Baltimore Md.

Sept. 22. 1867.

           

Dear Sister.

                                    Yours of the 11^th inst. is at hand. I was not at home when it came or I should have answered it before. I have been on a trip up the Shenandoah Valley as far as Front Royal, picking up produce and soliciting consignments for a commission house here in the city. Turner & Jones'. It is very pretty business that is nice and clean compared to shoveling manure, but then for the same money, I should as quick shovel the craythur 

 

            When I went down the bay (not over the bay) the first time Mr Turner was on board the boat. his business was the same as mine or nearly so and in consequence we got acquainted. He thought a good deal of my potato business and came to the conclusion to go in with me, half and half, hit or miss. We went in search of a schooner capable of carrying two thousand bushels and hunted a long time without success. Meantime we sent off fifty barrels by streamer consigned to Hiland Smith and Co. and these selling so poorly—barely paying cost and freight, gave us a chance to figure up the probable profits of a shipment of / seven or eight hundred barrels which would be—nix.

 

About the time we received returns from Boston a vessel offered itself, capable of taking five hundred barrels, offered at so low a price $575.00 that we concluded we wouldnt have anything more to do with it and with the exception of thirty barrels to York Pa. finished our shipping business in that time Turner sent me up the Shenandoah to see what I could do. Since then he has wanted me to go to Richmond for the same business. And now he wants me to go up the Susquehanna River and get hay. If I had his abilities for trading and getting around I could make twenty dollars a day every day. It seems to me there is a chance / to make money in the country about Staunton Va. I can buy wheat there the best that grows for $1.50 per bushel and get from $2.50 to $2.75 here for it, freight amount to 50 cents per bushel. Turner says it is not enough profit to cover the risks—damage from rains and other losses. Money is not plenty at all among the secesh farmers and with two thousand dollars I could buy ten thousand bushels of wheat. that quantity would take me all the fall to ship, but as Turner says keep out of it, it will likely take longer.

 

You may write again as soon as you can, but I think you will see me in So Milford Saturday if I do not go up the Susquehanna this week write all the news. L.C.C.

 

[side margin]

 

What did you hear about a certain person—let us hear.

 

[front margins]

 

Turner is a minister but then I believe he is considered a respectable man for all that—

 

I do not suppose Uncle Sam would think him fit to associate with. Give my respects to all at home

 

I suppose my strawberries ought to be attended to this month

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