[Filing notation, written at angle:] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] 1794 Major Samuel Hodgdon [undecipherable] Esquire [Left endorsement:] [undecipherable] Superintendent of [the?] advancement of [undecipherable] Works & Philadelphia Springfield Octo. 22. 1794 Sir, I hope you will excuse my writing to you so often on the same Subjects as there is [undecipherable] from the [undecipherable] defer that [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] — we [undecipherable] on your patience — for fear that the [undecipherable] but Military [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] you a copy of [said?] letter — and [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable] of this respecting [undecipherable] to my family — but the [undecipherable] a man to make the [Said?] forge the [undecipherable] in — In my last I wrote that I had [Received?] [undecipherable] — and had Engaged about two thirds of the men — and am [in?] hopes to obtain the rest [soon?] — but am [undecipherable] nothing of all [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] is [undecipherable] for the [casting?] in — but [Bryant?] [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] all that is fit to work in — [undecipherable] Says that he can make no alteration — [undecipherable] — nor has he any Money to pay the [undecipherable] — I would [undecipherable] take the Liberty to lay before you the necessity of attending immediately to it — before the [Weather?] [undecipherable] so [undecipherable] as it prevents the [Carpenters?] from working [undecipherable] — the [undecipherable] I may have an [undecipherable] at this by the [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] agreeable to a letter [undecipherable] of [putting?] the [undecipherable] in operation — which [undecipherable] General [undecipherable] [Required?] — [undecipherable] at him — [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] — but [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] a number [undecipherable] [Strikes?] — as [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] for the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] as the Winter is fast approaching think it [undecipherable] that we should have a much larger Stock of Iron and [undecipherable] than I mentioned in my letter to General Knox — also that my self or [some?] other person [undecipherable] most proper should have orders to [Purchase?] the [undecipherable] for the [harder?] works — which will be of great [undecipherable] in this [Business?] and if it could be attended to [undecipherable] the Foundation laid before [undecipherable] to get in the [undecipherable] we can go on to [undecipherable] it — the Expense of different [Articles?] as mentioned above, will be as follows as [undecipherable] I can [let?] at Present. 500 weight of Steel [undecipherable] — £16.13.4 100 [Do?] of [Kings?] — 31..5..? 30 [loads?] of Coals [undecipherable] 29 — 30..0..? 500 [Marks?] or [planks?] [undecipherable] — will be [about?] 15..0..? [undecipherable] of Iron delivered here that is [undecipherable] — 69..0..? [undecipherable] Grindstones [undecipherable] — 5..9. [undecipherable] at [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] [Total:] £165.14..? Now follows what I made on the General [Knox?] Knox the [Privilege?] for the water [works?] — 100..0..? for the Building the [Shop?] [suitable?] for the [Business?] that will [?] be done by [undecipherable] } 2.10..0..? 20 [undecipherable] at [undecipherable] Back — 37..0..0 20 [undecipherable] Ditto [undecipherable] — 4..10..? [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] mile Back — 30..0..? [undecipherable] [Part?] [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] 1 ton of [undecipherable] — 30..?..? [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] — £41..0..? [for?] [Stables?] [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] — £4..0..? for repairing the Shop on the [undecipherable] about 15..0..0 £636..1..? The appointments I have not got but [undecipherable] Man is — I [would?] be informed on what Terms they will be admitted into the Works — Should like to have a [Pattern?] sent On to work by as soon as is Convenient. — Respecting the [Stores?] as Mentioned above — [would?] inform you that I have a [undecipherable] — that I [wish?] to Accommodate [undecipherable] to my [undecipherable] as I can — and that there is a House belonging to the Public on the [Hill?] with [repairs?] and [some?] addition — will [undecipherable] — and without [such?] repairs will [soon?] be rotten down — if it should [undecipherable] you to Order [Said?] [House?] in a propper Condition for my [family?] I can pay [undecipherable] much closer attention to my business Early and Late than I probably can without it. I think there will be no loss to Government in so Doing — but on the Contrary a Saving — the Person mentioned in the fore part of this letter is a [undecipherable] by Man — in [Complete?] — making the best lot of [tools?] for org-anizing all parts of a Lock [undecipherable] Man knows — and can in a short time make all the tools that the other [Hands?] would find it difficult to [undecipherable] — but he won't leave his own [business?] for [undecipherable] Seven Shillings a day — [Should?] be [undecipherable] and have him — and in [fact?] is not how to [undecipherable] with the other at [undecipherable] one with for your Direction on the [undecipherable] — I hope you will [undecipherable] on [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] money [undecipherable] [undecipherable] your most [undecipherable] [Servant?] [undecipherable] [Address:] Major Samuel Hodgdon