The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-05-19

Gus experiments were made of iron purchased
where; II was more particularly desirable
that the maiiufactory should il possiblc, be sup
Piled by the forees of oar state, taking, care
to place the contracts therefor, on such !, footing
| as that the state should be perfectly safe With
that view, addressed letter to col. Galloway,
the owner of an iron factory in the county of
Campbell, ofwhici, the following is a copy.
Letter to col. James CaNo9vay.
RICHMOND, Feb. 2lst, 1904.
iS1R,
have been informed by Greed TAYLOR,
Esq. OF Cumberland, that YOU were willing
to furnish parcel of iron for the Virginia
Mandatory Of Arms at this place. Having
the superintendent of those works, / have
to request that you wilfplease to inform me
as early as convenient, the quantity of NAL
leablc bar iron of the best quality, YOU would
engage TO deliver at said Mandatory on
Arms, in the Course of the present year. and
the lowest price per tor 10 be paid for of
the delivery of eaeh parcel, You will also
please to state ths periods for delivery, and
the proportion you, will deliver at each peri
oil. 1t may not be improper to mcntion, that
the prices at which we have generally phr-
chased bar Iron for the Mandatory of
arms were from about one hundred dollars
TO an hundred and ten dollars per ton.-
IF you think it probable that you will
engage to furnish large supply, it will
be proper for US to be furnished with sam
pie OF the iron proposed to be furnished, with
| view to our making "a trial of its quality pre-
vious TO forming a contract fort. We Shall
probably require from thirty to forty tons in
the present year. The bar Iron which we
have hitherto used III the fabrication of arms,
was chiefly of European manufactured
small portion was made in Philadelphia but
| if it can be procured at as cheap rate and
of as good quality of our fellow citizens who
| manufacture it within our own State, pre-
ference is certainly due to them:
] am, sir.
Respectfully,
Your most obedient servant.
JOHN CLARKE.
| Coz. James CaHo7oay, CamhbeN, }
to The care Of Mr.. James Cal
lo7vay, j,'. Franklin CT. House
No answer to this letter was re ceived thave
| heard that the terms were such :,s Col. Calloway
| disapproved. addressed Il similar letter 10
| William Wilson the owner of another Virgnan
forge to which, also, find no riswer On the
28ih of February, 1904, wrote to Colonel John
Beaie, of Bottetourt, the following letter.
| Ertract u my letter TO Col. John Beaie
bearing date February 28th, 1904.
"I was informed by your brother few
| days ago, that you would probably engage to
| furnish a parcel ofiron for the Virginia ma
nutactory of arms. have thereto, to request
you to inform me, as speedily as convenient,
the quantity OF maleablle bar iron of the best
| quality you would engage to deliver at said
| mandatory OF arms in the course of the
present year, and the lowest price per ton
to be paid for on delivery of each parcel:
| You will also pleasc to state the periods of
delivery, and the proportion you will deliver
at each period.--The prices at which we
have generally purchased bar iron for the
mandatory of arms, were from about an
hundred, to an hundred and ten dollars per
ton. 1t you think it probable that you will
engage fora large supply, it will, conceive,
be proper, that we be furnished with sam
pie ct the iron meant to be delivered, with
a view to our making trial of its quality :;
we shall probably require from thirty to for
! ~ tons IN the present year, and larger
quantity, ] presume, in each succeeding
| year; as we shall, it is expected, employ a
full complement of artihcers for our works
! lie bar iron which we have hitherto used
tor making arms, was chiefly of European
abrication-Small portions were made in
Pennsylvania and in Maryland. AS Virgil
ma affords, in perhaps greater abundance
than any other district of the globe, all the
materials requisite for making arms of all
descriptions, and having established ma
| '''Ne Pun pooS, III lhC vicinity OF
| inexhaustible coal mines, and on the navi-
cation of a river by which all the necessary
articles may readily be brought to the door
OF the works; trust that my fellow~citi-
zens OF tits state may furnish materials at
least as cheap as they can be imported from
foreign markets, and if they do, decided
preference should be given to them.
| am, sir
| With respect and esteem,
Your most ob't. servant;
JNO. CLARKE.
Col. John BeGie, !
Botelourt.
| L find no answer to this letter. On the 18th of
August, 1904, on the authority ex-governor Page
addressed the following letter to General Shee
RICHMOND, August 2sth, 1904.
"DEAR SIR,
] have enclosed in this letter post
note OF Il thousand dollars for the purchase of
Ear iron and large iron wire. You will
DleaSc N nurcbaS.s he wire Fub icb 10,