September 17 Saturday – In the morning, the Kanawha arrived in Fairhaven, Mass. With Mark Twain, and Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Rogers. The New York Times, Sept. 20, p.1 reported:
H.H. ROGERS IS ILL. ——
Dedication of Fairhaven Church Postponed—Indisposition Slight.
Special to The New York Times.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 19.—The dedication of the Memorial Church, Fairhaven, has been indefinitely postponed owing to the illness of Henry H. Rogers, who is suffering from a slight attack of dysentery, which developed since his arrival in Fairhaven Saturday. Dr. John C. Shaw, who is attending Mr. Rogers, says that the attack is but a mild one, and there is no cause for alarm.
Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, accompanied by members of the family and Mark Twain, arrived in Fairhaven Saturday morning, but in the afternoon he felt better and inspected the building, which is his gift. On Sunday Mr. Rogers was so fully recovered that the arrangements for the dedication to-morrow were completed. This morning [Sept. 19], however, found Mr. Rogers not so well, and the postponement notice was given out from his residence this forenoon. It is expected that new invitations will be issued shortly, as it is the desire of Mr. Rogers and his family that the postponement may not be taken to indicate that he is seriously ill. [Note: Sam made the principal speech at the laying of the cornerstone for the church on Aug. 5, 1901].
Daniel Willard Fiske (1831-1904) died in Franfurt on the Main, Germany.
Harold Wheeler for the Plasmon Co. of America wrote to Sam.
“A wire from Mr. Hammond at Gloucester,Thursday night, told me the substance of your telegram to him and of his reply. He has since gone to St. Louis, and I have had no further message from him.
“I am sorry, of course, to learn that you look upon me as a stumbling block, or personal non grata, in this matter,—as I should be sorry for any man’s ill opinion of me.” He also regretted that Bergheim shared this view. Wheeler was “quite ready to withdraw and turn over such functions as I have had to Mr. Davis, or Mr. Truslow, or any one else…” but would not do so voluntarily “while Mr. Hammond asks me to remain,” as he felt a duty to Hammond [MTP].