Transcription of letters from Edward S. Curtis to Harriet Leitch, August 26, 1948 to August 4, 1951

              Letters to Harriet Leitch, 1948-1951
The Seattle Public Library
Identifier: spl_esc_00001
[August 26, 1948, Page 1]
August 26, 1948
Curtis Studios
6332 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles 36, California
YOrk 8174
Wedding Studio
6322 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles 36, Calif.
YOrk 7291
Huntington Hotel
Pasadena, California
SYcamore 2-5355
Miss Harriet E. Leitch
Route 2, Box 2391
Edmonds, Washington
Dear Miss Leitch:
I am just in receipt of your letter of August 27th. I am delighted to know that you have some of the portfolios and books of the North American Indian.
Mr. Curtis himself is elderly, but very much alive. I know, he would be delighted to give you any information you might like concerning his life. Perhaps you would be good enough to write him direct and if you care, make out a questionaire [sic]. I know he will be glad to answer it. His address is: 5871 Saturn Street, Los Angeles 35, California.
Very truly yours,
Beth Curtis Magnuson
Beth Curtis Magnuson
Curtis Studios
BCM:m
Identifier: spl_esc_00002
[October 26, 1948, Page 1]
October 26, 1948
Mr. Edward S. Curtis,
5871 Saturn Street,
Los Angeles, 35,
California.
Dear Mr. Curtis,
The Seattle Historical Society has recently been given eight volumes of text and plates of the Edward S. Curtis American Indian from the library of the late Sophie Frye Bass and seven folios of plates as a gift of the Rainier Club. As a retired librarian I have been very interested in these gifts and wished to know something of the author and the artist. I have read some magazine articles and some references in the Seattle papers, yet do not have a rounded out picture. I found the address of the Curtis Studio in the Los Angeles City Directory and wrote to your daughter and she referred me to you.
There are many questions I should like to ask you and probably more would arise if we could talk. However I shall have to be content with what you can tell me by letter.
I noticed on the catalog card in the Seattle Public Library that the published work covered the period from 1907 to 1930. Were you taking photographs all that period? How long did it take? An article in the 1907 Times said ten times as many photographs had to be taken than would be used.
If the complete set is comprised of twenty volumes, why do these gifts contain fewer volumes? An editorial in the Seattle Times, March 21, 1907 states that the Rainier Club had subscribed for a set.
How many sets of the American Indian were made? Were any separate photographs made from the plates?
What tribes were the most difficult to photograph?
Is there any person now living in Seattle who worked in the field with you?
Mrs. Minnie Harris who has charge of the publicity for the Seattle Historical Society would like to write an article about these volumes and folios for the Sunday Times. It seems to me that your important and valuable work should be brought to the attention of the present residents of Seattle. Anything that you can tell us about yourself, especially how you started this work and a photograph either at the time you were taking the American Indian pictures or at the present time would add interest to the article.
Very truly yours,
Harriet E. Leitch
Route 2 Box 2391
Edmonds, Washington
Note: Photograph is filed in Balch collection. Seattle Public Library.
Identifier: spl_esc_00003
[October 31, 1948, Page 1]
Oct. 31 = 48
My dear Miss Leitch,
This is just a brief note to let you know I received your letter, and to tell you that I will be glad to furnish the needed information. I will be some what slow in doing this; but during this week I will send you a small batch of publicity matter [?].
The material sent you will answer many of your questions. I will now explain something of my present situation. For the past twelve months I have been in a hospital or a rest home in charge of a nurse. Lately I was moved to an apartment on Saturn St.
[October 31, 1948, Page 2]
The nurse is still in charge. In other words, I am a shut in.
I can’t afford a typeset, so I will need to get such typing as is necessary, done by my youngest daughter, Mrs. Ray Ingram. She lives more than a hundred miles away and can not manage to see me more than a couple of times a month. This will account for any delays in sending my final needed material.
The publicity material I am sending you was all published during the early years of the wok, but it gives you the basic needed information. The later typed material [October 31, 1948, Page 3]
will bring you to the closing years of the work and the needed personal touch.
Should you contact any of my old friends, please tell them I’m still alive and expect to be hanging around for at least ten years more?
Sincerely yours,
Edward C. Curtis
P.S. I spent yesterday in drafting the promised information – that is the start of it.
[October 31, 1948, Page 4]
This is where you start and I am praying that you live to read [?] the end of all the junk I am sending you.
ESC
H.E. Leitch
Identifier: spl_esc_00004
[November 24, 1948, Page 1]
Nov. 24-48
My dear Miss Leitch,
I trust you will pardon me for being so slow in replying to you[r] last letter. I’ve had a trying back set in condition and was compelled to keep to my bed. Prior to that I managed to make a good start on the information you need. At the time of laying the yarn [illegible] and I was in the midst of a howling storm in the Arctic Ocean [?]. I’ll continue the story from there. On the 26 of the month I will try to mail eight large sheets containing more than two hundred reviews of the North American Indian. I will add that in all the reviews [illegible] by the clipping agency I never saw one which voiced adverse criticism. I may be somewhat slow in sending you the final materials, I am not strong enough to do much desk work. Yesterday I spent in bed today I have got off a flood of letters.
[November 24, 1948, Page 2]
At this point of my letter I had a thought. It was regarding the day by day log of my last trip to the Arctic [?]. I rummaged through a large cartin [sic] of old scripts and found the typed copy. Its 74 pages of closely typed material = more than twenty thousand words. It’s more than fifteen years since I last looked at it.
I began reading it at once and found it so interesting that I did not put it down till the final word was reached. A daily log of an [illegible - 2 words] is not apt to waste wordage. I do not recall who did the typing, it is obvious that it could not have been one of my field helpers and I am certain I did not edit it. No words were wasted in keeping the record but you in reading it can draw your own fiction and there is a bit of latitude to work in. You will notice that, I from time to time mentioned my bum legs. I acquired
[November 24, 1948, Page 3]
that lame leg some years prior to the [illegible] try.
While making a motion picture of a large whale, he became annoyed and with his tail smashed our whaling boat with a swat of his tail. I came out of the smashing with a broken hip. It’s more than twenty years since that mishap and I still limp slightly. At the time of the northern trip I limped badly.
It is four days since I began this letter. I think it should be mailed with [illegible] delay.
Sincerely yours,
E.S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00005
[December 13, 1948, Page 1]
December 13-48
Dear Miss Leitch,
I am pleased that you got a thrill from reading the day by day log. In the big batch of material to be sent you, will be further high lights on that course.
In sending you the eight sheets of book reviews, my through was that it would give you a world wide picture of the considered importance of work.
During the active years of the publication, I had a clipping bureau on the watch for all reviews of the work; during that time a received but one adverse comment, that was a howl as to the cost of the published work.
I am slowly getting together a larger mass of material from which you can glean the information you will need
[December 13, 1948, Page 2]
but owing to my physical condition and difficulty in getting material typed it is a slow task.
I will hold all further material until I can express the whole batch. Having it all together should be helpful in your selection of needed information; in that respect I suggest that you read or reread my chapts [sic] dealing with the Nez Perce War—Vol. VIII. My account of that affair will differ radically from the white man’s version.
You will note that the basis of my material is the short hand statement as given by Yellow Bull and other Nez Perce informants, also I will now explain that, I, with a Nez Perce guide and interpreter retraced the trail of the so called Nez Perce War from its start to Canada. Anoth- also, is that I reviewed, on the ground, the whole story of the war with
[December 13, 1948, Page 3]
an army officer who participated in the war from start to finish.
While you have the Nez Perce volume in hand I suggest that you turn to page 191 to page 205 you will note that we have covered all words of common usage of four tribes all being of separate dialects. The same plan was followed in all twenty volumes. The dialects covered in the volumes exceed eighty an twenty six root languages. You won’t need to look to look at but the one volume to see what a task it was to collect such vast numbers of words of assorted dialects.
I will now touch on the matts [Crossed out]
It can safely be said that no comparable record of the words of a passing race has ever been made.
A second interesting thought is, that in the coastal states of California and Oregon we recorded more root
[December 13, 1948, Page 4]
languages than exist on the rest of the globe. A further interesting thought and fact is that we in several cases collected and recorded the vocabulary from the last living man knowing the words of the root language. To me that is a dramatic statement.
I will now touch on the matter of the music. The songs were all recorded on wax rolls. From the wax rolls, the score and all words were written.
As an aside, I will say the singers and fellow tribesman were aw[e] struck on hearing the song as repeated from – what they called—the magic box.
The securing of some of what the [illegible] sacred songs was exceedingly difficult. All songs were considered as the personal property of the singer, and a part of his life. I suggest that you now consider Pages 311 to 337 of volume ten. The songs in that volum[e] were most difficult to secure.
[December 13, 1948, Page 5]
Many of them were ultra sacred [?]. I must add here that the song being the property of its originator was pass[ed] on to the oldest son and so passed on to [illegible] descendants. X When starting this letter I had no thought of going into the matter of songs or vocabulary: having done so I will mail the letter to you and while waiting for the big lot of material you might spend some time in the library going over the Nez Perce War and other subjects I have mentioned.
I hope you can read this god awful scrawl; my right hand is so crippled with arthritis that I can scarcely hold the pen and as to my spelling; since my brain concussion of a few years ago I can’t spell cat and feel certain that its correct.
Very truly yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00006
[December 26, 1948, Page 1]
(Dec. 26, 1948)
Dear Miss Leitch,
This is the day after xmas; I will now try to devote the greater part of my time to getting the needed material ready for you.
I received your letter of the 20 on the closing day of the mad xmas rush.
Your suggestion that I write the story of my life is interesting but the reason why I should not consider attempting such an ambitious undertaking are many. Among the foremost, why nots I am not in a physical or financial condition to attempt so large an undertaking.
It would take a year or more to do the job and require a super typest [sic] while doing it. The expense of the typest [sic] is quite beyond my means. Even if this could be managed; I question being able to secure a publisher.
Publishers tell me that there is but a limited market for books dealing with Indian subjects.
For some months a publishers agent has had a full length script, dealing with the North
[December 26, 1948, Page 2]
Pacific shores from Mexico to Point Barrow, extending west to the [?] Islands and on to Moscow.
The longest chapter in the fat book deals with the sea otter. I began compiling of the sea otter material fifty seven years ago while on my first trip to the [Aleut?] – with the Harriman Expedition – I have spent days and weeks with native otter hunter; who hunted the entire length of the Aleutian Islands.
I talked with native hunters of Alaska; British Columbia and California and into Mexico to the southern [illegible] of the sea otter. I spent many weeks in the Los Angeles library in research covering the life and manners of and the history of the sea otter traffic from its origin by the Russians to the close of the traffic.
The main body of the text was finished more than twenty years ago.
During the first year I have revamped
[December 26, 1948, Page 3]
and lengthened the script. The sea otter chapter was revised and lengthened fully one half. In doing this years work, I have through good friends been able to borrow from the Los Angeles library several very rare books dealing with the sea otter and Russian participation in the traffic.
Despite all the foregoing my agent reports that publishers tell him that there is but limited interest in such a book. He still has hopes of securing a publisher. He is due here from New York in a few days and perhaps he will have good news for me that would be good news. XXXX
I am “delighted” to know that the Seattle Library takes such good care of the books. XXXX
Thank you for your good wishes for the next ten years, and I am glad to be able to report to you that the Curtis tribe
[December 26, 1948, Page 4]
had a delightful Christmas reunion at my daughter Beth’s home. With great care I was loaded into a roomy car and taken to her home. Yes it was a good Christmas.
Sincerely yours,
E.S. Curtis
P.S. Ball [illegible] all gon[e] on a strike. I will be a little slow in sending final material to you. – The reason for the slowness is that my daughter Billy who is to do the typing is a semi invalid and her doctor tells her she must go slow on type writing we will do the best we can.
Many years ago 35 years the World Book Co. published a pair of small books for me. “Believe it or not” I am sill drawing royalties on them. The titles are Indian Days of the Long Ago and The Land of the Head Hunters. Perhap[s] you know them? No doubt they are in the Seattle Library. ? If you have not read them or even if you have, you might
[December 26, 1948, Page 5]
pick up a few thoughts from them. Indian Days was the best seller; the sales went far above a million the first year.
Identifier: spl_esc_00007 [January 2, 1949, Page 1]
Sunday Jan. 2 49
Dear Miss Leitch,
I have survived the twin holidays and am not much worse for the wear. At the moment I am involved in a [illegible] over business matter which is more than vital to me.
Following that I will be able to devote most of my time to getting your material in shape to send to you. Billy phoned me that she is mailing to me the typed sheets she has been doing. With that material in hand, I can soon fill in the gap and send it on to you.
I am pleased to be able to tell you that I have gained considerable vigor in the past ten days. At the moment I am feeling more alive than any time in the past two months.
[January 2, 1949, Page 2]
I will try not to forget you asked for a picture of me to accompany the story. First I had in mind a picture of myself mounted in an army [illegible], but it looks so much like Bill Cody that some one might think you had borrowed it from Bill. Another thought was that some of these who are not pro Curtis [?] would say what a nice pair of [illegible]! Some winters where were both in New York we palled [?] about a bit and were dubbed the “Cody [?] twins.”
Once upon a time I drove into an Oregon gas station and asked to have my car tank filled. When I offered the gas man pay for the gas he declined the money “I am proud to have filled Bill Cody’s gas tank.”
I will try to send you a picture
[January 2, 1949, Page 3]
which does not resemble my old friend Bill Cody.
Sincerely yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00008
[February 2, 1949, Page 1]
(Feb. 2 1949)
Dear Miss Leitch + Mrs. Harris,
At last I have the [illegible] data about ready to express to you. I do not envy you the task of extracting thoughts and information on which you can build your story. It occurs to me that the two basic thoughts on which note your story should be the value of the published work to posterity and my persistence in carrying on the work. As I look back over my scrambled life I realize that I have rarely taken a Sunday off and but one week vacation, its safe to say that in the past sixty years I have averaged sixteen hours a day, seven days a week. Following the Indians form of naming men I would be [illegible] The Man Who Never Took Time to Play.
[February 2, 1949, Page 2]
My father, as a veteran of the Civil War was a semi invalid and at the age of fourteen years I became the main support of our family.
I believe this is enough said regarding personal matter. Through all the scrambled matter sent you, you will no doubt catch [?] 9 times of my tenacity in carrying on the work I set out to do. XXXXX
Should questions arise, while you are building your story, please don’t hesitate to send them on to me and I will try to answer them.
When your script is finished I believe it would be advisable to send it on to me for a [illegible] reading.
E.S.C.
[February 2, 1949, Page 3]
A personal note
During the past two months my health has been a serious problem. My doctor seemed more interested in getting me back in a hospital for another operation than building up my strength. My feeling was that another session in a hospital would be my finish. I am more than glad to report that for the past week I have made a worth while gain in vigor, yesterday I ventured a walk of two blocks. The short walk outdoors in the sun gave me courage. In the material I am sending you I will include a short script which was written since my session in the hospital—one year and one week ago.
[February 2, 1949, Page 3]
I was bed ridden when I wrote it and needed something to take my mind of the tradegy [sic] of my operations. From the nurse who was then caring for me at home I got some of hospital information. I hope you get a laugh or two from its reading.
The package of material will go by express and you may return it the same way.
Good luck to you.
Identifier: spl_esc_00009
[March 1, 1949, Page 1]
March 1, 1949 Dear Mr. Curtis,
Today I brought in your material and went over it with Miss Lucile McDonald who is on the Seattle Times Staff and will write the article.
There is some personal information she would like and I have put that in the form of a questionaire [sic].
The plan is to but the story on a full page in the Magazine section of the Sunday paper to appear in about a month. The editor would like to run a rotogravure page of eight or ten photographs if it is possible and if your permission could be obtained. Miss McDonald would like to use the photographs of Indians in this part of the state, especially those in volume XI.
In your last letter you wrote that you were going to the hospital, so I am sending this letter to the Curtis Studio. You asked to see the article before printing. What address will reach you most promptly? I am sorry to bother you for more information when you sent so much.
Sincerely
[March 1, 1949, Page 2]
1. How many years did you live in Seattle?
2. How did you happen to take up photography?
3. How did you get the confidence of the Indians originally? (I know that you said the news of your work went from tribe to tribe, but how did you start?)
Identifier: spl_esc_00010
[Undated response to questionnaire, Page 1]
Questions to answer
1. How many years in Seattle?
About twenty five.
2. Had a family to support. A spinal injury made it impossible to work in lumber yards. Knowing a little about photography I bought an interest in a small photo shop.
3. But how did you start?
Went to the Tulalip reservation early one A.M., hired the Indian police man and his wife for the day and made some pictures [?]. Went back another day and made some more.
Over
[Undated response to questionnaire, Page 2]
How did you get the confidence of the Indians? I said we, not you. In other words, I worked with them not at them. Identifier: spl_esc_00011
[May 28, 1949, Page 1]
May 28 – 49
Dear Miss Leitch,
Its quite all right to hold all the N.A.I. [illegible], prospectus and all. For the past two weeks my health has not been good – that is discouraging [?]. The research on The Lure of Gold goes slowly.
Yesterday I had 200 pounds of books moved from the old house to my apartment that will help some. When DeMill[e] did the Ten Commandments, I did considerable research for him, in that case it was sketchy. The Lure of Gold —if ever published—will arouse no end of controversy, hense [sic] all facts and figures must be checked and double checked.
I find that the writers of the Old Testament were rather careless with facts + figures. As many scribes [?]; and translators participated [?] in the writing; that must be expected.
Sincerely yours,
E.S.C.
Identifier: spl_esc_00012
[July 11, 1949, Page 1]
July 11 = 49
Dear Miss Leitch,
I am so involved in the Lure of gold research that I am prone to be slow in answering letters.
Yes, I knew Retsen [?] quite well, his sense of humor made him good company. As to his [illegible] being with me on a trip; he was with me on an assent of Mount Rainier. That was not the climb on which I bossed 108 men and women on a climb to the summit. I do not recall now many I start with but the 108 reached the top of the mountain.
Miss Ella McBride was one of the women who reached the summit, unaided, she my star helper in herding the women and sorting out those who had made false statements to our [illegible] as to there [sic] physical condition.
As to Mis[s] McBride and the Curtis Studio, she was a star helper for quite some years. During that time she lived with our family as one of us. She was a second mother to Beth and Florence. To date I have had no letter from any one you mention.
[July 11, 1949, Page 2] For a moment I will return to my problem child, The Lure of Gold. For the last four weeks I have devoted all my time to Spanish America: and that’s a BIG field. The territory to be covered is 5000 x 5000 miles square, and the names of the men involved with the Conquest would fill a book. To date my notes on Cortez fill six sheets of this size.
At times I feel that I have tackled a task that’s to[o] BIG for me. At other times I am praying that I will live long enough to finish the job. I now have one short, but important, chapter ready for its first typing [sic]. With that in type I will go into a huddle with my daughter Billy and then we will decide wheather [sic] I go on or not? If I decide to continue I will mail you a carbon and ask your opinion.
Judging by the time already spent on the research it will take me fully a year more to finish.
I have several more letters which should be done today, so I will close.
Sincerely,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00013
[August 16, 1949, Page 1]
August 16 5 am
Dear Miss Leitch,
I am so bogged down with gold research that I have neglected personal letters. From my point of view that’s a sin. I am so glad that you saw Miss McBride, I hope she told you of our record breaking assent of Mt. Rainier.
Thank you for the clipping which mentions C.T.C. and several other old friends. We all had the habit of lunching at the big round table. I being about the youngest one in the group got a lot of advice. As to your very kind offer to look up facts and figures at the library, there [?] is somewhere a 12 word statement which I need to quote. I believe I can find it in some of my book or papers, if not I will impose on you. The information I need can I believe to be found in one of Professor Meany’s books. My search for facts and figures for the ‘Lure of Gold’ cover more than two hundred years of American history. Why any one of my age should attempt such a task is beyond my understanding. At the start I thought I could so the job in a years time. Now I am hoping that I can finish it in two years??
over
[August 16, 1949, Page 2]
If you could see my pair of working rooms filled with books, maps and manuscripts and clippings you be [illegible]. I now have more than a dozen note books in use – all of these are alphabetically arranged. Now I making am building an alphabetical key book to the collection. I have raved far to[o] long so I’ll close for this time.
Sincerely yours,
E.S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00014
[November 4, 1949, Page 1]
November 4 49
Dear Miss Leitch,
I trust you will pardon my delay in answering your letter, it’s the same old story. I have been so busy with the Lure of gold that everything else is neglected. So many subjects have to be covered that I lose track of where I’m at. Two walls of my room are covered with pads of research [?] notes. The indexes to the pads now number more than forty. I am now putting a pin board on the last vacant wall, on that I can place short notes. Since I last wrote you I have added several hundred books to my collection. All of them must be sketched through and notes made, and the notes must [be] indexed and the source given.
Owing to the nature of the book all facts + figures must be checked and double checked. In the research I have written words enough to fill a half dozen books. I won’t bore you with further yowling in doing the research I have learned a lot hense [sic] from now on I should make better head way. I need to if I’m to complete the task.
[November 4, 1949, Page 2]
I already have a request, from an outstanding publishing house for the ‘Lure of gold’ script. I have written them that it will be at least two years before the script can be completed. For one of my age, that’s looking far ahead.
Please hold the thought that I may maintain my strength to finish the task.
Sincerely yours,
E.S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00015
[March 1, 1950, Page 1]
March 1 1950
Dear Miss Leitch, Weeks ago I received a letter from you. My excuse for not answering promptly is that I lost your address, it now occurs to me that letter addressed to Edmonds will reach you. On that assumption I will send you a short letter.
I do not recall what I said in my last letter. Hense [sic] I may repeat myself.
My health is improving and I now look forward to celebrating my 99 Birth Day??
While working on the Lure of gold I was constantly thinking that I needed to see Spanish America. It develops that a large scientific expedition is planning to explore the Amazon. I am invited to accompany the expedition, as a [illegible]. The Expedition plans to sail from San Diago [sic] to Brazil in the early summer. One member of the Expedition is a high clas[s] m.d. so I will have good medical care. For the time being I have said enough regarding the Pan-American Scientific Research Association.
[March 1, 1950, Page 2]
I was more than pleased with the clipping you sent me. I failed to mention that approximately fifty men will comprise man power of the Pan American Expedition, fully 35 of them are scientist[s]. I believe you will agree that, that’s quite a group of High [illegible].
Sincerely yours,
E.S.C.
Identifier: spl_esc_00016
[May 11, 1950, Page 1]
(May 11, 1950)
Dear Miss Leitch,
I was more than pleased to get your letter of April 30. I am pleased to know that the U.S.A. still has a good mail service. No doubt our muddleheaded President will soon find a way to muss it up.
Since last writing you I have been having another session with the M.D.s. Naturally [?] I have not been have to do much on the Lure of Gold. As to my going to Brazil, it was not an exploring expedition such you or I would picture it.
As the promoters planned the expedition you would term it a Da Lux sightseeing trip. An ocean going ship had been purchased, [illegible], and put in condition for a try of the Amizon [sic]. We were to set sail from Long Beach Calif., follow the Pacific shores to the Panama Canal, pass through said canal then south on the Atlantic shores to the mouth of the Amazon thense [sic] a thousand miles up to the Amazon to the Rio Negro River – The Amazon at that point
[May 11, 1950, Page 2] is 20 miles wide. Near the mouth of the Rio Negro is the city of Manios Manauos. It has a population of many thousand.
The Expedition plans were that Manaos [sic] would be the headquarters of the expidition [sic] and that permanent headquarters would be established ashore. Mr. Fred J. Matzler [?] was the promoter of the expidition [sic] and the foremost financial supporter of the expedition.
Friction and jealousy broke the organization into two factions the pro Matzlers [?] and the anti Matzlers [?]. I think it safe to say that there is little of any chance that the Expedition will ever sail for Brazil. I am among the pro Matzler [?], one hundred percent. He is a human dynamo and highly educated, also he is a gentleman. No words can express my disappointment in the collapse of the Pan American Expedition. During all my active life time I have wanted to see the Amazon and the Andes Mountains. Perhaps Matzler [?] can work out or
[May 11, 1950, Page 3]
devise a plan by which we can spend a year in South America. XXX
Arthritis seems to have gone to my head as well as my hands. I hope you make a great success as a seller of books.
Sincerely yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00017
[September 22, 1950, Page 1]
Sept 22 1950
Dear Miss Leitch,
By the way I am still and yet plodding along with the Lure of Gold: the more I work on it the more I find that should be included.
The South American Project is in cold storage for the present.
You speak of quotas, and the raising of money, once upon a time I was confronted with the North American Indian quota which was 1,800,000 plus. I have always thought that ignorance alone allowed me to tackle that task? Think that over.
I am delighted to have the Conover [?] clipping. I knew most of the old Timers he mentions, many of them were of great assistance in meeting my quota. I won’t take the time to go into details; one man who was of supreme help to me
[September 22, 1950, Page 2] in meeting obligations of the North American Indian, that man is J.T. Douglas who now lives in Los Angeles. He called on me a few days ago, we discussed old times for two hours.
You ask regarding my arthritis and the wonder drugs. For more than twenty years I have been buying wonder drugs but the arthritis grows stronger. Judging by some of the later purchases [?] it would seem that arthritis could be relieved if not cured but the patient would need at least 25 thousand in the bank and most of us ain’t got it.
My youngest child and her other half have moved to Sidney Australia. That’s a sad blow to me for we were real pals. XXX I will make an effort NOT to lose your address.
This is a badly disjointed letter
[September 22, 1950, Page 3]
spread over a lot of time.
Yesterday I received a long letter [from] my daughter Billy. She states that Australia is fine, but up to date they haven’t found a place to live it seems that there is a great shortage of houses.
I shall encourage Billy [to] keep notes on Australia and later do a book on the subject, she is one Curtis who can write. Now I’ll take up the ancient subject of Chief Joseph. In the days of long ago I helped bury the chief twice. In order to bury him the second time we had to dig him up: I did most of the digging. It was a very hot day and the Noble Red Men said “let the white men do the digging they know how.” Professor Meany and Sam Hill participated [sic] in the reburial.
[September 22, 1950, Page 4]
The professor wrote a good story of the reburial.
As an aside. If you or your friends want to read the real story of the life of Chief Joseph see Volume VIII of the North American Indian. I spent a vast amount of time on the Chief Joseph research and I didn’t secure my information from white men. XXX
I have just received [?] the post card of a so [illegible] Blackfoot Indian. I suspect that the man who scalped [?] that [illegible] never saw an Indian dressed in a g string [?] which ain’t an Indian g string.
Regardless of all this, I thank you for the card and hope you meet your quota.
Sincerely yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00018
[November 17, 1950, Page 1] Nov 17 1950
Dear Miss Leitch,
You will soon see that my old man arthritis is still with me however I do manage to keep him under slight control [sic].
I am pleased to receive the clipping Re. Miss Ella McBride. Yes she was quite a mountain climb[er] in the days of long ago. She failed to mention that she was a member of a large party of Mazamas who climbed Mt. Rainier and that she was the only woman of the party who reached the summit, unaided. I made many other climbs to the summit on two of them I acted as a guide to a number of scientific men. It was through those contacts that I was asked to join the Harriman Expedition to Alaska, as photographer.
The summer days in Alaska are long on both ends and Mister [?] Harriman urged that I make use of all the daylight. If there is any question in your mind as my use of the day light, please take a day off and peruse Vol. one and two of the Harriman Alaska Expedition.
[November 17, 1950, Page 2]
You will see a lot of Alaska as I saw it.
To tie my rambling story together you might look at page 286 Vol 2. The six men you see pictured were members of the mountain climbing party I met on Mount Rainier. While looking at pictures you might glance on page opposite Page 312. I didn’t make the pictur[e] but I did get some hot feet while picturing a flock of sea lions [?] a little lower down.
You asked if my daughter me[a]nt to make her home in Australia. The answer is yes; but they found it necessary to change their plans. They flew home from San Francisco to Sidney in a few hours. Then began the grief, her husband had a heart and the decided to start back to the U.S. as soon
[November 17, 1950, Page 3]
as possible.
The doctors insisted that he should not risk a trip by air. Luck was with them, they got quarters on a freighter returning to S.F.
On old time friend was waiting for them at the dock, with a chartered ambulance, he brought them to Los Angeles. They came direct to the home of Beth, my oldest daughter. I saw him for a few minutes yesterday and he put on a brave front for my benefit.
Billy has her typewriter and is trying to cover all business matters and send information to his relative [sic]. This scrawl has grown lengthy so I will call it a day. I will be sending you a xmas card.
Sincerely,
ESC Identifier: spl_esc_00019
[December 17, 1950, Page 1]
December
(Dec. 17 1950)
Dear Miss Leitch,
I will impose upon you by out-lining my activities during the past year as a basis of my report I will state that I am still a housebound invalid. At times I would make promising gains, then would come discouraging set backs.
Friends insisted that I spent too much time bent over a desk. To some extent the friends were no doubt right. To lessen the desk work it was necessary to put the Lure of gold on the shelf. That was a serious blow and hard to take. Relatives and friends have urged that I put the text on the shelf and forget it.
I find that its not easy to junk a script which one has spent the greater part of two years.
[December 17, 1950, Page 2]
Perhaps I can find a way to finish it.
The arthritis is one of my problems. The pain in my wrist is very trying. Also the dam[n] television set on the floor below is more than trying. I find that I am short of time so I must close. Will write again when the rush is over. If you see any of my friends tell them: I am doing nicely.
All good for you for 1951.
Sincerely yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00020
[December 29, 1950, Page 1]
(Dec 19, 1950)
Dear Miss Leitch,
Its high time I report to you and outline my activities during the past year. As a basis of my report I will state that I am still a housebound invalid. At times I would make a promising gain, then would come a discouraging set back.
Friends suggested that I spent too much time crunched over my desk. To some extent the friends were no doubt right. In order to lessen the desk work it was necessary to put the Lure of gold on the shelf – that was a serious blow and hard to take. Relatives and friends have urged that I put the text in storage and forget it.
I can testify that junking a script on which one has spent, in research and writing more than two years time is no easy task. Up to date, I have not mentioned to anyone my through of ditching the Lure of gold. For the present I close this wail [?].
[December 29, 1950, Page 2]
My first Christmas present this wear was the jars of fruit – I have devoured two of them and looking forward to the others. The Christmas season has been very great with me.
I spent 3 hours at my daughters home and met some of my old time friends but I soon grew bored with the chatter and decided the place for me was in my apartment, and asked Beth to have some one drive me home. It developed that I escaped the mob by my early getaway. XXXX
Of late there has been several requests for an up to date picture of Old Man Curtis. To meet the demand I decided to have a picture made of me on my 83rd Birth Day. I will insist that the negative is not retouched. I will or shall save one for you also. I will send you one to pass on to the man who published my picture last year and one to the woman who wrote the article, published.
Did I send you one of the standard pictures I was about 45 I think when
[December 29, 1950, Page 3]
that was made. I was wearing a canvas coat and a wide brimmed hat. It is a photogravure. We used it as a publicity picture while promoting the sale of The North American Indian.
During the winter season while I was lecturing we used a large lithograph of the same picture – that was a Bill Board picture. I hope you will be pleased with the Birth Day picture. Knowing my age you may be surprised. XXXXXX
Thursday A.M. A flock of well wishers called to say Merry Xmas aside from that they threw a book of questions at me. The questions covered the human race from days of Adam to F.D.R.—I won’t include Truman. XXX
I shall try to mail this today. I will close by wishing all good luck for 1951.
Edward S. Curtis.
December 28 1950
Identifier: spl_esc_00021
[January 27, 1951, Page 1]
Jan 27 1951 Dear Miss Leitch,
I will write you a short letter regarding my approaching birth day, I have grown older since my last birth day but most of my friends insist that [I] look younger. To help decide this question I am having an up to date photograph made—there will be no retouching done on the negative or the prints.
I will be more than pleased if one or both of the Seattle news papers would publish them. Not knowing the addresses I shall take the liberty of mailing them to you for distribution. I will send prints from the new negatives and well known negative made in Seattle forty five or more years ago.
During the past months I have received several letters indicating that the Seattle Historical Society and the University of Washington would like autographed photographs of the Old Man Curtis.
[January 27, 1951, Page 2]
The pictures going to the University and the Historical Society will be mailed direct at about the same time as those mailed to you. Now comes a question. In a letter secured some time ago; you spoke of being heavily burdened with a quota? My question is who or what is the quota?
I shall do my utmost to mail all pictures at an early date. Your name will be on one of the new pictures. I hope you will like it.
Sincerely yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00022
[February 2, 1951, Page 1]
Feb 2 1951
Dear Miss Leitch,
Your letter of January 29 arrived early this a.m. This was the day I arranged to have the up to date photo made. A car was ready to take me to the studio to have the photo made. It was the first time in eight years I had been to the studio; some of the girls threatened to kiss me – think of that – at my age.
It took the photographer two hours to make the negative. It will be a few days before I get the proofs, and then some time to get the finished pictures.
Now I will talk about the distribution of the photographs. The M.D.s insist that I must not spend to[o] much time crouched over my desk. They did not mention my poor arthritis hands—now is the time when I need a first class typest [sic].
In the past I have had some splendid letters from Mr. Smith and Mr. Todd. When sending the picture to the University I will include them. During the last year they have been some [February 2, 1951, Page 2]
confusion regarding autographed photos of myself. I won’t go into details regarding the several letters but I shall as soon as possible mail a letter and autographed photo to these correspondents whos[e] letters have been lost or delayed.
I will begin with Mrs. Plestcheeff [?] letter of introduction to Miss Lillian Smart. This letter was dated April 28, 1950. It first came to my attention while I was sorting a batch of Christmas cards and letters during Christmas week 1950, checking these days indicate that the letter had been lost for eight months.
I will now consider the history of the letter from Miss Miss [?] Harriet Seely – I trust I have deciphered this name properly.— The letter is dated May 24 1950 and came to my attention at the same time as the letter from Mrs. Plestcheeff [?]. The fact that I was an invalid most of that summer can account for the letters going astray.
[February 2, 1951, Page 3]
Miss Seely in her letter reminded me that I had not sent Mrs. Plestcheeff [?] her autographed picture. All things considered I believe it would be best for me to mail the picture and requested autograph direct.
Considering that I have met Miss Smart it would seem to be good politic to mail the picture direct. This might well apply to Mr. Smith and Mr. Todd of the University of Washington as I now owe both men letters, this is should be one. Opportune [?] time to pay my debts.
You mention the Seattle Public Library being interested in the “North American Indian.” It should be good policy for you to write them and send a copy of the Birth day picture. Now we come to Seattle news papers; as far as I know you have but two daily papers. Naturally they would not want to use the same picture. With that in mind, I will try to select different pictures for each paper. At this moment I have a phone call telling me that the pictures made yesterday are a great success. I hope they are right?
I will try to select the best of the pictures for the news papers. While you are looking them over please select one for yourself. Each proof will be numbered so that should you run short of certain pictures you can send me the number and I can have the picture mailed to you.
I will now put this letter aside until further developments.
Sunday a.m. Feb 4.
A P.S. thought. I will mail this at once in order that you will may know whats brewing.
Sincerely yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00023 [March 3, 1951, Page 1]
Dear Miss Leitch,
In your letter of Feb 25 you mention the Curtis Studio, which is on Wilshire Blvd. The object of the letter is to inform you that for more than twenty years I have had no part or interest in the Curtis Studio on Wilshire Blvd. This fact has caused a H--- a lot of confusion. As an illustration I will inclose [sic] a letter from Mrs. Theodore Plestcheeff [?] dated April 28, 1950. This letter, and one from Miss Seely reached my apartment in January 1951. At the time the letters reached me I was in no condition to read or write letters.
A few weeks ago I wrote Mrs. Theodore Plestcheeff [?] and tried to EXPLAIN some of the confusion. Also I have mailed her one of the Birth Day pictures—it was one with a hat on. Should she prefer the bald headed one I will mail it without delay. When you see any of the confused ladys [sic] give them an outline of my letter. If you see Miss Smart please tell her
[March 3, 1951, Page 2]
I am living the life of a hermit at 5871 Saturn Street Los Angeles. Should you contact Mrs. Plestcheeff [?] please tell her that I hope to mail her a typed letter regarding the Indians of Puget Sound, and how, why I began photographing Indians. The first photograph I ever made of an Indian was of PRINCESS ANGEL[I]N[E], the digger and dealer in clams. I paid the princess a dollar for each picture I made. This seemed to please her greatly and with hands + jargon she indicated that she preferred to spend her time, having pictures made than in digging clams. XXX
At this joint I was interrupted and “I wrote no more that day.”
P.S. This letter has been held up for 3 days for the lack of a postage stamp and now I find that my ball point pen has died a sudden death. Regardless of all the problems I will use a [illegible] and put this in a mail box.
Sincerely yours,
E.S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00024
[March 12, 1951, Page 1]
(Mar 12 1951)
March
Dear Miss Leitch,
Your letter of the 7th came this a.m. I am glad you like the quizzical expression on the old face. Some time ago you stared that you had never gone to Alaska. As an old timer on the Alaskan coast I will or shall make a few suggestions. Suggestion one is that if you have not spent some delightful hours with the two volume report on the E.H. Harriman Expedition to Alaska, you go to Seattle library and spend a day or two with the two volumes. The pictures will give you a very comprehensive picture of Alaska from Canadian birds to the Arctic Circle—that’s some distance in looking through the two books you will note the name of old man Curtis several times. If I had the time to spare
[March 12, 1951, Page 2]
I could write a fat book on the story of the expedition. XXX
The tourists only see a glimpse of Alaska south of Sitka. Personally I have made 3 trips to Alaska, all reaching north of the Arctic Circle, in one case I reached Point Barrow.
Enough of all this. I have been delayed in mailing the Birth day picture to Mr. C.W. Smith, I hope to mail it tomorrow. XX
The Birth day picture for Miss Smart got mixed up and landed in Tacoma. The picture should land in Seattle in a short time. – Don’t I have fun??
Sincerely yours,
ESC
I won’t be able to mail this till Monday March 12.
Identifier: spl_esc_00025
[April 10, 1951, Page 1]
(Apr 10 1951)
Dear Miss Leitch,
Owing to a lot of confusion I fear I failed to mail you a five page letter written some time ago. The letter is not dated. I will enclose the letter as it is and perhaps add some content. You will note that I mention one of my meetings with Mr. Morgan in which we discussed several vital matters. Should you want further light on our discussion please send them to me. Before I mail this I will make a long hand copy of pages 3 and 4. By having the copys [sic] I can use them as a guide for further information. I will now close this.
P.S. I have added considerable chatter and some information to the script. I will try to have the pages in order.
[April 10, 1951, Page 2]
Dear Miss Leitch, Your letter of March 19 is most interesting. You suggest that I might have been quite young when I joined the Harriman Expedition, that’s a mild statement.
First I will tell you how come I was on the expedition [sic]. For two seasons prior to the Expedition I spent some weeks on Rainier making pictures. On the second season a party of scientifics [?] came to study the mountain. A couple of times they got lost, I managed to get them to my camp when I thawed them out and bedded down. Following that I acted as their guide in giving the mountain the once over. In the three volumes of the Harriman Expedition; you have seen pictures and names of all the wise men I met on the mountain two years prior to the Expedition. It was the same men who sold Harriman on the thought of spending a lot of money on a Expedition to Alaska also they
[April 10, 1951, Page 3]
suggested that I accompany the Expedition as official photographer.
You say you would like to have some side lights on the Expedition. The side lights on the Expedition would fill a book as fat as Vol. three. You are right in assuming that I was the youngest member of the party. Also you can safely assume that I am the only member of the Expedition alive.
You are quite right in thinking I met George Bird Grinnell on the Expedition. For many hears he had spent his summers with the Blackfoot tribe. If you will look in the Blackfoot vol. you will see many of the pictures I made. In those days I made the 14 x 17 photographs with a large camera. At that time I had not given thought to a photograph history of the North American Indian but a year or two prior to the Harriman Expedition, I began
[April 10, 1951, Page 4]
making pictures of the Puget Sound Indians. Four of that small collection were included in the National Photographic Exhibition and won the Grand Prize. As a loan Exhibition it traveled over a good part of the civilized world. Naturally I was quite proud of myself and the pictures.
Before closing this letter there is one more matter I should cover; when I made my contract with Mr. Morgan I agreed that I contribute all time devoted to research, promotion, and sales of published volumes. Also the records show that for more than seventeen years I did not receive any remuneration for time devoted to the project.
This is a good time to do a little explaining. I have already mentioned joining Grinnell with the Blackfoot people. After the Sun Dance [illegible] I made my first trip to Hopi Land
[April 10, 1951, Page 5]
in Arazona [sic].
To manage the expanse of three month of research among the tribes of Arazona [sic] and New Mexico would take some doing. Knowing Joe Blethen of the Seattle Times I appealed to him; with his usual smile, he said “that’s easy I’ll give you a letter to the passenger agent of the Santa Fe at Los Angeles.[“] The agent read the letter which outlined my plans for making a photograph history of the American Indian. Please Note the balance of this paragraph.—up to the time I secured the help of Mr. Morgan no suggestion of a text to accompany the pictures had been made, rather than that I had in mind descriptive titles with each picture.
When it was decided that there should be a complete text with the pictures the question was as to who should write it.
[April 10, 1951, Page 6]
Mr. Morgan decided that question without delay. In making decisions he spoke to me directly you are the one to write the text, you know the Indian and how they live and what they are thinking.
P.S.S.S. If you will forgive me for this scrambled letter I will try to do better in the future and make the letters shorter.
Another P.S. I have had no letters from Mrs. Plestcheeff [?] as to the receipt [?] of the Birth Day picture, it could be that she sent her letter to the Wilshire Studios? In my letter to her I explained that mail for me should be addressed to 5871 Saturn i[n] Los Angeles. I mailed one of the pictures to Miss Lillian Smart many week[s] ago; I fear it did not reach her. It was addressed to her at 3221 Point Place, Seattle. I shall try to have this mailed on Monday April 9.
Sincerely yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00026
[May 8, 1951, Page 1]
May 8 1951
Dear Miss Leitch,
Here comes another of my scrambled long hand letters.
On April 18 I received a letter from the Seattle Historical Society telling me that Miss Lillian Smart was in Arazona [sic] on her vacation and on her way home would call on me to discuss certain matters concerning the historical society.
One mid afternoon [?] Miss Smart arrived. And at once stated that she had arranged with a recording studio to do the recording and that a taxi was on its way to pick you up and take you to the recording studio to make the recordings without delay.
I was in my bathrobe and suggested that we slow down and give me time to get some notion of what I was expected to do or say in making the recordings. For some weeks I had lacked strength to leave my apartment and the thought
[May 8, 1951, Page 2]
of being hassled about in a taxi was annoying but the thought of a recording covering the history of the North West Coast was most interesting. I will close by saying that I have outlined a script for a recording of any reasonable length. It covers the Pacific Coast line from the Columbia river to Alaska. I have not received an answer to my air mail letter to Miss Smart. I suspect I offended her by protesting the making of a rush recording. At that time I was so lacking in strength that it was difficult to walk the length of my apartment. Please write me a newsey [?] letter.
Sincerely yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00027
[July 3, 1951, Page 1]
July 3 1951
Dear Miss Leitch,
I am delighted to get your letter of June 29.
You ask “did you meet any of the Lowman [?] when you were on Nome.” The answer is yes. A few of them were on the [illegible] when I first went to Nome. They were very busy with the reindeer. The second time I went to Nome I do not recall seeing any of them. If you see Carl tell him I am still alive. Some weeks ago I receive a letter from J. Ronald Todd in the envelope was a questionnaire of considerable length asking questions from A to Z, covering forty years or more of a scrambled life. I am in hopes that I can finish the questionnaire in a week? XX
It’s a long time since I have had word from any of the Historical Society so perhaps they won’t
[July 3, 1951, Page 2]
want the much discussed recording. I am still a house bound and see no indication of a change. XXX
The grocery boy just bought me my half weeks supply of food etc. [?] It[s] hell when you can’t go to the market and select what you want.
You spoke of berries: Calf. can grow super strawberries. The grocer boy just brought me two boxes. I am told that the Puget Sounders have dug so many clams that they can’t find any more to dig? XXX
Speaking of food: I eat a pound of [illegible] raw carrots every day that’s to better my eyesight. XXXX This is now July 3 530 am. I haven’t yet heard a fire cracker but, as this part of L.A. is 95% Hebrew why should I expect to hear a fire cracker.
[July 3, 1951, Page 3]
I am in hopes that I will not be in Los Angeles next fourth of July. In fact I hope I won’t be here next Christmas. My main object in moving is to get away from the smog and give my eyes a chance to function. When and if I move I will keep you informed as to my address. This is a bum letter, I will try to do better in the future.
Sincerely yours,
Edward S. Curtis
Identifier: spl_esc_00028
[August 4, 1951, Page 1]
Aug 4 1951
Dear Miss Leitch,
It’s a long time since I have written you, and the reason I have not is that my right hand is so crippled with arthritis that I can scarcely hold a pen or pencil. Another reason is that I am nearly blind and that no improvement is possible [sic]. Despite this gloomy verdict I have taken great care of my eyes and I can see fairly well.
I hope all is going well with you and your Earth [?] of notes [?].
Sincerely yours,
Old Man Curtis
P.S. My address is still and yet at 8550 Burton Way. The most discouraging place I have ever tried to live in.