218
A.:M:ERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
MosES AusTIN TO JAMES BnYAN. 1
Durham Hall Mine A Burton Octbr 19 1812
Mr JAMES BRYAN Dear S-r I have wrote you sundry times since you left us, to Louis Vill . : -. and Pittsburg, and last to Philadelphia, and have only recvd two letters from you up to this month. I have recvd from our friend and son Stephen F Austi.r.i. information that he had raised his Cargo with but little loss, and that he was in expectation of leaving Orleans in or about the first of Octbr that he would obtain 12 Cents for his shott by Draght on Philadelphia and that he should be .obliged to return by way of Nashville as the Indians rell(lered the Georgia ·rout dangerous so that I expect he will forward on his Draght, and take the .Mines in his way to the North. Altho business was dul and·collections almost impossible when you left us its much more difficult to obtain either lead or money at this time then in the Spring, for the last two months almost every man in the Country·has Either been out on the frountier or are held in requi- ·sition to march at a moments notice this as you may suppose, has put a full-Stop to all business and all Collection, the Courts have don no business the General Court did not attempt, any thing, not to, aal,l the suites, and Very little lead_has been made this summer and not much will be made this fall and Winter Its my opinion that lead must be up." the quantity made and that will be made, in this·Country cannot furnish the United States. • I have sent a small quantity of shott to Nashville which I am doubtful I shall not do much,"):f I obtain 14 Dollars its the most and I am doubtfull 12$50 or 13 will be about the price they will ·command. I had your, boat, put in good Order to take a Cargo, but believe me She is not the boat you bought her for. I put 12 Thousand only into her and about 5000 on freight and Mr Ray told me that he had to make use of uncommon precaution in assendc- the Ohio with that load and advises never to attempt a load in her equal to what you have calculated, I think Mr Ray will be back in all this week·- I have a mill now ready for milling sheet lead, and the price now in Orleans is such as t6 Justify sending down. from 20 to 25 Dollars is Now the price of Milled Sheet Lead in Orleans and I think by exertions I may make out a Small Cargo in all Next month If the mines turn out as, I l:iave reason to expect-- I trust ear this reaches you you will have heard of the rumol'S. Storm at New Orleans and the damage· that has been sustained. ·Thank God Stephen has Escaped as his Cargo was. at the place his
1 Original 1n possession ot Mrs. Emmett L. Perry.
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