January 1 Friday – Sam read about a Chicago fire disaster in the NY Evening Post [Gribben 503; fragment MTP].
Sam’s notebook: “Happy New Year News that 564 lost their lives & 577 were hurt in a theatre-fire in Chicago day before yesterday / [Horiz. Line separator] / Lay abed nearly all day, but wrote 3,000 words, earning nine hundred dollars. / [Horiz. Line separator] / Countess Montjoie? / Lunch, 1.30 / [Horiz. Line separator] / Professor Grocco & his subordinate, Dr. Nesti, came & changed Livy’s regime” [NB 47 TS 2].
Note: Dr. Pietro Grocco; Dr. Giovanni Nesti. Sam also referred to the fire at Chicago’s supposedly fireproof Iroquois Theatre on Dec. 30, 1903, during a performance of the hit comedy Mr. Bluebeard starring a young Eddie Foy. The blaze eventually killed 602 including 212 children, most of whom were either overcome by smoke or were trampled in the panic. A full account may be seen on the website: http://www.weirdchicago.com/iroquois.html
Chatto & Windus wrote to Sam, enclosing a financial statement, and a cheque for £176.4.9 to Mrs. Clemens, plus a cheque for £21.0.9 for two sales of the deluxe edition [MTP].