[D9209AAN], Letter from James Symington to Thomas Alva Edison, March 5th, 1892
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D9209AAN
Transcription
Fort Myers, Lee County Florida, March 5th 1892 Respected friend, After Consultation with your father we determined to write to you an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Major Evans has been urging strongly the property of purchasing a horse for the purpose of hauling as he alleges large quantities of vegetable matter to mulch the ground with. Should you accede to his request the results would be this, the expense of a horse and its risk. 2nd one dollar a day for its jeep. 3rd One third of the mans time to feed and take care of the horse. 4th There is no black much in the vicinity and even if there was the cost and expense would be much more than the Benefit. 5th The man inn charge can with a hoe keep the trees perfectly clean and the whole place clean the same as Gilliand's man who with the hoe and shade alone has the place perfect. 6th As a fact through our arrangements and exertions your place is now as clean and neat as Gilliand's. All the trees are mulched and growing vigorously. The Mayor's pretense about his horse is all nonsense. We have seen no horse. There is no work for a horse. There is not 2 acres to keep clean which any industrious man can do with a hoe and shade without working very hard. We appraise you of the facts use your own judgement. Yours truly J. Symington