April 12th, 1933
Messrs. Conant & Annis,
Barristers &c.
Oshawa, Ontario
Attention: Mr. Conant
Dear Mr. Conant
Re: B. Bell & Son Company, Ltd.
We have read over your recent letters and the amended draft of Agreement dated April 15th. The former copy dated the 5th instant apparently being superseded by the other which contains some slight amendments.
Our only direct word from Mr. George B. Patten is to the effect that he will come down at the end of the week if we will arrange with him by telephone on Friday, and this we were purposing to do. Saturday being a half day and not convenient in some other respects, perhaps it will be well to put off the meeting until Monday morning if that will suit Mr. Patten just as well. It makes no particular difference to the writer, and also not likely to Mr. and Mrs. Griffith.
We are writing them and also sending a draft of the Agreement so that they may read it over and understand the situation. You may rest assured that we will be very glad indeed to have you facilitate the arrangement now proposed and which we ourselves have been advising from time to time. On the other hand it should be clearly understood as to how the matter shall be conducted henceforward. We should judge from reading your letters that you propose to take over the active management of the business on behalf of the bondholders and if this is their wish, we have nothing to say against it. We will make up our account in the usual way and look for it to be paid when funds are available. As to the amount of our account we think you need have no fear as to the reasonableness of it, as we have been doing business, more or less for a great many years past with St. George people and as for as know our treatment of them has always been fair. We have already had considerable business to do for Mr. and Mrs. Griffith and the family in winding up the Frank K. Bell estate, and no trouble has developed.
We are inclined to make these remarks by reason of what any in your letters of April 8th and 11th with regard to Brewster & Heyd rendering their proper and reasonable fees and disbursements for services rendered in connection with the proposed sale of the lands and premises to Ora S. Cornell and at such an amount as the bondholders holding 51% of the said bonds may approve. Should our bill eventually require taxation we should prefer to have this take place in the usual way without being referred to 51% of anybody else. As we have already mentioned we really do not think that the question of our costs would occasion any worry whatever to Mr. Griffith in undertaking this Trust. Your own costs and charges of course can be dealt with as Mr. George B. Patten and the other bond holders may decide, but as far as we have been advised you are acting as it is quite proper for you to do on behalf on Miss Dorothy Patten.
We are referring to ourselves in this way with some regret but could not help feeling that perhaps in an altogether unintended way some of your remarks were rather gratuitous.
The main thing, however, is to get this business underway and this is more important than whether the work shall be carried on by us or by you. We feel ourselves competent to do this if necessary and shall not fail to follow our your instructions as to how a Deed signed by a Company should be executed, and the other details which you mention.
We shall certainly lose no time in apprising you as to when Mr. and Mrs. Griffith and Mr. Patten will be here and if they think it well that you should be present also. We will send you word in good time and be glad to see you. If you are going to be spending the week and again at Senator Smith you might send us your telephone number.
Yours truly
Brewster & Heyd
