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Office Asst. Supt. R. F. and A. L. Warwick Co. Va.
Newport News Va September 7th 1865

Captain,
Pursuant to your orders to me to make full Estimates and report the cost of furnishing Timber required to fulfill the contract lately entered into between the Bureau and W. G. Hirut Esqr. for use of the mills under its control in this District. - to give such information and to make such suggestions as I could in regard to the expense &c of manufacturing Lumber - I have the honor to submit the following

The two mills on the "Baker Lee" farm, (confiscated land) have been running under my charge as A.A.Q.M. a number of months under serious disadvantages. principaly sickness arising from the locality being swampy. - During the last month I was authorized to turn them over to the Bureau of R.F. & A.L. - Under instructions of Capt. A.S. Flagg Supt. of the District I moved one of the mills to Newport News where there are excellent facilities for manufacturing and shipping -- the mills being located on a wharf owned by Govt where six, 6, vessels can load at once - The timber is nearly exhausted on the "Baker Lee" farm, and if it were not, it would be no more expense to haul the logs than it would be to haul the manufactured lumber and wood to a shipping point -- A mill to be successfully operated must be stationery, where labor can be steady, of good quality, and where laborers can live comfortably. It would be impossible to run a mill profitably with all

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