Copying Book: Secretary's Letters, 1860 (page 108)

Boston Dec^r 26th [186]3

Zelotes Hosmer Esq^r, Beloit, Wis.

Dear Sir,

Yours of 14^th [last?] came
duly to hand with draft for $10. for which I send
you the enclosed receipted bill. The frost is now & has
been since the receipt of your note quite deep & the
work will be done as soon as frost permits.

From the mound, I had always supposed you
had a tomb, & was quite surprised to learn from
you that such is not the case. The tomb privilege
there however is worth nothing, because the ground
is so low, it would be wet, & no one would be wil-
ling to sink one there. We have abundance of side
hill better adapted to the purpose. The price of lots
there - the current rate - is 50 cts per foot. That is
what our last sale was made at; making your
lot worth $150, or with the posts &c. $160. The
mound would not be available in new
grading, as the whole lot will need
raising three or four feet.

What cost you $60 on the 18^th day of Nov^r
1881 is now worth $150. You have had a
venerable length of possession, viz. 32 years
and with 192 per ct added for interest, you
should be entitled to $115.20 + 60 = $175.20.
But, although the prices have advanced enough
to cover interest, in some cases, they will
not in the case of the older proprietors: and
rarely has it been the case that an old lot
would bring a sum equal to interests added,
because there are so many new ones equally
eligible. Generally, however, where a proprietor
wishes to sell out, he has had some use of his
lot, which is deemed an offset to the failure to
receive interest.

If you wish to authorize me to sell
your lot for the sum named - $160 - I will do the
best I can to dispose of it: and can probably
do so in the Spring, if not earlier.

Very truly yours,

A.J. Coolidge
Sec.y

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