Hurricane Jany 22nd 1866

Kind Master:
Your favor of 18th
inst f[?] Simon Gaiton, came to hand
Yesterday morning.
In regard to Burton, I have to say that he
expresses a perfect willingness to serve you but
from the effects of a sever spell of sickness
he feels unable to enter into such an engagement
and previously engaged to work at his
trade for parties here, he feels somewhat bound to
comply.
I have but little change to report in regard
to affairs here, I leave that the Government
has commenced measuring land at Briarfield
and may be similarly engaged here tomorrow
The terms I have not learned yet, will advise you as
soon as I am able. The Levee repairs is to be paid for
by taxing the land. The party controlling affairs
has con[??]ed their intentions or plans so long & at the
same time circulating dicouraging reports respecting
this plan much of the labor that might have remained
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