Letters Century Old Found by WPA Crew.
Letters Century Old
Found by WPA Crew.

LETTERS CENTURY OLD
FOUND BY WPA CREW
________

Buffalo Hotel Floor Yields
'Bushel of Documents' in
Slum-Clearance Project
________

    BUFFALO, July 2 (AP).--Works Progress Administration laborers heaved aside a decrepit floor board in the century-old United States Hotel today and uncovered some enlightening early Americana. "Keep it dark, but I have learned confidentially that Congress has given this territory, which I suppose is called Iowa, $30,000 to build a capital and the United States Commissioner has told my friend we shall have a job."
    The letter was signed by G. D. Dillon of "Dubuques, Michigan Territory," and was addressed to Everett Wyncoop, pioneer American wine keeper and one-time proprietor at the United States. It was postmarked March 5, 1839.
    In all, the WPA men, who are destroying the building in a slum-clearance project, brought to light more than a bushel of documents.
    There was a receipt for twenty-seven quarts of milk--at four cents a quart--and forty-one quarts of Jamaica rum at 50 cents a quart. The receipt for this was dated 1841 and the bill of sale 1834.
    Another letter to Wyncoop told him that the "stilling business is very good along the Mississippi." There were uncashed checks amounting to over $3,000 and numerous protests of non-payment.
    One worker reported he found walls made of cardboard and paper and that one wall carried no less than sixteen sheets of wallpaper.


Source:

Unknown, "Letters Century Old Found by WPA Crew, Buffalo Hotel Floor Yields 'Bushel of Documents' in Slum-Clearance Project," The New York Times, Saturday, 3 July 1937, p. 18.

Created November 2, 2004; Revised November 2, 2004
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