In a book titled _The Exempt Firemen of San Francisco_ published by H. C. Pendleton, 1900 there is a brief biography of a fireman named Tom Sawyer. According to this reference -- Tom Sawyer was a close associate of Clemens' when Sam was employed in journalism in San Francisco. Sawyer claimed to have provided an inspiration for the book later named in his honor. A colleague in San Francisco recently wrote that oral history relates Clemens was supposed to have met Sawyer at a steam bath. The oral tradition of Sawyer knowing Clemens is also known within the San Francisco Fire Department. In 1984 Laurence Yep wrote a children's book _The Tom Sawyer Fires_ which paired up reporter Sam Clemens and firefighter Tom Sawyer. (Yep's book was a sequel to his book titled _The Mark Twain Murders_ -- a more enjoyable read than Skom's of the same title.) Is there any primary documentation that Clemens and San Francisco fireman Tom Sawyer were indeed closely associated? Thanks, Barb