Mitchell, Elisha, 1793-1857
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University of N. Ca.
Janry. 2nd 1836
To Mr.
Thos. A
Waitt
Dear Sir
It was not in my power to send an answer to your letter by
yesterday's mail. Any scheme of operations, that shall be deemed by Judge
Cameron and yourself expedient will
of course be agreable to us here. The Observatory is 20 feet and 10 inches, or
between 10 and 11 inches in length; and 16 feet and between 10 and 11 inches in
breadth, say 20 feet 11 inches by 16 feet 11 inches. This is the size of the
main upright wall. The brick cornicing at the top projects over some 5 or 6
inches.
The Circular instrument that is to be protected by the tin cap
stands 6 feet 8 inches above the the present floor and the Telescope is 3 feet
1 inch long. The length should be not less than 7 feet high and 3 feet 6 or 7
inches in diameter. Besides being altogether impervious to the weather it will
require to be made so as to be easily removed when the instrument is to be used
and to be fixed so that the wind will not blow it off let it blow ever so hard.
For the latter object I have though of a couple of pieces of iron to come over
it and by somewhere about the top and to move or hinges whilst they are
fastened to the floor at the bottom as in the figure in the margin when X
represents the state of things when everything is snugly put up and Y when the
guards are turned back to get off the cap.
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But you
may have something better in view. If so I shall be glad.
In regard to lumber I find the mill that is supplied with the best
timber (
Chuk's) will undertake to furnish one half the bill in
the course of the spring at the rate of one dollar per hundred feet for inch
plank
at the mill and at the same rate for other
plank measuring across the edge—that is 1"25 for inch and a quarter
plank,1.50 for inch and a half, and that the plank will be delivered at the
Chapel
for 1 Dollar per thousand feet reckoning in the same
way. This lumber will I believe be made generally from Short-David pine cut
from upland so that confidence may be placed in it as of a good quality
The other mill (
Meritt's) furnishes lumber at the same rates but not
generally as I think of as good a quality the timber used being of the kind
which the books call Loblolly Pine. A log two feet across will have only about
one foot and sometimes less of heart wood. Perhaps it may do very well for
inside work. It is cut from low, damp and swampy ground.
I have been out to a mill on
New
Hope about five miles off belonging formerly to
Moore—now to
Patterson where there is good timber but they are not in very
active operation nor did I see the owner of it.
The owners of the mills represent that the above-stated have been
their cash prices heretofore and that as the wages of labour are now high they
cannot even in view of a large bill from a good pay master—fall below
them. I wish for instructions from Judge
Cameron in regard to a contract with
them. The bill you gave me amounts with hauling to a little over $300.
three hundred dollars. I forgot to mention that none of these
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mills saw plank more than 20 feet in length. Your bill
embraced some that was to be 22 feet.
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