| Title: | Letter from William Hutton, Toronto, to John McCrea Junior, Strabane. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1515 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Hutton, William/40 |
| Year | 1857 |
| Sender | Hutton, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Strabane, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McCrea, John |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers-in-law |
| Source | D 2298/4/2 Deposited by Messrs. Wilson & [and?] Simms, solicitors. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9310126 |
| Date | 22/11/1857 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C. McK., 07:10:19 |
| Word Count | 834 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Letter from William Hutton, Toronto, dated November 22nd 1857, to John McCrea Junior, Strabane. Toronto Sunday night Nov. [November?] 22nd 1857 Dear John, I have been writing to Anna Panton this evng. [evening?] & [and?] have just time to scribble a few lines before bed time in reply to your query on the envelope with regard to James coming out to Canada on the n.s. [next ship?] or going to any other country - The fact is our monetary affairs on this whole continent are in such an awful state that means cannot be found to pay even the limited number of blacks & [and?] Employees their curtailed business requires - I may safely say that hundreds are thrown out of employment especially blacks & [and?] warehousemen & [and?] some mechanics - agricultural laborers [labourers?] only seem to be fully employed & [and?] many mechanics will have to take to the cultivation of land till times improve - very many of the class of [-----?] drivers are returning home from actual want of employment - the late steamers have been crowded with them - and complaints have ebbn heard that false inducements have been held out to them to come to Canada - but our Govt. [Government?] pamphlets have carefully abstained from recommending blacks to come here - we want agricultural laborers [labourers?] & [and?] servants men & [and?] women & [and?] boys & [and?] girls - but not the educated class unless they have capital - so that I would strongly advise James to remain in the bank until we have improved times here & [and?] in the United States which will not be until after another harvest We want more cultivators of land & [and?] fewer speculators & [and?] traders The Imports next season will be very limited because we have not the means to pay for new goods as our exports will not be large - The whole continent is running after absurd speculations in Town Lots & [and?] laying out new villages instead of our legitmate employment that of cultivating our rich and productive soils and growing food both for ourselves & [and?] others our prices are very high but rather more moderate now - Willie has been here this evng. [evening?] & [and?] thinks with me that James should not come out at present These very hard times were not expected even three months ago - no one appears to have forseen them - my expenditure exceeds £500 per annum & [and?] Fanny is the most careful & [and?]economical housekeeper imaginable It is extremely difficult to keep house in Toronto - boarding is consequently very high - none to be had in a respectable house under £75 per annum - in the best houses they charge £100 per annum for mere board & [and?] lodging - Things #PAGE 2 are much worse in the U. [United?] States than here - their Banks have almost broken down & [and?] not one of ours is even in danger all are [of?] our Banks are as firm as possible and the stock of most of them selling above par - This will inspire great confidence in our securities with the British Capitalists Fanny is quite well but daughters Fanny & [and?] Sarah have been very poorly with influenza & [and?] pains in the joints so as to be unable to walk or stand up - caused by taking cold and by checked perspiration - Anna Paton & [and?] two children are well but Mr P. [Paton?] has also had [------?] fever & [and?] influenza - Tell Sarah we have not heard or seen anything of Mr Walker or the parcel sent by her in his charge Willie asks whatcame of the box for Mrs Dar[-?]nell - The Provt. [?] Mr - office(in which Willie is ) has suffered very much by numerous bad fires many of them no doubt by incendiaries adding to the difficulties of raising money by legitimate means - It is thought by many that the office is tottering to its fall but I hope not as I hold £500 worth of stock & I fear Willie would be thrown out of employment if it were to close its doors - at all events for a time - your son Robert sent us wedding cards - we suppose his bride has means as Robert hinted that "he had a friend who would lend him five thousand Dollars at any time" - he told Willie this and that he had suffered much loss By the general crash We all wish him much happiness & [and?] that he will succeed - which he is pretty certain of doing - as he appears to be a steady fellow - I think brother Sam cannot be in the land of the living - you have not heard anything of him for two years I suppose or more - You will have this on the 8th of December much love from all here to you - yours & [and?] a happy xmas [Christmas?] to you all & [and?] to all dear friends around you - your ever loving brother William Hutton |
