Letter, William Gleason to Gleason family
A letter from William Gleason to the Gleason family. William acknowledges positive reports from Kate and Andrew. He describes the people and environs of Portland and the good impression that Eleanor has made there. He announces his intention to travel to Sacramento and back to San Francisco to see what it is like after the earthquake.
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The Imperial Hotel Co.
Portland, Oregon, April 30 1906
My dear family I received
the letter of the 23rd written by
Kate and one written by
Andrew of the 24th both contain
encouraging reports. I am
satisfied that everything is
going all satisfactory or
nearly so, and I am takeing
some comfort out of my
prospective trip home and
the numerous changes you
wil have mad in both the
old and new shops by
the time I reach there arrive
I expect to leave here about the
12th of May and home some [^]where
about the 24th Elinor is very
nicely located here the people
at the boarding house are
very nice, and the location
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is but very little if any
inferior to Lake View Park
I am satisfied that she is
a sensible level headed
woman, and safe to go any
where. Some of the older
women at the boarding house
toock occasion to compliment
me on haveing sutch a
daughter and one old Lady
said they were proud of
her. I take my noon lunch
and evening dinner with
her but I am rooming at
the Hotel. I spend my evenings
with her Sundays we drive
out. it is a beautiful
country around here immense
hills I seen some trees
on Sunday that were at
least 300 ft and not a branch
for at least 200 ft and perfectly
straight Portland is a very
nice city about 125000 being
larger than I thought Every
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thing is wide open not any
talk of Sunday closeing
or anything of that kind.
there is quite a difference here
as to getting acquainted
as compared to the East
move up and start in talking
with any one I mean the
men in the Hotel Lobbies,
you can abuse them as mutch
as you like only they draw
the line at being called
a liar Every thing else
goes I am going to stop
a short time at Sacramento
and if possible at Frisco time
I want to see the difference
Tuesday Afternoon we toock
a Touring car and spent
all the after noon sight
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seeing we left there at 9 P M
and next morning about 10
we heard the City was destroyed
you never seen sutch an
excited crowd as the passengers
on that train the first reports
as to the loss of life was
grealy exagerated. the loss
of property could not be over
rated I wrote to Mr Sherry
but as yet have not received
any answer I am glad that
Edward Geary is out of
trouble the other people I only
had a slight acquaintance
with.
My love to all
William. Gleason