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The Danton Burroughs
FAMILY ARCHIVE
Presents
A BURROUGHS FAMILY TRIBUTE
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THE LETTERS OF GEORGE T. BURROUGHS, JR.
1888 Yale University (Sheffield Scientific School)
Sheffield Scientific School
The Sheffield Scientific School, produced some of the greatest
inventors and industrial leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries from its
founding in 1852 until the mid-1940s, when its engineering courses were
absorbed into the growing Yale Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
New Haven
Jan 7 1888
Dear Father -
Your letter of the 5th inst received this morning.
This is the first moment I have had since we got
here to write & let you know that we had arrived safely.
As you probably know from Harry's letter we were
delayed by a wreck just this side of Fort Wayne, Ind. for about five hours
during the night, none of which time were we able to make up. It is worthy
of notice however that, even with other slight delays caused by our not
running on our own time, we made the rest of the trip on schedule time.
I suppose you want to know what time we should have reached the places
you mention & enclose a time table which will tell you. If you
want to know what time we actually did get there add five hours & thirty
minutes to the time as given & you will have it approximately.
It is a fine train & well worth the extra
expense. During the entire trip there was scarcely a sign of dirt, &
no one can appreciate the value of the vestibule connection until he has
tried them. I have often wondered how ladies managed to get form one car
to another some times having to go the whole length of the train to reach
the dinner, as they do, but on this train a child can wander from one end
to the other without the slightest danger. We stopped at the Gilsey House
over night in New York & left for New Haven on the "Fast Express" to
Boston at 9.00 AM. I feel pretty good to think that I was able to get
form the ferry, when we landed, up to the hotel without asking any questions
& without having to go to the expense of a carriage.
I don't mean to say that I led the others but I
would have been able to get along alone, as probably Harry & Sam would
also.
With love to all
Geo
POSTMARKS: New Haven Jan 12 10AM ~ Chicago
Jan 14 8 Am
TO: Mrs Geo. T. Burroughs ~ 646 Washington Boul ~ Chicago, Ill
New Haven ~ Jan 10 1888
Dear Mother -
Your letter of the 8th inst. received this morning.
There seem to be noting in it that requires an immediate answer, but as
I have a few minutes to myself I will devote them to you.
Things seem duller than ever here after spending
two such pleasant weeks at home. And after next week which is "Prom" week
there will be really nothing going on but studying & training. We commenced
the latter Sat & will keep at it unless something unforeseen occurs
until the end of May courtly & perhaps until the end of June. There
are about 20 min training for the University crew, a few more than that
for the "nine", fifty more for the Matt Haven team about a dozen
for the Sophomore crew and thirty for the freshman crew & the Freshman
nine yet to commence. Beside these "teams" there are a great many working
for their own amusement or health. So you can imagine that training is
a rather important thing just now. The more so as for every place there
is great competition & each man who is striving for the place has probably
a number of friends who are especially interested for his sake.
You will be glad to know that we both passed all
our exams & are still in the 1st division in German & French. The
work now is quite hard, too hard I think & will continue so until Easter
when we may get it a little easier though I haven't much hope of it for
in the Engineering courses the work is about the same from the beginning
of Junior to the end of Senior year.
Two of my friends very kindly offered me the
use of their dress suits if I wanted to take a lady to the Prom. But as
there is no one here whom I care to take & as it would cost a good
deal I have decided not to go. It takes considerable time & trouble
for about a month before hand getting your lady's dance program filled
with the names of suitable partners to say nothing of your own, which is
a much harder matter, as there is always a scarcity of ladies. If you will
notice the "News" next week you will see an account of the affair.
That little thing you made in such a hurry just
before we left is about the prettiest thing in our room, any thing of that
kind that you run across (after we get rich) will always be welcome.
We have a nice room, a very nice room but the
walls are rather bare & those things helped to fill up the vacant places.
I have taken to wearing a tennis shirt again
& so my old shirts are apt to last me a good while, to say nothing
of the saving in collars, cuffs & neckwear, for any discarded necktie
will do.
Well I have come to the conclusion at this stage
of the letter, which perhaps I should have thought of before I commenced,
that there is nothing to tell & so wont attempt to worry along any
farther & bore you with more of this trash.
With love to all Geo
P.S. The "Machine covers" are very comfortable, a little large perhaps,
but they have not been washed . I dont see how we managed to get along
with those thin ones all last winter.
Geo
New Haven Ill
Jan 12 1888
Dear Mother -
Can you make me a cap of some soft stuff like
flannel to pull down over the ears. I want it to use when we are running
or rowing in the cold this winter. Any sort of a thing will do. I want
it this shape, any color or quality of material. /_\. When I tell you that
the fellows sometimes put a stocking on with the foot hanging down behind,
as a sort of tassel, you can judge that we dont need anything elegant.
An acorn shaped thing, turned up about three inches , around the bottom
to make it warm is about what I want. I guess you will understand without
any trouble.
Harry has just come in & he thinks he wants
one too, of a similar design. I have got to that point in my training
where I go down stairs backwards, this will wear off in about a month probably
& then my hands will begin to blister & other such agreeable things
will be our lot for the next six months.
You may wonder what we find in it to offset the
hardships. There are many things but the most important probably is honor
& the glory of winning a race.
Harry's gloves came today
by mail
With love to all Geo
New Haven Jan 22 / 88
Dear Mother -
Your letter of the 18th to me rec'd. The caps
also came all right.
I am glad you were able to buy them & did
not attempt to make them when you were not well. I tried to buy some here
but could get nothing but very heavy toboggan caps, costing more than I
could pay. Those you sent fitted all right & they more than paid for
themselves yesterday, as we took an exceptionally long run, over seven
miles, & it was fully as cold as any day I have seen in New Haven.
They are perfectly satisfactory & I am very much obliged to you for
them.
In regard to that "Algebra", we dont use it, but
once in a while we want it for reference & when we do want it, it is
worth everything to us & I know you wouldn't want it if we would lose
anything by sending it. I would suggest that if you have occasion to
get another, you get a "Complete Algebra" & not the "Elements of Algebra"
which our are. We were conditioned in higher algebra when we entered &
never knew until we got down here that what we wanted wasn't in our book.
While we may have missed some "social opportunities"
I assure you that I feel fully able to make up what ever I may have lost
whenever I have the money to do it on. I don't care much about papering
our room, but whenever you have more money than you know what to do with,
I would like to get some quite necessary books. Not but what I have all
I really for my regular studies, but especially in German there is such
an opportunity for outside reading opened up that it seems a pity not to
take advantage of it. For instance, our German reading lately has dealt
largely with Ancient Mythology and all members of the class have had an
opportunity to display their knowledge of the subject, as I know absolutely
nothing about it, I got Pope's translation of the "Iliad" & a classical
dictionary & have gone to work at them. The "Iliad" is not at all dry
as I supposed it would be but is quite interesting.
Nearly every week Prof. Wheeler suggests some
book either for reading or for reference that would help us in our study
of German, and it is the same in French.
I am sorry you and Nellie will keep on having
those fearful headaches. I wish I could do something but I don't believe
I can help you in any way, if you were men I would say do as I do &
can tell you , you would then know what it is to enjoy life. That is I
mean with perfect health the simple fact of living - eating when hungry,
sleeping when tired, without any artificial amusements -- is a pleasure.
I'll be glad when father feels as though he could afford to take a rest,
I think he needs it & ought not to put it off too long. He ought to
take a change of air for a week or so along in the spring which is a trying
time in Chicago & get a fresh start.
I hope at any rate you will come down here
in the summer for a short time. We will be able to devote all our time
to you, for there is not the slightest danger of either of us making the
crew
this year & very little of our getting on as substitutes.
With love as ever
Geo
New Haven Conn
Jan 29th 1888
Dear Mother -
When the postman passed us by yesterday morning
without having brought us a letter from home all the week I began to puzzle
my brain trying to think what was the matter. This week is one of a very
few when we haven't received a letter. Wed. morning and a whole week has
never passed since we have been here without bringing one. Yours to Harry
came on a later mail Sat. after we had given up hearing from you atall
Something happened to the alcohol which we brought
down or thought we brought which is curious. We had no occasion to use
any
* * * *
a package of any kind & can safely send about a quart of alcohol
I wish you would.
I have had to stop training for a short time
on account of rheumatism in my back & legs. I am now taking a course
of
three Turkish baths, by the advice of a physician & hope
at the end of a few days to be at work again. Our doctor's bills will be
paid by the University Crew as long as we are training with them, so it
is not so bad having to consult a physician. There is nothing very serious
the matter with me for I only notice it when I run or row, but, Stevenson,
the Capt. of the crew, hustles us right off to Dr. Bacon at the least sign
of anything wrong.
* * * *
They are giving us all a thorough physical examination at the hands
of an excellent surgeon to see if we are able to do the work required of
a man who rows with the crew.
The weather has been remarkably severe for New Haven
for the last two weeks, there has been a little let up today & I hope
it will continue to get warmer.
I came very near going to N.Y. last evening on business
for the chapter but will probably go next Sat. instead.
We were mighty glad to hear of the advance in the
price of "goods", any other news of a similar nature will be like food
to the hungry.
With love to all
Geo
POSTMARKS: New Haven ~ Feb 12 7 30
PM ~ Chicago Ill Feb 14 ~ 12 30 PM
TO: Mr. Geo T. Burroughs ~ 646 Washington Boul ~ Chicago, Ill
New Haven Conn
Feb 12th 1888
Dear Father -
Your letter of the 9th inst rec'd yesterday afternoon.
I believe Harry wrote you that I never received the letter of the 2nd which
in yours to him of the 3rd you mentioned the last one previous to that
from you was of Jan 26th.
I was glad to hear you speak so hopefully of
the "Trust's" prospects.
There was an article in a N.Y. paper a few days
ago stating that a 10,000 bu house was to be built in that city by a Peoria
distiller whose name was not familiar to me I suppose that is a newspaper
story, isn't it?
I have about got over my rheumatism, if rheumatism
it was & am steadily at work again. My back, which was all that worried
me atall is all right & Dr. Bacon says my legs will be all right when
warm weather comes.
Tell mother she is right, my cautiousness will
keep me from knowingly injuring myself If anyone was ever cursed with a
bump of caution large enough to approach almost cowardice I am. I wish
I could spend a few years of my life where a little more of the animal
or savage qualities would be brought out.
The only opportunity I have ever had, playing
football, I have thrown away partly through conflicting recitation hours
it is true, but also through that caution which is afraid of a broken leg
or arm or nose or something of that kind which dont happen very often.
Our chances of going to the training table with the University Crew are
rather slim, but while I am sorry it is so I am not dissapointed for we
are very light & have only rowed one year. If either of us make substitute
next year even, to say nothing of getting on the crew I shall think we
have done well.
Tell mother not to send any money to buy alcohol
with, if she can't send the alcohol itself. As far as I am concerned I
am going to have enough money to get through on, by not being extravagant
& that is all I want. If I want anything that I dont think I can afford
I will talk to you about it, until then dont think of sending me
any more than the allowance agreed upon, I would like to see the debt payed
off which you have had to incur in sending us here.
I never saw anything like the way time passes here,
why we'll be home again almost before we know it.
Please let me know before very long how much money
there is yet due us. I want to see if my figures are right.
I am beginning to get something practical now
in my course. Next week we commence "shop visiting" & at the same time
"machine drawing" from sketches & measurements which we take ourselves.
We are beginning to get quite a respectable knowledge of French & German
& I am beginning now to get a drive to go abroad & learn to speak
them which they dont pretend to teach here.
With love to all
Geo
New Haven Conn
Feb 26 1888
Dear Father:-
Your letter of the 23rd was received yesterday.
I was afraid mother had been sick again, as we did not hear from her last
week, but as you say nothing of it I hope I was mistaken. While we usually
look for a letter Wed. I don't want any of you to feel that you must write
when it is not convenient for if we dont hear from home I always think
things are all right, knowing as I do your dislike of secrecy in those
matters.
You are right father if you can do as well as
you did twenty five years ago we will be lucky. I hope you will live to
see some of your children celebrate the twenty fifth anniversary of their
marriage. I was glad to hear of your going to the theatre Wednesday evening,
you & mother had such busy lives with so little amusement that it will
do you good.
Will Tascott if he is the one we know & I
am sure it is, is the last person I should have suspected of such a crime
& I haven't heard enough to make me believe it yet, at least not that
he was alone when he committed that murder.
Next Thursday the Crew goes to the "training
table" & our fate will be either decided for this year or merely postponed
for of those who go to the table, two or three will probably be dropped
off inside of six weeks. We are so near the line that it is merely
a matter of conjecture with everyone but Stevenson whether we will go on
or not. We have been rowing on the harbor for the past week &&
except occasionally on account of stormy weather we will row there every
day until four. I have had the worst luck with my hands lately, in the
first place there is a good sized wart developing on the palm which interferes
with rowing, then last week in opening the box which contained that jug
of alcohol I knocked quite a large piece of flesh out of one of my knuckles
& instead of healing up it has festered & kept my finger stiff
for about ten days, last of all I drove a sliver under the finger nail
of my first finger & this had to swell up & get stiff so that I
haven't been able to do any writing for about a week. They are getting
along all right now.
Last night we gave a banquet to some of our alumni,
it was quite successful and enjoyable affair to all but Harry & I who
couldn't eat or drink a thing & had to leave about 10.30. Harry will
send home a menu to Nellie I guess, but you can all see it.
I am thinking of taking a trip during Easter
vacation if I am not training with the University crew which will be great.
The Glee club always takes a trip at that time & this year arrangements
have been made to get reduced rates on steamer railroads, hotels &c
for as many of the students as wish to go with them. They will go to Richmond
Va, Old Point Comfort & all places of interest down through there which
you know better than I do & will come back by way of Washington. They
have a pretty gay time for receptions are given to them during the whole
trip whenever they stop long enough. Harry don't thin he can afford
the trip & circumstances may compel me to change my mind about it.
With love to all
Geo
POSTMARK: New Haven, Conn Mar
25 7 30 PM
March 25, 1888?
Dear Father -
I believe I have to acknowledge only one letter
of yours, of the 14th from Peoria & one of mothers of the 18th inst.
You were on a very pleasant errand to Peoria. I hope they will be frequent
in future. You received my letter of two weeks ago sooner than I thought
you would, owing to the blizzard it evidently got to N.Y. before the storm
struck here for no train left New Haven from Mon until Sat morning.
I hardly thought you would feel able to send
us all to the country this year & had been making plans to occupy my
time in the city but if you can afford to send us to Beaver Lake I am sure
we will all enjoy it.
How much time do you expect to spend away from business?
Tell mother I have given up the idea of going on
that
trip with the Glee Club also a projected visit to Harvard owing to lack
of funds. I think next year I would like to go back to the old system of
getting money as I need it. I have had all the allowance I want , it has
caused me more trouble than a little.
Do you still think of coming down here this
summer?
We get out Wed morning for a short recess of a week.
We will stay here quietly & try to get a good rest. I have some studying
to do & as there is no news will stop.
With love to all
Geo
P.S. If Frank can get the initials & class of any of his teachers
who are graduates of Yale & what they are teaching & send them
to me I would be obliged to him. Geo
New Haven Apr 8 / 88
Dear Father:
Your letter of the 29th ult. Mother's of the 1st
& yours of the 5th inst. to me received.
Mother seemed to fear that we were not going to
pass a very pleasant vacation, it's over now & I can look back upon
it with satisfaction. I got a good rest, had just enough studying to do
to keep time from hanging heavily & with one or two of the fellows
who were also here managed to have a little fun besides.
I am glad Eddie has a bicycle & hope he will
have some inducement to keep him riding it. I don't think any of us ever
realized how much good our bicycles did Harry & I & how much time
we spent on them out of doors when we would otherwise have been in the
house. Frank & Eddie are neither of them as strong & well as they
ought to be and I think it is because they do not take exercise enough
in the open air. Not that it would do either of them any good to force
them to do something distasteful to them.
If I was in your place I would ship Frank off
to Beaver Lake with his pony as soon as he is through school, it will do
him a world of good if he has to make his own acquaintances up there &
is thrown upon his own resources to get acquainted & to amuse himself.
then he might be getting the boat ready for use before the family get there.
By the way about when do you expect to go up. Tom Walkup is in New
Haven & has invited us to go up, either in Northern Michigan or Wis.
I have forgotten which, with him for three or four weeks where we can enjoy
some good fishing & hunting. I suppose that last word, "hunting" will
put you against it but when I get home I think I shall ask your permission
to go with him, if you can afford it. Mr. Walkup has sold out his business
in Chicago, as you probably know & is living at this place, where he
owns some 17,000 acres of land, saw mills, &c. & is cutting trees,
sawing them into lumber & shipping to Chicago & other places I
suppose.
I can understand I think, why you dont wish to
move this year or to start to build sooner than you are really well able.
As far as I am concerned I wouldn't care to move from that house until
we were to get into a good one of our own & with money enough to own
it, only I wish I was certain that you wouldn't build on the West side.
I was in New York last Wed. I went down with
Sweetser who was entered in an amateur wrestling contest, it was a private
affair & took place in the gym of the New York Athletic Club. The managers
were so pleasant to have an entry from Yale that they showed us every consideration
& treated us although we were somebody.
I forgot to say that Harry prefers to spend
his summer at Brown/Brave Lake so you will only have to figureon
one of us going up in Mich. I don't think the expense will be very much
greater than staying at Rudberg's, we can talk it over however when we
get home.
With love to all Geo
391 Temple St.
New Haven Conn
April 22 1888
Dear Mother -
Your letter of the 15th & Program of Dancing
School received. I saw by the paper that the distillers had a meeting
in Peoria Wed. I suppose Father was there. It is rather curious but
Harry just came in with a letter from Father written Thurs in which he
says he is just back from Peoria.
I wish father would write us a little more
fully about business, aside from the fact that the "Trust" has declared
one or two dividends we know nothing. We would like to know how much his
share is & whether the business is at present, sufficient or more than
sufficient to pay the expenses of the family. I have been led to think
& very gladly too that it is & has been for a month or two, since
you have been enjoying yourselves a little more than usual in the ways
of theaters & other small things which cost money. What is the stock
worth now per share & how many shares has father got? I am glad that
you have been free from a sick headache for so long. I can't tell how
much I would be pleased if you had at least found a remedy which would
head them off for good. We are at a training table, as Harry has probably
told you, and are rowing pretty hard, from five to eight miles a day.
We have got to do some pretty hard work if we want to win that race.
The Junior crew doesn't amount to very much but
the Freshmen have a very strong heavy crew and as they are getting the
best of coaching while we are not getting any to speak of it makes our
prospects for winning the race look a little slimmer than I could wish.
The race comes off on Sat. May 12 & after
that I think I will still keep in training & box & wrestle with
Sweetser who is anxious to get some one to wrestle with & will probably
give me some pointers on sparring to get me to wrestle with him.
There is a little matter of business for father
which I will just put in here. I will have to have certain clothes to
wear in the country this summer which I can get much better here, in fact
I dont think I could get what I want atall in Chicago, such as flannel
tremus
shirts, flannel trousers, cap, shoes, etc. Now I dont think I am going
to have enough money to buy these things with & as they are to be used
principally after I get home & dont rightly belong to my expenses here
I would like to know if Father will advance me the money. If I knew how
much Father felt able to let me have I could tell just how much I wanted
but as I dont I will make a maximum & a minimum estimate. What I would
like to get will cost about $20.00 while I can get along with one half
that. To be square about it I would like to have some of those things to
use here before I go home & cant afford them, so if Father will let
me know at once what he thinks about the matter that will be enough. I
wont have to have the money until the end of June if that will be any object
to him. If I ever get tangled up in this allowance system again I bet
it will be a big one. This may one has to sit down two or three months
ahead of time & figure out for every thing you want to see whether
you are going to have money enough to buy it or not. I think I would get
very well on an allowance if I did not have to buy clothes out of it. After
figuring for six months I have got a spring overcoat & am not going
to get a suit while Harry has ordered a suit & cant get and overcoat.
Dont think I am complaining or hinting for more
money, we made our arrangements for the year & I am not only willing
but anxious to stick them out. The above is only the ludicrus & very
common fix of probability 9/10ths of the fellows here who have more than
one thousand dollars allowance & yet not an unlimited one. Those
under that dont pretend to dress & those on an unlimited allowance
dont have to bother about paying for the next suit of clothes.
I think I am going to be able to pay up all my bills
& get home which is all I agreed to do. So if we come home pretty
ragged & without any clothes you must not be surprised.
You will probably think I have written a good
deal on this subject when I don't want anything, but my mind wanders on
it all the time & has ever since Christmas. I tell you I will be glad
when July comes & I know where I stand. With much love to all
Geo
New Haven Conn
Apr 27 1888
Dear Father -
Your letter of the 24th with draft enclosed &
also letter containing that proposition received. It is very kind of you
to send us so much more than I asked for. I assure you that it wont be
wasted. I think I shall save as much of my share as possible to pay
my expenses to New London in June to see the boat race.
I submitted that proposition to Prof. Clark this
morning & he promised to look it over at his earliest convenience.
I will let you know what he says as soon as I find out.
Such an example is entirely out side of any rule
for there can of course be no such thing. So I don't suppose Prof. Clark,
although recognized as one of the ablest mathematicians in the country,
would be any better able to solve it than many another man except as he
has mind especially trained to mathematical problems.
I dont agree with you in making the answer 42.
I make i t 28.
With much love
Geo
New Haven Conn
May 6 1888
Dear Father -
Your letter of the 3rd inst to me & Mother of
the 29th ult to Harry received. There is not much to write about but I
suppose you will want to hear from us never the less. Prof. Clark would
not give a direct answer to that proposition. He didn't say anything about
it for several days & then he got hold of me after class & discussed
it from every point of view & I believe I would have been listening
to him yet (for he is a great talker) if another class had not come in
to recite, which compelled him to let me go.
I think I could explain his position if I could
see you & talk. But as you only wanted the answer it wont pay to write
his views.
Prof. Loisette (or what ever his name is) had
two very large classes here studying his Memory System but I never heard
any one speak very highly of it nor did I notice that the fellows in my
class who took it went very rapidly to the front. I dont know anything
for or against it however. If we are all going to be in the country
together I think we boys will need a boat, something smaller & lighter
than your larger one. If you feel like getting one we would better decide
on what we ant & be sure to have it there by the time we arr.
I hate to send you such a short letter but I am
rather pressed for time & beside there not much to write about as I
seliere
I mentioned before. If I get time will write during the week.
With love to all
Geo.
No Date
Dear Mother -
If you will write Mrs. Damon I wish you would. We wont have any
time to go up there this year although I should like to do so very much.
I remember how kind they were when we were at Warren at the time of Uncle
Ab's funeral & am sure we would enjoy ourselves. We might perhaps
be able to go up for a few days some time next year. In haste.
Geo
May 13 - 1888
Dear Father -
Your letter to Harry containing drafts to each of
us for $200.00 recde. Also one of the 6th inst from Mother to me. I am
glad you wrote as plainly as you did in regard to money matters. Several
things have led us to think that business matters were in a better condition
than perhaps they are & thinking so we may have formed some extravagant
plans for the summer. But now that we know how matters stand you can depend
upon us to aid you in every way in our power in economizing. It is
no great wonder if, associated with a class of fellows to whom money is
no object & where it if frittered away on the most trifling things,
if we form somewhat extravagant ideas. But you need at any time as long
as I am dependent on you only let me know that you can't afford what I
ask & I will be perfectly satisfied. I dont think there is one
man in a thousand who would think of buying his family two boats in a case
like ours if he could afford it as I know you would do, & the great
majority wouldn't even get them one, so you see I appreciate what you do
do for us.
Well we rowed & won yesterday, won by about
four feet in two miles which means a race from start to finish.
Harry I believe telegraphed you in a moment of enthusiasm so you know the
result by this time.
There was nothing to good for us last night,
the whole class turned out to celebrate & we were amply paid for
the hard work by seeing how the boys appreciated it.
In regard to the new house, we are going into
it only after the most careful estimates of our expenses & after having
allowed liberally for everything we could figure on we will have a margin
of two or three hundred dollars to fall back upon. Unless something unforeseen
occurs we will come out t all right. I am Chairman of a house committee
of three & am practically running everything. I will have the receiving
& disbursing of all money in my hands & as I expect to have every
man pay his room rent for the year immediately on coming back next fall
I will be sure of being able to pay the house rent immediately it becomes
due, that is on the first of each month. We have engaged a young colored
man & his wife to do our work for $15 per mo. We are to furnish them
with coal to cook their meals with & to give the woman our washing.
The man is a regular colored dude & I expect he will astonish people
who call when they see his marvelous clothes & his wonderfully polite
airs. Harry & I wont have any larger expenses during the year than
we have this but we will have to furnish our rooms. We only expect to order
a carpet & a couple of single beds to be ready for us when we come
back P& will talk over the other things at home during the summer.
With our lounge, book case, table, chairs, &c which we own already
we wont need very much else. By the way if you could advance the money
this June & would prefer to we could probably get what we want
second hand when the Seniors on the campus sell off their things.
With love to all
Geo
An article in the Sunday Register
decribes this new Chi Phi Fraternity House as one of the finest fraternity
houses in Yale. It was situated on York Stree near Elm. The Fraternity
lay claim to being the oldest in the country, founded in 1824 at Princeton.
The Register article stated: "Those who are fortunate to occupy the new
house are George T. Burroughs, Jr. and Harry S. Burroughs. . . . "
The house was of brick, three stories high.
In the elegantly furnished parlors were "velvet moquet" carpets, and the
walls were covered with the new cartridge paper of a fashionable tint,
matching the carpets. The house was heated by steam, and hot and cold water
was furnished to every room. A system of "lighting gas by electricity"
was used, and all the rooms had "electrical call bells." All this suggests
that Major Burroughs' income was on the rise.
Ref: Porges, p.702
New Haven Conn
May 27 1888
Dear Mother -
Your letter of last Sunday with Father's inclosed
& also Father's letter of the 24 rec'd.
The beginning of the end is at last in sight.
Our recitations stop one week from next Thursday. We will probably be home
on Sunday July 1st not later anyway than Monday. Our examinations this
year promise to be considerably easier than any we have had yet or rather
I suppose I ought to say I am better prepared for them. We finish German
this year & will have done the hardest part of our French.
I think the experience of furnishing our house
for next year will be a great gain for us all, for me especially. I knew
when I started out absolutely nothing about such things but find I am learning
considerable already. It is too bad that our neighborhood can't furnish
some girl of Nellie's age who would be a congenial companion for her, but
I am afraid such is unfortunately the case.
I wish you could be down here this year. I suppose
you will try to get here next year to see us graduate. I know you
would enjoy living here during our college year anyway, there are lots
of things that would interest you & beside, during the spring &
fall the town is beautiful, no one who has not been here can imagine the
effect of these magnificent elm trees which are regularly laid out over
the entire town. I will stop now for there is nothing interesting to
write about.
With love to all
Geo
New Haven June 10 / 88
Dear Father:
Your last letter to me received yesterday. I have
not got it with me & can only answer it from memory. One of us will
write Mother to day. We are all through recitations for the year
and have had our examination. We have four more & thru if we have good
luck we will be Seniors.
From the hot weather we are having here now I judge
we will have a pretty warm Summer & will consequently appreciate the
country. Do you expect to go up with the rest of us & how much time
will you spend there? In regard to that tricycle affair I think it is
merely a matter of taste. While I don't see anything particularly wrong
in it I think you did just right in dissuading Nellie from going out on
a tricycle.
It is as yet something not at all common in this
country and it makes a girl pretty conspicuous which is something that
should be avoided. How long do you intend to have us stay in Chicago
before going up to Braies Lake? If the family are all away &
there is room we may have one or two of our friends who are going through
Chicago stop with us while they are there otherwise as far as I see
now, with the exception of making a few purchases we will be ready to start
right off. I sat least dont want to spend any more time in the city than
is necessary.
With love to all
Geo
Added:
Dear Eva
Please answer that part of this letter regarding
having friends stop a few days in Chicago if not more in numbers than we
can accommodate. I see no objection to it.
Geo
LETTERHEAD: Lodge of the Omicron Chapter of the Chi Phi Fraternity
New Haven, Conn June 27, 1888
Dear Mother - Your letter of date rec'd. Don't make too many preparations
for receiving any of our friends. Owing to plans made by the parents of
both they have been compelled to change theirs. Sweetser is going home
today & Rice will probably not go through Chicago until after we get
to Beaver Lake. If we dont change our plans in the mean time we will
leave N.Y. Sat. June 30th at 9.50 A.M. & will be in Chicago at 9.50
Sunday A.M. via the Penn R.R. If we conclude to go some other way will
telegraph road & time due in Chicago. This probably will be my last
scrawl.
With love Geo
P.S. Yale yesterday was the deciding game in the base-ball series &
consequently again holds the championship.
NEWSPAPER CLIPPING:
IDLE THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW
(By George T. Burroughs, Jr.)
As I was walking down the mountain "There's a Long, Long Trail
a Winding in front of me and a little further on I met "An Old Pal O' Mine."
She had "The Last Rose of Summer" in her hand and "She Wore a Big Red Rose."
Form where we were standing we could see "The Trial of the Lonesome Pine"
and "The Beautiful Ohio." A little later we met a couple and the man said
"How Dry I Am" and she answered "Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes." They
told me they had just come from "My Old Kentucky Home," where they had
seen "My Darling Nellie Gray." I asked her to come with me to "A Little
Gray Home in the West" where we could "Let the Rest of the World Go By."
She said, "Tell Me Why" and I answered "I'm So Used To You Now." Then she
said "Here Comes the Bride."
From George III?
ENVELOPE: For Mother & Father ~ Burley, Idaho
Miller Ave.,
Burley, Idaho
April 12, 1914
Dear Mother and Father,
I love you very much.
I hope you will have a happy
Easter. I will do everything you
want me to. I hope you will
alwas be happy. I think you
are very good to me.
Your loving son,
George
Notable Graduates from Sheffield Scientifc School
Clarence King:
b. Newport, RI, January 6, 1842 - d. Phoenix, AZ, December 24, 1901
Clarence
King: Member of the Geological Survey of California ~ Timeline
Alfred
P. Rockwell
William Henry Brewer
Brigadier
General Joseph T. Morris
Clifford Whittingham
Beers
Joseph
E. Sheffield
Secret
Societies: Who Controls Knowledge?
History
of the Yale University Astronomy Department
Colloquia Eclectica
http://www.oprf.com/Burroughs/yell.aiff
Volume 1099
.
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