are ringing and as I look out
of my window I see a terrible black smoke down on the wharf and I will stop
& go down & see whats up--Well I have been to the fire &
a hot one too 2,500 tons of hay & 75,000 feet of lumber
already consumed & the fire still raging Sis you ought to be in a city
once and see a big fire also see the fire engines going to a fire they have all
steam fire engines here in this city & the moment the alarm is given the
doors are thrown open & the horses are so use to it that they seem
perfectly mad & wild & they rush with a vengance through the
streets on the dead run while the dense smoke from the engines fill the streets
to suffocation & in ten minutes or less from the time the engine leaves
the house they have up steam ready for action This is a fearfull place for fires
for it is so very dry only think of 8 months without a drop of moisture and you
will have some idea how a
fire must rage. I would like to know the
reason that Craig does not write me and tell me how my matters are &.c.
he certainly can not excuse himself for want of time for if he had any
disposition he could find time. You say that in the Willie Suit that they were
[nonsuited] this being the case of course Craig took the
advantage of the same and collected the money. Has he collected any thing from
Chasman Labounty the Patterson & Olin Notes also Bickwells note besides
many others if Ike has not paid get it into a note & sue it for I think
I have waited long enough & certainly I need the money
bad
enough I can sell 'green 'bax" at 91 cents silver coin
now so I wish you would collect for me as quickly as possible while currency is
up and send to me as fast as you collect. I dont ask you to do my business for
nothing so keep enough to pay your trouble &
remit me the bal. What was done with the wagon Craig take charge of my half of
the printing press rather than let Page & Co have burn it up or if you
have a [ ] to if Flagg dont want to buy my half
divide it and sell what melted type you can get to some foundry you can get 15
or 20 cts per lb. for it Do you Know where
S.F. Wilson is if you ever
see him ask him why he dident answer my litters. Tell me where he is. If
Bickwell has not paid his note sue him Now Sis as I can not get a word from
Craig I wish you would tell me just how our matters stand keep an acct of all
our matters on my Ledger both the collections and remittances & then the
book will show when I come to see it I wish I could be in Vt a few days I would
make things lively for some of the dead beats there I
suppose Walt Raymon is still as poor and dishonest as ever if there is a show go
for him How did C- come out with [Fuller] on the home suit more
next time Love from Rillie & Carlie to all
Your BroEd