September 4 Sunday – In Elmira Sam wrote two letters to Charles Webster, responding to his letter of Sept. 2. Webster had written that the upper part of the house was finished if the hearths were not changed. Sam responded that yes, the hearths must be changed. “I have written to N.Y. for specimens of tiles to be sent to us here.” Sam had written to the firm of Wm. H. Jackson & Co. [MTNJ 2: 401n 155]. Sam was arguing about the overall cost of the project, and wanted to use the estimates of his architect, Alfred H. Thorp, as leverage against William & Robert Garvie.

“If Thorp’s estimate for future work is lower than Garvie’s, make Garvie come down. And make him reduce his previous bills about down to Thorp’s estimate—& if he won’t, he must wait till I come to Hartford (& then he can wait still longer, & sue me)” [MTP]. Note: Thorp designed the octagonal study for Quarry Farm, where much of Huck Finn was written. See NY Times Dec. 7, 1901 p. BR4.

Charles Webster wrote to Sam, more details of improvements on the Farmington Ave. home [MTP].