University of Virginia Library

A. H. Brooks to Thomas Jefferson

I received your favor this day Stating that I informed you that `I Can put on a Squaire a day.
my Self and apprentice never did put on but verry little more than a Squaire in a day nor do I
beleave any man Can do it. So I must have Said we Could insted of my Self as to the price it
was 5 d not 5d 75 as to the Simplisity of the work I beleve a Carefull tinplateworker will
Save as mutch tin as will pay any negros wages and a greate deale over if you will put youre
Self to the troble to Examin the Seames of work don on the west range you will find that
thare is a Considerable more tin put on that building then I put on buildings of the Same
Size. the machine Comes next I have Seene it and I would venter all that I posess if disposed
to bet that I Can twine more tin in three hours than Can be twi[n]d with it in a day as to the
Cost of the Covering that the negro don I think from the time he was Covering the building
next the roads thare Could be no Calculation made for it was a long time and I think was in
that nebourhood twiste and it was not half done when I was thare last and I think it Seven or
Eight weeks from the first to the last time I heard Severel Say from the want of tin and the
lenght of time Spent it would be Cheaper to give me my prise than otherwise in my other
letter I laid down a rule by whitch you Could assertain the difference in time betweene
putting tin and wood but you have over looked it Sopose I was to go from home forty or
fifty miles to put on 20 Square at 2. d 50 what would I make it would take my Self and a
nother hand a bout a month frome the time wee left home till wee returned I Could not get
any Jorneman to work out for less than twenty dollars and his board and washing which
would Cost me nearley twelve dollars which would be 32 d then I would have 18. d for my
months work and traveling Expence which would be if I went in the Stage about Seven
dollars and the weare and tarre of Close would bring it down to but a trifle. yess to less than
ten dollars besides I must always give one dollar for the carriage of the machine it would
bring it down to five dollars in the month than I Earent Every weeke when I worked peace
worke in baltimore I would heare mention that five dollars is the least that I have heard of it
Should be a good price because it is ingeanous to the Eyes no person Can work at it unless
thare Eys are verry good it has worsted mine Some I would not accuse you with aiming at
doing me an injurey no Sir I bleave you would not harme any man if you new it but I must
insist upon it that you have not had an oppertunity of Judging what it is worth to Cover with
tin because it allways took us both a about as many days as thare was Squares and I am
Convinced that wee could put more on than any three men.

I am thankfull for your attention and esteem to me and sorry that I have to troble you so
mutch as to ask the Same favour a Second time[872] I am Sincerely youre friend and well
wisher

A. H. Brooks

ALS, DLC:TJ, 2p, with TJ docket "Brooks. A. H. Staunton Aug. 1. 22. recd. Aug. 3."