Transcript: Stangroomletter18661106

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San Francisco Tuesday 6th November 1866 My Dear Mother I write these few lines in haste to tell you I have arrived safe, sound, and in good health and spirits. We had a pleasant voyage and arrived here on Sunday morning. I found Charly and the Colburns all well and glad to see me back again. Louise was very much pleased with your presents and Charly also, as well as with Charlotte's. He and I have played at Spellicans every evening since I came. He has grown and is quite healthy and strong. On Monday morning I settled

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right down to work in the office and my employers were very cordial and appeared glad to see me. The work stopped last week, but I expect to commence it again in a week or two and am now making estimates to determine whether to go to work at the end of the first 20 miles near San José or at Sacramento. If we do the latter, I shall have to be at Sacramento most of the time for the next few months but should in that case be down here at least once a week. We have got rid of the troublesome Contractor on the works though there is a

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heavy lawsuit pending between him and us, which, when it comes to trial, will be very exciting and perhaps amusing. Colburn is not doing as well as he did for a year or two, having put everything he could take and scrape together into an invention of which I do not think he will ever derive any benefit, and I expect to have to help them a little for some time to come. I expect to have to go up to the Stockton tomorrow to be gone some days and will close with best love to Pa, Mat, and Lucy and to all at Geneva when you

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write to them. Tell Lucy I will write to her in my next when I have more time. Tell her to send her picture if she has not already done so and to write often. Believe me, my dear mother, your affectionate son, M. L. Stangroom