Smoke has made a very important point. We need to be open and helpful to
our colleagues. The internet is a wonderful place for exchanging
information on all levels. I did not consider the original request in any
way out of line. Who knows, perahps there is (unpublished?) a detailed
study on this coffee company.
I recently made a comment on the Western History List and got a nasty
reply from a historian (must have been a historian) who listed some
obvious sources which I knew. He totally missed my point (about
California not being a part of the West, even in the 19th century because
it was so evolved). I did not reply but let the comment go past.
I particularly like the very detailed discussions on very specific points
on the HISTARCH list. They are all very informative.
Keep asking and keep replying.
Bob Schuyler