Your favour of the 5th inst also of later date enclosing copy of contract made for boats reached this place before I did. I was longer in getting home than I expected to be when I left you. I was pleased to know of your success in getting boats & in reference to the proposition to supply 10000 tons coal for the boats you name. I wd say that if you think boats can be had to take the coal from Ithaca so that no delay or damage wd be caused to the Co or to us I wd recommend that you make the same price & terms as named for Capt. Edwards viz. 4.40 per ton of 2000lb cash on sale. This coal will then great satisfaction every one that has used our late opening says it is superior to any coal they ever saw.
We can get all the coal to Ithaca that a market can be found for. I shd be pleased to see these boats all going into other [unclear] use of our coal.