After starting the business on the Sharps gun in Hartford, the Minie Rifle contract was taken from Fox Henderson & Co. for 25,000 Minie Rifles. Before this contract was taken we had the assurance from Dr. Black, Fox Henderson & Co.’s Agent, that he had in his pocket contracts for 300,000 more as soon as we finished the 25,000. Fox Henderson & Co. agreed and did advance on the contract $100,000. I did not like to enter into this contract for 25,000 only, as the outlay for the work would cost more than all the profits twice over. I objected to signing the contract without seeing the large contract in Dr. Black’s pocket, and proposed to ask the Doctor to show it. This Mr. Robbins objected to strongly, said it would be an insult to Dr. Black. After a long talk I yielded the point, but told Mr. Robbins that the minute we signed the contract we would be floored. We had better have cut off our right hands. We signed the contract. It proved that Doct. Black had no additional contract. Part of the work was done at Windsor and part in Hartford. For want of funds the whole thing was a total failure. The inspection as far as we went was very severe. With all the gun work on my hands in 1855 and 1856 had a very hard time. The failure of the Robbins & Lawrence Co. at Windsor brought Robbins & Lawrence under. A new Company was formed at Windsor. I stept out and engaged with the Sharps Co. on a salary of $4,000. About this time Robbins & Lawrence’s Agent, Mr. Robbins’ friend, failed. I had a notice of his indebtedness to Robbins & Lawrence of $43,000. I went immediately to Mr. Robbins for an explanation. He said that he put this money into Foster’s hands to fall back on in case he had any trouble. I said, “You left me out in the cold.” Then he said, “You are all right--can demand a large salary any time.” This was the very money that Sharps Co. had advanced to Robbins & Lawrence to aid them in starting the Hartford shops. Robbins done all the financing and I attended to the mechanical work--never could find out much about our books. He kept all mostly on memorandum books as I found at last. This $43,000 made in all as far as I know of $282,000 lost in the business. I had laboured night and day to build up a business and make myself comfortable and well off for old age. All the disappointments were about all that I could stand under, but I said to myself that I started out in life with nothing but good health, and would try once more, and try and keep a part of my earnings. While in the employ of Sharps with my salary, patents and speculations on machinery in war time, I found myself as I thought worth over $100,000. I went to friends for advice what to invest in. All said, “Put your money into real estate. It never will decrease in Hartford.” I took this advice which proved a very disastrous speculation. In 1872, after leaving Sharps & Co.