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423

(413) 

Dec. 18/95.

Dear Mr. Hecker:

On the 2nd inst. I went to New York to attend to Christmas matters and also to see what could be done with the Erie and New York, New Haven & Hartford on additional orders. The Erie want 1,000 coal cars, but have not yet made their financial arrangements, and although they need the equipment the matter has dragged along for over one month, and now it looks as if no decision will be reached until after Jan. 1. The New Haven people want 500 coal cars and I had thought I could close the matter ten days ago, but it is also still in abeyance. 

While in New York I met Messrs. Winter and Hughitt. During my interview with Mr. Hughitt he agreed to give us a chance to bid on 200 to 400 [[strikethrough]] refrigerator [[/strikethrough]] [[?]] & [[?]] cars which he at that time contemplated purchasing. Afterward Mr. Hughitt returned to Chicago and before I got away from New York a letter came from Mr. Whitman inviting bids on 200 to 400 ore and 150 refrigerator cars. I went to Chicago at once and returned from there yesterday morning after four days spent on this work. During these four days I went into C. & N.W. matters very fully, both at the shops and the general office, and I believe that I have removed certain obstacles which have to an extent operated against us of late. I also secured contracts for their present requirements, viz., 150 refrigerator cars and 400 ore cars, it being understood that the latter number will be increased by 60 or 75 cars later to replace destroyed numbers. The prices for this equipment are actual cost and on very close figures at that – lower in reality than the facts afterward proved necessary so far as competition was concerned but in another sense not too low considering the purpose aimed at. It does however seem too bad to take work at naked cost and without provision for contingent risks. The whole story is too long and too personal for a letter, but I believe when you know the full particulars you will be pleased with the result. Another factor influencing me was the fact that we had practically nothing ahead for the Michigan shops after finishing the Erie and Ohio Central, and

Transcription Notes:
2 [[?]]s -maybe "ore & coal" "of the?" ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-09-20 13:03:48