55. Alexander Krueger to August Krueger, December 10, 1896 [45] ALEXANDER KRUEGER TO AUGUST KRUEGER, DECEMBER 10, 1896 Slides 278 - 281. Money wanted $10.00 1220 University Ave. Madison, Wis Dec.10.96 5 Dear Parants + Sister I received Sarah's letter + papers yesterday at noon, and saw that you are getting along nicely. I am doing the same but plenty of work. I wrote you the 10 last letter I wrote that I was going to take forge work. I will start in tomorrow afternoon. I will work at the forge every third day. Three hours a day. My cash run pretty low. I had to Pay $2.00 to enter the 15 shop, and for $1.00 I had to by tools. I bought one folding rule and one compass cost me $1.00 The compass is shaped like this for measuring iron bolts and the like. I had to pay .25¢ for a locker key (returnable with close of term) 20 and had to buy one blue jacket for working in the shop for .60¢ That cost me $3.25 to enter the forge work. I also had to buy me a pair of new shoes for $1.40 I got a pair of No. 9 shoes. My sunday shoes were to 25 small for every day's wear. I must have about $2.00 more for books. I have just $4.25 left My board and room rent is due Tuesday 12 P.M. When I pay that I will have .75¢ left. Try and send me $10.00 Saturday Dec. 12. Then I 30 think I will have enough till I come home. I will be home Christmas. They will not have school on Christmas, and if they have any on Saturday I don't care I will miss that. I have spent $23.86 so far, and out of this I spent 35 only 5¢ church, 5¢ cigar, and 5¢ car fare 5¢ Tobaco 20¢ what I could have saved. Here in Madison it costs a dollar every time a man turns around. I got a very nice book from Prof. Henry, it is the Thirteenth Annual Report of the Agricultur ex- 40 periment Station of 1896. It is all bound in cloth Every Short course student got one free. I asked him if I could not get another one to send home, and he told me I could not get any for $1.00 a piece. They have so few of these 45 books on hand. They sent many to foreign countries He said if any student lost his book he could not get another one To-day I have been stock judgeing. We got through at 4 o'clock. After we left the farm 50 I and some of our boys took a walk around town for exercise. Whenever I eat two hearty meals and have no exercise I can feel it in my stomach. I never beleaved it that eating much and no exercise would have such and ef- 55 fect on a man, as it has. My apples are starting to rot pretty fast. I and Anders are eating all we can. At first we were quite-saveing with them but it is of no use. I get pretty nice board but I dont get 60 my fruit so the apples come in nicely We have been experimenting with beans in the Horticultur Labrotary as to absorbing water. We first measured the beans a 100 beans in one can. filled the can with damp soil and 65 pressed it down, very much, and a 100 beans in another can with the same kind of soil but only mixed them loosely with the soil then we let them stand for a day and there we sifted the soil all from the beans and 70 measured them again and we found that the packed soil had swelled the beans about 4 to 5 centimeters more than the loose soil. I think that our cornplanter with the solid wheel is better then Albert's with the opening 75 Our experiment shows that pressed down soil will geminate seeds quicker then loose soil We have made many other experiments which I will tell you when I get home All the things we make at the forge 80 belongs to us. But we must keep them in our lockers till the end of the term. then they will all be examined and our standing given according to our work. Here is quite a good deal of robbing going on 85 in this city. One man was held up this week his money stolen and bullet fired through his neck. Hold-ups most every night. The police has been dressed in citizens cloths ever since I have been here trying to catch the thiefs, but have 90 not succeeded yet. Most of our boys stay in their rooms evenings or not stay out late. Now I must close and look over my studies. One of the students gives lessons in arithmetic twice a week evenings for $1.50 for eight weeks. I would like to take it but it costs money and time. 95 Best regards to all. Answer soon. From your son Alexander Krueger (added along top of page 3, SML) Tell Sarah she may send II me some papers that she thinks will be of any interest to me. but do not send to many I will have time sundays to read and some evenings Hand drawn picture of a compass.