The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

Transcription

Port Huron Oct 14th 1892
<Marginalia: No ans>
Respected Freind  In reference to the 2 acres I had written to you about the result was this — It was duly sold — But Jas H White bought it in and agreed with me that we would sell it and after paying costs he would give me the Surplus — The claims would be including your fathers 700 would leave me about 500 to myself — A man has agreed to pay 1500 dollars for it but Cannot get his money till the spring but may pay part down in the mean time — In order to keep the matter Intact and with a veiw of being honourable to your father I staid on the place for the purpose of keeping it in the best Condition to induce buyers Although in doing so I run a risk of embarrassment — In the mean time A great unprecedented amount of Sickness took place on Port Huron owing to unsanatery conditions and my daughter was seised with the prevailing fever which exhausted my slender resources — So that I am at present in distress — I am naturally proud and would rather starve than complain — I have suffered some privation and that that in my desperation I would tell you and you alone the facts — I spent the season cropping the place and Putting it into the best of order — Crops has been poor in this Quarter but I sold some Potatoes and have plenty for the winter with all sort of vegetables — I go to the woods and cut my own Wood. — But this does not bring in Money — My future is a book Agent as there is no place in society for An Old man — The influx of foregners and the tact of Young America who get a business course of education and the demand for young men have disposed of the Old men — Had I taken the Agency of Books in the spring and not farmed I would not now be in extremity for you Know I have health and perseverance and a good talker and Conversant with all kinds of literature — Therefore I am seeking extrication from this dialemma — I think also I have assetts and that better days may come — I am one of the Veterans of 1837 in which your father was one of what was called Rebels in these days — I was a very young boy for no use exept Shooting Squirrells but I volunteered and served two years — The enclosed paper read It will shew the merrits of the case in conjunction with a lawyer in Belville — I conducted the Correspondence with the Canadian Statesman and he has done the Interveiwing — I have had Correspondence with the Governor General the Prime Minister Minister of militia and Defence and the most of the Senate who are Almost Uninamous that an honourable settlement be made — We are entitled upon their own shewing to about 2000 dollars — A Petetion of right has been sent to the home Government as the original Contractors to either pay us themselves or dictate payment by the Canadian Goverment and stop their evasion — there is no doubt It will be settled this session — The lawyer you will see desires and I will write Mr Gladstone in a few days setting forth fully the grounds of our Claims — So you see I am not wholly without assetts — To release me completly and enable me to start the book agency it would require require 80 dollars a Small trifle for you but a world for me a hinging point at present — It is the first Application in my life and it is with much pain and reluctance that I make it but I beleive in this crisis you will assist the oldest freind now of the family An unbroken freindship reaching back to your earliest boyhood and its Associations and the hallowed remembrance of your mother whose intelligence and lady like bearing recalls yet to me pleasant and gentle memorys — Your father is well and his memory as good as ever and as fond of a humourous story as ever — But at 88 years the lamp burns low and he says that he is unable to stand the Cold of the Northern winters — So if you arrange that he go south this winter and if you desire that I shall go with him I will be ready at any moment — I would in the mean time urge the book business till he got ready —
Hoping to hear from you I remain Yours truly
Jas Symington
T A Edison Esqr
This a newspaper [Kite?] published by me in our papers and sent to All the Senators in Canada  The [Plaid I get?] the other day
<Stamp: RECEIVED
OCT 17 1892
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