July 9 Saturday – In Elmira Sam answered Samuel S. Cox’s inquiries about publishing:
If I had any doubts as to the readableness of your book it would be in order to send me the MS. — but I haven’t. I should only require to know the amount of matter in it; & you’ve told me that.
Sam wrote that his “firm-contract” with Charles Webster required agreement between him and Webster on taking on a book; Webster was not at home but would be “shortly,” Sam wrote, “& then we will assail you” [MTP]. Note: Cox, Ohio and New York congressman wrote two books, in 1865 and 1885 on legislative history. For two years after 1885, Cox was the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, then elected to Congress from New York. He died in 1889.
Sam then wrote Frederick J. Hall. He didn’t want Ignatius L. Donnelly’s book, which became The Great Cryptogram: Francis Bacon’s Cipher in the So-Called Shakespeare Plays (1888), but did want Samuel Cox’s: “Yes, we certainly want Cox’s book.” Sam wanted to be informed when Webster got home.
Let me know when he comes, & if I am not too deep in the book I am writing [CY], I will come down at once.
Note: Ignatius L. Donnelly (1831-1901), US Congressman, populist, writer, chiefly known today for his theories on Atlantis and Shakespearean authorship.
Sam also wrote Franklin G. Whitmore, sending a revision of the circular he’d written about the Loisette memory system. He also wished for Whitmore to “time Van at the case on ordinary reprint copy.” Charles Van Schuyver was an older compositor and assistant of Paige who claimed he could set 1000 ems an hour on the typesetter, but Sam thought it closer to 700 [MTP]. (See Aug. 8 to Van Schuyver.)
James W. Paige wrote to Sam that he’d received his of July 6, “glad that you requested Brusnahan to try the Tribune machine as it will be the best and quickest way to publish the difference between it and ours.” Sam wrote on the envelope, “Paige will draw & sign the motor contract” [MTP].
Franklin G. Whitmore wrote to Sam, about the $3,000 limit to Paige to build a dynamo, as it was Paige’s suggested amount. Frank thought no damage to the present friendly relations with Paige [MTP].
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
3782 Tiffany & Co 17.25 N.Y. Jeweler
3783 Dr. Geo. C. Jarvis 52.00
3784 G.F. Heublein & Brothers 9.00