Correspondence, Levi Syphus to Alonzo Stewart

StThoraas ^erada,Apr.2~th,1917 Mr A.ij»Stewart Los A n g e le s ,b a l. bear d i r : ~ In the statem ent,of 'a r c h , 14th, 1017,given you by G entries and other owners o f the ^capa v a lle y Magnesite d e p o s it ,a t the time vou ?frp here,you are c o n d itio n a l3y promised a le a s e on said d e p o sit,th e condition being that in the event? the owners o f an a d it io n a l two eifrb+s (° / p l in t e r e s t in the property w i l l wconcurr and a.greewwitb the sign ers o f the s a id statement, The character o f the statement i s such t h a t ,in the -vent the s a id owners o f the two eigh ts in te re s t did not so concnrr and aee-e the sig n e rs th ereo f are not bound by i t , * o u w e re ,o f course,awa*** of +1is a t the time you accepted t ! e statement. iou w i l t now please be a d v ise d ,th a t s a id owners o f said two -i^ h ts in t e r e s t have not agreed to jo in -in or give the le a se ,a n d t h e ir p o sitio n i s , that they w i l l not so a g r e e , i f a t a l l ,un less von show tan^ohi • -®rid^nco o f being fcble to remove and nay f o r a s u f f i c i e n t qu an tity o f the matefrial . or product o f the deposit to male i t worth w h i l e , i n t h e i r opinion t o "?rant you a lea se o f the sa id property,and the p a r tie s s ig n in g the statement, given you are not disposed to grant you a le a se o f t h e i r i n t e r e s t u n les s the Other p a r tie s jo in th erein . iou w i l l ,n o d o u b t ,r e c a ll that we t o ld you we had sent out many samples ol the m aterial and that there were a number o f p a r tie s s e r io u s ly cons­id e r in g the purchase o f the property,One o f these p a r t i e s , l i v i n g in the ^ast,now d e s ire s to purchase at a p ric e h igh ly s a t is fa c t o r y to us and i s now w aitin g f o r us to say they may have it ,a n d we cannot a ffo r d to miss th is opertunxty unless you can produce somethin!? s u f f i c i e n t l y tonga bbe to j u s t i f y s a id owners in doing so. i might a ls o add that p a r tie s in Los Angeles are asking f o r us to if place a p ric e on the property and expressin g a d e s ire to purchase fhese a ls o are p a r li e s who f o r a Long time past have'been working with the m a t e r i a l , f t may be p o ssib le ,h o w e v e r,th a t t.hev are somewhat stimulated by your work,but as f a r as i know there i s no connection. c Jou are now,Hereby advised that on or b e fo re the 3rd o f % v next we a e s ire evidence from as to what quantity o f tbe products ol sa id claims you are now a b le to remove and pay fo r and as to the fu tu re prospects oi your handling same,-or in o^her words as to the volum o f business you are prepared to do,and i f the same i s s a t is fa c t o r y to the owners oi s a id two e i g h t s 'i n t e r e s t , t h e business w i l l he proceeded with as per the terms o f the prop o sition discussed with vou when here " To the mean time we have n o t if ie d the eastern buyers that they w i l l not*he *iven an answer#* u n t il a f t e r that date g^ven 8 § rf® ^®s±re to protect you as f a r as—we can compatiable with on#* own in t e r e s t s ,a n d th erefore have to s a y ,th a t i f you cnn produce a rurchasr l o r the property who w i l l purchase,or arrange with us f o r the purchase ol i t , o v or b e fo re the said 3rd o f May next,perhaps 1 should say who w i l l , b e f o r e the last-named date purchase or arrange with us f o r the purrchase o f proX^rt a t the p ric e o f $200,000.CO,and under such arrangement do purchase,we w i l l pay you a comision o f ”? 30,000 the same to be prorated upor* and paid to you, from the various ravments o f th « purchase p ric e as the same are made to us. As herein before s t a t e d , i f the evidence you can produce by May 3rd J shows you,can handle such volum o f business as w i l l s a t i s f y the owners o f s a id two e igh ts in t e r e s t ,t h e p rop o sition as discussed with you while hor*e w i l l be proceeded w ith ,but i f not they w ill not agree to i t . i f , however,the evidence does show your a b i l i t y to handle a c o rsid erabl amount o f b u s in e s s ,! think they w i l l be w i l l i n g to grant you a le a se upon a p art o f the property, with a p rovisio n that they s h a l3 be permitted to s e l l the property su b je c t to the terms o f such le a s e . I have nlreadv informed the Eastern people that i f the property i s so ld them,it w ill very l i k e l y be incumbered with such a le a se ,a n d unless such incuroberanee w i l l &&&&&&&£&$ s p o il the s a le with them we w ill be pleased to protect you that f a r , if you are not a b le to go fu rth e r. J-t seems to us that s u f f i c i e n t time has now elapsed f o r your people: to have determined the use o f the m aterial f o r b r ic k purposes,and fo r your man to demonstrate wliat he can do in the matter o f the elim ination o f the sand and lime,and f o r you to have secured a l i n e up to go ahead. As the time i s short in which we must act,one wav or the o th e r*1 sh a ll expect from you the e a r l i e s t re p ly p o s s ib le . Very t r u ly yours 2 0 \ \