Francis Ashley Carlisle, Sept 29, 1903

Hartford Sept 29 '03

Dear Dan,

I am ashamed that I have not answered your letter before but Mamie has been quite sick + I myself have been under the weather + so neither of us has done much.

Now as to the papers: How do you get along with Tom? Is he easy to work for or is there much picting between you? I am some what of the opinion that as far as he is concerned he would be willing to give you the papers but that the company wont back him in it for they are not anxious to bind them selves __ anyway.

If you think you can get along with Tom O. K. and that he means to

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help you all he can + will give you the raises you spoke of why perhaps you might as well [strike] speak to him about it [end strike] keep right on to work + some time when you have experience enough you might strike agood job for yourself some where else. In that O may be able to give you a little lift when the proper time comes. But here is one thing that you dont want ever to forget. Never take a job of piece work if you want to become a first class machinist. Many a good man has spoiled his chances by taking piece work just because it paid better at the time. If you take such a job you will never advance any further and should you loose that job you would be of little account for any other. An all round man can always get a job when he wants it but a piece worker has a hard time. Look out for this.

I am glad to hear you are sticking to the drill press drawing. You wont amount to much ever if you dont stick to it no matter how hard it will be. Yes the drawing can all be

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be made in one part when you know how. A piece that is behind another piece can be represented by dotted lines for instance a ballance wheel partly hidden by a post on which rests the box in which one of the journals of the shaft rests. Special n intricate parts of the machine are some times reproduced on alarger scale on the same sheet if possible This is pretty poor drawing paper but you will catch my idea.

[Drawing]

As I said dont be afraid to ask questions even if you are laughed at for this isone of the best ways to learn there is. I am glad you like the work + I think the more you have of it the better you will like it.

I am pleased with your trip to the Bend + your descriptive of what you saw. You do right to allways go to these places + see + learn. Take advantage of any opportunity like that If there is any questions you think

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of dont hesitate to ask me + I will tell you if I know or can find out.

Mother wrote that you had gained 14 lbs. It is lucky that they have double doors to the shop or old Ballenger would hardly be able to get in before long if they kept up.

There will be lots of things of course that you will have to learn that no one can tell you of _ you will hardly know how you found out your self. But make Tom tell you all he knows + dont be afraid of making a mistake that is the way we learn best + ________. You have a far better opportunity of learning than I had + I want you to improve it. Some time when you have a little time off run up and see us. I have many things I would like to talk with you about.

Good Bye for this time.
As Ever
Frank

I'm happy to have the mechanical drawing by Frank. Many of the Camfield descendants are/were talented artists. Sadly, I did not inherit their talent. This type of drawing is very different than the drawings I've seen by others.

More advice for Dan. Did he take it? I haven't figured out yet who Tom or Ballenger were. Dan worked most of his life for Clark Equipment Company in Buchanan so it seems he stuck with the machine shop trade.

Clark Equipment Co was incorporated in 1903 as George R. Rich Manufacturing Company in Chicago, IL. The company moved to Buchanan, MI in 1904 so it seems that Dan received his early training elsewhere.


For more see:
Camfield Family Letters
Descendants of Sarah Ann Wisner
Michael Camfield

Carlisle, Francis Ashley (Hartford, MI) to “Dear Dan”
[Daniel Michael Carlisle]. Letter. 29 September 1903. Digital Images 1-4.
Privately held by Apple, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Snowville, New York. 2009.
[Carlisle Family, Box #1, Correspondence, 1903-1904,
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. 2008.]