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L. B. Searls; Northway, H. B : Original Billhead and Letter with Small Cartoon - L. B. Searls

Original billhead and handwritten letter on beige paper with printed text and handwriting in black ink. No date, circa 1890s (blank fill-in date within 1890s). Location is Amboy, Illinois. 8 1/2" x 6." One page, complete. Billhead is very clean and intact overall. Paper was folded in thirds vertically. A few additional vertical fold lines. Letterhead reads, "L. B. Searls, ... Dealer in Clothing ... Gents' Furnishings, Shoes and Merchant Tailoring." Above the header is a description of Amboy encouraging tourism or settlement in the city. Description reads in part: "The city has electric lights, water works, flowing artesian well, one bank with a quarter century's reputation for prudence and safety, a branch factory of the C. M. Henderson or Riverside Shoe Co., tile factory, two large grain elevators, an excellent creamery and feed mill, a beautiful natural park of 30 acres, 7 churches, new $15,000.00 high school building just completed. City is surrounded by a good farming country which, being well-watered, is especially adapted to stock or dairy farming. Fine building rock and fine clay near city. City is free from debt." The handwritten letter on the billhead is brief and addressed to an unnamed recipient. The letter reads, "[C]an't help but admire it[Amboy?]. Well deary I must close so that I may catch the morning train. Your[s] most affect[ionately], H. B. Northway." Northway has drawn a cartoon of himself below his signature. The cartoon shows him missing the train saying, "I'm coming," suitcase in hand, while he runs down train tracks (presumably having missed the train) and follows a sign that says, "St. Louis, 385 miles.". Ephemera. Book Condition: Collectible-Very Good. Binding: No Binding

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