Hurley Family Emigrant Letters (Ref. U170)

U170/

1 August 1901 Letter from Denis Hurley, Carson City, Nevada, to his brother, John. The hot weather is making him ‘lazy and languid’, and his wife is visiting with Reno friends who are camping in the mountains. Sympathises with John’s loss ‘in your cows slinging your calves’. Michael is still in San Francisco ‘following his usual pursuits’. The country ‘is agitated with labor troubles at present- Capital versus Labour…’. Wishes him a generous harvest, of ‘fine mealy new spuds’. Says he would appreciate a comfortable home in Ireland, and that ‘Foreign fortune seeking may occasionally meet with big rewards but the disapointed ones far outnumber them and their hardships are not much written about…’. Notes that the ‘South African war is still dragging along – with all its misery entailed on the poor troops…’. 2pp 27 December 1901 Letter from Denis Hurley, Carson City, Nevada to his brother, John. His wife has been sick over the past year. Michael is to work ‘bossing a gang’ at the railroad yards, and is strong and healthy. He met a gentleman and his sister from the townland of Desert named Fitzgerald who were well informed on Clonakilty affairs. 2pp 29 May 1902 Letter from Denis Hurley, Carson City, Nevada to his brother John. His wife’s health has improved. He received a letter from Michael, who is back in his old job on the Southern Pacific Rail Road and living in the country. Mentions the death of Father Twomey. Notes ‘The war has made the loaf dearer but an advance in the price of farm products should be an advantage to the farmers. It sent up the price of American horses and mules…’. 2pp 2 January 1903 Letter from Denis Hurley, Carson City, Nevada to his brother John. Brother Michael is well and has bigger pay and is saving more money than he has for a long time. Hopes they have visited the Cork Exhibition and enjoyed it. He sees ‘no wisdom in being absorbed entirely with worldly affairs…We ought to…cultivate friendly relations with friends, neighbors and relatives’. He dreamt he was on the old place recently. 2pp