George McClean, Philadelphia to Mr. Rutledge, Magherafelt
Transcriber's Note - The following letter was enclosed with the emigrant letter that follows. Dr J.S. Garvin Ring Hill 24 Mullaghbane Road Armagh BT61 9HW Telephone 37523004 15 April 2002 Dr Patrick Fitzgerald Centre for Emigration Ulster American Folk Park Omagh Dear Dr Fitzgerald, Following our discussion on your recent visit to Armagh I enclose copy of a letter from an Irish emigrant to my grandfather who ran a drapery at the Diamond, Magherafelt until his retirement in the mid 1930s. Yours sincerely Stephen Garvin 19th"Sept"30 1854. E. [East?] Wishart St Kensington Ave, Philadelphia . P.a. 2o/ U " S " A Mr Ruttedge We never intended being so long as this without getting you Dear Sir paid but we cannot help it Just a few lines in answer to your letter and acounts [accounts?] received yesturday [yesterday?]. Well we are very sorry for keeping you so long without getting you paid but we cannot posible [possibly?] help it as times are so. bad out here and every. thing is so very expensive. To tell you the truth sometimes we cannot hardly make out at all. It takes us pretty busy and there are hundreds out of work and the rents are so very high, we are paying £6 pounds per month for a house. and the food is so high in price not mentoning [mentioning?] clothes its very hard to make out a living at all especally [especially?] with a large family these hard times with the cost of living being so high. There was a great many families had to go back to Scotland and Derry again. They were not able to make a living out here at all. This country is not as good as the people over there think it is. We tried our best to get back to Ireland last year but we could not get the money gathered up to take us so we had to remain on here. If some of our boys was joined work it would always be a help but having so many to provide for its pretty hard. If we only had a knew [of known?] times was [were?] going to turn out like this we would never been out here at all. So Mr Rutledge you will have to excuse us for some time yet as we could not send you any money for some time until times improve, we have had lots of sickeness [sickness?] since we came out here. and with the expense of the hospital and every thing we could not possible [possibly?] send you any just now But you rest assured we will pay you as soon as ever we can see our way to do so. So you need not be afraid of not getting it for we will certainly pay you as soon as ever we can and we never had any other intention but to do so. The climate does not agree with us very well out here. If we only could see our way of getting back there again we would not be long out here times are so hard some times we hardly know. what to do to make out for the best. so you rest content you will get paid by us Sure. and as soon as ever we can, If you. dont belive [believe?] us. about times being so hard and bad, write to some body else out here. and they will can (sic) tell you all about it as people dosent [don't?]. know any thing about it over there. its awful out here. at present. so we are really sorry we cannot send you any at present. but will as Soon as we ever are able to do so. We remain. yours faithfully. George. and Annie McLean. Transcribed by Darren LairdClose