Ledger # 2 of Walter B. Gwyn

pages 700 - 799

Col. E. M. Clayton

May 11, 1897

Ga.

Dear Sir;

Your favor of April 27 was received, The firm of Gwyn and West was dissolved by mutual consent Dec 31, 1894, some 2 ½ years ago. Mr. West is still in the real estate business. I have the map of the property, just returned to me by your brother Capt. Has, who had borrowed it. I will try to sell your lots if you wish it. Demand is very small for such property, in fact for property of any kind, but it is best to be always ready to give information and prices on demand.

So please write me your prices. I notice you have several lots, 22 1/10, 22 3/10, 15 1/2, 15 1/10, 3 8/10, respectively. Some of that near Patterson’s mill might suit a customer I now have.

I shall be pleased to hear from you, and to do anything I can in the way of selling.

Yours Very Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

Convenient of access, and it would seem that any one desirous of purchasing property with my sign on it would be apt to call and see me.

I do not believe in [?] property too “anxiously” or in a manner so elaborate and expensive as to indicate that the advertiser expects the board to stay there for a term of years. Modest signs in conspicuous places is what I want believing it will be to my interest and not against yours. Of that, of course, you are the judge, and your petition will ever pray &c.
Hoping you are very well, and with kind regards to all with you, I believe I will add a few lines more, to refer to Mr. (or Dr.) David, the distinguished subject of considerable correspondence heretofore. Mrs. Pack told me he had called on her and got your address &c. I have refrained from calling on David because both Grant and Bostic told me they were trying to sell him lots on Chestnut Square, and I did not wish to interfere, but I intend to go and see him next week unless I hear from him or from you in the mean time. I inclose you a copy of the “restrictions” in the Lambert deed, as Mrs. Pack said Mr. David wanted them removed if he purchases.
I am advised that locust posts 4X4 are freely as good for the proposed Pinewald wire fence as 5X5. And I am now finding out what posts sawed 4X4 and 10 feet long, will cost 40 cents each, instead of 25. This will make the fence cost $50 to $60 more than estimated. I have made no contract yet.

Yours Very Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

Convenient of access, and it would seem that any one desirous of purchasing property with my sign on it would be apt to call and see me.

I do not believe in [?] property too “anxiously” or in a manner so elaborate and expensive as to indicate that the advertiser expects the board to stay there for a term of years. Modest signs in conspicuous places is what I want believing it will be to my interest and not against yours. Of that, of course, you are the judge, and your petition will ever pray &c.
Hoping you are very well, and with kind regards to all with you, I believe I will add a few lines more, to refer to Mr. (or Dr.) David, the distinguished subject of considerable correspondence heretofore. Mrs. Pack told me he had called on her and got your address &c. I have refrained from calling on David because both Grant and Bostic told me they were trying to sell him lots on Chestnut Square, and I did not wish to interfere, but I intend to go and see him next week unless I hear from him or from you in the mean time. I inclose you a copy of the “restrictions” in the Lambert deed, as Mrs. Pack said Mr. David wanted them removed if he purchases.
I am advised that locust[?] posts 4X4 are freely as good for the proposed Pinewald wire fence as 5X5. And I am now finding out what posts sawed 4X4 and 10 feet long, will cost 40 cents each, instead of 25. This will make the fence cost $50 to $60 more than estimated. I have made no contract yet.

Yours Very Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

[Letter written in Spanish, translated to English in writing]

The City of Asheville. N.C.

May 12, 1897
Blowing Rock, N.C.

Mr. Ogden Ellery Edwards-

We note with great satisfaction that the…is mayor of the flourishing city of Blowing Rock this year. The City is to be congratulated after possessing such a progression and prosperous governor. Certainly no as reacquainted with the fact with doubt their wisdom is [?]. The next generation will not be slow to realize its advantages. Mr. Edwards, is no mere visionary. Like cold steel, he is sure, and generally silent. Under the wise and patriotic administration of Senior Blowing Rock will soon have been emancipated from the unit tradition of a turbulent and chaotic hand. Has proponent position from every point of view, is comparatively prosperous and has future most auspicious.

It is of the highest importance that some of the existing lives of railway should be extended to Blowing Rock and that the city Council should appropriate $38,453.24 to the construction of sewers and the establishment of electric lights that the work of construction be extended to Shepherd M.Dugger.

Mr. Edwards hopes to have by the end of July several [?] and summer visitors in the vicinity of Blowing Rock. The natural result of the unidentified progress of commercial affirm and the accumulation of fried chicken and other delicacies…area to the summer boarder. The first to later advantage of this will be fortunate.

El Ciudad, Asheville, N.C.

May 12, 1897

Senor Ogdenio Ellerio Edwardos-

Blowing Rock, N.C.

Es satisfactorio notar que Senor durante ano goberno el foriente ciudad Blowing Rock. El ciudad puede congraularse do poseer un gobernado tan progesista y patriotico. Ciertamente no cabe duda de quien tienen sobrada razon de eleccion de Senor. La generacion siguiente pronto aprovechara last ventajas que ella aporta. No es visionario el Senor Edwardos. Tiene la frialdad del acero y suele habla poca. Bajo la sabia y patriotica administracion del Senor el Blowing Rock will soon, se has emancipado de las malhadadas tardiciones de un passado caotico y turbulento. La posicion actual del pais, desde calquir punto de vista consderanda, es prospera comparativamente y el porvenir y souvenir se presnta en serena y Hermosa forma.

Es de suma importiancia para esta que algunas de las ferreas vias existents, hasta Blowing Rock, y el yuntamiento de las ciudad destinado $38,453.24 a la construccion de cloacas higenicas, y poco la luz electrica, y ortoganda la contrata Sr. Shepherd M. Dugger.

El Senor Edwardos espera que hacia fines de Julio llegaran algunos millares de summer visitors para ciudad Blowing Rock, naturalmente resulta del imperturbable desarollo en los moviamentos comerciales y la acumulacion de fried chicken y otros delicacias dear to el summer boarder. Las que primero se aprovechen, se saldran con la suya.

Dear Will;

I was much grieved and surprised with the content of Laura’s better telling of Mr. McBee’s leaving the ministry and coming back from Maryland to Watauga County N.C. Laura said you had known about it or rather about some of the causes which finally led to the step for sometime before. I have not heard anything about it from any other source, nor seen any account or mention of Mr. McBee in any newspaper. I wish you would write me fully about it the offenses charged against him &c. I could not exactly tell, from Laura’s letter, whether she was ignorant  of the nature of the charges, or whether they were of a nature that deferred a lady from detailing, even to her own brother. Of course I am completely at a loss as to what they are. I must say I have been thinking strange for some time that he had no pastorate in N.C., and, so far as I could gather from home letters, was not likely to have. I confess, further, to an unfavorable impression from the beginning, aggravated by circumstances occurring during the courtship, but I have always thought it was a very reckless thing to attempt or presume to interfere in such cases where both parties are of full age and understanding, and are both respectable. I will not write further- the above is too much. I hope mother is better, and that I will have news to that effect soon.

With love to all,
Yours affectionately,

W. B. Gwyn

May 13, 1897

Geo. W. Pack Esq.,

New York.

My Dear Sir;

Your valued favor turning down the application of Mr. Lea is to hand. I note your request about preparation of tax lists and agree with you that it may be better to wait till after June 1, for “fear” we may sell something.

I inclose description of the Patton Farm on Mud Creek, a stream that used to run both ways until the Legislature took hold of it and compelled the owners to cut a continuous canal of some fifteen miles in length from Flat Rock to the French Broad River, thus reclaiming a great territory of rich farming lands. This description is furnished by Mr. M.S. Farmer of Flat Rock, brother of Mrs. P. F. Patton, widow of P. F. Patton, who sold the large farm to Vanderbilt, at $87,500 more than three times what he had ever asked for it before, and then kept McNamee waiting at Battery Park Hotel (and getting beaten at chess by W. B. G.) of nights for three weeks dancing round like a pea on a hot shovel, the said Patton being then at home on Mud Creek, sitting with his feet on the mantel piece and “lowing” he would come to Asheville when he blank pleased, and didn’t care whether Vanderbilt took the place or not. Well, he wasted his substance in riotous living, and in trading with Gnat Atkinson and C. E. Graham et als which he never bought nothing from me, and lately died leaving his widow this farm and something over ten thousand dollars

Worth of other real estate in and near Hendersonville, one place partly in Hendersonville being 190 acres, which other real estate she intends and expects to sell to pay off the ten thousand dollar debt she hopes to make on the Mud Creek farm, the money so raised to be applied to the discharge of all debts against that farm and her other property. Her brother tells me he is urged to cut up the farm and sell it in small farms, but that that is just what he does not want to do, as the place has always been in the family and his sister wants to keep it for her children. A land grabbing banker at Hendersonville now has his clutches on the place, the debt falling due soon, no interest being in arrears as I am informed, and is threatening to sell because of a late act of legislature forbidding banks to loan more than ten per cent of their capital, to one person.
Farmer declares that the net proceeds of the farm will more than pay the interest, six per cent semiannually, and that there is means outside of the farm to pay the debt by taking time. I suppose Farmer will indorse the note, and I think the is worth about that sum as he owns very valuable property at Flat Rock.

I have read a letter from you to B. F. Rives, and at his request prepared and debt to his son in Washington a deed to you for the lot, No 11 in Block 1, and he has returned it to me duly executed. I gave to Rives to hold till you send me the money to pay him as stated in your letter.

You did not say I was to go to the bank and find out how much Rives had paid you, so I suppose you know.

With kind regards,

Yours Very Truly

May 13, 1897

H. Doubleday Esq.

Tryon, N.C.

Dear Doubleday;

I struck up with a man by name of Kohler today, who said he was interested at Tryon, and when I said I had land for sale there he came with me to my office and looked over description of the Doubleday and Wilcox five thousand acres, you sent me last year. He says he knows you, but he did not give any sign as to whether he would like to purchase any of that land. I guess you will size him up on mere mention of his name, as he seems to have been around Tryon a great deal. He seems to be thoroughly enthused about the prospects of the place.

Messrs. Blake, Lash & Cassels
May 14, 1897

Cor King & Jordan Sts.,

Toronto, Can.

Dear Sir;

Replying to your favor of Feb. 22^nd, q. v., there is no sort of trouble about identifying R. H. Hudson named in City Directory referred to in your letter, as you have simply to ask him whether he lived in Asheville in 1895. Further inquiry settles that his name is Robert, and I haven o doubt he is the man wanted. I have understood, in making further vain inquiry as to his exact address, that he owes some bills here, not by any fault of his own, but because of the parties to whom he sold his business failing to pay certain bills as a part of the consideration agreed to be paid him, and that this fact may account for his not answering letters from Asheville.

I inclose interrogatories in the three cases, which are identical save in the names of the cases, and I do this now for the purpose of enabling you to state as nearly as may be what your charges will be for taking Hudson’s deposition, so that I can report it to my clients, have them send me the money, and I can forward it to you, together with a commission appointing such member of your firm as you will kindly suggest in your reply hereto. Of course it will be necessary for a member of your firm to see Mr. Hudson and ascertain from him whether he is willing to testify, which will not involve any expense, I should think, and for which I presume you will hardly require an advance of money.
Hoping that I am correct in this, and that I shall hear from you very soon, I remain, Yours Very Truly

I inclose memo of what Hudson said he would swear. I also inclose a copy for Hudson to refresh his memory. Mr. Hudson will of course be entitled to witness fee.

Chas. H, Campbell Esq.

May 14, 1897

City

My Dear Sir;

I have heard unfavorably from New York in gregard to the $600 loan. I went to see another party about it yesterday, but he was not at home. I left a note for him to call, but he has not done so. Will try in another quarter.

Yours,

W. B, Gwyn

John L. Rendleman Esq.

May 15, 1897

Att’y at Law,

Salisbury, N.C.

Dear Sir;

I see your name in the list of attorneys published in Sharpe & Alleman’s Legal Directory, and would like to get you to attend to a small matter for me. You will find registered in book 73, at page 466 a deed from J. S. McCubbins Jr. and wife to W. W. West and myself for lot No. 78 of a map made for the Dixie Land Co., and registered in book 75 at page 600. We paid Tam McNeely $100.00 for it, cash, and he says now it ought to be worth $150.
We would be glad to sell it right away, and will pay you ten per cent commissions for selling and attending to whatever may be necessary in the premises—I mean ten per cent on what you may be able to get for us the property, provided it is accepted by us. If this is agreeable to you and you care to undertake the business, please at once look into the legal status of the property in respect of taxes, as the lot escaped our attention for several years and in such a case, in this county, it would have been sold ere now for taxes. Tam says there has been so much land grabbing in Rowan so far as he knows. Kindly let me hear from you within a few days and oblige.

May 17, 1897

Geo. W. Pack Esq.

New York

My Dear Sir;

Your two favors received, the one authorizing me to put up signs as I asked, for which accept thanks, and the other inclosing check &c., for Rives. I have sent him word to come in.
Mr. Brown came in this morning in response to a message, and, after remarking that you had asked his brother fifty dollars for the small triangle East side of Montford, adjoining land of said brother, said that he and his sister, Mrs. Munroe, would take each $75.00 damages and execute whatever papers necessary to release you from your warranty as to the 16 foot strip on the front, concerning your title to which some question has been raised, as heretofore written you.
I note that you have “given Powell a whack” at No. 1, Blk X. I went to see Dr. David, but he was not in’ he has since been in to see me, twice, and said he had finally decided against the Chestnut St. lots on account of  the building restrictions. I offered him the small lot west side  Central Ave, 50 X 150m $500.00, and he went to see it and came back and wanted to know whether Mr. Charles would ever build a stable in the southeast corner of his lot! He could not help laughing at himself for wanting a building restriction put on a property worth several thousand dollars for the sake of selling a five hundred dollar lot. He is considering the purchase, and I think it likely he will take the lot.
Our weather is cold and clear- not quite cold enough for frost but it does not miss it much. I hear that the apple crop is short.

PS---Putnam goes to Boston the latter part of next week.

May 17, 1897

Geo. W. Pack Esq.,

New York, N.Y.

My Dear Sir;

There is a man here from Boston, lately come to take charge of a large land and lumber interest near Hot Springs, N.C., who says he once negotiated the sale of $400,000 worth of pine timber in Texas, and thinks he might possibly sell your La. and Miss. pine lands. I refer to the lands I once offered to some Englishmen at $5.00 per acre, and of which you loaned me a map.
I told my man, Putnam is his name, that if he was looking for lands at a low price per acre, yours would hardly suit; but that he would judge, from the care you would use in selecting lands, that what ever price you would be apt to set upon them in putting them on the market would be justified by their intrinsic value, and that often lands at low prices per acre were not so good bargains as those held higher.
Putnam impresses me as a man of very considerable ability, and, so far as I have been able to judge, no trifler or swindler, but a good fellow. I would like to have, whether the lands are at present for sale or not. The map above referred to in order to locate them on the U.S. map I have, and then I can return the map if desired. If you have not the map convenient, kindly mention the county or counties in which the lands lie.

Yours Most Truly

May 17, 1897

My Dear Mr. Edwards;

I read many years ago that “innocence is better than repentance.” No doubt this is true, but it follows that repentance is next best to innocence, and I am sorry that I did not the day following the dispatch of my Spanish [?] write and give the key to what must be a mystery to you. I am not studying Spanish, nor had I any one to assist in the construction of the letter; I had a pamphlet sent me by some land agent in Mexico, printed in paralleled columns of Spanish and English, and I stole bodily there from some laudations of resident [?] and some governor of a province and applied them to you as Mayor of Blowing Rock; also some other expressions the applications of which I transferred from Mexico to Watauga. Love of fear should never get the better of good manners, and if it did, in this instance, I beg pardon of Senor.
It would seem from the [?] I thus had at the Spanish languages that it would not be very difficult to learn it. But I shall not attempt it. I could not say that it is not worth while- it would be more correct to suggest that it is less worth the while than the learning of some other things.
We are having a clear, cold May. Thermometer was down to 48 degrees one morning lately- 53 degrees this morning.
With kind regards to Mr. Edwards,

Yours Most Truly

N. W. Girdwood, Esq.

May 17, 1897

City.

Dear Sir;

I last week called the attention of Dr. David to your lot on Haywood Street, which I priced to him at $2,000.00 as authorized. He said he would look at it and consider it. He is the Freudian who bought Hardy Lee’s Liberty St. House.

Yours Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

May 19, 1897
My Dear Mr. Edwards
Our old friend Mr. Geo. Raymond and our younger but equally wise friend (name strictly confidential) to C. E. Graham, have both removed from Asheville, and therefore are completely at a loss to know to whom to apply for a correct translation of your esteemed epistle in the polite [?] tongue. I shall not, at present, ask your for a translation, for I know you mean well, and I feel confident your kind Spanish words will lose none of their flow with the lapse of time- Some expressions in the letter already appeal faintly to my understanding, and I hope for more light as time rolls on, frightened with lucky and unlucky accidents and incidents.
Yours,

W. B. Gwyn

May 19, 1897

Dear Brother-

Your [?]. I was simply dumbfounded at the reading of it. I think our brother James might have said something to me about it. He has had several opportunities of speaking to me. Perhaps eh thought it was better not to speak and he may have been right. The matter is of too vast consequence to set upon or advise upon harshly except there should be need of prompt action. Will you now please write me what you know as to how much, if any, of J’s money is spent, and the situation of her affairs. It has puzzled me to guess where the money came from for so many trips here and there. Were they paid for by J’s money? Also please write me if you know, what kind of employment he is engaged in that wild country. I suppose there is hope of it, but it does seem to me he might have the grace to either hang or drown himself, or beg, borrow or steal his way to the antipodes. Although I do feel for J. and for you all! [?]

May 19, 1897

J. H. McKinnish Esq.,

Emma, N.C.

Dear Sir;

I will pay forty cents apiece for two hundred or more locust posts delivered before June 15, 1897, on the property of Mr. Geo. W. Pack on the West side of French Broad Avenue in Asheville, adjoining lands of Mrs. Pleasants, and now occupied by Mr. Rector. The posts must be delivered at the house, where they will be stacked up until I am ready to use them in building the fence.

The posts must all be ten feet long, sawed four inches square, full measure, and no post falling short more than one inch in length of 1/8 inch in thickness will be received. They must be sound yellow locust and no bark edges. I am giving you the price that you asked me, and I have said to you all along that I would be very strict in holding you to specification, so you may expect me to do what I agreed, and I will expect the same of you. Every dollar I pay you will be of full value, and so must the posts I pay for be of the full measure and quality bargained for. It is another man’s money I will be paying out, and I haven o right to do otherwise.

If this is satisfactory to you, go ahead with the work, and drop me a line in the inclosed envelope.

Yours Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

He answered and said that the mill had “dissolve” and therefore he could not get he posts saved. The measurements Mr. Hill Culberson of Turkey Creek- McKinnith brought me his own letter. Said Culberson’s address might be Gudger’s Mills- so I wrote him- see page 72.

Lenoir Timber---Haywood County.

Memorandum. May 19, 1897.

Mr. J. McD. Michael (or Michal), who married Mary Lenoir, and to whom I wrote (see ante, page 685) about the timber on the Lenoir place, wrote me a card to “phone” him at the Glen Rock Hotel today at 2:30 but I concluded it would be better to go down and meet him, and I did so. I only had about ten minutes talk with him before the train left for the East, and the substance of our talk was as folls:

There are, in the old Lenoir place about 3,600 acres, and it seems that they have divided the land between the three girls, Mary, Michal, Laura Lenoir and Sallie Lenoir, Mary getting the middle or House place, and Sallie the upper or southern third, and Laura the lower third. He said his wife’s portion was 1,200 acres, but he did not say that the other portions were each 1,200 acres---they may be different in quantity owing to a supposed difference in quality.

100 walnut trees, presumably the pick trees have been sold off the entire tract, and removed. Michal has agreed to sell the remainder of the walnut off his wife’s portion, thus leaving the walnut of the other two portions unsold. Michal has also contracted to a man named Clay, all the poplar above a certain size on the portion belonging to his wife. Clay has paid him $500 on account of the $1,200 he promised to pay, and none of the timber has been removed. The estimated amount of this contract is three hundred thousand ft, estimated price, $4.00 per M. He is to see Clay as to an enlargement of the purchase so as to include other kinds of timber on his land or on all the land, I forget now which.
Michal is to write me in June after negotiations expected with Clay and his backers or assignees in Knoxville, Tenn.

Michal says there is a large amount of what they call spotted oak, and a good deal of white oak. Some cherry, more walnut, some ash and I think a large amount of chestnut. I forgot to ask about locust. My impression has been that there was very find locust.
Michal said he would of course be willing to pay a commission.

W. R. Whiteside, Esq.

May 19, 1897

Vance, N.C.

Dear Sir;

I have had no reply to my letter of the 8^th inquiring about locust posts. I find I can get along with 4”X4” posts, instead of 5”X5” as I thought I would need. Write me at once what you furnish 200 posts at, cash, then feet long. Sawed 4 inches square, full measure, and when you can complete delivery.

Yours Truly,

 W.B. Gwyn

Preston L. Gray Esq.,

May 19, 1897

Bristol, Va.

Dear Sir;

Mr. Creasman has been to see me. His account of that land is not atall encouraging. He seems to think it would be dear at $500. He says Walter Bingham heard of the land through some deaf and dumb people and took a fancy to it and so bought it. He says the land was never of much value. I was never on or near the land, and know nothing whatever about its value. Bingham simply employed me to examine the title, and draw the deed, and my recollection is that R. H. Battle of Raleigh and perhaps some other man made the deed as executor of the estate of Swain. But I think Creasman had contracted for the land, and transferred his contract to Bingham Young L. Creasman says this Creasman is an uncle of his.
What rice, if any, have you set on the land? I would like to have an idea as to that before undertaking the sale of it. There is but little sale for real estate now, especially land like that. In whom is the legal title? Is it in shape to be readily transferred?

Geo. W. Pack Esq.

May 21, 1897

New York.

My Dear Sir;

I send you today by registered letter yours and Mrs. Pack’s wills, as requested. They were in separate brown envelopes, sealed with your respective private seals, and inclosed in a large linen-lined unsealed envelope. I concluded that it might be prudent to utilize this same envelope, as some wills are pretty strong, so I “done so”, after having erased the word “wills” which you had written thereon.

May 20, 1897

Geo. W. Pack Esq.

New York.

My Dear Sir;

Your favor requesting me to get your wills out of lock box and send by registered letter, was received yesterday, but I could not get into the bank today, as the 20^th is a state holiday, it being the anniversary of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. I will attend to that matter tomorrow.
I have also received your letter declining to put your La. land on the market. I quote you as follows: “While we would be willing to sell them, and give a good bargain too, we do not care to “put them on the market.” It would give me great pleasure as well as possibly profit to bring about a proposition to you for the lands, if you will make none, (and I am certainly not complaining about that), but the grapes must be in view before the fox’s mouth will “water”, and I think it is sufficiently well understood by land dealers that hungry agents have about them an importunity not shared by the land owner, especially when the latter is known to be well able to hold on. Ergo, it seems to me that I can make efforts to interest person in this property without creating any impression that you are anxious to sell; furthermore, if any such impression should be created by me, with the result of lowering the purchaser’s idea of what he would probably have to pay for the lands, to such extent as to defeat a trade, why, I would simply have my trouble for my pains, and you would suffer no damage, so far as I can see.
If this appeals to you, let me add that, since my letter in regard to this matter I have rummaged along my old correspondence, and find in my letter book a long quotation from a letter of yours very fully setting forth the merits of these lands, and I think all I would need is the map I once had for a short time. I would take memoranda from the aforesaid quotation, and not undertake to use it now in its original form—I would use the substance of it as matter of description.
With kind regards to you all,
Yours very Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

Louisiana Pine Lands

64,906.31 Acres- These lands were purchased direct from the United States in 1882, at $1,25 per acre, the purchasers paying about .30 per acre additional for exploring, estimating, and surveying.

These lands were all selected for the pine timber, in separate 40 acre tracts, no single 40 acres being taken except on its own merits, so that there is no waste land, and no valueless land. In this respect it is different entirely from all large tracts of land in the easterly Southern States. The selections were made by men well know to the purchasers, and afterwards reviewed by one of the purchasers, each forty acres by itself, he being engaged from August 1882 to March 1883 in this work. In March 1888 some of the outlying lands of the purchase, the least valuable of the whole, were sold at $3.75 per acre. The remaining lands constitute one of the very finest tracts of pine land in the South. The natural market for the timber is in Texas and on the great plains stretching North and West, and is more valuable than the same timber would be accessible to the Atlantic Coast or the Gulf. This timber is accessible (nearly all of it), however, by water, to the Gulf at New Orleans. These lands are all good for growing cotton, and must in time become valuable for farming purposes, after the timber is removed.

Mr. Putnam came in, Monday 24^th May, and I showed him this description- he said the last sentence will not do as fin- lands of Louisiana are never profitably utilized for captia- growing- not fit for much of anything. With only the alluvial bartram[?] (oak) lands were tended in [?].  

M. S. Farmer Esq.

May 22, 1897

Flat Rock, N.C.

Dear Sir;

Mr. Graham is complaining about your letting the “White Egypt” property be advertised for taxes, as he paid his share through me January 22^nd last, and I find by reference to my letter book that I wrote to him for the money Jan’y 20, and said in the letter, “Mr. Farmer was down here yesterday looking after Mrs. Patton’s matters, and said he would send the money to pay her share of the taxes on “White Egypt.” The State and County taxes are $26.55 and the city $35.40- total $61.95, and your third is $20.65.” Mr. Graham at once sent me a check, relying on my representations as your paying the other two thirds of the taxes, to wit, $41.30-

My present recollection is that you told me or wrote me that Mr. W. A. Smith had advised against the necessity of paying these taxes. I think Smith is wrong here, but whether he is or not, it would be the fair and correct thing to pay them, because graham has paid his part, and ought not to be prejudiced by the action of his partner in the ownership. Don’t you think so? My New York party has not responded yet. What news from Green River?

C. E. Graham Esq.

May 22, 1897

Greenville, S.C.

Dear Graham;

Yours received inclosing T. J. Reed’s tax sale notice; I paid your share of taxes on both lots of the “White Egypt” property, on the 22^nd of January last, the very day after receipt of your check given me for that purpose. I paid the state and county 8.85 and the city 11.80. It is Mrs. Patton’s two thirds that is in arrears, and I have been unable to get them to pay it. I will write again today. They ought to tote fair.

Yours Truly

May 24/97

J. E. Rumbaugh, Esq.

City

Dear Sir;

Kindly send me statement of the number of loads of sod taken from Mr. Pack’s land, and oblige.

Yours Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

Mr. Hill Cuberson

May 22, 1897

Gudger’s Mill, N.C.

Dear Sir;

Mr. J. H. McKinnish says he thinks you have a lot of good locust timber, and can furnish sawed locust posts. I want 200 to 400 posts ten feet long, sawed 4 inches square, strict measure every way, and will pay a good price cash on delivery. This is a good large bill, and money is scarce these days, and I think it would be to the advantage of any one to fill it. Write me at once what you can do, as soon as you a certain you can safely contract for a given number of posts. I do not wish to be disappointed, and I want a man to be sure he can furnish the number he promises. If you have not the timber for the whole bill, I can get the rest from some one else, but I want to know just what to depend on, so please write me what number you can put in, what price, and what time you will require to complete delivery.

Yours Truly

Culberson Came in with McKimmish before I had posted this. He took my letter and said he would answer next week- Friday. He said he felt sure he could furnish 200 posts at 40 cents- in about two weeks.

June 1- Culberson has never communicated with me any since- Sheriff says he was in attendance, as a witness, at a criminal court all last week.
P. O.

June 5^th- Culberson called while J. H. Buckner was in the office, and just after I had engaged 300 posts from Buckner- Culberson said he had 50 of the posts ready, and Buckner said he would reduce his contract to 350- he is to put them in by July 10^th- 350 sawed lengths post 10 feet long, and 4 X 4 in square- full measure- also 2 gate posts, 8X8, 14 ft long @ 3.00 for the two. Culberson is to deliver next week.

H. J. Buckner, of Grace P.O, saw my ad in Gazette about locust parts yesterday- and came in. He said he had a small mill on Beaver dam and would come in today and let me know. Today he came in and said he had formed a splendid lot of locust on north side of Black Mountain, belonging to M[?] Kimberly, and could get me all the posts I want- he  engaged 250 to come by July 1- at 40 cents, there with the ones engaged from [?] six on 100, two weeks ago and…Culberson 50, today, and…J. H. Sumner, 50 a few days ago will make 450.

I am not at all well these days, which fact must be my apology for a dull letter.

A. Dufour

Poste- restante
Geneva, Switzerland
May 22, 1897
My Dear Friend;

Your most welcome and highly entertaining letter written at Akron, Constantine, Algeria, and dated March 31^st. Came duly to hand. My appreciate of it must not be measured by my promptness in acknowledging its receipt.
I was surprised to hear of such aboriginal things as goatskin bottles in Northwestern Africa. I got a map and tried to locate you, and picked up some information as a consequence. What an enormously vast affair this world is. Compared to the smaller speck, man, who bosses it, or thinks he does. It reminds me of a couplet I wrote at the grandiloquent age of 21-

“How great the Universe! How mean the earth!
How vast the earth -- How paltry little man!”
To one of your ripe scholarship, retentive memory and lively fancy, a sojourn there must have been a continual feast! I am assuming that you have left for Geneva, or that you will, at least, arrive there before this letter, and so I write you to that place.

I have not heard a word from or of your children or your father. I thought I saw, in some newspaper reports of a move on foot to less a large body of brazen lands to a Northern syndicate as a hunting and fishing preserve, some hope of your lands in that vicinity, being brought into market, but the last I saw was to the effect that the State Board of Agriculture had destined to let the lands &c.

I don’t now any news that would interest you. McKinley’s election seems to have failed utterly to bring any improvement in economic conditions. It is a fact that there has been more complaint of money [?] since the election than before, and the stringing shows us sign of abatement. I don’t know what would have become of Asheville but for the money left here this Spring by the visitors. My business had been exasperating scant, and but for Mrs. Gwyn’s boarders I don’t know what I would have done. Even as it is, I am running behind on current expenses.

I spend a lot of lonesome time at my office, and I occasionally rummage among old papers in search of some document, and thus frequently find an old letter from you- voices from out the dead but not yet forgotten past! Some of them glowing with hopes and expectations never to be realized- others steeped in gloom that has been dispelled by the fitful changes of some Fortune’s facial expression! It seems to me that I have had more overwhelming proof both by observation and experiences, during the last seven years than in all my life before, of the utter uncertainty of the course of events! There has been three times as much done since 1890, to increase the intrinsic value of Asheville real estate as was ever done before, particularly in street improvements; but property is much lower in price than it was seven years ago. This is given as an instance- there are other contradictory things I could mention- but it is useless. Nobody ought to commit suicide in a moment of despondency- for what secures imminent will not come- the proper time to do it (if there is such a time) is in some moment of suspense and exalted self satisfaction which I warn you, cannot last. Fate is merely lifting you up high that your descent to hell may cover more space, as she utilizes your classic corpus as a missile to serve her catapultic caprice. Please, I beg you, do not retaliate for my delay but write again soon. With many kind regards from all the family to you and Mrs. DuFour. I remain, Yours,

W. B. Gwyn

Geo. W. Pack Esq.

May 27, 1897

Hotel Netherland, N.Y.

My Dear Sir;

Inclosed please find sketches of changes made in lots 6 and 7 Block X last year after your purchase of the last named lot from Sluder- as for your request of 25^th, just to hand.
Our metrological conditions differ from yours, in that the weather and air are all right, but the temperature all wrong- 50 degrees this morning, 60 degrees now in my office, and colds that easy to catch you don’t have to use us bait. The writer of our discontent bids fain to last all summer. With kind regards,
Yours truly,

W. B. Gwyn

A. Cawley Esq.

May 27, 1897

City

Dear Sir;

Would you seel the lot on Cumberland Ave, north of you, to a party who would improve it satisfactorily? If so, kindly let me know price &c. I think I can satisfy you as to character of improvement &c.

Yours Truly,

W. B. Gwyn
And he answered never a word- I was inquiring for H. S. Company of Morgan, Alexander and (infra).

Asheville, N.C., May 27, 1897

The Southern Newspaper Union,

Charlotte, N.C.

Gentlemen;

Your favor with samples as requested. I have no idea of starting a newspaper. I wanted to see your style of matter, so as to form some idea as to whether your customers would be interested in a certain line of reading matter.

Do you set up any matter, or publish mostly from plates you get from the syndicates? I can furnish matter of a certain class which I have abundant proof would interest the readers of the papers you supply with ready print, but I am at a loss to whom to apply. The Charlotte Observer has published many columns of it, and the editor; Mr. Caldwell, wrote me very highly of it. I do not know him personally, but you doubt you do. You may have seen some of the stuff, published over the nom de plume of “Dave Hanks.”
I would be obliged if you would speak to him about it, and if you can suggest any way of getting the stuff into more general circulation, I should be thankful to you. Of course I wish it to be confidential between us at present. If you will tell me how many papers you supply, I will keep the information confidential if you desire it. I believe there is something to be made out of the Hanks matter if it is managed right, and I will make it to the interest of some one to point out the way, or help do so.
Yours Truly

W. E. Clarke Esq.

Attorney-at-Law

May 28, 1897

Newberne, N.C.

Dear Sir;

Our friend, Prof. A. DuFour probably spoke to you about me, as an old friend &c. He asked me to be his general agent for matters on this side of the pond, and I have just received a letter of inquiry from him, and to enable me to answer him satisfactorily, and save repeated inquiries upon the same points, I beg of you to write me as to the following details:

1. When Mr. DuFour left you in December, there was a scheme to rent his lands to the Penitentiary Board- Kindly write me what steps, if any, have been taken in that direction, and what you are the prospect of success.
2. On December 26 last, you wrote to Mr. Dufour about Ives’ claim advising him to accept Ives’ first proposition, Viz., Ives to give a quitclaim deed for his claim in the 3 to 5 acres of land (b) Ives to surrender right to claim about 12.00 rents stopped by you in DuFour’s name (c) Ives to surrender all claims to the $50.00 due by Brown for cutting timber of DuFour; (d) Dufour to pay Ives $30 in cash as consideration &c.

Mr. Dufour answered you immediately that he adopted your view, and that, as you were his debtor for a balance of $35.00, and had therefore, with said amount and the $12.00 rents above named, to pay Ives and whatever costs and fees might be connected with the matter.
Kindly write me if that matter has been settled accordingly.

3. Have Robt. Hancock for T. S. Knight, and Mrs. Bryce’s attorney surrendered the tax certificates for which he paid them in December?

I shall be greatly obliged if you will answer the above queries so that I may answer Mr. DuFour.
If there is any news in regard to the place please write that also.
Yours Very Truly

May 28, 1897

James M. Campbell Esq.

City

Dear Mr. Campbell;

Please call and see me the next time you come into town, and very much oblige.

Yours Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

May 29, 1897

Joel Ingram Esq.

Avery’s Creek

N.C.

Dear Sir;

I am wanting several hundred locust posts, sawed 4”X4,” 10 feet long. I may have to take some round posts as the sawed posts are hard to get of that length. If I take any round posts, they must be perfectly straight and full four inches across the small end, besides the bark.
If you can do anything in either [?] let me know immediately. I am buying for another man who pays cash down and demands full measure for what he says for.

Yours Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

May 29, 1897

Chas. H. Campbell, Esq.

City

Dear Mr. Campbell;

I notice in this week’s issue of “The Register” in the list of lands advertised for sale for taxes by T. J. Reed, tax called in for Buncombe County, the following:
“1 lot of land in Beaverdam Ward filled by C. H. Campbell known as lot 8 block 13 tax 3.78.” I feel sure there is some mistake. You bought the lot April 1896, but possibly you forgot to return it for taxation. More likely, however, you listed it and paid the tax. I have heard of several mistakes of this kind lately.
Yours Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

Messrs. Blake, Lash & Cassels,

May 29, 1897

Toronto, Can.

Gentlemen;

Your esteemed favor of the 17^th received, and I have been daily expecting to hear from you again as to the result of your inquiries into the identity of R. H. Hudson, which you said you would at once make. Of course there is no use of suing out a commission to take the testimony of a man who knows nothing about the case. My clients do not live in Asheville, and I have been waiting to hear from you again before writing them. They will not object to the fees stated in your favor, but they would probably object to sending money away to take testimony of any one who knows nothing.
Kindly let me hear from you at once, as we want to get this testimony within a few weeks, and past progress warns me that there is probably no time to waste.
Yours Very Truly

Atlanta Newspaper Union-

May 29, 1897

116 Lloyed St., Atlanta, Ga.

Gentlemen;

Your esteemed favor received- I have no present intention of starting a newspaper. I wanted to form some idea as to whether your customers would be interested in a certain line by reading matter I can furnish.
Some two years ago the Charlotte Observer published a series of letters from me signed “Dave Hanks,” a few samples of which I inclose, together with some others published in the Asheville Citizen. The editor of the Observer wrote me some highly complimentary letters which I have, and suppose he would, on request, write you how they took with his readers. They show for themselves, however, I had all the compliments from individuals that am an could have wished, and I had abundant evidence of the popularity of the stuff that came to me indirectly, and therefore untainted with any suspicion of flattery.
Of course one paper could not afford to pay much, and I dropped the matter. I write the stuff with such ease and readiness that I wish to try a wider field and see if something cannot be made buy it. I would have but little difficulty in turning out a weekly letter on current topics, and I think they would soon attain popularity. I drew the illustrations myself.

I think it might be preferable to adopt a somewhat better orthography, and I expect to do so on taking it up again.

Kindly return the samples sent, and oblige,

Yours Truly

Dreamin about the [?] foot

Hypnotisin’ [?]

Miss Lenin on Divorce

Hank’s Memorial Spring (poem, illustrated)

Curing Colds
“Ef I had a…[?]”
Hank’s Sleepin can dream.

E. B. Cline Esq.

Hickory, N.C.
May 29, 1897

Dear Sir;

Your esteemed favor inclosing copy of complaint in the case of Arthur E. Cochran et als Vs J.B. Lenoir, Exr. Et als, for, which accept thanks.
In “Malone on Real Property Trials, page 88, you will find quoted from the case of Greer Vs Mezes, 24 Howard US., is following:

“In the action of ejectment a plaintiff will not be allowed to join in one suit several and distinct parcels of land in possession of several defendants each claiming for himself, but he is not bound to bring a separate action against several trespassers on his single, separate and distinct tenement or parcel of land, is to him they are all trespassers, and he cannot know how they claim, whether jointly or severally; or, if severally, how much each one claims. Nor is it necessary to make such proof in order to sustain his action. Each defendant has a right to make defense specially for such potion of land as he claims, and by doing so he necessarily disclaims any title to the reside of land, and if on trial he succeeds in establishing his title he is entitled to a verdict. He may demand a separate trial, and thereby avoid the issues, complications, and costs of the others.”

What, now, do you think as to the propriety or necessity of our setting forth by metes and bounds just what our clients claim and own within the boundary claimed by the plaintiff? There are so many defendants that some of them may lose their cases, and we ought to avoid all danger of being taxed with costs. If we should move to be allowed to defend separately, could we not do that as well after answering, especially as we would have laid the foundation by specially pleading our claims?
On a hasty reading of the complaint, it strikes me it will not be a very tedious thing to answer, as we can enter a simple denial to most of the counts in the several causes of action.
Yours Truly

 Geo. W. Pack in A/C W. B. Gwyn

New York

My Dear Sir;

Your esteemed favor asking for statement of the difficulty about the road to Brown and Morrison- I am writing that matter up. Inclosed please find statement for May- made nothing- also statement of W. B. Gwyn Trustee, closing …- covering all the ground from brining “The Register” contains eleven columns tax advertisement- The Citizen and Gazette several columns each. Money is said to be scarcer than ever known. Some few real estate deals being carried through successfully but none so far buy.

Yours with kind regards,

W. B. Gwyn

Geo. W. Pack in A/C W. B. Gwyn Trustee

Should see page 737

Chas. H. Hartshorne in A/c with W. B. Gwyn

Chas. H. Hartshorne Esq.

May 31, 1897
Jersey City

My Dear Sir;

Inclosed please find statement to date. There is a “bill pending” for $15.35, $12.00 of which is for repair to the kitchen range, and the remaining $3.95 for replacing the broken marble basin in the Water Closet in bath room. The latter I ordered- the former I did not- it was $3.33 bigger by Baker’s ordering 3 sets fire brick for [?] instead of one. Of course they will come in sometime and cheaper that way, by ordering all together- I would never have made that bill- I would have bought a new stove first. I suppose I will pay the bill- but not if you say not- Baker declares he has paid out 7 or 8 dollars on the electric bills, notwithstanding I paid 1.50 [?], 10- He wants me to pay those bills too. He intends to buy the house I think, but he wants it for [?], and will hold of bill the last minute- I wish he was out. I told him the other day I would not pay another bill of any kind.

Yours Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

Geo. W. Pack Esq.

June 1, 1897

New York

My Dear Sir;

I herewith inclose Mr. S. M. Lee’s bill for surveying, covering a period of a little over a year. He said there was an arrangement between you for the payment of half of such bills in cash, and the other half to be credited on interest. Command me.
Mr. Pack there is a piece of property for sale now at such a figure that I write to urge you to buy it, either yourself, or for some member of your family. I refer to the double front three story brick building put last year by Mr. James M. Campbell on the East side of Church Street, north of and adjoining the steam laundry.

The lot is 34-1/2 X 90 and is improved as follows:
The basement is of stone, and divided into four rooms, two front, with cemented floors, reached by separate stairways from the street, and two back rooms with outer doors, to be used in connection with the rooms above.

The street floor is divided first into two store rooms, with stairway to second story between them, and the left hand of the stores has been further subdivided so as to make a good front room for business and two living rooms back.

The next floor has a hall running all the way from front to back, and has six rooms on each side thereof, 12 in all, together with a side stairway to the top floor, opposite to which is a bath room.
The top floor is one room, I think. Anyway it is rented for five years to the Odd Fellows, at $200.00 a year. The floor below the top is rented for five years to Clarke at $200 a year- much too low, but a sure thing on that account.

Of the two stores on street floor, the left hand one is at present vacant. The other is rented for five years at $240.00 to A. V. Jones & Co. The two basement front rooms have both been rented at $5.00 a month each, but are now vacant.

Of the above mentioned five year leases one is already used up.
There is a written contract of record, so I am informed, for the payment of five hundred dollars for privilege of joining walls when the next lot north of it is improved. I infer that the wall is built partly on the next lot, as I can think of no other consideration for such a contract.
There is $3,000 insurance, expiring next Oct. 17. The rate is 1-1/2.

There can be hardly any question as to the property being a bargain at the price $6,000.00.
Those stores alone can be counted on to pay a fair interest on the investment. The two upper floors alone pay over six per cent on the investment, and they can be safely counted on. I believe I can sell the property for a nice advance later. All the three upper floors have sewerage &c.

Mr. Campbell gave 2,700 for the lot, and the building must have cost nearly what is now asked for the property. It has the appearance of being an excellent building- basement stove- I have no examined the interior carefully- I think there is a little unfurnished work- not much-

I think it would help the real estate market for you to remake an occasional purchase “on purpose.”
It does seem to me if there was ever a safe purchase this is one. I think I can seel it before long at 25% profit. Excuse hastily & kindly answer,

Yours Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

Geo. W. Pack Esq.,

Asheville, N.C., June 2, 1897

New York.

My Dear Sir;

I forgot to inclose Mr. Lee’s bill last night, in my hurried letter about the Campbell property. Please find it herein.
A party interested in the sale of the said property offers to rent it for five years at $700.00 and give good security for the contract.

Young Courtney, of the firm of Morgan, Alexander & Courtney, occupying the store under my office, clothiers &c., comes here from New York or Brooklyn. He says he (or his mother) has a large number of city lots in Brooklyn which they will exchange for property here.
He pointed out the location of a number of them, on a street car map I happened to have.
25 of them are in Springfield Lake, a suburb about 3 miles Eastward of Jamaica, also a suburb of Brooklyn- I mention this because I am under the impression that there is another place by the name on Long Island. Courtney says there is a great deal of building going on in Springfield, and that these lots will come in.

4 lots in Jamaica, a little west of Morris Park-

6 or 8 lots south of and one block from Greenwood Cemetery, 38^th St.

2 lots on Bay Ridge Avenue quite near the last named.

4 lots on 39^th street quite near the above.

There are others.

I thought possibly you or Mr. Rollins might consider these lots and that it would not be very much trouble or expense to get some ideas of their value. If you are at all interested, the exact location of every lots will be given. Courtney says all the lots are 25 X 100.

May 31, 1897

Total debits in A/c

Telegram

Geo. W. Pack,

Hotel Netherland
June 7 1897

New York

Other stove [?]-also one basement- please telegraph immediately.

W. B. Gwyn

June 18, 1897

Harold Doubleday Esq.

Dear Sir;

I herewith inclose you four letters from Messrs. Blake, Lash & Cassele, Attorneys of Toronto, Canada, in regard to taking opposition of R. H. Hudson to be urged in the causes of Doubleday & Lanier Vs. The Asheville Ice & Coal Co., and E. B. Themes and R. F. W. Allston Vs. the same party. I also inclose copy of the interrogatories sent them to be propounded to Hudson when his testimony is taken as contemplated, and also a copy of the memorandum sent them to refresh Hudson’s memory.

You will observe from the said letters Hudson is on the make, and it is a rather serious question what to do. We cannot get along in the suits without his testimony- that is evident. You well hope that $20.00 is demanded for taking the depositions, and $20.00 by Hudson for appearing and telling what he knows. I will consult Jones when I can get to see him, as to whether we had not better compel the attendance of Hudson, and if he is stubborn about giving witness[?], make himself, to cross-examination, that he demanded money for telling the truth. This plan is however, attended with great difficulty, owing to the rules of evidence preventing a party from discrediting his own witness, and is of questionable propriety, on that rents account at the other side would be furnished as opportunity to say no credit should be given any of his statements.

In my event, whether we pay Hudson to tell the truth, or pay those other lawyers for forcing him to testify, you see it will be necessary to send forty five or fifty dollars to Canada, and the sooner it is sent the better, before Hudson disappears from sight, or dies, a contingency which is always to be considered. Please return all the letters and papers inclosed.

Yours Very Truly

D. J. E. David

June 5^th, 1897

Dear Sir;

I have your esteemed favor of yesterday, and I herewith inclose copy of the restrictions as  to building &c. in the deed from Geo. W. Pack & wife to Lucy W. Lambert, wife of H. S. Lambert, as requested by you.

It has never been my habit to annoy people about purchasing Real Estate, and I have sometimes feared that my forbearance has been mistaken for indifference. I think I have something of interest to talk about now, and would be pleased to have you call at my office in passing.

Yours Very Truly,

W. B. Gwyn

June 4th, 1897

My Dear Sir;
Mr. J.S. Adams wants to borrow five thousand dollars on his home place across the river for five years at six per cent per annum payable semiannually. He thinks that, as you have never seen the place, I had better say to you that, a year ago he borrowed just double the amount now wanted from a New York concern on this property, for one year with the privilege of two years longer, but had to give an option of purchase at fifteen thousand dollars, the parties then thinking they would wish to buy the property, but now not thinking so. Preliminary to letting him they money they sent first an agent to examine it and afterwards an attorney to see about the title. Mr. Adams says the debt is now due and he expected to get five thousand, the amount needed, from another party who had promised it to him, but has been disappointed by the failure to sell some bonds. Adams says he has promise to settle tomorrow, and while there is no danger of his being advertised, he hates the idea of not paying up (I can, by an effort of memory, sympathize with him), exactly when he promises, and is anxious to do it as soon as possible. Wherefore he would be very much obliged if you will accommodate him with this loan, and send me at telegram to that affect, C.O.D.

He says there are forty acres in the tract, beautifully lying land, that the house cost six thousand dollars, and is insured for three thousand. He could have obtained more insurance.
Adams says this arrangement, if consummated, will leave him indebt ten thousand dollars, with five years to make and pay it by sale of his other property and so forth.
I told Adams you would not get this until Monday morning, owing to there being no delivery in New York on Sunday, and then he asked me to put a special delivery stamp on. Maybe I will. I hadn't...I don't suppose Adams would think a telegram declining the loan, was worth anything to him.
Yours Very Truly

J. F. Woodbury Esq.
City
June 7, 1897
Dear Sir;

I would like to see you without delay, in an important matter relating to your French Broad Avenue property, and would be obliged if you will call at my office.
Yours Truly,
W. B. Gwyn

B. M. Lee Esq.
City
June 7, 1897
Dear Lee,
I would like to see you without delay at your earliest convenience,
Yours Very Truly,
W. B. Gwyn

I have never forgotten a remark you once made to me to the effect that you very seldom met Col. Fatch that you did not get some valuable idea from him. It was the well known fact that the late Col. Hatch could never make or keep any money that caused your remark to make such an impression on my mind. I think it helped me somewhat thereafter to gauge the ideas and views of men on their merits rather than by the standard in almost universal use by the sons of men. The tremendous difference between the respect accorded to my own views and opinions now, and that which they commanded in by-gone days is one of the greatest strains upon my patience, not only in the humiliation that it causes, but more still from the evident harm that I see going on end that I am powerless to prevent.
If there is any difference whatever in the weight which my views have with you, however, I have never detected. The biggest difference consists in the patience with which I now defer to your judgment. The unaltered respect which you show me is one of my dearest possessions. The increased respect which you show me is one of my dearest possessions. The increased respect which I feel for you is but one of the many laurels you so justly wear, and I could not expect my poor offerings to command much attention. Great Scott: what  a lot of twaddle I have got off, merely to introduce a mild suggestion that Joe Adams' note for five thousand dollars, adorned by forty acres and amule, no, a $6,000 home, is better that O. S. bonds because obtainable at par and [?] more interest over it if I say so.

My Dear sir;

I inclose tax list f or Ward 2. I have the others made out and will send you copies if desired. I send you under other cover a copy of the reverse act of the late lamentable legislature of 1897. Would be obliged if you will kindly return it, unless you wish to keep it, in which case I will get myself another. I don't think I have mentioned the fact that the earthquake of a few days ago shook down one of the large cap stones from the west chimney on your Davidson house, College Street. It tumbled off into the yard without damage to the roof. The quake, as I noticed it, would rip with quite a "jar" as things were settling back. I suppose the stone must have fallen about that time.
Sincerely yours,

W. B. Gwyn

June 8, 1897
Harold Doubleday Esq.
Tryon, N.C.
Dear Sir;

Your valued favor re-inclosing papers sent you a few days ago, with Doubleday & Lawyer's [?] for $20.00 is just to hand. I note your remarks about Hudson. I will see Jones again. I have seen him since I wrote you last week, and we discussed that phase of the matter you touch upon. We are afraid of an "unwilling witness." But I will write you again soon.
Yours Truly,
W. B. Gwyn

Please write
1) Whether this plan meets your approval
2)Am I within[?] my recollection of the facts
3)Is this the last demand Hudson Made...

Yours Truly,
W. B. Gwyn

Geo. W. Pack Esq.
New York
June 9, 1897
My Dear Sir;

Yours favor of 7th is just to hand. The strip that is giving trouble is supposed to be 16 feet wide, being the difference between a 40 foot and a fifty six foot street, which latter, Morrison claims, is the proper width, all of which is more fully explained in the brief sent heretofore. I am not trying to re-open the Adams matter by remarking that I was not referring to any bank in New York, but in Cleveland.
With heartfelt regrets,
Yours Truly, W. B. Gwyn

Dear Sir;

I herewith inclose two "sketches" of answers of our clients in the case of Cochran and Tate vs. Lenoir et als, the one in purple ink proceeding on the theory that defendants will admit that their lands lie within the boundary claimed by plaintiffs, and the one in blue ink, marked (b) proceeding on the opposite theory, denying that the grant of plaintiffs over the lands owned by our clients, thus putting them on to the task of locating their boundary, denying that the grant of plaintiffs over the lands owned by our clients, thus putting them to task of locating their boundaries. I do not know which of these courses other defendants propose to take. You are in a better position to know about this, and I should be glad if you will inform me upon this point. Of course I appreciate that in a matter of such consequences pride of opinion, if indeed it stood in my way, must be resolutely put aside; so please do not hesitate to cut and slash as it occurs to you. It is not a great matter to rewrite a paper- far less trouble than to amend. Let me hear from you very soon.
Yours Very Truly

W. B. Herrick Esq.
June 26, 1897
P. O. N.C.
Dear Sir;
I insist on your paying me the fee you owe me. I have waited a long time on you, and you have taken no notice of my letter.
Yours Truly,
W. B. Gwyn

New York
My Dear Sir;

I received your note dated at Seabright N.J.- I was very glad to receive it, showing that you have become comfortably settled in your summer quarters, and that you are pleased with your surroundings. I like that about the robins. I used to think the old fellow in the big white oak tree at the old home said "Abraham-Israel- Abraham- Israel-" This was a long time before I ever saw a Jew, and I  then had as much respect for Abraham as if he had been one of my own ancestors.
But the bird that appealed to me more strongly than all others was the brown thrush, as I call it- I do not know whether it is a thrush at all. The woods of "Pinewald" are full of them, and I do not hear them anywhere else in town. It is a compact brown bird about two thirds the size of a quail, though of course a little more slender. Its song consists of three notes, or syllables, the last one going off into a sort of jingle inexpressibly sweet. There is generally an interval of a minute or two between the little melodies, a kind of contemplative, reflective, speculative interval, as if the little fellow was wishing to hear the echoes of his own voice, or to mark the effect of his remarks upon the listener, or, which is the most probable, to look out for the small boy's missile.
I inclose a clipping from this morning's Gazette, signed R. H. D.

There must be some mistake about the inclosed bill. When did I order? I was in the July 1897 edition but have given no order since. I declined this morning to receive and receipt for the book.
Yours Truly,
W. B. Gwyn

Your letter with what you say is a copy of the contract I signed in April 1896 surprises me much, as I had no idea that there was any such provision in it as you claim there is; of course I do not insinuate that you have made a false copy of it, but I do say that I had no idea that there as any such clause in it, and I say further that I do not believe my attention was called to it at the time, for I had great hesitation in trying the thing even for one year, and only signed at the urgent solicitation of your agent.
I received from you some months ago your form No. 21-B, asking me to renew my subscription for 1897, upon same terms as contract of 1896. This was enough to negative any fear that might have exited my mind that I had signed just such a contract as you say I signed, and my non-reply thereto should have been a sufficient intimation to you that I did not wish it to be renewed, or at least sufficient to demand another notice from you before inserting it. I cannot imagine why, if you had a perpetual contract like you say you have, you should send a notice calculated to throw me off my guard in this manner. No one, reading it, and knowing nothing of the former contract's providing for a perpetual renewal, could have formed any other conclusion from the notice than that, if I failed to reply to it, my name would be omitted from your directory. This was the impression made on my mind, and upon it I acted in not replying to it. I will not pay it, nor will I receive the book from the Express Co.

Yours Truly,
W. B. Gwyn

July 1, 1897
Hon W. L. Norwood-
Waynesville, N.C.
Dear Sir;
Inclosed please find three orders by consent in the cases of Doubleday & Lanier, R. M. Allston and E. B. Thomas Vs. The Asheville Ice & Coal Co., which I would be very much obliged if you will kindly sign and return to me by mail. Thanking you in advance for your attention to this matter, I am Yours Very Truly

Your esteemed favor inclosing a letter from W. A. Blair in behalf of the stone cutters of Asheville, and re-inclosing the clipping from the Asheville Gazette, signed R. H. D., is just to hand.
I undertook to head off at the last meeting of our committee the very impression the prevalence of which justly gives you such cause of annoyance. Mr. Powell remarked that the committee owed it to you to defer to your wishes, and that this was a cogent reason for adopting your views. I immediately remarked that I felt sure that any such motives on the part of the committee would be the reverse of pleasing to you, and that, so far as I was concerned, there was only one reason besides the merits of the proposed design that would have the least weight with me; and that was based upon the known simplicity and conservatism of your taste, and the opportunities you had had in travel to observe monuments. "Mind you," I am writing now on my "own hook," not having seen any member of the committee since receipt of your letter. I am so provoked that I think it would be some safer to let off some steam, so to speak, in this way, and let somebody else talk alter, before I say too much hereabouts. I'll bet, by George (and I do not mean you), that the lead-

I herewith inclose statement for month of June. You will see that I have commenced on the fence. We still lack over two hundred posts, and it is quite hard to get them. Those we have are not up to specifications, but they are fine posts, and the fence is going to be an uncommonly fine one. Moore, the builder, is anxious for us to build a picket fence on the front, instead of wire. We cannot build barbed wire on the street line, and he says this ribbon wire is very unsatisfactory, difficult to fasten, and a failure as a boy-turner. The picket fence will increase the cost $75.00 to $100.00- If well built, and it would be if Moore built it, it would set off the property pretty well, and would certainly turn people for the plan proposed is to build it seven feet high, with three rails, and pickets only two inches apart. The estimate includes painting two coats. If I hear nothing from you, shall I use my own indiscretion in the matter? We had considerable difficulty in deciding what to do about getting across the branch, owing to the rock exposed. There are also some boggy places underlaid with rock. We...

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W. B. Gwyn

W. B. Gwyn
 

Gentlemen;
Your favor received. You must know what is in your own forms, and that the first legend of your  form "21-b" is "PLEASE FILL UP AND RETURN." Nothing could be more misleading, and it is immaterial whether it came with the book in June 1896, or later. I have never received a cent in return for my investment with you in 1896. If your use of my name in your directory for 1897 brings me substantial return, I will pay you whatever the said return amounts to, up to seven dollars and a half ($7.50), and no more. I imagine you have not yet printed your December edition, so I implore you now "in writing", to leave my name out of that work, and all succeeding efforts, unless requested to insert it. I do not at all care for the June 1897 edition, but if the above proposition is satisfactory to you and you would rather I would take the book out of the office than not, I think I will invest 35 cents more in spot cash and take the book out.

Mrs. C. O. Weber-
1432 Harmony St.
July 7, 1897.
New Orleans, La.
My Dear Madam;
Your valued favor of the 2nd., Inst was received several days ago, and I have been waiting to get some information before replying thereto. And it is, I can give you nothing definite; I have two houses in view for you, one on Chestnut Street, and one on the hill near the passenger depot, a fine situation, convenient to the street cars. There is a house that would suit you exactly, I think, on Grove Street, but it is for rent only until September 1st and I suppose that would not suit you. I will be on the lookout for you and if you will call me when you come, which you say will be about the 15th, I may have a house to suit. The Hartshorne house is occupied.

July 7, 1897
Dr. Geo. A. Mebane,
City.
My Dear Sir;
The Sprague Company is anxious to get some accounts from you to collect, so as to show the people here what they can do, and would be very much obliged to you if you will prepare and forward to them as many as you have in shape. Kindly advise me if you have already done so, or when you do forward any, and oblige,

Yours Truly

Since writing you on the 7th, I have received positive information about the Chestnut Street house, that it will be vacated on the 15th, and I think it will suit you. The rental is $35.00, and while not fully furnished, I think but little more will be required.
Perhaps you had better write me on receipt of this, if you get it before leaving New Orleans for Asheville.
Yours Very Truly

P. S.---I inclose a receipt for Hudson's execution and transmission do Doubleday & Lanier, which I think expresses what is proper.

[Average/Price per Acre]

[Letter, see pg. 800]

Your favor inclosing corrected answer and restricting it to T. B. Lenoir, Exr., together with descriptions of lands &c., in Tate-Cochran et als Vs. Lenoir et als, and I herewith inclose answer rewritten as per suggestions in your favor.
Replying to your question as to whether I was in favor of or had thought of setting up the statute of limitations, I certainly am, but omitted pleading it under the impression that decisions of our Supreme Court were to the effect that it is not necessary to plead it in actions of ejectment- see Falls of Neuse Mfg. Co., Vs. Brooks, 106 N.C., 107---Cheatham V. Young, 113, N.C., 161.
In Nunnery Vs. Averett, 111 N.C., 594, it is held that where the statute is pleaded, the burden is on the plaintiff to show he brought his suite within the proper time---it may be that this would not apply except in cases where the statute is pleaded, and if this is true, there might be great advantage in pleading the statute instead of simply relying on it on trial; and if this is true, you should add a further cause of action specifically pleading the statute.
If you should do so, your attention is called to the case of Pemberton V. Simmons, 100 N.C., where it is held that an answer alleging that "the plaintiff had not brought his action within the time prescribed by law, and that the same is barred by the statute of limitations", is a sufficient plea.
I have not read this case, and have not the book to refer to, and it may be it will not apply to our case; I merely refer to it as possibly furnishing an easy way to plead the statute, and more particularly as we may have to rely both upon actual twenty year possession and seven year color of title possession.
I note that you struck out the further defense I blocked out. The fourth cause of action of the plffs is in the nature of a bill "Quia timet," and for pure gall is remarkable- It was with a view to the same relief that I put in this further defense, and still think we ought to have it, though I am not saying that you should put it in this answer. It may be that you struck it out for cause not known to men.
I am writing in a great hurry, and am pretty tired, after writing this long document. There is one omission in the description, caused by Lenoir's ink blot- also another mistake, of mine--small-