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Union Mills, Sept. 10/56

Dear Wirt,

Yours dated 7th Sept. is before me and was only rec’d today so that it must have been delayed somewhere.  Kei’s of the same date was rec’d yesterday.  I rather think you will be disappointed about the sale of leather when you come to make further enquiry.  But if upon further information you find that such leather as we tan could be sold by wholesale that is to say from 40 to 50 hundred weight at a time for even 33 cents per lb I should be disposed to send my next lot there.  You may therefore if you can get the time make some enquiry of the dealers in leather and you can give them an ideal of the kind of leather we tan.  It is made of a good quality of slaughter hides, tannage about equal to (or nearly so) to the best country tanned leather, & we are now getting out some that will stand the test pretty well I am sure, & will weigh from 12 to 14 lbs per side.  That I mean will be about the average, and therefore if you find that they would be likely to give something like that (33 cents) I would send over a small sample (say 10 or 20 sides) by way of trial.  I do not wish to be bothered with it unless there is some likelihood of making something by the appearation.  The cost of transportation would be very little from Balt. to Phila. and with suitable directions it could be sent direct to such person or such a house as might be disposed to make the best offer.

You might be on the look out for a situation for Austin.  If he can get a desirable one he could go at pretty short notice, but I suppose no one will be likely to be in want of a boy till January as in your case.  But that is no reason why it might not be looked after even now, in fact I would not care about his going before then, so that you might be on the look out, and you will be both able to select a good place by leaving time.

Why don’t you ask Cousin Sam’l what his terms would be for board, it would be no harm at all events, & you might probably find it to your advantage in the end.  If it is too far from the store of course that is an objection, but as to the time of meals he knows the importance of that, and would no doubt regulate accordingly.  It might be mutually advantageous.  I would certainly talk to him xxx about it unless the distance is too great which of course is first to be considered.  The measure for your waistcoat (?) was made and your mother will have them made as soon as she can.  Her and Austin wish to accompany your Grandfather & mother & Aunt Rebecca & Uncle Joseph Cremer when they go to Phila this fall, which they propose to do some time in Octr. but of course the exact time is not yet fixed.  I suppose part of the party will make the trip at all xxx and you will be informed of it in time when you may expect them.  I am very anxious your mother should make the trip & I hope nothing may be in the way of her anticipation.  We are now about making a vigorous effort to get up the building for the Bark Mill, which I want to have finished before the cold weather sets in. 

Aust & Lum went to Erbs bottom this morng. with their guns.  They found the bottom full of pigeons & were pretty successful.  Austin got 6 & a flicker.  Lum got 12 pigeons.  I asked Austin why he did not shoot more, for he said they were so plenty & that they did not fly away.  He said he thought that was enough.  We had a very fine supper off them this evg.  We are all well.

Affly.  Your father,
A K Shriver

Your Uncle Henry you will no doubt have seen before this time, he intended starting for Philadelphia on Monday last.  I sent by him 30 as you requested, once. If you have not already bargained for your clothes he will be able to assist you.  He said he would be able to get you such cloth as you needed for your coat &c at cost prices, that is such prices as he had to pay which would be much below what you could purchase at.  But I suppose anything I can't say upon this subject will be to late now as he will have got through and returned perhaps by the time you receive this. 

Austin and myself took the old carriage up to Gettysburg to Mr. Tate to get it repaired last week one-day he had a very snug[?] carriage (second hand) he was fitting up that I may probably exchange for.  It was owned by a gentleman in Phila and I like it better than ours though it was not a costly carriage but more to my mind for our use than the old one though your mother does not like it so well quite from my description.  There will be a special Fillmore barbecue in West-r sometime in October previous to which they will be meetings and speaking in each E. District.  There is to be a team of 36 horses hitched to 2 wagons from this district to the barbecue.

Passengers arriving     A.K.S.