The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-21
CANALCONTRACTOR' SHELTERS
rayiL CONSTRUCTORS READY FOR
4 GREAT GORGE.
did MILLER. the Get.Rich-tluick Man.
Draw the Davis Act?--H Not, Why
Pardon Him:-Thc Price OF Groceries
Discussed in Fatherly Condolences.
From The Letters OF a Canal Contractor 10
His Son.,
BUFFALO, May -

BUFFALO, May -.
My DEAR BILLY: ives glad to get your
letters from Newbureh and Albany and to
learn OF the connections you lave made.
you seem to have observed carefully the
instructions I gave you when you started
nut and think you'll find the old mans
Judgment is pretty clear. II this canal
PROPOSITION can be put through it's the
rnance Of century, and If you don't slip
ITO YOU can make as big pile in three years
a. il took me twenty-five to get. Don't
hesitate to give absolute assurances as far
"a the political end Of the deal goes and
look to me to fulfil such promises.
or course we've got to let c. in. He's
the high and soulful element in the party
IN here and goes about declaring himself
mon everything from a $500 sewer job up to
,h;s Still he has to be counted on and. aside
from the delegates, he's agreed TO get some
If the resident engineers along our piece
Of the Job and see that they're right. That
neans a good deal. or course. he's conf
don't that the people will vote for the canal
nronosition next November. He's got his
creed 40 to a pitch where he's counting the
noney now. But II he was only good Tor
ne resident engineers he'd be worth while.
ri have some advice to give you on that
subject later on.
There are several ways Of finding the
hvpo,en,se of a man with a State job and
a family I remember very well when l
was getting 81. 900 in such place and cough
,ng ND TO a county committee that no con-
tractor sent me box of cigars that didn't
dump the uerfectos out on the table to
.ee il there was a wrapper in the bottom
~ rhe box that would keep the cigars from
getting too dry.
Now about the groceries and supplies.
I approve Of the agreement you made.
The cheapest grocery prices are not al
wavs those quoted in the price list I've
paid Klondike prices for groceries and
hauled 'em across two States and iound
them the best bargains | ever bought
one year after had paid Cape Nome tariff
on all my supplies your mother had her
first season at Newport and she's never had
TO miss summer since. | guess the gro
ceries that the State charitable institutions
and the State hospitals have to put up with
will he good enough for your dagoes.
As I've told you dozens Of times, there's
a lot OF difference between taking con-
tract with the State and with the Govern
ment You remember when IL W
got the Government job at Pittsburg and
old man H made mistake in his addi-
ton and underbid himself $4,000! The
Government held his bondsmen and the
surety company took everything he had
but one child Then the surety company
made him work free as superintendent.
No such contingency on these canal con-
tracts IL you're in right If there's chance
for your profit to be sliced by any circum-
stance that YOU haven't reckoned on, why
the State Engineer can write YOU little
order for extra and unspecifed work and
you're back on Easy Street If you don't
have TO split the proceeds in too many
ways.
I begin to understand now where the
proposition to pardon Miller. the first get
rch-quick man, originated. He must nave
drawn that Davis Act I've pucked
few berries in my time, but tell you there
never was a bush like this one.
Remember, that out of the measy 50 0oo
GO canal expenditure the D. {. Company
made so much money that one Of the part
ners drank himeelf into apoplexy, and b
has been travelling around the world ever
since to see if they sell that champagne ir
every port Well. goodnight and gooe
hck Your FATHER,
II.
BUFFALO. May -.
DEAR BILLY: Your telegram from New
York received. Great! You have the righ
idea You can afford to rebuild twenty
four piers at cost, or at loss, If need ho
TO &c, in right The only chance You take
is on the election in November. j am adj
dressing this so it will be forwarded tic
YOU at Newburgh, If it doesn't catch you al
New York. Wire me from Albany il yot
have anything more definite. In haste,
Your FATHER.