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My estimate of pay of Assistant Engineer was founded on personal knowledge. My friend Moses Leeland Morse, who graduated here last year, with no sort of preparation, less fitted perhaps both by Nature, habit, and Education for the business than myself, obtained a situation as Assistant on the Lewiston & Waterville Rail Road. He received $1.25 per diem as Green hand for a few weeks. As soon as he learned the business a little, received and now receives $1.50 per diem, is Rod man in the levelling party.

 E. Merrill Talbot of Turner, an acquaintance of mine, begun a few years ago on the Hartford & New Haven I believe. Had I suppose $1.50 per diem, at first. 2.00 per day summer & winter before he left there. Now had probably $1000. or 1200 per year, on the Portsmouth and Concord R.R
 Engineers are employed by the year, (or by the job - till the road is done usually two or three years) rather than by the month. 
However, I suppose likely that there is not much of a chance of my getting any sort of a such situation in the business right away. These matters go not by merit, education or abilities)  but by favor, the influence of rich relatives, in which you know I happen to be specially from.  I suppose it is much as Talbot wrote to me "Kissing goes by favor". 'every man who has a good situation in his power has also a relative to give it to."
  I received Tuesday a letter from Uncle Joseph Stevens to whom I had written upon this subject. He seemed to approve of my views and course, and of my methods of getting into the business.