142 E. Allegheny Ave
Philadelphia Dec. 9 1926
Dear Uncle Patrick :-
I suppose by this time
that you are tired of reading my apologies
for my very long delayed answers to your
letters. I will confess that I have not had
plenty of opportunity since last May 24th of
answering your letter.
No doubt you saw the
Scullin girls during the summer, as I
heard form a cousin of theirs whom I
met that they intended visiting Ireland this
past summer. While they live but three
miles from us, we very rarely visit each
other.
You also mentioned the
Mount Pleasant people. Last March Aunt
Bridget died, but unfortunately circumstances
Prevented either Mary or myself from attend-
ing the funeral. Jim Logan wrote us of
her death, but we did not receive the letter
until midday of the day before the funeral
and I did not know of her death until
I arrived home in the evening. It was
too late then for me to make any arrange-
ments about getting away from work for
two days. Mary had a severe cold at the time
and the weather being severe, we felt she should
not be traveling [travelling]. We thought we would have
Mary or Fanny or Eliza visit us during the
Summer or fall on one of the numerous ex-
cursions which the railroads were running on
account of the Sesqui-Centennial [sesquicentennial] which was
held in Philadelphia from May until the
end of November, but none of them got her
I have told you in a previous letter that
Jim Logan visits us about every two months
as he works for the railroad company.
This city of ours had throngs of
visitors during the summer and every week
their [there] was a Convention of one kind or another.
The Mayor of the City invited Cardinal Dougherty
to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving for our
150 years of independence. Within the Sesqui-Cen
tennial [sesquicentennial] grounds their [there] is an immense stadium
which seats 100 000 people. At one end of this
stadium an altar was erected and on Sunday
October 3, a monster parade of 80 000 men
marched from the Cathedral to the Stadium
a distance of about 3 miles. Our section of
the parade arrived at the grounds about 1030
but all seats were taken by the earlier sections
of the parade to arrive and by women and children.
By the time the last of the parade had arrived
the entire field was a solid mass of people.
The number who attended this Mass is estimated
at 200 000. For the benefit of 50 000 more
who could not gain admission to the stadium
two field masses were celebrated outside.
The Solemn High Pontifical Mass started on
the stroke of noon and finished at 130
The chanting of the Mass and the preaching
Of the sermon were carried through voice
Amplifiers to the far corners of this immense
stadium. I was tired when finally it was over,
after marching and standing from 9 oclock to half
past one. In the bright sunlight the gorgeous
vestments of the priests, the bright uniforms of
the Papal Knights and the immense throng
on every side and airplanes floating overhead
presented an unforgettable picture well worth
the price of the inconvenience of being tired
and very thirsty.
This Sesqui-Centennial of ours
like the British Exposition was a financial
failure to the extent of about 12 million dollars
but it was very interesting and instructive
to those who visited it.
On July 4th the President Coolidge came up
from Washington and dedicated and officially
opened a new bridge across the Delaware river
connecting this State with New Jersey. This
bridge which is two miles long between approaches
took 4 years to build and cost 3,7 million dollars.
The two states share the cost and raised the
money through bond issues. There is no charge
for foot passengers, but there is 25 cents charged
for pleasure automobiles and 40 cents for trucks
It is estimated that in about ten years with
the constantly increasing traffic, the bridge
will be paid for.
These things are far removed from
you and probably are not interesting, but
when I started this letter I thought of them as news
to tell you.
How is Patrick doing in Australia?
I am sending a little gift along
with this letter. Mother and Mary join
me in wishing you all a Very Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year
Affectionately yours,
Tom
