[Colonel Williams / off'g [undecipherable] / No 29^th / 1800] [Annual [undecipherable] of / [undecipherable] Superintendent of / [undecipherable] / [undecipherable]] Springfield Sept 26^th 1800 Sir, I am sorry to trouble you so often on matters relating to this Department. But the present circumstance being of such Magnitude, I believe it my duty to state it to you for your direction & decision on the subject. — Some time last June I contracted (on behalf of the United States) with Messrs. James [undecipherable] Daniel Lombard Merchants, & John Cooley Boatman, respectable & responsible Characters, to furnish for the use of the Armory at this Post 2500 Bushels of good Merchantable Virginia Coal to be delivered at the works for 2/8 this money per each Bushel — part of the Coal have arrived — which Mr. Ames the Superintendent thinks proper to condemn as being unfit for the use of the Factory — & forbids their being brought or delivered near the Works — The Contractors for themselves say — they have taken the utmost care & given the most particular directions to the Captain to procure Coals of the best Quality — and have actually given 2 p^r Bushel more than they procured them for last year — that they have complied with the contract relative to the Quality — & pronounce them Merchantable — in order to substantiate this declaration — they have produced Certificates & depositions, from disinterested & Respectable Blacksmiths in the City of Hartford, Copies of which I take the liberty to enclose you — among the number I find one from Alizah Pick- who is fabricating small Arms under Contract with the United States — I am told he is a man of Candor & Judgment. — How far the Superintendent is actuated in this business from private motives I know not — but it is a fact that he has been in the habit of finding fault & even condemning articles procured for the use of the Factory — unless purchased of persons of his own pointing out — from ignorance or design he has ever made the duties of my Office much more troublesome & perplexing than it need be — The Contractors are bound in the penal sum of $500 for their faithful fulfilment of the Contract to procure good Merchantable Coals — when complied with, I am also in behalf of the United States, bound in the like Sum. to pay them the [strikethrough: sum] above stated for each & every Bushel so delivered — From the above statement, & Documents enclosed I wish you would be good enough to direct me how to proceed — If these Coals are not of a Quality suitable for the Factory — I am fearful I shall meet with difficulty in procuring a sufficient quantity for the Winter as the season is so far advanced — I am Sir Most respectfully Y^r obedient Servant Joseph Williams Samuel Hodgdon Esq^r