1861 Dec[ember] 10 Buffalo Forge Va

Dear Brady

I have the metal all weighed up
& it is with reluctance that I write the number but it
must come--650 Tons from the 27 to the 7 of Dec
she made but 28 Tons scraped all and took nearly her regular charge.
but it was not in the ore & consequently it could not be got
out. I for one thank God that we are through.
We are getting down the Iron--Nearly every bar will have to
go through the straighting process--We are preparing for the
Lime. the hearth is worn very large around the head of the [?]
it will take some strong pigs to hold her up
I understood from Powell on Saturday that Burks had
is[sic] boat in the stocks to get her repaired. She was in a
leaky condition when he left here haveing laid Idle all the summer.
& I have no doubt it is true. There is no possible chance
to get down unless boat come from
below

Yours Respct
Wm W Rec

D C E Brady Esq
Buffalo Forge
Rockbridge
Va

Daniel Brady was the son-in-law of William W. E. Weaver, the Pennsylvania Iron Master who established a successful iron industry at Buffalo Forge, Va., using a workforce of skilled slaves who were compensated for their labor with money, goods and privileges. See Charles Dew's Bond of Iron for a detailed account of this little known industrial enterprise.

MSS 38-98