Meriwether Lewis arranges to freight the recently purchased goods from Philadelphia to Fort Fayette in Pittsburgh. The expedition’s most expensive piece of equipment, the chronometer, is cleaned, adjusted, and given a new mahogany box.
Small Freight Wagon
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The Pittsburgh Shipment
June the 10th 1803
Sir [William Linnard]
I called to see you with a view more fully to impress you with the necessity of providing a strong and effective team for the transportation of the public stores under my charge destined for Pittsburgh; the road mentioned in a former communication, and which from necessaty they must travel is by no means good, and I find that the stores will weigh at least 35 Hundred. If a team could be provided with five horses perhaps it would be better. I expect every thing will be in readiness by Tuesday or Wednesday next. Your Obt. & very Humble Sert.
Meriwether Lewis
Capt. 1st. U.S. Regt. Infty.[1]Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents: 1783-1854, 2nd ed., ed. Donald Jackson (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978), 53–4.
Chronometer Box
Mr. Israel Whelen To Henry Voigt 1803 $ Ct. June 10 To Cleaning a chronometer, & adjusting 2 do. To a new Box of Mohoconey Wood &c paid for 2 25 do. To a Universal choint 2 50 do To Cleaning a Silver Secont Watch 0 62 5 $7 37 5[3]“Supplies from Private Vendors,” in Jackson, 91.
