August 6 Wednesday – In Onteora Park near Tannersville, N.Y. Sam wrote to Miss Lanigan, who evidently had sought information about Livy for publication. Sam answered with Livy’s thanks but observed,

…she is habituated to obscurity & prefers to remain in it Privately I believe she thinks that to be merely proprietor of a cannon cannot warrant one in letting on to be part of the battery [MTP].

August 5 Tuesday – In Onteora Park near Tannersville, N.Y. Sam telegraphed to Franklin G. Whitmore:

Tell me by telegraph before night if the alterations have been made in the contract for the delay in damaging the chances [MTP]

August 3 Sunday – In Onteora Park near Tannersville, N.Y. Sam wrote to Senator John P. Jones after reading one of his speeches in the newspaper. Since he perceived that Jones had “more than common appreciation of the force of statistics” and so asked Webster & Co. to send Jones the new edition of Rowell’s Newspaper Directory, listing 1,500 dailies and 12,000 other periodicals. This was all part of Sam’s campaign to get Jones excited about the market for the Paige typesetter. Sam added, I think I could sell Arnot a privilege. He is worth $7,000,000 [MTP].

August 2 Saturday – D.B. Davidson, N.Y. agent for the Nevada Bank of San Francisco wrote to Sam that Sam’s “signature (specimens)” had been verified by the bank. This process related to Sam using the $10,000 credit drawn on this bank from John W. Mackay and John P. Jones [MTNJ 3: 565n259].

Thomas O. Enders for U.S. Bank notified Sam of the Aug. 1 draft for $3,000 received [MTP].

Webster & Co. sent Daily Report slips for Aug. 1 and 2 [MTP].

August 1 Friday – C.L. Stillman, Treasurer for J. Langdon & Co. wrote to Sam having sent a $3,000 draft to the US Bank, Hartford, “This amt. to apply on note of Mrs. Clemens” [MTP].

P.H. Smith, boarding, livery and sale stables, Hartford, receipted $7 for July 23 carriage [MTP].

Neil Stalker, Fine Road and Track Harness, Horse Clothing, etc., Hartford, receipted $10.35 for May 5, 12, 13, Jun 5 10, 19, July 1, 16 purchases, curry comb, repairs girth, saddle cloth, straps, harness, whips.

August – Webster & Co. sent Sam a “Books sent out during July, 1890” report on the usual ledger page paper, with a total of 3,651 including 1,049 CY sales [MTP]. Note: the MTP catalogues this as a July incoming entry.

July 31 Thursday – In Onteora Park, Carroll Beckwith began painting Sam’s portrait [Beckwith’s unpublished papers at the Smithsonian; offered by a MT scholar who wishes to remain unnamed].

Webster & Co. sent Daily Report slips for the period July 28 to 31 [MTP].

Franklin G. Whitmore sent Sam a progress report on the typesetter, his talk with Charles Ethan Davis about it, and about laying off men who had been working on it [MTP].

July 30 Wednesday – Sam left New York for Onteora Park, Tannersville, N.Y. and the family [July 29 to Whitmore].

Charles Ethan Davis wrote to Sam that he’d discussed with Paige about the length of a N.Y. trial of the machine; they felt 10 hours a day would be preferable over 24 hours; Paige was laid up for a few days with “Cholera Morbus” [MTP]. Note: gastroenteritis.

Sam wrote to James W. Paige, letter not extant, but referred to in Paige’s Aug. 5 reply [MTP].

July 29 Tuesday – In New York City Sam wrote to Joe Goodman comparing the New York Tribune’s Mergenthaler, the Rogers, and the Thorne typesetters to that of the Paige — two to four thousand ems per hour compared to seven or eight. Things were coming to a head, what with competitors working in the field from New York to Chicago:

July 28 Monday – Sam traveled from Hartford to New York City where he checked into the Hoffman House and wrote Franklin G. Whitmore:

I tried to make myself plain, to-day, & doubtless I did. But to make sure, let me repeat: I want Mr. Davis [Paige’s assistant] to explain to all our force, without delay, that as we are going to do nothing whatever but set type henceforth till the company is formed, we shall need no one for some little time but our 4 operators — so we give them notice in order that they may be on the lookout during August to find employment.