Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/239



LETTERS OF REV. WILLIAM M. ROBERTS 229

Enquirer 12 Class Books 1 set Sur. Instruments 1 Do. Cuppin And there is a lot of some of which I found here others I brought here, 26 quilts 119 Shirts 50 Boys do 157 Yds. Muslain in Little Remnants 8 Sheets 30 pr pillow casses 18 Papers need. 16 Doz. pair Wollen Socks 18 pair Cotton Do. 12 Pair small shoes 8 Pair Boots Now the rest of the things such as 50 pr. boys pants 24 vests 24 dresses 7 childrens dresses &c&c are as nearly nothing or worth- less as may be. So poor that they are scarcely worth giving to the Indians really I think it not worth while to send such trumpery so many miles at 75 cts. pr. sqr. foot (It would seem as though some of our good friends had made an especial selection of the poor and maimed and that which is lame) to present as an offering to the Lord. How will it do to suggest to them that a little wool off the firstlings of their flock would make us some warm clothing. The truth is we need some good durable warm clothing and I suspect you will have to buy it and the sooner the better. The preachers families are badly in want of various articles of woolen clothing and I hope long before you receive this that we shall get a new supply. It is found necessary in some places to build log churches and I think it the best policy to encourage the people to do this all over the country but in most places they are too poor to buy the glass, sash and nails which are necessary. Nails are 20c per Ib glass 12^ pr light and sash the same In cash. The Church we are now building up country is 24 by 32 feet of hewn logs with five windows of 24 lights this is a fair speci- men of the kind of churches we need and we must build some parsonages also. It is death to our work to have the preachers living 10 or twenty miles off their circuit and every nail we drive at 20c pr Ib is rather a costly affair. In a former letter I asked for some materials to build a house in this city may I ask again for more materials such as 8d lOd 6d 4d Nails some boxes of 8 by 10 glass for the purpose named above. The Course we are trying to adopt is this, to encourage the people to build (to) get them to do all if possible, and where they cannot aid them a little. The articles above named are the most needed also some hinges & fastenings. I wish you would send me a sash plain. Now I shall be glad if the board will send us the things named above with permission to use them for the purposes above mentioned. I think it will be the best economy to spend some means in this way. If Br. Gary were to go with me a few excursions perhaps he would a little