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424

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this order will tide over that Dep’t I hope until the New Erie and New Haven contracts are secured, both of which I think will come to us eventually.

The general outlook in the west is very different from what it was six weeks ago. Mr. Cable told me that he had many idle cars on his tracks at present and would buy nothing more for some time to come. The C.B.& Q. as you know gave an order to Wells & French last fall for 2,000 cars. These are being gradually delivered, and the Burlington officials told me they had very little use for them. In fact, I understand they turned over to the T.P.& W. 500 of these cars, which euchered [[euchred]] us out of a sale I had under negotiation with Mr. Wood some three weeks ago. The Milwaukee and St. Paul have had good earnings because of rather active movement of wheat, but the other western lines are all feeling rather blue. I took luncheon with Mr. Truesdale on Sunday last and found his family very well. They all wished to be remembered very kindly to you, as did also the Rock Island and North Western officials. Our competitors on the North Western trade were Terre Haute and Wells & French. Barker was not invited because it was understood that he had all the work he could do to April 1 next and these cars are wanted prior to that time. 

The material market has been dropping considerably of late, and I doubt if the bottom has yet been reached. In order to satisfy the requirements of the C & N.W. people, particularly Mr. Davidson who seems to sit very close to the throne, I decided to buy all the channels, soft steel, and even bar iron for these cars from the Illinois Steel Co. I do this notwithstanding the fact that we may have to close our Forge part of the time, but in this trade I am determined to overcome all friction and elements of displeasure if possible.

I was very glad to receive yesterday your letter of Nov. 13 written at Kandy, and to know you enjoyed your ocean village to Colombo and that Ceylon was proving agreeable to yourself and Louise. I think you will find your interest in Ceylon rapidly increase as you see more of it.

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