1847 NEW ORLEANS LA TO MRS JECHONIAS THAYER BRAINTREE MA STMPLS LTTR LEVEE BREAK

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1847 NEW ORLEANS LA TO MRS JECHONIAS THAYER BRAINTREE MA STMPLS LTTR LEVEE BREAK:
$69.99

Up for sale is a vintage folded stampless letter and cover combination that was mailed from Mobile, Alabama and addressed to Mrs. Jechonias Thayer, Braintree, Massachusetts. Letter is datelined New Orleans, May 9, 1847. Some of the letter has to do with a levee breach. Letter was from Jechonias Thayer, husband of the addressee...Writer made a hand drawn sketch of the Mississippi River as it pertains to the letter..paper has some second sheet tears. Comes with a news clipping of the levee breach...Letter was transcribed by jkpaper27305 and it reads as follows:
N. Orleans, May 9/ 47
My Dear Wife, When you get this you will say, well, it has come at last. I expect to say so of yours when I get it, which has been expected from day to day for a week. Since my last, we have had horrid accounts of battles won - all for Glory, several fires, & last of all yesterday a break in the Levee opposite the City at Algiers, which is indeed a frightful one. The crevasse is more than 200 feet wide, & where there was a levee & persons going back & forth in the morning, the water is now 100 feet deep. The waters on plantations back is from one to four feet deep & now every appearance of extending its flow till it finds its outlet in the Gulf of Mexico. The Mayor has ordered out great force to be employed today, but I think the hole too big to be stopped in a hurry, & this mighty river will be permitted to run where it pleases, & only stop in its mighty rushing when its thousand tributaries shall cease to lend their aid to its overwhelming influence. Theoph. was at the spot at the moment of the break & had to move as fast as he ever rode \'old Gray\' to get out of the way. We have heard of only one life lost, which was a clever old Creole & had been in our employ as Watchman. By this time you will be pretty well wrought up to know what has become of Thayers Ware Houses. This enquiry has many times been made by persons in the City who are not acquainted with the location. I do not wonder, for we have now more than $100,000 worth of property in them, but the fact is there is no danger when the peculiar location is understood. We intend, however, tomorrow to give public notice to relieve our friends at a distance who have their stuff with us. Enclosed you have a sketch shewing where the break is & our situation. We are now, the floor of Ware Houses 2 feet above the level of the river, which is at its highest gage & higher than I ever knew it, & was it to rise one foot more, would not trouble us & spend itself over millions of acres above. There was yesterday an sale of stuff at Ware Houses which gave a good opportunity for a hundred or more to notice with pleasure our security. You will have more of this in a few days from Theoph. & Ellison. The Mill is now in order & we expect to begin grinding tomorrow. It moves well. The Bags & Cords arrived yesterday, so we are now prepared to go ahead. The bale Betsey wrote about had better be made up. We begin to think the unbleached stuff will do as well, when we compare can better judge. I have been expecting to hear that Harback & Richardson had paid over money due from them to Lyman for our acct. If they have not, we must make remittance to him. We have had so much to do by preparation for the future, that money is not plenty - but the tolls begin to come in, which will relieve us.I was delighted to hear by Ellison & from Lyman to Theoph. that you were all about the same. I now have strong hopes of finding all alive on my return, which I fear cannot be till July. It is about time to hear something more about Rail Road & Academy, but it will be time enough for me to talk after my return. We are now very busy & expect to be so till July, when things will fall off. The great drift to Europe of Bread Stuff has taken from us a good deal.When I get your expected letter, will write more particulars. With Love to all, in haste, Your Affectionate
Jechonias T.... .. ... ........paper has edge/corner wear, age staining and has yellowed/toned from time... $2.25 covers shipping in the USA. Item will be shipped in a rigid cardboard photo mailer or bubble envelope, unless otherwise noted or requested.. $8.00 covers shipping outside the USA ….. International shipping will be in a standard envelope via International First Class. Other shipping options available, but more expensive. MULTIPLE sale WINNERS: Please wait for me to send an invoice to make sure the shipping charges are correct. . PayPal accepted. Payment must be made in US Dollars and for those who are unsure, Euros are NOT US Dollars. REGULAR ENVELOPE SHIPPING IS AVAILABLE FOR $1.30, for shipping within the USA. Envelopes are shipped with a backing board to help prevent bending from Postal machinery. LARGER AND PERHAPS BETTER QUALITY PICTURES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. JUST EMAIL AND ASK, BUT PLEASE DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST DAY. I do combine shipping