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Salines Jany 18th 1835
Dear John I would have wrote to you a great deal sooner but Mathew was expecting to move up
the Elk river where his p[r]operty is situated it is about 36 miles up that river the sawmill is
sawing and I believe at good speed the grist mill is nearly ready the farm contains 1050 acres I
suppose about 100 clear he intends mooving up as soon as the river is open he wished very much
that James had come along with me I was most agreeably disap[p]ointed about his wife as I find
her if possible more ready to oblidge me any way that is in her power than he is they and the
children are all in good health I have began to cooper and can make 6 barrels per day at 14 cents
per barrell and If I continue at it before one year I expect to be able to make 10 that is counted
good work the general wages by the month for labourers is 20 dollars and found to dig coal or
work at a furnace Henry Jackson Moffit or any of them about could have that wages and them
that can manage a furnace gets 30 the place on both sides of the river for 6 miles is like a street
about half built there is upwards of 2500 labourers employed every day and no Irish among them
it is I believe the best place for a working man in the United States pork sells at 4 dollars per
hundred 4 horse waggon load of coal 2 dollars laid at the door Mathew wishes that you would get
a newspaper called the old country man have it sent to Charlestown Virginia and he will send
you the money in the spring when I am going to send some to David Lawson to buy some cloth
& make some clothes for me there is no one that I know that this place would fit better than
David the price of making a coat is 7 collars pantaloons & waistcoat 3 that is the general price &
not tailors enough to do it Fitzpatrick made a poor hand being at pittsburgh so near hand and not
coming Mathew says if David was here and could cut good that he could have more work than 4
or 5 could do I think it would not answer you to come here to buy land as it is all mountains in
both sides of the river but where Mathew is going I have never seen yet but in my next I will give
you a full acct of it tell Dougherty that I can make 6 barrells like a man I have nothing to say now
Mathew and Mrs Geary sends their kind respects you & Jane and all the children give my best
respects to all the Whites & Mr Barr Write when you receive this and direct to Mr Mathew Geary
Charlestown Kanawha Co Virginia
PS be sure you send the newspaper
No more from John Geary