Wyoming County New York. TNGenNet Inc., Letters From Forgotten Ancestors

Mr. Hatch

Sir - Above I send you Mr. Welch’s Bill of Mill-wright work by which you will see that the job is done. They closed their work on Friday evening. The wheel is a good one and works well. It is thought that it does not take half the water that the wheat-run does, and grinds faster & better than the old wheel ever did since I came here. It has been promised by people here to be the best wheel that was ever put into this mill. I can grind with it all the time without drawing down the water at all & if the other wheels were put in on the same plan, I doubt not but I could run them both together, the whole thing or nearly so. We are now througed with work and need the others put in this fall unless the fall rains come on very soon to raise the stream. Mr. Welch says that he will put in the other two wheels for $50.00 and be boarded and have every thing furnished. He will come after about 2 weeks if he is wanted. I make these statements for your information & consideration. I do not insist upon it being done this fall as it has got so late, but the business of the mill will require it, I doubt not. It was a long job to fit the pinion, but it will pay cost.

He says that it would not need a new pinion for the wheat-run, nor require more than three weeks to put in the other two wheels, the small one to be put in with straight buckets. I hope you will come out soon and see how the new wheel runs and see to fixing the dam, as there is danger that it will not stand through another freshet. You can get plenty of good poles at Mr. Moses L. Smith’s - also hemlock brush if necessary.

Yours respectfully, H.N. Norton