The record-union., 1893-01-11
A MODEST REQUEST.
1t Comes From a Resident of Far
Away Michigan.
She Wants List OF Names of the Liv-
ing and Dead in California
''Squink's" Reply.

The following letter addressed to the
Secretary of State has been referred
to me for attention. Whatever comes
along that no one else can handle, or has
no use for. usually reaches me:
ADVANCE Mich, January 2, 1898.
Mr. Secretdy-SIR: | thought l would
write you for q list OF names of the living and
the dead IN the state OF California, if you have
over in regard to keeping names. l have
father that went to that State years ago, and
by way of chance l heard that there
that died near that city between two
ana three years ago, and l feel very
/ anxious to find out where he is. | was ad-
vised to write to you, and hope 1t viii be in
your power to send me list OF names, and
oDlge, MRS. LAURA A. FERGUSON,
Advance, Mich. Charlevoix Co.; Box 12.
In reply to your letter, my dear madam.
] will say that with the opening of the
new year the State officials and myself
have decided upon political and other
kinds of economy for our motto
for 1898, and we propose to dispense with
as much superhuous labor as we can.
However, your request is one of the
ordinary demands which we receive and
are inclined to attend to, providing you
you will be little more explicit in your
pans anu SDCClIlCdLlOHS.
You do not say whether you wish the
list OF names asked for sent to you over
land, by freight, OF around Cape Horn by
water. by the time we have it prepared
we may tie able to send it via the Nicar-
aqua Canal, and thus save money on the
transportation.
Since the territory now known as Cal
ltornla was constructed, and as far back
as we can remember, people have been
living here, and, Notwithstanding a cli-
mate which every one has heard of as be-
ing GLORIOUS" many have died-mOst
OF them, however, with their boots on.
We haven't list of the dead nor the
living, but anything can be produced
hereafter the Legislature adiourns.
when the banks and other archives feel
safe in opening up.
good many of our residents have died
in the woods and up in the mountains.
Some were killed by Indians and after
ward scattered around; many were
hanged and others drowned, while some
are silurians and unknown.
OF course there are names of people
who left US which were never recorded
here. as many We're careless in the prim-
tive period of our history. These we can
only secure by telephone.
The law here is about like it is "all
over" but we are not responsible for
that. We have been digging away at it
anu SldChlllS IL up Dy Ln6 Ton, and nlDg
it away wherever we can get storage
room, until we have got about as much
law as you have in Michigan. If YOU
want it we will send it along with the
list.
You say you heard there was man
here wearing your fathers name, but as
you do not give the name we cannot have
him arrested. We might get an innocent
man-in that one respect.
AS YOU omit the name Ve will boua ~
send much larger list than if we knew
1t TO have been Jones or Squink. l might
be your father, but hasty review of nv
tempestuous career furnishes nothing
from which l can speak with accuracy,
Ii am the man, however, | am not the
one whom you say died two or three
years ago.
If it was he who died, we might tell
you where he is, but you might not be-
lieye us, and the proofs would be diff
cult to reproduce; beside, such informa-
ton would be of no earthly value.
In conclusion, my dear madame. when
ever you are advised to write us. do SO
whether you have anything special to say
or not.
AS to our power to send the list of
names of the living and dead of Cali
tornia, never doubt us. No one has anv
better facilities for digging up history
than we, and at our beck we can TRANSPORT
anything from this coast to Charlevoix. if
the necessary formalities are ARRANGED
with the transportation companies.
Trusting to be of service to you. I am
yours, So1JINK.