The Brigham Young Center

G. S. L. City May 16, 1861,

Mr. R. S. Ellsworth,
Telegraphic Operator, Fort Kearney,

Dear Sir:
Your favor of the 1st inst. is at hand, and the contents noted. In reply I have to inform you, as previously advised, that by agreement with Mr. Creighton our Club was to pay $10.00 for each dispatch, said amount to include pony charges, payments to be made to Mr. Wm. Bell of the Firm of Livingston, Bell & Co.

In your notes of May 1, I find our Club charged with 15 dispatches during February and

       March, @ $10.00 ea               $150.00
9 dispatches during April, and March 90.00 
                                                       $240.00

And credited on Feb 21, draft  $30.00
               " & March Pony         $36.75
                    April 15 draft         $50.00
                 " pony charges           18.00
     Balance due Company       $105.24

We paid to Mr. Bell, on the 21st of Feb.  30.00
                              and " " 15th of April, $80.00
                                                             $110.00

and presume he has arranged the remittances and statements to accord with your statement of credits. We made another payment to Mr. Bell on the 16th inst. of $108.00

On examining the dispatch envelopes for Feby and March 1 find 13 marked "Telegram 245, collect", which I take to come fully under the contract at $10.00 each-- $130.00 3 marked, "Telegram, 245, Collect, No bill," which, if I correctly interpret the marks, means no charge for said dispatches but for us to pay said pony charges 7.35 and I marked, "Telegram, additional,free, no bill". If the foregoing understanding is correct, Feby and March dispatches 137.35 instead of $150.00 as charged in your note of 1st inst.

So also by corresponding marks on envelopes in April, I have concluded there are 8 full charged (instead of 9)

                80.00
1 "no bill,"  2.45
   2 free.  00000
                82.45

thus making $219 80/100 to May, instead of $240.00, from which $219 80/100 there should be deducted, if again I understand correctly, on dispatches April 19, 22, 26 & 29, 45 cents on each, (as on said dispatches it reads, "collect 2.00") = 1.89, thus making all dispatches to May, pony charges included, cost us $218.00, which, as already mentioned, we have paid to Mr Bell.

In case I have in any way misconstrued the marks on the envelopes, and thereby come to an erroneous conclusion as to the correct amount of the cost of our dispatches, as per agreement with Mr. Creighton your setting me right in the matter will be thankfully received and cordially and promptly responded to by

Yours respectfully,

H. S. Eldredge