May 15, 1903.
TLW
Mr. David McSweeney,
Raquette Lake, N.Y.
Dear Dave:-
I am just leaving for New York. Have already written you that I could not me up this week. I have got your letter of day before yesterday. Mr. Tobin, the plumber, will go up tomorrow anyway, and will undoubtedly bring the two carpenters with him. They are good men – the best I could get, but they both want to wait till Monday. It is a good deal better to have them go with Mr. Tobin, and I shall make every effort to have them do so. You will be kept advised from here by telegraph. Of course, the piazza must not, under any circumstances, be below the level of the ground. You say the way the foundations are laid out, it will bring the piazza 3” under the ground, and by raising the piers 8”, it will bring the stoop on a level with the ground. I do not understand that. What you want is the piazza floor, or stoop as you call it, to be on a level with the ground, or possibly a inch above it, and then the floor of the building as little above that as possible. I want to reach the floor of the room from the piazza by one step, if possible, but it would not be a serious matter if it took two steps. I hope I have made this clear. I will speak to one of the carpenters, if I can see him before I leave here, which is in a few moments, and I can perhaps explain it to him so he can make it clear to you.
I should think you had done splendid work, getting as far along as you have
Glad to hear that Sperry had started the road. You will see me a week from Saturday, as I have already written you.
With best wishes,
Yours very sincerely,
LAN