March 31 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Joe Goodman of returning Arnot’s check and suffering from an “empty purse.”

Dear Joe — If you were here, I should say, “Get you to Washington and beg Senator Jones to take the chances and put up about ten or” — no, I wouldn’t. The money would burn a hole in my pocket and get away from me if the furnisher of it were proceeding upon merely your judgment and mine and without other evidence. It is too much of a responsibility.

But I am in as close a place to-day as ever I was; $3,000 due for the last month’s machine-expenses, and the purse empty. …

I have talked with madam, and here is the result. I will go down to the factory and notify Paige that I will scrape together $6,000 to meet the March and April expenses, and will return on the 30th of April….

Sam again said the machine was “at last…perfect, and just a bird to go!…good for 8,000 ems an hour..” He also noted there was an improved Mergenthaler in New York, “Paige and Davis and I watched it two whole afternoons” [MTP].

Edwin Wildman for Echoes, Elmira wrote to Sam asking for an article or information about his cats.

I have secured two etchings from the photographs made of your favorite kittens by Mr Van Aken, of this city. I desire to make a beautiful supplement for this week — Saturday — and trust that I may be favored with a few lines from you regarding these kittens. Such a favor would greatly indebt us and I trust that we may be favored. [MTP]. Sam answered on Apr. 2.

March 31-April 2 Wednesday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Elmira businessman Matthias H. Arnot about a prior discussion and commitment to invest in the Paige typesetter. Sam returned Arnot’s check for $5,000 because Senator John P. Jones had not yet examined the machine. Arnot wrote with check on Mar. 28, part of his $50,000 commitment to invest. After a long letter Sam added the P.S.

I have written a good many words, & yet I seem to have failed to say the main thing in exact enough language — which is, that the transaction between us is not complete & binding until you shall have convinced yourself that the machine’s character & prospects are satisfactory.

I ought to explain that the grippe delayed us some four to six weeks, & that we have since been waiting for Mr. Jones. When he was ready, we were not; & now we have been ready more than a month, while he has been kept in Washington by the Silver bill. He said the other day that to venture out of the capitol for a day at this time could easily chance to hurt him if the bill came up for action, meantime, although it couldn’t hurt the bill, which would pass anyway. Mrs. Jones said she would send me two or three days’ notice, right after the passage of the bill, & that they would follow as soon as I should return work that their coming would not inconvenience us. The bill is still pending [MTP].