I take the Liberty once More being Needcessiated to Apply To you about this
trifling Setlement for work & Labour Done a Specified in the Acounts
Sent you by the bearer Mr
John McAuly—when I
undertook this building I thought I Had to Do with a Set gentlemen that would
Not Quible about triffles; and I should be Sorry to Say I have Reason to think
so Now. in the first Place, I Have been Severly Handled by ill Grounded
suspitions that I would Not finish the building Undertaken—in the
Second Place I was Kept and Delayed for want of bricks upwards of two Months and
all Hands idle when the Dayes were Long and the weather Good which was a Loss
Not to be Conseived but by those that Felt it—in the third Place I was
Keept out of the Second Payment Nearly three Months after it was Due by the
Express words of the Contract—and Now when finished for several months
No payment Can be had—when I Proposed Painting the Roof befor the
scafolds were Struck when it Could have been Done at Much Less Expence and at No
Risk, that I was forbid to Do. but when all the Scafolds were Struck I was
ordered to Paint the Roof and Had to Make two Ladders 44 feet Long to Reach the
Roof & too Hanging Do 28 feet Long to Reach the Length of the Rafters
find Paint and oile, Pay a Man 3 Dollars p Day to Superintend the Painting and
Risk My own Slaves to Such Jeoperdy as they were inn Every Moment for So Long a
time. the Least Slip of Hand or foot would have Cost them their Lives and Me a
Valuable Servant—was it to Do again I Do Not Know that I would
Undertake it for the whole sum I have Charged for Painting the whole of the
building outside & inside—as to the outer stair Cases
considering the Manner they are finished the Lumber Picked out of Several
thousands of feet to Get broad Plank & as Clear of Sap as Could be got
(I am Confidant that No other Person besides myself would have taken the Same
Pains and waisted as much Plank to Make Such floors throwghout the buildings)
the whole of the building at Least 50 p
r Sent Lower than the
Real Value, this I Do Not Complain off; But to be Keept out of this Last Payment
so Long and have so much trouble & Expence in Looking after
it—At a time when I am in such imediat want of it it Not only Hurts My
Credit but my feelings. More then tongue Can tell; at the same time A write
Served upon for the Lot I bought in the Vilage and Judgment & Execution
obtaind against Me for a ballance Due for a Saw Mill, I was oblidged to purchase
to Carry on the building—Should you think the Charge in the Acount too
High for the outside Stairs—enclosed is a Discription of them which
you will Please shew to Mr
Atkins and take his opinion on it he is Also a Good Judge of the
Value of Painting as Also of brick work which I am of opinion he will Give it
freely by your taking the trouble of Sending for him; pressing Needsessity
oblidges Me to Make this application to you, as None of the other Comissioners
will Do Any thing without you—if you Have Seen Colol.
Glasgow you Know
whether you are appointed to Settle with me; if you are Not your writting a
Letter by the bearer to the other Comissioners Giving your opinion of the
busines which I will on his Return Carry to
Mr Alves and indeavour
to Prevail upon him to Go with Me to
Hillsboro and Make an Effort to Get him and
Major
tatom to
Go with Me to
Colol Moors and Get the matter finaly, or in Part
Sittled, and me Prevented from Ruin the Most of what I want May be Discounted
with Peopel indeted to the
trustees—Could I Colect My
own private Dets I Should Not think of Asking this favour of you at this time,
or if I Could Even Sell Lands or other Property
Page 2
or
other Property for Ready Money at two thirds of the Real Value I Should Not So
Much as think of Asking for this trifling ballance Untill a General Meeting of
the Comissioners; I Hope you will Excuse this Liberty I Have taken as it appears
to Me you are the only Acting Comissioner that endeavours to forward the
bussines. your Complyance