Machebeuf, Joseph P., Bishop of, Denver, Colorado, to Archbishop John Baptist Purcell, of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1873 April 30

He thanks Purcell for his letter of Apr. 22 and apologizes for not having written first, but in the absence of Father J.B. Raverdy, who has gone to Europe, he has been crowded with duties. He is assisted by a young Irish priest ordained in Denver but without experience or confidence in himself and a French priest, Father L. Benjamin Leboue, and also a pious German priest Father Theodore Borg who has come from Fort Wayne for his health. Besides the administration of the territory and of Denver which is getting very large, half of his time is lost receiving visits from emigrants to Colorado who come with letters of introduction inquiring as to business conditions in parts of the territory. When he saw the list of Archbishops and Bishops in the Telegraph who had signed the letter to the Bishops of Germany he was sorry that he did not write in time, but if it is not too late, he joins with the others in paying a tribute to the courage and fortitude of the Bishops of Germany who are resisting the tyranny of Bismark. They hear reports of the severe winter, but in Colorado they have had one continual spring. He encloses an account of the visit of President U.S. Grant to the mansion of Governor Elbert and invitation by ex-Governor Evans, which he politely declined. He sends also a plan of the entertainment planned by Father Honoratus Bourion for a general hospital or invalid home to be under the care of the Sisters of Charity. The Jesuits have not arrived. He has 3 large parishes in the Southern and western part of the territory covering 7 counties under 5 Jesuit and Italian priests who all speak Spanish. He sends regards to Father Edward Purcell and to all other friends. :: II-5-f A.L.S. 4pp. 12mo.