Manuscripts
Arthur H. Taylor letter to my dear Terrill
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M. K. (Morse K.) Taylor letter to Ira Bartholomew
Manuscripts
Letter from Dr. Morse K. Taylor to his colleague Dr. Ira Bartholomew, in which Taylor seeks to establish his claim over Dr. Jacob Da Costa as the physician who first described a condition of "heart diseases in the military service" (later called "military heart" or Da Costa's Syndrome). Taylor describes his service as a field surgeon during the Civil War, noting that his "investigation" into heart diseases began "in the field" at Cornith, Mississippi, in May 1862. In August of that year he was transferred to the general hospital at Keokuk, Iowa, and he describes furthering his research and quotes the number of admissions, deaths, and autopsies during his time at the hospital. He goes on to outline how his further research has verified his earlier conclusions, and that it is a "great satisfaction" to him that other surgeons had subsequently come to similar conclusions. Regarding Da Costa, Taylor writes that he had altered his views to be more in line with Taylor's in an 1871 article, and Taylor concludes that there was "now but little difference between us - no more...than might be expected to arise from different standpoints, civil and military." Taylor concludes by saying he is writing an article on "Heart Strain in the Military Service" for Wood's Reference Handbook. In a postscript, Taylor clarifies that he does not intend to "antagonize" Da Costa, conceding that "we were working simultaneously in the same direction unknown to each other." But he is firm in noting that "I do claim precedence" for having described the condition, and cites various correspondence and published papers to support his claim. The letter also mentions doctors by the names of Keeney, Woodward, Seitz, Myers, and Franzel.
mssHM 80479
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Edward Robeson Taylor letter to Mr. Prang
Manuscripts
In this letter to Mr. Prang written on letterhead of the Mayor's Office, City and County of San Francisco, Taylor thanks Prang for his kind birthday letter. He thinks the mayoral election on November 5, 1907 will go well, as he believes that the people seem to be for him while all the politicians are not. Taylor asks Prang to remember him to his wife and says that he is sending a copy of his selected poems that were published on the anniversary of the fire.
mssHM 29265
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John Scott Eldon letter to "My dear Lord,"
Manuscripts
In this letter, the 1st Earl of Eldon is talking about politics and clearly shows his lifelong antagonism towards any form of republicanism. He states "The plant of Republicanism grows rapidly and I grieve to hear that some good & true men are meditating hard on what Regulations it can be best encouraged...."
mssHM 80797
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Recollections of Sixty Years of Engineering by John H. Quinton
Manuscripts
This typewritten memoir by Los Angeles engineer, John Henry Quinton, begins with his childhood in Enniskillen, Ireland. He continues with his decision to find work in America as an engineer after seeing an advertisement in a book for the Central Pacific Railroad Company. After a rough voyage at sea on board the steamship Circassian, he landed in San Francisco, California with $40 in his pockets in 1873. In California, Quinton writes about various ventures, from ill-conceived irrigation projects to the inception of a colony called the "California Colony," which was the foundation for the city of Fresno. At one point in the memoir, Quinton interjects with a note about his temperament. "I have already stated in these pages that I was endowed with a hasty temper as a boy, and showed it so frequently that my mother, who was a very wise woman, warned me that it would sometimes get me into serious trouble. Fortunately as I grew older I learned to retrain my temper, and although it came near getting me into serious trouble several times it never really got me into serious trouble" (p. 202). He concludes the memoir with a few kind words about Frederick Haynes Newell, the First Director of the United States Reclamation Project, and taking up work since he did in 1908.
mssHM 83618
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John Groom letter to "My dier Wife and Children,"
Manuscripts
This letter was written by John Groom to "My dier Wife and Children," on September 22, 1850 from Georgetown, California. In this letter to his family, Groom describes his difficult journey from the Missouri River to California. He opens the letter about the hardships of his journey, which includes contracting the flu and mountain fever. He passes numerous graves while crossing the plains, which disheartens him. In California, he states that the prospects of mining for gold "looks very Gloomy." According to Groom, the chances are very slim. "I am speaking now of the late emegrtion per haps 1 in 20 makes theire half ounce a day and 1 in 50 is doing what we all expect to do that is to do well by hard work and aconemy while 1 in a 1000 is makeing there fortunes..." He reveals the harsh reality of the California Gold Rush, "...I tell you now that the dark side of callafornia has been kept hid while the good side has been mutch Exagerated there is not 1 man in 100 but wishes himself at home of this years emegration and every man almost without exepttion that can Raise the money is a going and has gone already for my part I am here without the means to get home..." He also includes details about the costly supplies in California. He concludes the letter, "...be content to stay where you are doing well or not for God forbid that I ever should be the cause of any man coming to Calafornia to get Gold..."
mssHM 68184
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Lou H. Blackmer letter to Julia E. Smith
Manuscripts
Autograph letter written by Lou H. Blackmer to Julia E. Smith, 13 August 1877, in National City, California. In part: "...I love and honor you for the brave stand you have taken. Do you not sometimes weary in the conflict for rights that are ours? I do and not only weary, but become thorougly heartsick at the injustice heaped upon our sex. My husband is a firm woman suffragist, which gives me strength..."
mssHM 58200