Squire Ensworth's Letters to Mr. Whaley
February, 1861
San Diego, Cal.
February 6, 1861
Mr. Thomas Whaley
San Francisco
Dear Sir:
Please send me one sack of potatoes for my own use. The last was excellent. Heretofore, I have been in the habit of getting my Supreme Court Reports of this State by writing to the Publisher. I have them sent through W. F. & Co's Express. This process has generally cost me $11.50 per volume. Ames and the Express man making the additional $1.50. If you pack a box of anything, I want you to send me the 15th volume of Reports. They will be out and published, most probably J. J. Account ten dollars per volume. This is a most outrageous standing price to the profession. They may gouge a fellow living as far off as I do. If you buy, you will charge it to me in our private account, that there may be no confusion. Strauss wrote me by the boat which arrived here on the 25th of January - That I would find a box of apples on board for me. I wrote to Gormon on the bill to send them up. I accordingly rec'd a box of apples by first load & spread them out. By last load I rec'd another box. Only two or three days ago, and after I had eaten & given them nearly all away, I found they belonged to Pendleton - sent by Kurtz, through Raimon, to P's wife. So, to make all this write, send me another box, usual size, and charge to my private account to prevent confusion. Dr. Edjar says I have some water collecting in the cord of one of my testicles. Oh Dear! What is a man good for after 50? Do me the favor to send me what they call a ÒSuspension BandageÓ for the testicles. Don't neglect it. I have just been looking at my flour and sugar and cash rec'd. Flour and sugar are nearly all I have sold since last boat and Now I have on hand 58 sacks of flour and 200 lbs. of sugar. The receipts have been only about 75 so I shall not remit you any money this boat, which is now in, but no personals now. The sales have not come up to my expectations this last two weeks; in consequence of most of the merchants coming down to about what I sell at. Some of them threaten awfully. Meire in particular says he is going above in a short time to bring down stock to sell for cost. I now offer sugar at $3 per arroba (A Spanish weighing measure of 11-1/2 kilos or about 25 pounds. Interestingly, it was also a liquid measure containing 32 pints or about four gallons.) I will finish my letter so soon as I receive yours and see the Purser. The papers in Edmunds vs. Doyle & Giddings were not sent by the clerk by last boat (as I anticipated they would have been). But will go up on this boat.
I have seen the purser and received and read your 2 letters. You had not better send anything by next boat with the single exception of sugar, of which I am afraid I may get out. The seeds for Col. F, I presume are all right, as also the receipt received from Burbank. The freight was $26.25 - within a fraction of your calculation. As to the roof, since I last mentioned the subject we have had no rain & I have not yet applied more tar, but will put it on in a day or two. Of course I can't tell if all the things are received from the playa. Billy has been here after it already. What woman could rest on moment, if she knew a dress was in town for her. She wants to see it, to feel it & turn it over and look at it - hold it up to the light. No news down here. Is the Union gone? Grace go with the crazy people!
Yours truly,
A. S. Ensworth
San Diego, Ca.
February 20, 1861
Mr. Whaley:
The boat is in two days before the usual time, & invoice in your letter of the 16th is received.
The last sugar you sent me, some of it was bad & I had to take it back. In one arroba there was no sugar and not much else but 3 Chinese mats folded up. I have, on hand, not including that which is on the boat, 400 lbs of sugar, about 80 sacks of flour and all the whiskey. I sold the ball of sugar for $28. The package of merchandise (valued at $13.50) containing five dozen socks, sent me several boats since was lost, but the purser paid me for it. I have yet the two boxes of crushed sugar - have only one box of hill soap, no candles, no lard, no coffee. I'm selling flour at $2.12 per sack. As to the reports of Supreme Court, send me the bound volume. Blulet handed me the package of papers and also the suspension bandage, for all of which, I am obliged. I send you $200, of this $160 is to be credited on merchandise account and the other $40 on our private account. I would write you more at length, but as the steamer so took me by surprise I have several letters to write.
Truly,
A. S. Ensworth
I have paid express on the money.
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