I have a letter from Mr. Charles Hutchins, saying that he has been employed by the Mitchell's Peak Park Commission to institute condemnation proceedings for the land on and around Mount Mitchell.

My dear Bis; why haven't you done this long ago. This is very important. It is a subject of great interest to all the people of this country. There is not a day that passes but I have inquiries about it.

Now I am going to pay you a good fee for this work whether you want it or not. I appreciate very highly your willingness to do the work for nothing, but old man Pat Winston said (he is the father of Dr. Winston, Frank and others) that a lawyer who worked for nothing was not worth a damn. I want you to get busy in earnest. I do not want another minute of unnecessary delay. I want you to do it. Of course it is all right to have Mr. Hutchins to help you. I will pay the bills and they will not come out of the twenty thousand dollars appropriated for the condemnation of the land. They will come out of the general fund in the Treasury.

Please do not get irritated at this letter, but go to work on the proceedings whether you are irritated or not.

Mr. Hutchins says that Purley and Crocket are cutting the timber. This must not be done. As I understand the law the title to the land passes to the State as soon as the commission condemns, and the Commission can condemn at once as soon as the papers can be prepared. The price of the land is adjusted afterwards. I will write Purley and Crocket.