[D9209AAJ], Letter from James Symington to Thomas Alva Edison, February 26th, 1892
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D9209AAJ
Transcription
Florida, Fort Myers Lee County, Feb 26th 1892 Esteemed friend, You will want to hear your father is getting on. He never was better in his lye works like he has every day going. As to our Economic conditions he thinks they are perfect. The Ducthman who has charge of the place is a single man. I suggested that he would seek focus and we would help him with the place. He can't chop and I chop his wood and keep otherwise strong with your father. As a consequence the place is in prefect order and trees growing fine and no weeds. Very different from Hibble's. But as to economy the agree is this. 3 of us your father pays, 2 and the Dutchman one. Our board costs just 1.50 each a week and live as well as we wish. Very different from Hibbles 5 a week each. We buy everything we want at the we want at the stores. One little difficulty will have to be avoided however. Your father supposed that Pitts Widow had in some way [illegible] with his monthly cheques last fall and when he was down in December gave orders to Mr. Tate to give or send no orders without his permission. Not knowing this I sent up a letter to you about a little note of 30 dollars if you would be kind enough to forward the amount to my wife. The letter came from Tate from your father for enquiry. He directed to send the money to him. You sent a cheque for the amount in answer to my letter. In the meantime a letter came from home to him stating that he must send home money as they could not collect any rents. And as the money intended will go home although it was stated that it was for me. I would not have any misunderstanding with a friend of 38 years a;though I never got a cent. His generosity keeps him all the whole. Between keeping people outside of the family and his taxes and his loss of power to estimate profit and loss he can scarcely make ends meet with the generous monthly payments you send. I beg therefore that you will instruct Mr. Tate to do the same as last year by forwarding to my wife the same as last year as you can manage things better than I can. That note is protested and I must prevent any further expense. We left the Port Huron together on January 18th just 40 days ago. Say you send it, it will be very timeous. I reman yours truly Ja Symington Note re the attached from Mr. Symington. When your father was last at the Laboratory he told Johnnie Randolph that he desired all remittances sent direct to him instead of to Mr. Symington, and he requested Johnnie to refer to him for his approval all requests for money that might be received from Symington. The check referred to was sent to your father, as he wants to pay all moneys to Symington himself. M.