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Understand from Jake that American Steel & Wire in Worchester has bought a small 36" gauge loco from H.K. Porter. Fortunately Jake was following the job himself by correspondence with Donovan or he would have rubbed it in. Now we get a tip from Alco that they are about to buy 3 more. Neil and I tried to call on these people last year but always got put off someway. I feel this is another case where the Boston Office somehow "missed the boat" because I don't believe we were ever in the running. I'm beginning to wonder just what's wrong over there - I think of Moshassuck Valley, Chapman Valve, Montpelier & Wells River - and now this.

A new cylinder block is due here Saturday for the New York Central. Thinking the thing over, I am wondering if it was running the engine so hot yesterday [[underline]] with one cylinder not working [[/underline]] that caused the trouble. The crack occurred right there behind that cylinder. Zeke claimed it was the heat but I didn't see it until I had this thought - unequal heating might set up strains that would produce a cracked block.

I came down with a head cold today, probably caused by exposure Tuesday plus the hilarity and drinking last night. It is a runny nose kind of a cold and it is significant there was no sore throat preceding it - the way my colds always used to start BTR (before tonsil removal). So I believe I have really gained something by having that operation.

Am taking tomorrow off as the last day of my vacation. Whitey wont be back until Monday and I am all caught up on my work preparatory to moving into my job. Today I worked with Cash Davis on the Departmental Expense Budget which I am due to take over next year as part of my ultimate job.  While we were working on