Tag: B.C. Railways

12 Mar 1871 Dalhousie, N.B. 3-pg Marcus Smith letter to his son Tom

Dalhousie N. B.
12th March 1871
My dear Tom,
Mamma has been sick but is now quite well and is very anxious to have a letter from you – she wrote to you some weeks ago and enclosed a 1 dollar bill and some postage stamps if you have received this you should have written to mamma to say so – even if it were a very short letter you should always write when you receive money or anything of importance as those who send it are always anxious to know if it has been received.

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New Westminster, B.C. 29 Jul 1883 Marcus Smith letter to his wife

My dear Nannie .. Mr Onderdonk came down a few days ago not feeling well — I went over with him to Victoria we had not been an hour on salt water before we felt invigorated by the sea breeze and by 1 p.m felt ravenously hungry and ate a huge dinner.
It has been hot in Victoria – for it – but never above 83° in the shade and all the people looking so healthy and rosy I was only a day and a half there and felt ten years younger nothing like the sea breeze it acts like magic

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New Westminster, B.C. 31 Aug 1883 Marcus Smith letter to his wife

My dear Nannie, I was over part of the line with Mr. Schreiber which wasted several days – as it was a mere scamper like the visits of the Commissioners on the Intercolonial. Immediately after Mr. Onderdonk and myself walked over the line from Port Moody to Hope 70 miles – it was hot and dusty and we were nearly choked with smoke which has continued nearly two months – so I am tired and foot sore

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New Westminster, B.C. 17 Sep 1883 Marcus Smith Letter

My dear Nannie, I mentioned in my last letter that we had been over two months in perpetual gloom from the dense smoke of forrest fires – a week ago this came to an end we had two days heavy rain and now we have variable weather _ rain and sunshine cold enough for occasional fire in the grate – I am still very busy and shall be till the end of the year but most of the heavy outdoor work is over for a while – Tom has plenty of work and is thriving on it. I think it possible I may return home about the end of the year and perhaps not come back.

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New Westminster, B.C. 15 Oct 1883 Marcus Smith letter to wife

My dear Nannie,.. I thought he had done with the school and was now going to attend the University courses of lectures and would have to pass an annual examination there. this appears to be the case. A few days ago I met Judge Grey with other professional gentlemen they all strongly advised – a University course and_ if _as is likely _ at the end of 3 years he will get the degree of B.A. – it will enable him to practice as a barrister in any part of the Dominion..

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Port Moody, B.C. 26 June 1881 Marcus Smith 3-page letter to his wife

Sold for $605, Port Moody, B.C. 26 June 1881 Marcus Smith 3-page letter to his wife
“The surveys are fairly commenced and I have been forced to do some very hard work- owing to the incompetency of the assistant Ailyn who has had very little experience and is naturally very dull & stupid- Gamsby is very little better. He has hitherto got on by always having good assistants but knows nothing himself- has no brains but for old woman’s gossip- has no instruments, never had any in his life nor does he care about the work- ..”

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Victoria, B.C. 9 June 1881 4-sided Marcus Smith Letter to his wife

“There will be a glorious out crop of this state of things- and in the muddle- no one will be responsible. ..Trutch I find is very unpopular – here as he is ostentatious and haughty, and considered as a spy, and a disturber instead of a peace maker between the Dominion and Provincial Govt. And will cause trouble to the former. This however is none of my business but I forsee that the time will come when he must cease to muddle with engineering matters-

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