July 29 Wednesday – Samuel M. Bergheim for the Plasmon Syndicate wrote to Sam, having rec’d his letter of July 12 (not extant). He had been laid up or would have answered earlier. “I think you ought to bring the matter you tell me about before the Board of Directors. I think you should write them a strong letter, and put in a claim for the shares which you should have had, and which have evidently been kept back. I should not believe all that Wright says, but still, you might make this statement to the Board as made to you by Mr. Wright.” Bergheim hoped to see him when he came to NY in October. Sam wrote on the env. “The bilks Butters & Wright” [MTP].
Frank Bliss wrote two letters, one to Livy and one to Sam. In each case Sam responded with a line or two on the bottom of Bliss’ letter. The letter to Livy included a draft for $2,424.55 less $10.30 charged for books requested, and a statement of the past six months on old books and uniform sets. “…the sales of which…would easily have been five times or more greater…except for the obstacles and the interruptions to business…through no fault of our own.” Sam answered on or just after this day “What obstacles?—particularly to the single volumes? They have undergone a notable slump.”
Bliss’ second to Sam:
Our mutual friend, Mr. Doubleday of New York, is preparing a publication, I think to be called “Masterpieces of Literature”. He would like to have you represented in the list and is desirous of using the “Jumping Frog” story and also an extract from the “Gilded Age”, page 179 to 187. Had we better let him use those articles? We are under some obligation to him for his prompt permission to use the “Niagara” story in our 23d. volume and inasmuch as I suppose the copyright on “Jumping Frog” is long ago expired, it might seem the graceful thing to grant the privilege. I thought best, however, to have your views about the matter.
Sam answered on or just after this day “I agree with you. Give him the privilege. Statement & check received” [MTP].
Chatto & Windus’ Jan. 1, 1904 statement to Clemens shows another 3,000 copies of the 3s.6d. TA printed, for a total to date of 15,000 [1904 Financials file MTP].