Correspondence (incoming) - Sp-St

[?] and tested by com petent experts

If you desire I will make further inquiry

I remain your [?] Frs E Spencer

Boston, Dec. 3rd 1885 Honorable Leland Stanford San Francisco

My Dear Sir

Please pardon the liberty I have taken in addressing you regarding a very valuable collection of the Woods of the United States. More than $150,000 has been expended in Collecting these woods, and I have cut from them pieces radial, tangential, and transverse, thin sections, and mounted them between mica 600 sections numbered - latin name, common name and with them is a book describing the structure, qualities, and uses, with geographical and other notes upon the trees. Tables regarding elasticity, value for fuel - [ash?] - specific gravity, strength under pressure, weight &c &c all these are enclosed in a case 25 inches wide 13'' deep 13'' high. Each of the 600 cards would have the name of the University, and benefactor or President as desired and the cost to you would be $850.00 delivered - Collection, Cabinet and Book Complete - I enclose specimen.

Yours respectfully Chas. W Spurr

Blaine [Whatcom?] [les. W. Terr.?] March 12/1887 H.C. Nash, Sec.p. Board of Trustees} Leland Stanford Jr University

Dear Sir! Have received your kind letter, and are pleased to know that the application for my son's admission to the University is placed on file. Since we are determined to look to said U. for our son's education, and dedicate many years solely and singularly for that purpose, it would be well for us to know some thing more about the location of said U. nearest [?] (University Ground) and in what way, we may obtain a home for the family near by, [whereto?], we would be too glad to remove during the coming year and [summer?]. Can we obtain any further information by addressing any other person in Santa Clara Co[?] please [so?] give us the name of such person, without taxing your time or some one [elses?] [it unbecoming?]. Could we in the later months of this year move to Santa Clara [Co.?]; in what place would we be nearest to the University Grounds, to reside, and have access to School preparatory for the young man, and also a chance to closely observe the progress of the University to be built. If you will remember us kindly and warmly will be glad to show thankfulness hereafter. Yours Respectfully [Theo S. Stacubli?]

#1028 Hyde St. San Francisco

Hon Leland Stanford Dear Sir

I am here for the third time in thirty years, and here I have a great treasure - four daughters. That I have a prospective interest in the grand scheme of Education that you are laboring to inaugurate you must allow. I disclaim any ulterior motive of [recompense?] or even recognition. I suggest that you establish a chair of Positive Philosophy "that such young men as may choose to study the "laws" of phenomena without trying to account for first [causes?] or final A "Beginning" however [necessary?] as a condition of thought or a basis of reasoning is nevertheless inconceivable. The hypothesis that the matter now [condensed?] into the Solar System once formed a rotating spheroid of extreme [tenuity?] is now the accepted cosmogony of our greatest thinkers. The concentration of diffused matter, cooling heat [which?] gravitating into its present dense form. Our now green Earth has existed for myriads of years at a white heat [similar wise?] as the sun now is who is undergoing the process through

through preparatory stages in the abysmal depths of illimitable time of joining the sisterhood of planets. It is with much diffidence that I assume the courage to address you saddened with an [irretrievable?] [bereavement?] and burden with the guardianship of immense wealth. I append a few lines by way solace "In Memoriam" L.S. [Jun?] "[How?] hard in thought for us to realize" "That few short years will terminate our lives The joys of youth, pleasures of [maturer?] age Are short cut off at that inexorable [stages?] The [patriot's?] fervor for his Country [weal?] Grows frigid under that remorseless [seal?] The soldier prostrate on his dying bed (Victorious [legions?] to the field has led) Would fain exchange the warrior's laurel wreath for one short furlough from the victor [?] Though million mansion be his [envied?] home In splendid yacht the Ocean's foam roam On [?] the pulse behind the horse a flying There's many ways of living Only one of dying The [mother's?] loss in [agonies?] [montwild?] "Take all the world, but give me back my child" The Earth itself now [vivified?] with [hearth?] [Alive?] awaits [inevitable?] death." B.F. [Stairley?]