12 July 1873 Letter of Union Parish Recorder William Callaway Smith to his brother-in-law J. A. Manning Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Robert S. Hendrick, 1/2005 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Materials from the Personal Collection of Dr. Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. Transcribed and submitted by Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. ================================================================================= 12 July 1873 Letter of Union Parish Recorder William Callaway Smith to his brother-in-law J. A. Manning ================================================================================== ================================================================================== ================================================================================== NOTE: Explanatory information is given in brackets. William C. Smith wrote this letter home while on a trip to Colorado. The problems he mentioned in his hip are early symptoms of osteomyelitis (bone infection). He later sought treatment for his condition in Atlanta, and it eventually led to his death. ================================================================================== July 12, 1873 Denver, CO J. A. Manning, Esquire Dear Gus, After so long a time I attempt to write you a few lines. We arrived in this place yesterday evening from Central City [Colorado] & Blackhawk [Colorado]. We spent just one week in the in the mountains and that was tiresome to me. The atmosphere was too cool for me in the evening and morning and I believe it did me [the words "as much" here crossed out] More harm than good, The Rheumatism in my hip got worse. I bathed in the hot soda springs of Idaho, but did no good. I am thinking now that I will have to return home but little better off if any as to the Rheumatism. I expect we will leave Denver tomorrow evening the 13th. We expect to stop a week at Sedalia, Missouri. We will be at Stowe (??) by the first of August. Tell Jimi Reed and Sheriff Lee that I expect to be ready to the Board of Assessments. Well Gus, I know you will be glad when released from the Recorder’s Office. I can imagine I can see you going from the office to the drug store quite a number of times a day, which is very tiresome. I would give you a sketch of the mountain scenery in our trip to Idaho and Central, IC [??], but Thorton [Manning??] has written a piece for the Record [the 'Union Record', the Union Parish newspaper of that era] which will be a better description than I could give you. We have been to the Post Office since our return. We have had no letters yet unless we find some in the office this morning. I received the dispatch at 12 o’clock on the 8th. I wrote to Lizzie [Smith's wife, Elizabeth A. Manning Smith] the same day at Idaho. If we stop at Sedalia, Missouri, we will dispatch home. I and Thorton visited some of the gold mines yesterday morning at Central & Blackhawk. We went into one mine 1,300 feet from the entrance of the tunnel. We found the miners at work by candlelight. We went in one mine 1,300 feet and the miners told us it was 500 feet directly over us to daylight. Gus, when you get this, see Lizzie and let her hear from me. This will do for all. Give my kindest regards to Crawford [Franklin Crawford Manning], Katie [Mrs. F. C. Manning] & Billie and my little family also. I Remain as ever your Bro, W. C. Smith P. S. On going to the Post Office, I got three letters which was quite a treat. Two from Lizzie and one from Jimmie [his son James M. Smith, Sr.]. Also one from Mollie [Mary Elizabeth Smith] and Willie [William Allen Smith] . Dated 26th June & 2nd & 4th July. Was glad to hear all going on well. You tell Willie I got his letter and that I will not forget [indecipherable word] in that present. ###########################################################