C.O. Whittemore letter to J. Ross Clark, January 16, 1904, page 1

San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake RaILroad Company. OFFICE OF GENERAL ATTORNEY. T.E. GIBBON, General Counsel. C.O. WHITTEMORE, General Attorney. Salt Lake City, Utah, Jan. 16th, 1904. Mr.J. Ross Clark, Second Vice President, Los Angeles, Cal. Dear Mr. Clark:- I enclose herewith letter, dated the 14th inst. from Mr. Virgil Kelly, in regard to lease of the Las Vegas Ranch; also letter just received from Dr. Bracken on the subject of leasing the Kiel Ranch. I submitted Dr. Bracken's letter to Mr. McDermott and Mr. McCartney and they both agreed with me that the two ranches should be handled together in order to avoid the competition for the transient trade that will arise if the ranches are under separate management or control. Referring to Mr. Kelly, beg to say that he was one of our principal men at the time of the grade contest and is a man of ability and experience in farming and ranching. If it is decided to lease both the Las Vegas and Kiel ranches, he would, in my opinion, make a very good tenant. If it decided to lease only the Kiel Ranch, I think Mrs. Bishop would make a better tenant than Dettmer, although Dettmer has been doing considerable work on the property, pending a determination as to the lease and in one sense this entitles him to a preference or to be paid a reasonable amount for his work. I think the Kiel Ranch ought to bring a rental of $250. to $300. per year and believe Mrs. Bishop or Dettmer will agree to pay this amount if they are given to understand that it cannot be obtained for less.