Philada 16 Novr 1798
Mr James Austin
Dear Sir I have the pleasure to inform you of our Safe return
with my family to this City 3 days ago—after being Exild 3 months
by the most distressing Calamity that has ever before Visited this
City—50 Thousand of the Inhabitants were soposd to have left the
City notwithstanding which upwards of 3000 persons have Died since
the first of August— I have this day recevd a Letter from Charles
of the 5th Inst. which informs me of his being prepared to Set out
with 3 or 4 Tons of Shot for Lynchbourgh—to be forwarded to this
Place and of his Intentions of Comming to this City before he again
visits the Mines—he has some time informed me that from John
Reads inatention to Bussiness he is Quite Discouragd with him and
says I need not forward any more furs nor anything els to Carry on
that Bussiness he says he is in Our debt—but I hope you may be
able to make him pay us what he owes since after all this Troble
with him that nothing is to be gaind by him it will be Painfull to
Suffer by him—and since he Can not be confided in and is not fit to
be his own Master it is best he should return here and work under
some Master I am obligated here for him for Money he Borrowd
of his old Master Mr Pearson —35 Dollars— he gave me some
Accounts to Collect here for him but I cant get one Dollar therefore
he had better Come here and Settle his own affairs since he will do
no good for us—
I have been Preparing to Send out a Loaded Waggon with Sundry
Goods etc and one Daniel Hall a Blacksmith who I engaged and
enterd into Writeings with when I was at New Haven at 180 Dollars
pr year-—but instead of his Coming On Agreeable to his Contract I
have this day receivd a Letter from him informing me that in
Consequence of a Pain in his Breast he is unable to Comply with his
engagement with me and that some Doctr has told him he must not
labour until he is Quit of it etc—this is a great Disapointment
to me as he Was so well recomended as a good Workman and
steady man and as strong and hearty looking young man as Ever I
See— this Induces me to believe there is some Deception and that
some of those Medling Tatling Durham folks has put him out of
Conceit of going out and to Get Quit of his Contract he has Started
this Pretence but as I have him Very strong [ly] Bound for Twelve
Months I shall hold him and fathom it to the Bottom—I daly expect
young Hary Elliot who was to go out in Company with him and
the Waggon but this Bussiness of Halls will retard the movement
for the Present Charles informs me that Mr Sanders has Rebuilt
the Furnace to good advantage which gives me much Pleasure and
that all things goes on well you thot you had Contracted for Twelve
Thousand of Beef and I hope you will be able to Procure the Same
Quantity of Poark and I expect you will receive a supply of Salt
by the return of the Waggons which goes with Charles—Indeed Let
me beg of you to Procure all the Beef and Poark you Possibly Can
this fall so that we need not next Summer be so Perplexd for
Provisions and as our exports of Provisions is so much shut up, I should
Conclude that you may Procure a great Plenty of Beef and Pork
in your Part of the Country this Season—-I hope you have plaed old
Prime and Patty at the Mill and that all our hogs in future may
breed there and with good Manegement I have no Doubt we Can
Vitual our People and to prepare for this I wish you to save all the
Breeding Sows you Can so as to Bring Pigs in the Spring—this is
a matter of the first Consideration and which I beg your attention—
I hope you have been able to get Harrison on Binghams Bottom as I
should be vexd to Loose him as a Tennant I have not heard a Word
respecting Proceedings against Frisbie as 4 Months ago I sent you
his Acknowledgd Account to Put in suit as I found the Suit Must
be Commencd in the County where the original Dept was Contractd
etc. I also sent his note of 3000 Dollars to Samll McCraeat
Richmond With request to Commence a Suit in the Federal Court and
to Send the Sheriff Directly out to Wythe but of this I have not
heard a Word from McCrae am Just Now going to write him
respecting it—as to Read you must do the best you Can With him—
I beg you to Write me by the return of Post and give me Particular
information of all these things and how you go on the Particulars
Respecting your Situation wants (if any) etc.—the Weather is now
Very fine and I hope will admit of your Working until
Christmas—Make my best respects to Mrs Austin in which all my family
Joins, also to Mr Sander and to Mrs Jenkins and Billey etc.—
S. Austin