| Title: | John James Murphy to Martin Murphy, 9 July 1871 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4107 |
| Collection | Argentina - Murphy |
| File | murphy/82 |
| Year | 1871 |
| Sender | Murphy, John James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | cattle breeder |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Uncalito, 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 | 1343 |
| Genre | birth, money, weather, sheep season, debts, cattle business, property |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Flor del Uncalito Dear brothers & sister, The last letter I had from you is dated January last. I have written several since then but I hope nothing serious has happened to prevent you from writing before now. We are all in the best of health thanks to God. William has got another young daughter on the 20th. They had a letter from Father Reville by last mail but not much news. Frank Gaul (Milltown) is now with me. We re expecting out his wife & child by every steamer. Let me know about her if she be not yet left as what is the cause of her delaying so long. Maggie & Mr. Brett is not yet married. To enable a Protestant & Catholic to get married here they have to go through a great many forms, which require a long time to accomplish, & the sickness being in the City prevented anything being done up to now. The arrangement of Whitty's property will take some months yet before it is settled. The case is gone now before the Justice of the first state. It will at least be three or four months there, owing to so many cases of like nature being on hand in consequence of the deaths from the Epidemic in the City. I gave money some time ago to a man going to the City to take out Bills, one for James Murphy, one for brother James & one for a Mrs. Codd, who has a son out here that you gave me the money to send her. I believe she live in Bride street, Wexford. This man wrote me to say that he sent the money, £4 all included, in brother James' bill, & that he wrote to you to that effect. Now if she has not yet got the money give the £4 (four pounds) to Father Reville to give to her, as he likely know the right person. Mary Evoy, who has given great satisfaction since she came out, is desirous to send a couple pounds to her Father. I told her I would have it sent him through you in the following manner. James or you, when you see Father Reville, give him the £2 (two pounds) to be given to Father Murphy of Tagmond for Mary Evoy's father, Matthew Evoy of Ballingale. Give a copy of this to Father Reville lest he mistake in how to dispose of the money. Let this two pounds be taken out of the Bill I sent to James, & let him as soon as convenient send me an account of whatever money he paid out on my account since he sent me his last account. This is & has been a splendid season for the camps, but great year of foggy weather so much so that the flocks are in general very lame. The abundance of grass on the camp & the fog every day prevent the sheep feet from ever drying & lameness is the consequence. But with all the animals of every description are fat. The slaughter houses are not yet began to kill, yet fat sheep are selling at from 38 to 40 dollars each. We sold last week outside on the Caldera at the former price. This is a splendid year on the Caldera camps good & sheep fat. We marked five thousand & all lambs up to now off a principal of 13,000 & odd, sheep the best I've heard of in the country this year. The fences nothing can shake it. Some animals has been forced in but without causing any injury unless to themselves. It is now admitted by all hands a success. The security of property, the ease in working the establishment, relieved of the necessary trouble I formerly had with men, & though last not least the peace of mind I now enjoy is worth more to me than double what the fencing has cost. Dear Brother Martin, it's a long time since I sent you any help. & I don't know but you may have often times needed a little but I trust whenever you do that you will acquaint me of it. Though I am a good large sum in debt, yet I hope no difficulty in getting at anytime whatever amount I need, which may not be the case with you at home. I am at this date about 100,000 dollars in debt. Last year I solicited the Caldera in purchase from the government, but owing to the sickness the business is not as yet dispatched, but hope to be before the close of this year. This business will cost me 200,000 dollars paid by instalments in six years of 1/6 each year. I pay the first instalment on receiving the papers of the land. The government holding a mortgage on the property for the payment of the remaining parts. The purchaser is at liberty to pay the whole amount at the beginning at a deduction of 20 per cent. This deduction of 20 per cent (in case I choose), this made of payment lease the amount I have to pay at 160,000 dollars. I intend to raise the 160,000 dollars at interest, & get clear of government officials as I much prefer having business to do with private parties than with a government whose officers & employees are a composition of corruption. This business will perhaps about next September complied to what I am already in debt, involve me to the amount of about 260,000 dollars. Having the purchase arranged this way I am at liberty to sell the property at any time & will more readily find a purchaser. Brothers William & Patt owe me still about 100,000 dollars, which I intend to get in on this occasion. The rest I may have to raise will cost me in the Provincial Bank of Bs. As. an interest of 8 per cent per annum, bills received every 90 days & paying 5 per cent of principal at each renewal, which is considered very reasonable terms. [close Mary's letter] We received some Leicester rams from England the other day, William two & I four. Their first cost was £10 each, but by insurance freight etc. etc. they stand in here the sound sum of 3,000 dollars each. We intend giving only one cross of the breed to the flocks, so as to give a greater length of staple to the wool & not to reduce its fineness to any degree, that might cause it dismerit. The will also add to our breed a tendency to fatten with better form of animal & a larger size. It is spoken of here again that a company in England is about getting up another line of steamers for taking home live stock from. If such is the case, & if freight expenses be not too high I may take the notion of sending home some young horses. I have now some ten or twelve that I could get tamed & select from amongst them a few that would answer. Frank Whitty's property amounts to something about £380, but before it is retired from government sharks it is likely to be reduced considerably. Such is the case of more not having a Will made. A man here having property & dying intestate, though having his wife & family in possession of it, have to go through so many forms, particularly if they be foreigners, that it have it scarcely worth the trouble of looking after it & ____ when the parties has been married out of this country. Mary Evoy's letter I thought it better enclose it to you so as that it may accompany the money to its destination. Ellen & all friends join in sending you all their kind love & regard, trusting it may find you all in the enjoyment of good health, it is also the sincere wish of your ever affectionate brother, John J. Murphy |
