<hi rend="bold">Letter from Elisha Mitchell to Thomas A. Waitt, January 2, 1836:</hi> Electronic Edition.

<hi rend="bold">Letter from Elisha Mitchell to Thomas A. Waitt, January 2, 1836:</hi> Electronic Edition. Mitchell, Elisha, 1793-1857 Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Bari Helms Images scanned by Jesse Brown Text encoded by Risa Mulligan First Edition, 2005 ca. 9K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2005

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University of North Carolina Papers (#40005), University Archives, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from Elisha Mitchell to Thomas A. Waitt, January 2, 1836 Elisha Mitchell 3 pages, 3 page images 1836 Call number 40005 (University Archives, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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</bibl> </taxonomy> </classDecl> </encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <langUsage> <language id="eng">English</language> </langUsage> <textClass> <keywords scheme="unc_history"> <list> <item> Any special keywords assigned for this project </item> </list> </keywords> </textClass> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc> <change> <date>2005-07-21,</date> <respStmt> <name>Risa Mulligan</name> <resp/> </respStmt> <item>finished TEI/XML encoding.</item> </change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text id="unc02-43"> <body> <div1 type="official letter"><pb id="unc02-43-p01" n="1"/> <head>Letter from <name key="pn0001194" reg="Mitchell, Elisha " type="person" rend="yes"> Elisha Mitchell</name> to <name type="person" rend="yes" key="pn0003234" reg="Waitt, Thomas A.">Thomas A. Waitt</name>, <date>January 2, 1836</date></head> <dateline> <name key="name0001146" reg="University of North Carolina" type="organization" rend="yes">University of N. Ca.</name> <date>Janry. 2<hi rend="sup">nd</hi> 1836</date></dateline> <opener> <salute>To Mr. <name type="person" reg="Waitt, Thomas A." key="pn0003234">Thos. A Waitt</name></salute> <salute>Dear Sir</salute></opener> 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 <name type="person" key="pn0000276" reg="Cameron, Duncan" rend="yes">Cameron</name> 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.<pb id="unc02-43-p02" n="2"/>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 ( <name key="x" reg="x" type="person">Chuk's</name>) 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 <hi rend="underscore">at the mill</hi> 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 <name key="name0000418" reg="Gerrard Hall" type="place" rend="yes">Chapel</name> 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 ( <name key="x" reg="x" type="person">Meritt's</name>) 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 <name key="name0000719" reg="New Hope Creek" type="place" rend="yes">New Hope</name> about five miles off belonging formerly to <name key="x" reg="x" type="person">Moore</name>—now to <name key="pn0001325" reg="Patterson, Mrs. " type="person" rend="yes">Patterson</name> 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 <name key="pn0000276" reg="Cameron, Duncan" type="person">Cameron</name> 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<pb id="unc02-43-p03" n="3"/>mills saw plank more than 20 feet in length. Your bill embraced some that was to be 22 feet. <closer> <salute>I am your Friend<lb/>an Obt. Servt.</salute> <signed> <name key="pn0001194" reg="Mitchell, Elisha " type="person">Elisha Mitchell</name></signed> <salute> Mr. <name type="person" reg="Waitt, Thomas A." key="pn0003234">Thos. Waitt</name></salute></closer> <pb id="unc02-43-bk" n="Back"/> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI.2>