I have yours of 25th, from Athletic {club}. I don’t remember having heard before of the “Hollins Place” of wh. you speak. Glad you feel that you are catching up with the smaller places. But I feel we must decline any more unless of very exceptional character until we have begun to catch up with the larger. Seneca, Highland, Trenton, Washington, Zoological, Chicago, Biltmore, Denver, Redstone, Manitou, Palo Alto, Biltmore, Atlanta, Nashville. Suppose we saw an opening to get the National Park at Washington, or the new parks of New York! There is a vast work to be done here yet. Mr V. is getting impatient for the development of plans. In two months Thompson thinks he can supply topog. of Northern section of 500 acres—for Bilt village & suburb. It will be a year before he can give us the Western section, including rivers, and two years before the Eastern, at present rate. We shall have to proceed upon incomplete maps I fear. If we take Chicago it will absorb all of Harry’s time & half mine & quarter yours, at least. It seems to me necessary to the reputation of the firm that we should soon discard all but the most important commissions.

Since I wrote you of my relapse, from premature exposure, I have been in bed till now, when I am first sitting up. I hope I may get out on the work tomorrow, and leave for Atlanta Thursday, but it is doubtful if I can. I am very weak and throbbing. Mr Hurt telegphd yesterday that he was to leave today for New York. I telegraphed for further advice but as yet get none. Expect to make examination of property (1000 acres woody hill land) in his absence.

Mr. V. left last night, with Hunt & Hunt Jr. Hunt convalescent. He seemed to me to be feebler than I am. Was wisely more cautious. They have accidentally carried off some of my maps & papers, making a bother for me. Mr & Mrs McNamee have moved in here. The house is awful draughty & the servants good, big, blundering, forgetful, thoughtless children, never closing a door except by special order.

I have said all I need about Big. Capreolata. I think you & Manning [227]are in a muddle but it may be that I am. We have Big. Cap. here; so labeled, and it is not what I want.

I hope mother & Marion rode out the storm at the Freeman’s and had a good time, and did not use up the Oscar. Eddy Clark, is chain man in the field here, on active service with the best of the assistants. Mr Thompson has taken a liking to him. The force is all demoralized by bad cooking &c. but there is distant prospect of improvement. Shod like to hear how Rick gets on.

Remember that I have not seen a Boston paper or a word of New England news since I left home.