Josiah Perham to John W. Garrett, November 7, 1859

Boston, Nov. 7, 1859.

To the President or Superintendent of the B. & O. R. R. Co.,

        Baltimore:

I propose to get up an excursion party from New England and New York to Washington and to Harper's Ferry, provided I can get a reduction on the fare sufficient to bring out a good number — to take place as soon as I can get the arrangements made with the several railroads, which I hope to be in season for the party to go on and see Brown hung, and be in Washington at the opening of Congress.

I propose to give you one fare for the round trip from Baltimore to Washington and return for the whole party, and one fare from Baltimore to Harper's Ferry, and return for all that will go to Harpers Ferry.

I have been getting up excursions all summer from the country into Boston, and from Boston to Canada, New York and other places, and I have had some very large parties. I do not know how large a party I can get to go to Washington and Harper's Ferry, but I think, if the fare is put low enough, that I can get out a large number. The tickets will be made by our roads here, with coupons for each road.

Please answer by return mail, stating the terms from Baltimore to Washington and back, and also from Baltimore to Harper's Ferry and back.

In 1851 I got up one or two excursions from Boston to Washington, which were very good parties.

Yours, truly,

JOSIAH PERHAM.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 56