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Farm Bourbon Cy. April 23. 1816

Dear Father

We have built our shed for making brick
and the two men are to day at work throwing up the clay. they
can throw up sufficient to make 8000 p. day. & Charles can
mould two thousand p. day. but can not being to mould
until the whole of the clay is thrown up. we calculate two
months to finish the brick. the two negroes above mentioned
I made out to hire one, for one month, 12$. the other for2. or 4.
months as I please at 10.$. I have likewise engaged a boy to
[bear?] off brick while moulding at 6$ p mo. he will be with us
about 6 or 7 weeks. our man's moulding the brick will reduce
the price to less than 50 cents p. 1000. & he is probably as good
a moulder as we can find having work'd 7. years in a brick
yard as a moulder. We have purchas'd a spade & shovel & [?]
I shall have to get moulds which will cost about 6$. & two
wheel barrows. The carpenter will come to day to pick out
proper timber for joice & we shall send it to mill this week
but I have no money to pay for it when it is done. it must
be sent now on [?] of water. M. Prentiss will let me have a hand
when the one engaged for a month leaves he would before but
he has had 12 of his hired negro's which were own'd in
Virgiinia taken home by their masters. he let me have the
30 [cents symbol] on [?] of the old cow. & offers to let me have what money
I wish until you come out, but shall not get any if I can
make out without, but this I can not do until some is sent
soon. I have only had offers for the waggon. to barter for