| Title: | William Murphy to Martin Murphy, 13 December 1878 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4147 |
| Collection | Argentina - Murphy |
| File | murphy/122 |
| Year | 1878 |
| Sender | Murphy, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | cattle breeder |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | San Martin, Salto, Argentina |
| Destination | Haysland, Co. Wexford, Ireland |
| Recipient | Murphy, Martin |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 533 |
| Genre | family, shearing season, profits |
| Note | |
| Transcript | San Martin, Salto Dear Brother Martin, Your letter of July came safely to us, with the good tidings of you all enjoying good health. We feel very grateful for the particulars you send us of the youngsters, and we are so happy to hear that they were looking so well. We can but imagine how happy they were to get the chance of going down to Haysland and enjoy their vacation amongst their young friends. We had come to the conclusion that Katie and Maggie pass the vacation with the Sisters, and that by next year they would have got more sense and more steady. However, we are now glad that they got the opportunity for as you say their hopes was on it, and we cannot but feel thankful to John and to you all for your great kindness, and hope that they conducted themselves to your wishes. We had letters from them since they went up to school giving us account of driving, and have they enjoyed themselves whilst amongst you. I have been pretty well engaged for the last two months. The shearing with us has been tedious owing to frequent rains, and it was only on the second of this month that we finished. Wool had been selling at remarkably high prices up to the middle of last month, about ten dollars over last year's prices. Since it has fallen and except good lots difficult of sale. I have been fortunate in selling at $82½ dollars, that is 2½ dollars over last year's price. But against this we have to confess that the wool is much lighter and I believe that it paid the estancieros better last year though selling at a much less price. The Glasgow Bank and other failures, the high interest in the Bank of England, and the fears that England and Russia must come to strokes cripple our wool business for the present. But many have hopes that next March will see prices as high as has been paid for this season. This past year cannot be counted as good for Estancieros, although wool has been selling at high prices, for it's to the increase of our flocks we have to look for our advancement. I send you a Standard by which you will see the sale of two Estancias (which I mark), good lands command a good price, say 1,000 dollars a square of 150 yards, in or about 30 per cent an acre at present rate of exchange. I have got into a business renting ½ league of land, about 22 leagues from here. I had agreed for it at much less than I now pay, but the Boys when they found I was after it Yum [?] it up on me, although it was disacenption, [?] and even advertised in the Standard. No one seeming to be interested in it until I appeared. I have to inform you that your letter of last February has just turned up. I enclose you two photos of all here, and with kindest regards from all to all, I remain your Dear Brother, William Eliza will soon write. |
