To James Madison from Phineas Bradley, 8 August 1816
From Phineas Bradley
Washington City. 8th. August 1816
Sir,
The President and Directors of the Potomak Steam Boat Company declared a dividend of ten dollars on each share of stock in said company—up to June 30th: 1816.1 I have the honour to here inclose fifty dollars—being the amount of your dividend on five shares of said stock, in a bill of the State Bank of North-Carolina, I should have made the remittance earlier if I could have obtained other than the depreciated money of this District; will you favour me with your receipt. I have Sir the honour to be your most Obedt servant
P. Bradley
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.
1. The Potomac Steam Boat Company was chartered in Alexandria, D.C., in early 1813 and contracted with Robert Fulton for the construction of the steamboat Washington in New York. The Washington commenced service in June 1815, with daily trips to Aquia Creek and stops at Georgetown and Alexandria. Phineas Bradley (1769–1845) was the brother of Abraham Bradley Jr. and as did his brother, held the position of assistant postmaster in the District of Columbia (Bryan, History of the National Capital, 1:538–39 and 2:77; Charles S. Bradley, “The Bradley Family and the Times in Which They Lived,” Records of the Columbia Historical Society 6 [1903]: 123; Daily National Intelligencer, 31 July 1845).