March 4^th 1872

 

My old friend

                        I got your letter & I can assure you it gave me great pleasure to get your congratulations as I know you mean it all as you & Capt Day have both been over this road & can well understand the benefits to the public of a well of good permanent water at this place it being just midway of the Jornada. But I can also tell you it was a damned up hill business to get it in the first place Govt had been involved several times & of course they did not feel like doing anything to encourage a man in the next place no one had any confidence in the enterprise but myself consequently I could get no credit had to pay cash for evrything this for an enterprise so great & the difficulties of getting building material all of which was so far away made it very much of an up hill business I also had to have water a great part of the time from Ft M^cRae a distance of 18 miles But the people that saw me drunk around Selden little knew the Bulldog disposition they had to deal with I kept steadily on / for two years the more opposition I met with the harder I worked & the more obsticles they threw in my way the more I would not stop work but looked around for the means of overcoming them which I did as I said before at the end of two years I struck at the debth 164 feet a stream of splendid water which raised to within less than 50 feet of the top. this was two years ago the 22 of last Feby & I have watered evrything that came along as also planted a good garden which has been watered from the well also made 60,000 adobes & put them up & I do not think I have ever lowered the water one inch I have a pump in the well that cost me $210⁰⁰ in St Louis weight 1173 lbs quite an item itself my house consists of eleven rooms My stables are large enough for 75 horses house & stables all built of adobes & are said to be the best in N.M. I have got 12 fine American cows that me from $75 to 125 each & I have the Rynerson bull which I suppose you will remember if you dont Capt Day will he came out with your Regiment & the young stock from them some 20 head at present & more in prospective are as nice as can be found in this country Govt pay me 8¢ for / Corn & $50 per tun for hay passes 25¢ per head for water. Govt receipts amt to from $600 $1000 per month Sales of water about $250 per month So I think I have got the best piece of property in N.M. Last but not least I have got three boys Jerome Willie & Johny & the old woman & they are as fat & rugged as can be. So much for me & my doings Capt Rynerson is in Silver City A with a Quartz Mill. it is a small town about 9 miles from Pines. Altos Shedd is at Sun August in Springs Geo Blake is in Colerado Bill M^cCormick is wagon master for Brad Daileys train Hank Harring is still at Don and Barneazlte has got a small store in Sonoma & I understand is doing well Joe Hull has gone to the dogs he is down in old Mexico some place herding stock & living on tortillias & chille Davies has got the store in Selden Duper is the same old fellow & at his old stand fatty Willis is dead I think this is all. you may think I took up too much of this sheet bragging but excuse me I could not help it as your note was so kind in tone I took advantage of it to make my brags glad you are married & got a little boy may you long continue to get them Mrs M joins me in sending kind regards to you & yours as also to Capt Day tom Minny By the way / Mrs M says Capt Day did not do as he said he would he said he would write & let us know what his wife said when he got home. if this letter is too long & tedious burn it up if not & you manage to get this far accept of our kind regards & well wishes & should you ever come to N.M. give us a call there is a great stir about sheep in this country how are sheep ranging in regard to price & the prospects for buying there I mean of course the finest quality I think of coming home East this fall & may be induced to invest in a few fine bucks if so I shall be sure to find you all out & give you a call hoping to hear from you soon

 

                                                                                    I remain yours as ever

                                                                                                John Mor[?]

tell Capt Day to write

                                    Jack

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