[Docket notation, lower left:] [34] [Shepherds Town. April 22°] [[undecipherable]] [is [undecipherable]] [Address panel, rotated:] [[undecipherable] [undecipherable] Philadelphia [undecipherable] Purveyor of [undecipherable] [undecipherable]] Shepherds Town Apr 21^st 1796 Sir, The season of the year has Arrived when the public Stores must be examined, which busines I am just now commencing and the extreme high[ness] of [undecipherable] now [undecipherable] Obliges me to pay higher prices to Laborers than Usual. I have never yet touched [strikethrough: the] for the preservation, the Articles of Leather, [above line: materials] which is now the first thing I enter upon as they have been too long Neglected, I shall brush over and oil all the Cartouche boxes, Shoes, Valises, Bridles & Shoe Lasts all Leathern Articles — Open all the Arm chests, do what is wanting to them and [undecipherable] them up [above line: again] and Air all the Tents &c. &c. in [undecipherable] &c. I therefore send you an estimate of money wanting for those purposes. I expect a [undecipherable] must [undecipherable] here [undecipherable] Winchester, in a few days when I will — and will draw on you for 1000 Dol[lar]s which [undecipherable] gives me the balance of my last Accounts and the estimate now Sent will justify. You will observe by the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] estimate that the Arms wanting repairs are not Completed. This has been Occasioned by my not employing workmen other than such as do them Customer work also — Bayonetts at 125 Cent. is not extraordinary as Iron is [undecipherable] and Steel in proportion, and the workmen [undecipherable] them in [undecipherable] — — have not of late had a word about the intended Arsenal — Some time ago I heard that Lands was purchased for the purpose at Harpers Ferry, a very ineligible place in my Opinion, it is well calculated for water Works, but the ground whereon the Arsenal Magazine &c must be [strikethrough: [undecipherable]], will be commanded by Neighboring heights nearly on all sides. However I presume the judgment of those who fix it there is Superior to mine. The late Secretary of War told me when I was in Philadelphia, that as I had but little to do in the Public way, that I was at liberty to pursue Private business at all times when the Public business did not require my attention; Oblige me so far as to enquire of the Present Secretary whether he allows me the same indulgence, the truth of the case is, my wages is not Sufficient to Support my Self & family here, when all is going out & nothing but the Naked wages Coming in — I [undecipherable] don't suffer a bill that I draw on public account to go unpaid, because the public Credit as well as my own would be affected by it. and Should you Suppose at any time that I draw for more than the Nature of the Public business requires, let me know and I will instantly forward to you as much money as will replace all that you think is advanced more than is Necessary I am with the highest respect Your Ob[edien]t Servant [undecipherable] M[iste]r Hodgdon --- [Enclosure docket: Estimate of monies wanting at Shepherds Town. Ap[ril] 21^st 1796] Estimate of Monies wanting for Public use at Shepherds Town April 21^st 1796. Dol[lars] Ct[s] To mend 120 Tents — say — 60 To repair 112 Musquetes · say — 56 To purchase Oil, Tallow &c, for [undecipherable] — 50 To pay Laborers &c, to examine all the Stores, brush and oil the Arms, and all the } 200 Leather Articles, &c the Stores &c To collect the remaining Scattered [undecipherable] — 100 To purchase 200 Bayonetts — 250 To repair 100 Cartouche boxes — 50 To transport a load of Cartridge boxes belts &c from Winchester to [undecipherable: probable reading "Pittsburg"] } 60 To clean such Arms as may be found on examination not clean enough to repack } 100 Total Wanting — 926 [undecipherable] Sup[erintenden]t [Stamp: Received State Dep[artmen]t Nov. 24, 1804. R.P.O. 401810.]