| Title: | John James Murphy to Martin Murphy, 26 November 1865 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4062 |
| Collection | Argentina - Murphy |
| File | murphy/37 |
| Year | 1865 |
| Sender | Murphy, John James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | cattle breeder |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Buenos Aires, 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 | 1227 |
| Genre | family, politics, profits, property, request for labourers, prospects |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Buenos Aires My Dear Friends, I now, and in good health address you from the city where I have been this last six days. Miss Roche had arrived here a few days previous to my coming to town, by whom I received a parcel for Brother William and a number of newspapers, in which I find entertainment ever since. I consider her health very much improved since she left here, and that she has benefited very much by her trip to Ireland. She says the people appeared so distant and cool to her, she began to imagine she had not many friends amongst them. But James Furlong kindness to her, so different to all others she cannot forget nor be sufficiently thankful. I was also expecting letters by her as having got none by the previous packet, but she had none for me. The War still continues as heretofore, but there are some talks of a treaty of peace between them. I think both parties has got quite plenty of it by this time. Both sides are suffering a deal from diseases, hunger, and exposure, for want of proper accommodation, and material suitable for campaigning. This has been a very good year for sheep-farming in most parts of this country. I can take it on myself to say that Uncalito has beaten any other establishment of the size in Buenos Aires for profits this year. For the present I will just give you list of the business up to now. From last May up to the first of this present month, I have sold 1,280 capones (wethers) and at the highest prices paid in the camp, which at the time of sale 40 dollars per head since the wool has been taken off them, and 45 per head last June, which was a high figure at that early season. Now as to amount of lambs marked on the Establishment, our principal last March was 9,500 sheep. Deduct from that 1,280, leave 8,212. From them we marked 5,177 lambs, or at the rate of 63 per cent, which perhaps up to this has more been exceeded in any establishment in this country. The sale of the public lands has been further postponed. We have now got up to the first of July ’66 before we need purchase, and we don’t know what changes may be made before them. This extension of time has been a great service to many, and we still look to a further reduction from government in the prices of said lands before the actual sales take place. If I shall have to buy at that date, the cash invested in N. B. Liverpool would be of great service to me, moreover it being lying there I may say dead. The interest paid for money here now is from 18 to 24 per cent per annum. The bank interest is from 9 to 12, but the principal on which the Bank lend money is very inconvenient for sheep farmers in the camp, and consequently they prefer paying the high interest from to private individuals. When the time of sale comes on I intend to purchase and after securing it to myself as real property, I am on the notion to rent it for some years, selling the sheep thereon to incoming tenants. By effecting this I shall be able [to] clear off all debts and have a handsome balance in hands. You are already aware that by disposing of it in any form, before the government compel us to buy, it would be a great loss to me as I may say, we hold it now for nothing or at least for very little. Miss Roche had been telling me that Frank Whitty’s sister and brother-in-law was desirous to come out to this country. I am sorry I did not know that before, as she says they have no children, for which reason they would answer me very well. I am sorry I did not know this before now, as I fear they will be too late for the Zíngara, which I find by your last letter you have yet no account of. You say one of the two you are about sending James Neil’s son has not yet made up his mind. What to do and in case his mind be still unsettled, let him stop at home and send out Frank Whitty’s sister and brother-in-law in his stead. I am at present very much in need of couple[s] like this, as Mrs Matthew O’Connor has now got the second daughter and she can be of no service whatever to me now. More than that, I fear Matt will be able [to] do little more than attend to her commands, as it had nearly came to that and having but one child. In case you will send Whitty’s sister & husband, their conditions is that I pay their passage to Buenos Aires and all expenses outside of that they are account [torn] to me, apart from their passage in case they are not able [torn] in expenses themselves. They have to service me for said [torn] to Buenos Aires fifteen, 15 months each but jointly as a woman’s passage is the same as a man, and their wages hire is a little over the half of men’s wages. The time they have to serve would have been longer were it not that the exchange is now favourable for them. Your letter of 7th October arrived in due time. It came direct to Uncalito. I was in Buenos Aires at the time, but it was sent in to me. The papers I don’t know if they came. I was thinking it was Martin Cleary would be coming out as James as you spoke of him in some letter. I spoke of sending home another likeness to sister Margaret, but as often forgot doing so at the time of closing my letters. Of course I have no one now in Buenos Aires with me to do so. I believe I mentioned before about you keeping what money you and James require in case you send out the cash invested in the National B. Liverpool. Therefore I believe I’ve nothing more to add to what we said in my previous letters concerning it. I am likely to be very busy this year again as I have a good deal to build. I have to build a small house at the Rincon. I intend building a dwelling house at the Estancia, also a wool-room, and large shed for the purpose of shearing under at that season, and as a cover for the fine flock during winter, and as a shade from the strong sun of summer. It is now 9 o’clock p.m. and I am in a hurry to finish this letter so as to leave it to be posted on tomorrow, as the packet sails and I shall be busy delivering my wool, which I sold on today at rather a low price 75$ dollars per arroba 25 lbs. It had a good deal of burrs in it, which reduces the price very much. Friends, we are all well and I hope this will find you all the same and I remain your dear affectionate Brother, John Murphy |
