November 1 Thursday – From Sam’s notebook:

Nov. 1, 1888. I have just seen the drawings & description of an electrical machine lately patented by a Mr. Tesla, & sold to the Westinghouse Company, which will revolutionize the whole electric business of the world. It is the most valuable patent since the telephone. The drawings & description show that this is the very machine, in every detail which Paige invented nearly 4 years ago. I furnished $1,000 for the experiments, & was to have half of the invention. We tried a direct current — & failed. We wanted to try an alternating current, but we lacked the apparatus. The $1000 was exhausted, & I would furnish nothing more because I was burdened in the 3 succeeding years with vast expenses on the Paige type-setting machine. Tesla (& Thompson?) tried everything that we tried, as the drawings & descriptions prove; & he tried one more thing — a thing which we had canvassed — the alternating current. That solved the difficulty & achieved success [MTNJ 3: 431]. Note from footnote 79: “Nicholas Tesla invented his first alternating current motor in 1883. On 1 May 1888 he received patents on such a motor. He soon sold his rights to George Westinghouse for one million dollars.”

Shortly after the above entry is Sam’s famous maxim which was to appear in ch. 56 of FE and ch. 13 of PW:

There are two times in a man’s life when he should not speculate: when he can afford it, & when he can’t [433].

Samuel S. McClure wrote to Sam having learned from Charles A. Dana that Sam had a novel he would “be willing to publish in a syndicate of newspapers.” McClure mentioned Mrs. Burnett, Bret Harte, Rider Haggard, and Frank R. Stockton among writers whose novels he was handling. He wanted to see Sam and negotiate [MTP]. Note: likely, Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924); Sir Henry Rider Haggard (1856-1925).

Postal Telegraph-Cable Co., Hartford, billed $4.07 for telegrams sent to and from Sam July 18-Oct 24; Paid Nov. 11 [MTP] See July 18, Sept 26, Oct 6, 10, 11, 19, 24 entries.

 Eugene Meyer, N.Y. Piano teacher, receipted $30 for “Piano lessons to Miss Susi and Clara from Oct 5th until Nov 1st recd pmt” [MTP].

E.T. Ryan (handwritten on sm. Tablet paper) receipted $22.88 for: for purchases Sept 27: one gal vinegar .25, 2&1/2 lbs of chickens .63; Oct 4 6lbs of chickens, Oct 9 bushel of apples, 8&1/2 lbs of ducks; Oct 10 8 lbs chickens; Oct 17 8 lbs chickens; Oct 20 13 lbs duck; bushel apples; Oct 24 7lbs chickens; Oct 27 7lbs of duck; Nov 1 6lbls chickens; Nov 3 6lbs duck; Nov 7 5lbs chickens; one barrell of apples; Nov 10 7lbs duck; Nov 15 6lbs chicken; Nov 17 7lbs chicken; Nov 22 7lbs chicken; one gal vinegar; Nov 28 12lbs duck ;one barrell of apples [MTP].

Clarence L. Palmer & Co, dealers in Meats, Poultry and Vegetables, Hartford, billed $119.97 for “Amt Bill per pass book” (no detail); Paid Nov. 5 [MTP].

Park & Tilford, N.Y. Grocers billed $45.98 for Oct. 6 purchases: Vanilla, Corn, beans, peas , mushrooms, oil, Oolong tea, sardines, 3 boxes chocolates, 1/2 doz C Sherry and others illegible; Paid Nov. 9 [MTP].