THE ONLY AMERICAN GOLD COMPANY IN THE FIELD
FIREMANS FUND AGENCY OF THE INSURANCE CO.,
FF [Fireman's Fund?]
CALIFORNIA
General Department
Cor. Lake and La Salle Sts. THOMAS S. CHARD
CHICAGO General Manager.
Augusta 9 Jan 1879
W.J.C. Allen Esq
My Dear Sir
I have just returned home
after a two mos [Months?] tour in the West
having travelled about twenty six
hundred miles by rail going & coming
through snowbanks and over rivers covered
with ice two feet thick which was
something new to me. On my return I
found your valued favour of 14 Dec
and am truly sorry to learn from its
contents the death of your friend and
relative Mr Campbell whom I remember
having visited Auga [Augusta?] with you in 1837
a little over forty years ago and I can
scarcely realise that we are all getting
so old. One link after another is
broken among our friends until
we have very few left with whom
we held sweet counsel in our
younger days. When I look back
among my first acquaintances &
dearest associates here I can
count but few and I know but
a very few here whom you would
be likely to remember Miss Hannah
Longstreet spent last summer in
Canada and has not returned yet
her sister Mrs Sibley is still here
but she lost her other sister Mrs
Carmichael about two months ago.
Mrs Wm. [William?] Bryson and her
daughter, also Jno. [John?] Davison
are all well, though I
have not seen any of them since
my return. Mrs Giltenan is also in
her usual health & lives close by me.
You will please accept my thanks
for the last annual report of your
Bank which must certainly be a
satisfactory one for the shareholders.
I note your remarks in reference
to financial matters & the failure
of the Glasgow Bank which was
a matter of astonishment to every one
here as we all though the Scotch
Banks were on a solid foundation
But poor human nature seems to
be at fault on both sides of the
Atlantic and the desire to become
rich in haste has ruined many a
man and Corporation Our Southern
Institutions are gradually gaining
strength, at least in Georgia, and
more especially in our own City. Our
Municipal Bonds are now worth
par and our principal Railways are
doing a good business, paying fair
dividends, and promptly muting the
interest on their bonded debts which
has brought the Bonds to par and a
little over. On the whole we have
no reason to complain. Providence
has blessed us with an abundant
gharvest and we have plenty for
man and beast. Also the political
state of the country, it is not altogether
what we would wish, but so far
as the South is concerned we have
passed over the bridge and have seen
the worst. We have no faith in Congress
and never had, for so these many
years, and I heartily agree with
you on the Silver question, the
truth is honesty has forsaken the
land, in a great measure, so far
as public matters are concerned
with a few honourable exceptions, we
must however hope for the best and hope
"sounder views" will yet prevail.
Please present my Kind regards to your
family also to Miss Carr & Blackwood
& mention to Mr. B that I spent a pleasant
day with his cousin Mr [Nevell?] in Nashville
lately, he is doing well & looks well
Yours Most Sincerely
Thos [Thomas?] W. Coskery.
