Charles Bessey, Letters, 1885-1887

Tehuantepec Ship Railway. [illustration] Office 34, [??]

[map inset] New York: December 28, 1885

Prof. Charles E. Bessey, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska:

My Dear Sir:–

Recalling your kind invitation extended to me at Ann Arbor, to visit your city and explain the Ship Railway, – I can now, I think, accept the invitation for some time between the 15th and the last of January. I expect to be in Nebraska on some private engineering business about that time, and would take the time to go to Lincoln, if it can be arranged for me to have an audience not only of the students in the University but of the business men of Lincoln. We have a proposition now before Congress and are desirous of obtaining support for it and an endorsement of it by the business men of the country. Kansas City, St. Paul, St. Louis, New Orleans, Mobile, Galveston and some other sections of the country [sic.] have given us a hearty endorsement, and if I could state the case before your people with this object in view, I would be very glad to come. Please communicate with me at your early convenience, and oblige,

Yours truly, [L?] [Corthell?]

(Over.)

Topeka, Kan. Sept. 29, 1885.

Prof. C. E. Bessey, Dean Univ. Nebraska, Dear Sir,

I shall esteem it a favor if you can communicate to me the name of the enclosed plant. It grows abundantly in the "old channel" lakes (sandy bedded) of S. central Kansas. This specimen came from near Sun City, Barbour Co.

If you are not familiar with the species, even the name of the genus will be acceptable.

I expect to issue Bulletin 4 Washb. Lab. Nat. Hist. in October.

It will be mainly zoological in its contents; but will include a third contribution to Kansas mosses, and a few miscellaneous botanical notes.

Cordially yours — F. W. [Cragin?].

P. S. — I found the November number of the Bulltein Iowa Agr. Coll. Botan. Dep't, which you sent me, very interesting, and thank you for it, again, if I have already done so. Can you tell me to whom to apply to get the preceding numbers?

F. W. C.

Talleyrand Place, near Jacksonville, Fla. April 2 1885.

Prof. C. E. Bessey:

Dear Sir – I am glad to hear from you from your new "field of usefulness" – I have just sent out my 3d edition of [Facsimile?] I, or rather 1/2 of [Fascs.?] I & II, the other half to follow next winter. Having over a dozen subscribers for these I prefer to supply these before undertaking a new [Facsimile?].

Of the other Nos. I have only one copy of [Fasc.?] VI; & this will

probably [go on?] long to a College in Iowa unless you order it. Not having promised it I will hold it subject to your order. This & the reissue are wirth $18 each. I am getting up some sets of Fla. woods – about 150 sps. at a low price – Don't you want a set of these? Did I send you my revised list of Fla. trees – comprising 200 sps.?

Yours truly A. H. Curtis