Letter, William Gleason to Kate Gleason

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Office of
William Gleason,
Manufacturer of
Machinists’ Tools
10 Browns Race,

Rochester, N.Y., April 10th 1885

Dear Daughter

Enclosed is NY draft for $50.
I have just returned from New York where I had
been to Prentiss & Co. I have sold since
I wrote to you last one 36” 20’ Lathe too
the Woodbury Engine Co of this City and
Prentiss & Co has sold one 26×24” 6’ Planer
I refused the offer of $1000 for Daniel R this
weeck. so you see that although quite hard
pressed for money, I did not take the
tempting bait. My business with Prentiss
was of a financial kind. Sometime past
he sent to me two notes one for three months
and one for four, with two & three months
interest added respectively. Mr. Burghardt
entered them on his double entry system
off boock keeping as being two and three
months. I intended to keep his line of credit
down to less than $3000 and purposely kept
back shipping the 36”planer which was to be
$1000 to Lombard untill after the two month note

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was as I had supposed been paid and then
shipped it some days afterwards I found on
loocking over Prentiss letters that there had
been an error in entering the notes and in
sted of owing me $3000 he owed $4000. He also
got hard up and asked for a part [renewal?]
on the very first one due. You may bet
I was frightened. Besides there was about $1000
more due early next weeck. So I just
went down to New York on [Wednesday?]
left here at 6.30 PM and next day called
on Mr Prentiss. I bought a lot of tools from
him in all three machines. A cutting off
machine a twist drill grinder and a
Blaisdell Drill and gave him as pay
one off his notes. I also got from
him a note of one of his customers, a good
one and surrendered note N.2 of his so that
in all I reduced his indebtedness $1500,
which made me breathe free I don’t think there
is and danger but then the disgrace of allowing

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a firm as weak as his is to owe me $4000
in case any thing did happen would be worse than
the loss. I also made arrangements with him
that in the future he is to turn over to me
the Parties notes that he receives for the machines
in that way I can keep him down to $2000 or there
abouts. He was very gentlemanly, and was perfectly
willing to let me have all the tools that I wanted
too the full amt off his indebtedness. then his
turning in too me the note that he received
while I was there and the debt being reduced
too $2500 in the mean time that I thought I would
chance it for the rest besides he explained to
me that his embarrasment was owing to a Party
that gave him notes to the amt of $10000 which
they failed to pay and he had to take them up
with the Miller matter still unsettled and that
Seare comeing on me. I can tell you that
there is other things to make a person feel
blue besides a ½ per cent discount in a
class average standing. I feel better now
however, and am going to work with renewed
energy.                Yours &c
Wm. Gleason