1840 - Letter between business associates reporting that the ice on the Hudson River in Troy, New York had broken without any damage to docks or timber stored upon them and recommending switching to the manufacture of "wall strips" in the coming year as there was "no movement in the lumber market.

This two-page stampless letter measures 8¾" x 12½". It was sent by C.W. Thompson in Troy on 12 February 1840 to business associates, the Nye Brothers, in Champlain, New York. It bears a circular red Troy postmark and a manuscript "18¾", the cost to mail a letter between 150 and 400 miles. In nice shape. A transcript will be provided.

In this letter, Thompson keeps his promise to write the Nye Brothers to inform them of changes to the Hudson River. It reads in part:

"The Ice in the river here broke up yesterday, it was about 18 inches thick & it was feared much damage would be done but there was verry little. I believe there was no Lumber carried off any of the docks on either side of the river. Although the water was verry high we now think the danger is over the water is Falling & will probably be off the docks tomorrow or the day after. . .."

He goes on to report that he is making progress getting payment from creditors for several "notes" and hopes the accounts "all will be paid when business opens in the spring. . .."

In closing, Thompson advises that

"there is no movement yet in the Lumber Market & it is yet impossible to say how Lumber will be. I presume it will open Slow Sale. I think it would be well to make a fair quantity of Wall Strips as there are none now in Market & there verry few making [them]. . .."

A nice first-hand account of the upper New York lumber market beginning to reopen after a frigid winter and frozen rivers.