Letter – Jonathan Hilton to John Cleaver – 19 Feb 1773

A Copy of a Letter sent Mr. Cleaver 				19th Feby. 1773



Sir,

I hope you have recd my Sons Letter acknowledging my rect of a Bill from you Value £100. inclosed you have a Copy of Greengill West End & Howblagill Paybills when I wrote you on the 8th Feby 1772 I then expected to have got the Level up to Greengill West End & a Tryal made of the Vein by this Time but the Old Mans borehole not being large enough for the waterblast I was obliged to Bore another Hole at the expence of £32.8 Exclusive of Candles &ca as you will see in the Paybill in driving the Level there came several Strings from the Old Vein which strings crossed the Level & went Northwards so at about 40 Fath West of where these strings crossed the Level I thought it Necessary to cut a cross cut of the Level to see if the Level in order to see if the above Strings would come together & form one Vein which they did at about 14 Fathoms North of the Old Vein & 10 Fathoms North of the Present Level this North Vein has a promising appearance in the Plate Beed but cannot be tried in the Sills till the Level is up, & as the Sills are all whole in that Vein the prospect is much better the Boaring for the Water Blast & cutting to the North vein kept the workmen from of pursuing the Level 18 weeks otherwise we should have had the Level up & Tryals made of the Veins by this Time but as there is only 20 Fathoms of the Level now to drive I expect getting it up & Tryals made in the Vein by the Latter End of May or June next. Howblagill cut sun Vein in the slate bed July last the sills were not then put on but the Level is now drove up to where the Sills are on & as soon as a shaft that we are now sinking be sunk into the Level I intend cutting out of the Level to both Veins & trying them in the Sills; This I expect will be done about the Time mentioned at Greengill West End. 

      I am &ca Jona Hilton