November 8 Friday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Mr. (James?) Goodwin.

My Dear Mr. Goodwin:

If I had written this letter as many times as I have intended to do it, I should have had to sell one of the children to pay the postage; but I didn’t, & the family are all here yet [MTP]. Note: The James Goodwin mansion was one of four Sam cited in a request to compare taxes — see Aug. 19, 1889 entry.

Sam also wrote a two-liner to John J. McCook suggesting he “look in” to see the Paige typesetter set type at Pratt & Whitney’s [MTP]. Note: McCook was rector of St. John’s Church in E. Hartford and also professor of Latin at Trinity College. In 1885 McCook was included on a list that Sam wanted to purchase stock in the Paige typesetter (see July 15, 1888).

Sam also wrote to Col. John M. Wilson of West Point, agreeing to speak to the cadets on Saturday, Dec. 7 [Leon 238, referred to in Wilson to Sam Nov. 11; not extant].

Sam also wrote to Orion, letter not extant but mentioned in Orion’s Nov. 15 [MTP].

Frederick J. Hall wrote a Special Delivery letter to Sam: “Your favor is received. I will answer the parties as suggested and will hereafter bother you as little as possible with reference to applications for publication of a book.” Hall explained he’d referred the Sun matter to Sam knowing of his close ties with that newspaper, but he would write Blakely Hall a polite refusal to use parts of CY. The enclosed promissory note wasn’t a new note but a renewal; Sam needed to sign at once and return [MTP].

Dean Sage wrote to Sam: “Parsons returned form Hartford quite as much charmed with your machine as I was. But the same objection to going in occurred to him that did to me though I had not mentioned this to him.” Sage pointed out the tremendous capital investment needed before any profits; the price of $12,000 per machine he thought prohibitive and would limit sales; “the necessity of having any one man in absolute control of such large interests may prove disastrous — I allude of course to Mr. Paige” [MTP].