You are drifting into a corner in the Rockaway business from which you cannot get out.

The chief advantage you possess on the Coney Island enterprises is that of holding so long a space of ground as you do free from all local rivalry upon which you can organize your business comprehensively. So that each part will complement any other part & all insure to your benefit and not that of others. If my general scheme for this purpose is not a good one you should put it aside and get another. What you should not do is to proceed upon no general plan to which each particular division of the work as you take it up can be adjusted. To settle upon particular things first & then work up to generals is to lose the chief element of value in the situation. This is just what you are doing. Mr Smith told me on Sunday that you had sent for me that I might [418] finally settle some things with him. The first was the front line of the hotel—and the elevation of the plateau upon which it was to stand. Of course this cannot be done even approximately — without some understanding as to the plan of the hotel, its sewerage system, connection with the railway station and landing; position & character of the bath house &c. It thus appeared that Mr Smith had made up his mind upon all these points or was ready to do so on the moment. He did not care even to discuss them.

His notions about them were naturally such as had come to him from what he had seen at Coney Island; very different from those which I had suggested in my report to you, which he had not appearently given the least attention to, and in no way based upon the special local circumstances and apportion. This for something radically better of the locality. After an hour’s argument which I insisted upon as to one of the points upon which his mind had been made up, I succeeded in making him realize the objections to it. These objections having reference to effects quarter of a mile away—which had not before occurred to him — and which I should not now have got him to recognize if Mr Brown his engineer, had not come to my assistance.

But yesterday Mr Smith told me that half a dozen architects and landscape architects were at work making plans in accordance more or less with his notions about these matters. That he had advised with some of them — given them instructions.

You may say that you are not bound to accept any of them — which is true. But — you will presently be in haste to get to work. Some one of these plans will suit you more nearly than another,—will have a generally attractive effect & be approximately satisfactory. It will compare favorably with the plan of the Manhattan Beach house. If you consult me about it I shall probably say this — shall say that it is an admirable plan for the purpose which the architect (under Mr Smith’s advise) has had in view. It would fit the Coney Island conditions perfectly but not having been designed with reference to the general plan which I have recommended you to adopt is not suitable to it. I may add that if you will give me time to indoctrinate an architect, not already committed to a theory, with the results of my month’s study of the special problem, I shall be sure of getting a plan for a hotel which will be more profitable to you.

Are you likely to share my confidence, or to proceed without losing any more time, upon your preconceived ideas — derived chiefly from Coney Island?

You remember that when I first took up the matter I advised you to appoint an architect at once, with whom I could work from the start. I am sorry that I did not go further; make it a condition of taking it up.

Had Mr Smith told me then what he told me yesterday was to be considered as settled and {no} longer open to discussion, I should have made you a very different general plan, and given you different advice in many subjects. Now simply to put myself right I ask and advise you to let me employ [419] an architect at your charge to make a sketch plan of buildings adapted — to the theory of arrangement of my general plan. I will have the work done as cheaply as I can and will charge you nothing for further personal services in the matter.

I wish to be fully clear of responsibilities for what will otherwise occur.

I have an appointment at Niagara Falls which will probably keep me out of town nearly all of next week. Telegraph me to go ahead and will confer with an architect and about the work before I go.

I put this to you personally because you have told me that your interests were not identical with Mr Smith’s and have invited confidence.