November 6, 1911
Thomas Metcalf, 
Managing Editor, The All-Story Magazine
175 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y.
Dear Mr. Metcalf,

Your offer of $400.00 for serial rights to the story "Dejah Thoris, Martian Princess" is acceptable to me.

While the remuneration is not exactly in proportion of the time and effort expended I realize that for a first story it is probably considerably above the average, where one to include the rejected manuscripts. 

The fact that it is the first story will make it impossible for me to give you any publishers as references - I do not know any.

I can however, give you the names of many business men in Chicago who have known me for years and through them you can assure yourself of my trustworthiness.

The story is absolutely original and I believe the best proof to yo must be the fact that I wrote the ending along lines of your own suggestion. 

You might write to any or all of the following, if you desire:

Robt. D. Lay, Secretary, national Life Insurance, Co., National Life Insurance Building. 
Arch O. Burdick, and Chas. E. Rollins, of Rollins & Burdick, Fire Insurance, 29 S. La Salle St.
O.C. Doering, General Superintendent, Sears, Roebuck & Co.
Maurice D. Lynch, Director of Correspondence, Sears, Roebuck and Co.

I was for some time a department manager at Sears - Roebuck's so these last two gentlemen know me well in a business way, while the others have known me personally since boyhood and know the reputation I bear both socially and in business. 

I am secretary and advertising manager of Champlin-Yardley Co. now and I have their authorization to say that they will guarantee the originality of anything which I submit to you as original.

Yours very truly,
Edgar Rice Burroughs (sig)

 
New York, November 20, 1911
Mr. E. R. Burroughs, 
        Champlin-Yardley Co.,
                222 W. Kinzie St., 
                        Chicago, Ills.

Dear Mr. Burroughs:
                                    I am sorry indeed to have been so slow in answering your letter of the 6th. In the story-writing game, as in any other game, it is efficiency that counts, and naturally if we discovered that stories written by you have the "punch" we would be very apt indeed to increase your rates. This sort of thing goes on right along, and many an author to whom we have in the beginning paid less than we do you, is making a very fair living by writing fiction.

                                    Of course a good deal more money can be made by a successful book, but considering the fact that every long story is, or should be written with book publication in mind, all moneys received for serials, I should thin, ought to be considered as velvet. That is the way we always look at it here, and we have at times been the greatest little incubator for best sellers that ever came over.

                                    The first installment of the story - and we are going to call it "In the Moons of Mars", will be the February All-Story. It was a mistake on my part that the formal endorsement on the check sent you was as it was. You need not worry, however, about losing the book rights. At any time when you feel that you want them, if you will drop me a line, I shall certainly see that they are immediately returned to you, and in the future should you sell us any more stories, I should be certain that whatever form of receipt you may sign will state that we are getting only serial rights.

                                                                                                            Very truly yours,

Thomas Newell Metcalf (sig) MH

  

New York, June 26, 1912

T.N.M.
Mr. E. R. Burroughs
        2008 Park Ave.,
                Chicago, Ills.

Dear Mr. Burroughs:

                                    I suppose by this time you have got a small souvenir from us to remind you of our attitude toward "Tarzan of the Apes".

                                    There are one or two things that I want to ask and suggest. In the first place, about your pen name. I have had a number of letters saying that people were very keen for Mr. Bean and his story of Mars and asking if we will not run some more work of his. Of course, I realize that I made a big break when I changed that name from "Normal Bean", to Norman. Do you think it would be advisable to run this story under the name "Normal Bean", or shall I ignore any requests for some of that gentleman's work and run it under "Normal Bean", or your own name? I am willing enough to abide by any decision you may care to make, but would like to take advantage of the popularity of "Under the Moons of Mars" so far as it is possible. 

                                    Let me please request you never again, under any circumstances whatsoever, to write on such appallingly thin paper as you did. By the time I had read the manuscript and various of our clerical department had performed whatever necessary stunts they have to do upon it, the manuscript looked like a very much disheveled cabbage. When I get through editing it and the lineotype man gets hold of it, it is very doubtful whether it will be at all tangible. 

                                    Also, in the future, let me suggest that you never write single space - always double, at least.

                                    With these very harsh admonitions I will close this letter I might add, however, that I expect to be in Chicago some time after the middle of August and I hope that if you are not away on your vacation at that time, I shall have the pleasure of meeting you and that we may have luncheon or some libation together.
                                                                                                            Yours truly yours,

Thomas Newell Metcalf (sig) M.H.

  

June 28, 1912

Mr. Thomas Metcalf,
New York City, New York.

Dear Mr. Metcalf;

Your check and letter came together on this morning's mail and I than you for both. The endorsement on the reverse of the check covered all rights, though I assume that it was as before but an error, as I only sold you the serial rights.

In the matter of the pen name, why not run this story as by Norman Bean (Edgar Rice Burroughs) and then, should I write another one run that as by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Norman Bean), thereafter dropping the pen name entirely!

This may not accord with your policy, but I think you will agree that you owe me a concession in the matter of names, for you sure did smear up the original.

It seems to me that it would be unwise to attempt to revive Normal Bean now.

You need not have cautioned me against thin paper. I have cussed it all the way back to the Wisconsin paper mill that made it. I finally had the girls single space because the thought of doubling the number of those infernal sheets appalled me. I shall stick to 81/2 x 11 16# double spaced hereafter!

Be sure and let me know beforehand when you will be in Chicago and if I am out of the city I'll come back, for I wouldn't miss meeting you for anything.

 Yours very truly,
Edgar Rice Burroughs (sig)

    E R Burroughs
    2008 Park ave
    Chicago Ills

    By the way, when will Tarzan of the Apes happen!