January 16 Monday – In Hartford Sam wrote to Andrew Chatto again, on the status of the Library of Humor. The illustrations were being made for Chatto & Windus and would be forwarded soon. A chapter in the book about Colonel Sellers was from The Gilded Age and since Routledge held the English copyright, Sam told Chatto to “Knock it out,” and “Examine for other contraband matter,” though he knew of none [MTP].

Sam also wrote to Frederick J. Collier of Hudson, N.Y., answering his Jan. 11 letter.

…I did not call Andrews “the Doctor.” He was a quack, not a doctor. I cannot conceive of his buying a picture of any kind; he had no taste, no brains, no education; he must have been born in a sty & reared in a sewer. I am well satisfied he never saw the day when he could tell an oil painting from a horse-blanket [MTP]. Note: Dr. Edward Andrews of Albany, N.Y.was on the Quaker City.

Sam also wrote a one-line correspondence card to William M. Knox of Belfast, Ireland to “Keep the contract!” [MTP]. Note: Knox of Belfast was active in the Fabian Society (1892-5), a British intellectual movement dedicated to gradual socialism. The import of Sam’s note is not clear.

Sam’s notebook keeping track of Webster & Co. Bank balances: about $10,000 [MTNJ 3: 368].

John Brusnahan for New York Herald wrote to Sam with bad news — the Tribune had received 23 new Mergenthalers to replace the old machines, and in the limited time Brusnahan inspected them, they “worked without interruption” [MTP].

Charles T. Root for Root & Tinker, Tribune Building, N.Y. wrote to Sam suggesting he write about “the floating spore, the winged germ, the efficient microbe and the industrious bacillus.” Sam wrote on the letter, prophetically, “Yes, one of these days” [MTP]. Note: in 1905 Sam would undertake writing the piece, “Three Thousand Years Among the Microbes,” not published in full until 1967.

Charles Webster wrote to Sam (on Grant to Webster & Co, Jan. 16) that the Grant family objected to their accounting practices. Sam wrote on the envelope, “Mrs. Grant threatens suit” [MTP].