George Washington Papers

From George Washington to Samuel Powel, 25 July 1787

To Samuel Powel

Market Street [Philadelphia]
Wednesday Afternoon 25th July [1787]

Dear Sir,

I pray you to accept my thanks, for the trouble of your enquiries into the prices for Painting, and lining Carriages. Your letter coming to me whilst I was at Dinner, prevented an immediate acknowledgment of it, & previous thereto having heard a Mr Clarke (Coachmaker in this Square) well spoken of—having seen some of his work—and having received the strongest assurances of fidelity and diligence in the execution of mine, I have committed my Chariot to him—induced thereto by the further consideration of seeing every day as I pass his workshop the progress he makes1—My obligation to you, my good Sir, is not lessened thereby but with sentiments of great esteem and regard I am Dear Sir Yr most Obedt & obliged

Go: Washington

ALS, ViMtvL.

1David & Francis Clark presented on 14 Sept. its itemized bill for £51.13.5½ for refurbishing GW’s “Chariot,” and on 17 Sept. David & Francis Clark certified that the company had “Received the Contents in full.” GW also entered this amount paid on 17 Sept. in his Philadelphia Cash Accounts, 9 May–22 September. Clark’s bill included these charges:

For taking off boath Chariot Axels linning them in all the Armes with iron & steel setting them hoping up. boxing the wheels axels screwed in the ends and 4 new nutts Cutting & walding the bands of hubbs 4 new washers fixed on shoulders of axels fasning the loose bolts of Carraige £ 3.    
anew pole with new ringe for Do 1.    
apaire of new pole pices .17.6 
1 new Spoke putt in awheel . 4.  
2 new pannels and 2 Sadle Cloaths 1. 8.  
2 pair of new Safe Colars with brass buckles neet Straps and belley bands 2. 5.  
repairing Glass frames with 2 new Stmutilatedile and brass Cornar plates . 7.6 
For 6¾ Yards of yellow Super fine Cloath at 37/6 pr 12.13.1½
laces hand strings Glass Do and foot man holders 5.15.1 
6 lb. of Currald hair for stuffing Cusion at 2/8 .16.  
¾ of a yard of Rusia Sheetting for bottom to the Cusion . 2.9 
making and putting in the Linning & nails pistole-holsters stuffing & nails 4. 5.  
anew Wilton Carpet for the cotton bound round the ends .18.  
making up the foot man holders with 2 new brass bucke . 2.  
Painting ground Coular & varnishing Chariot boady 2.10.  
Mantlings and Coats of Armes 3.    
mutilated 4.10.  
mutilatedper pannels Ruff and butte 3.    
mutilatedaige and wheels 2.10.  
Repairing the harnes with 8 new trace berars & 6 new Do to the pades. 12 new back band straps 4 breast plate Do 1. 0.  
mending atrace with 4 inches leather anew taile to abreching 10 inches long 11 new billets to bridles & rains picing arain—2 feet longe picing tow Chuck braces with 8 inches leather .10.  
4 new ends to the Chick of bridles 6 inches longe each one new Crupper & 2 new Crupper straps putt to the Sadle . 7.  
2 new Gurthes for the Sadles with 8 buckles . 5.  
2 new brass adges putt round 2 winkers & 1 torrit for the pade 7.6 
£51.13.5½

The bill is in the possession of the New London (Conn.) County Historical Society.

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