Iron Works, Innovations and Fertilizer
Item
Type
Autograph Letter Signed
Title
Iron Works, Innovations and Fertilizer
Description
Timothy Pickering sent Benjamin Lincoln a letter enclosed with a bill for iron works which had been manufactured and sent to him. Discussed "riddle" of what company manufactured the iron pieces, and that the iron screen on board the brig Lucretia was the latest innovation, being used by Mr. Morton at the Brandywine Mills. Discussed grinding manure and wrapping it in bushels sufficient to fertilize an acre of land.
year created
1784
month created
12
day created
25
author
sent from location
Philadelphia
recipient
sent to location
Hingham, Massachusetts
in collection
in microfilm
in image
note
Cited in Pickering to Lincoln, 12/30/1784, and in Lincoln to Pickering, 01/21/1785.
cited note
Cited document sent from the War Office
notable person/group
Benjamin Lincoln
Timothy Pickering
Captain Starbuck
Morton
Jacob Borge
King
clerk
Sellers
notable location
Stoneham, Massachusetts
Philadelphia
Boston
Nova Scotia
Brandywine Mills
Paris
notable item/thing
mill
rolling screen
screens
riddles
iron works
Brigantine Lucretia
ice
wind
brandywine mills
cloth
portage
currency
bills
land
water mill
stone
powder
manure
brass shorts cloth
bolting cloth
bolling cloth
riddle
porterage
case
Pennsylvania currency
money
notable idea/issue
construction
manufacture
milling
transportation of supplies
travel
riddle
purchase
forwarded materials
husbandry
notable phrase
Your son's letter of the 25th ult. was handed to me by Mr. King last week. The rolling screen therein mentioned I had never before heard of.
document number
1784122560001
page start
1
number of pages
4
transcription
4
[Honble] Benjamin Lincoln Esqr
Stoneham
Massachusetts
Col Pickering Decr. 25. 1784
24
Philadelphia Dec. 25. 1784
Dear Sir
Your Son's letter of the 25th Ulto was handed me by Mr. King last week. The rolling screen therein mentioned I had never before heard of. I immediately inquired of Mr. Hodgdon, Clerk if he knew of any such thing but he was alike uninformed. I desired him to find the person who made the iron work of the mill, & there I found two small riddles, which Mr. Hodgdon called screens, in his direction for making them; and which probably led him into the mistake of informing you the rolling screen was provided. As soon as I had satisfied myself that none had been made, I gave directions for one, which was this morning completed, and delivered to capt. Starbuck of the brig Lucretia bound to Boston; who would have sailed to-day but for the ice which formed in large quantities last night, & is now driving so rapidly that no vessel can be in the stream. However, the wind is Southeasterly, & the air grows milder, so that I have very little doubt of Starbuck's getting to sail in a day or two.
The
The screen I have provided is but little more than half as long as those heretofore used: but tis a double one, and deemed much better than the others, being a late improvement, and adopted by Mr. Morton for his new Brandywine mills. Yours is of the same dimensions with two he had just got made by the Messr Sellers, of which he shewed me their bill, and yours is at the same price. He also had at the same time received eleven feet of brass shorts cloth for each bolting cloth; and I directed the same quantity to you. This is in a roll put within the rolling screen. The whole are inclosed in a case, in which also I have lodged the two riddles before mentioned. The bill will be as follows
A rolling screen £18.15
11 feet shorts cloth 3.0.6
2 riddles -.15. -
a case -.15.-
porterage 2.2.18
[total] £ 23.8.4 Pennsylvania currency - I hope they will arrive in good time.
I
I intended to have written you on the Subject of Plaster of Paris as a Species of manure, and, from the account I have of it, of the most valuable kind. Nova Scotia abounds in it. From thence 'tis brought to this city. A Jacob Borge prepares it for manure. He has a water mill in which he first stamps & then grinds the stone to a powder like fine salt. Two or three bushels are sufficient for an acre of land, & will shew its beneficial effects for several years. There are different kinds of plaster. Some is very hard, other stoney and very friable, so that you may break & run them to powder with your fingers.
I know not who is so likely to adopt this valuable improvement in his business as yourself and if you wish to make that of it will converse with Mr. Borge more particularly, & visit his mill. If experiments verify the accounts reported of it, I persuade myself you will establish the manufacture as well as use of the this manure.
I am, dear sir,
with great regard,
your obedient servant
Tim Pickering
Benj. Lincoln Esqr.
[Honble] Benjamin Lincoln Esqr
Stoneham
Massachusetts
Col Pickering Decr. 25. 1784
24
Philadelphia Dec. 25. 1784
Dear Sir
Your Son's letter of the 25th Ulto was handed me by Mr. King last week. The rolling screen therein mentioned I had never before heard of. I immediately inquired of Mr. Hodgdon, Clerk if he knew of any such thing but he was alike uninformed. I desired him to find the person who made the iron work of the mill, & there I found two small riddles, which Mr. Hodgdon called screens, in his direction for making them; and which probably led him into the mistake of informing you the rolling screen was provided. As soon as I had satisfied myself that none had been made, I gave directions for one, which was this morning completed, and delivered to capt. Starbuck of the brig Lucretia bound to Boston; who would have sailed to-day but for the ice which formed in large quantities last night, & is now driving so rapidly that no vessel can be in the stream. However, the wind is Southeasterly, & the air grows milder, so that I have very little doubt of Starbuck's getting to sail in a day or two.
The
The screen I have provided is but little more than half as long as those heretofore used: but tis a double one, and deemed much better than the others, being a late improvement, and adopted by Mr. Morton for his new Brandywine mills. Yours is of the same dimensions with two he had just got made by the Messr Sellers, of which he shewed me their bill, and yours is at the same price. He also had at the same time received eleven feet of brass shorts cloth for each bolting cloth; and I directed the same quantity to you. This is in a roll put within the rolling screen. The whole are inclosed in a case, in which also I have lodged the two riddles before mentioned. The bill will be as follows
A rolling screen £18.15
11 feet shorts cloth 3.0.6
2 riddles -.15. -
a case -.15.-
porterage 2.2.18
[total] £ 23.8.4 Pennsylvania currency - I hope they will arrive in good time.
I
I intended to have written you on the Subject of Plaster of Paris as a Species of manure, and, from the account I have of it, of the most valuable kind. Nova Scotia abounds in it. From thence 'tis brought to this city. A Jacob Borge prepares it for manure. He has a water mill in which he first stamps & then grinds the stone to a powder like fine salt. Two or three bushels are sufficient for an acre of land, & will shew its beneficial effects for several years. There are different kinds of plaster. Some is very hard, other stoney and very friable, so that you may break & run them to powder with your fingers.
I know not who is so likely to adopt this valuable improvement in his business as yourself and if you wish to make that of it will converse with Mr. Borge more particularly, & visit his mill. If experiments verify the accounts reported of it, I persuade myself you will establish the manufacture as well as use of the this manure.
I am, dear sir,
with great regard,
your obedient servant
Tim Pickering
Benj. Lincoln Esqr.
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (4 pages) | FDA24 (4 pages) | Collection: Robert Goodloe Harper | [unknown] |
| [view document] (0 pages) | [no image] | Microfilm: Benjamin Lincoln Papers | [unknown] |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Timothy Pickering | Philadelphia | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Benjamin Lincoln | Hingham, Massachusetts | [n/a] |