Philada 24th Janry 1799.
Dear Sir
your favor of the 14th Inst is Just receivd and observe the
Contents—I hear nothing of Frisbie he may Possibly be at the
Eastward—unless I soon hear of him shall Send his Acct to have a Suit
Brot by Mr Woodward—I am glad to hear that Hall and Harry is
safe arivd—you Say nothing of the Horses—the Bay Horse Harry
Rode as I sopose him to be old I think you had best Sell unless
his Performance out should Convince you of his Usefullness to us—
the other is a Tough beast I have no Doubt and will be a Match with
Ambrose Little Mare—I hope Hall will do well in the Shop with
Ambrose—I shall Send you Some steel or order Mr Pain to Send
you Some from Richmond—but the shot not haveing Come on so
that I Can get money from it has Quite Distress me—and I See
Now its Impossible to Send a Waggon from this as nothing but
Cash will Procure Waggon and Horses and My Demands here of
a Debt to Wycoff and Harrison I have been obligd to pay here of
Moses Austin has at this time of great Scarsity of Cash hurt me
Much— I advancd 100 Dollar for Salt in Sept Last which is at Last
got to Richmond—Say 25 Sacks there is also a Large Box of Ready
Made Cloaths Coats vests and Breeches of the Latter 80 prs I
have also sent two Bushels of Red Clover Seed to Mr Pain these
things you want Extreemly and part of the Salt you Could Sell
for Cash—and the Cloverseed if Possible must be with you to Sow
in all March which time I find will answer to Sow it as well as any
other in the year Amongst the Rye I expect you must sow it your
self or Mr Tanden as it [must] be sowed with the Greatest Care—
and one Bushels will sow Ten Acres so that you can sow 20 Acres
only and this of the best of the Land which is I Expect Round and
next the Barn—if any of the Fields on the East of the Street will
answer sow part of that My Intention was to have sent sufficient
to have Sowd both Fields and som for Capt Newell but want of
Cash to Purchese has Prevented me Sending but two Bushels which
Cost 10 Dollar Cash pr Bushel—when you sow it Divide your seed
into 20 or 40 parts— you Must sow a Little more than 3 Quarts to
one Acre which is 3 half pints to one Quarter of an Acre and to
begin Mark out one 4th of an acre and try how you can gage that
and by that sow all the other—as to the Hides get them Taned on
the best Terms you Can as I see I shall not be able to send out a
Tanner at all Cant you Hire a Waggon to go to Lynchbourgh
with a load of shot and Bring up the Box of Cloaths the Seed and
the Balance in Salt and pay them some goods some Lead and a
Little Salt—I wish this to be effected as I shall request Mr Pain to
forward all with him to Lynchbourgh which if the Weather is
moderate he will do when some Steel may be got we are all well
and hope this will find you all the Same with Compt to all I am
your
S Austin
if you can Hire one Team I think you Can Man[age] one Team
of your own and Send Ellick with it to bring up Salt—
[Addressed:] Mr James Austin Post Master Austin Ville
Virginia.