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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Robert Williams to the North Carolina Council of Safety
Williams, Robert
August 09, 1776
Volume 10, Page 739

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from Robert Williams to the North Carolina Council of Safety.

Salt Works Carteret County,
August the 9th, 1776.

In my last I acquaintd you how & when I laid water on the first Salt works. Diderick Gibble is now scraping up of a little Salt that is made on such parts of the beds as became bare. The water was laid on the whole of the works from the river, but now the Brine Pits and Salt pits are Greatly Saturated, to be ushered on the Salt beds Gently this Evening. Please observe the first water was in its Natural State, the earth Plank and Timber imbibing the best particles, so that I would not have attempted to keep the water down but for Sample Sake and In hopes to satisfie the impatience of the Public. In hopes yourselves and them will receive more agreeable accts as soon as time and season will admit. It seems as if my Second work will be finished or in great forwardness the following week. But as the people have got a report among them I am to have no more money, I am in great measure, nay altogether responsible for their wages, As the £500 is already & more expended. The weather has been unfavourable and we have had two rains since I laid on water.

I am in great haste, tho' as usual yours,
ROBERT WILLIAMS.