Chicago
August 7, 1870
Dear Brother & Sister,
It is some time since I wrote to you and I believe that it
was myself that wrote last, although that is no matter. I have been so busy of late that I have had
but very little time that I have delayed it for some other time, and perhaps it
would have been the case now only for it has been raining all day, and so I
could not meet some engagements that I had made beforehand.
You will find by a small notice out of the daily papers that
our firm had dissolved and consequently I am out of that concern and have
bought a new mill for which I pay five thousand five hundred dollars cash down,
and I am going to commence running it tomorrow, and Richard has been there for
about a month. I sent him there to get
used to their machines in case that I bought it and also to see what he could
do with it. This mill was built last
May by a man by the name of O.B. Briggs and failed in about a month after, and
it was sold last week under a mortgage that a man by the name of Hardin held
against said Briggs, and he bid it in and I have been there every day since
negotiating for it with him, and finally struck a trade with him yesterday and
paid him his money. The mill cost last
spring ($11,500) eleven thousand five hundred dollars and it is situated in the
new lumber district, and of course it will be far better than the old stand. And also I had but one fourth interest in
the old one and now it will be something better in that respect. I can’t tell you just how that will be as yet
although I am going to commence alone at first and suppose will take in one partner. I will tell about his in my next. In the old concern I cleared about five
thousand dollars. I ought to have done
even better than this but I worked under great many disadvantages. For instance, D. Goodwillie and David
Scofield were both dead heads and took out more money every week than I did and
did nothing to advance and improve the business, and so I have been looking for
six months for an opportunity to get out of it and either buy or build a new one. And so I availed myself of this opportunity
to purchase this mill and for less than half of its value.
I have been thinking of coming to see you this fall but now
I don’t think I will be able to do so for I will have use for all of the means
I can command for some time to come. I
think that I will be able to make enough between this and next January to pay
for the whole mill and if so, shall be pretty well satisfied.
Write soon. Our
Hattie has got a piano and takes lessons in the same, and we are all well as
usual and hoping that this may find you all enjoying the same blessings. Our respects to all.
From your brother,
Edwin B.
Care of Loomis & W. 22nd St.
Thaining Mill
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