We will get the creek into Mud Cut tomorrow and I will write in a few days the result. I have no doubt of its success. As to the Tunnel, we went last week 25 feet of Bench and 15 of heading, heavy slides on the crest approach have delayed us seriously but we hope to reach the face of tunnel on that side by April 1st there will be then about 400 feet of tunnel to finish, 15 feet of heading on each side would be 120' feet per month which would nearly finish in June, but it is not my intention to stop for tunnel if not done in time the transfer will be short and I will 'em over and push ahead. I do wish we could get more hands. I enclose the actual time worker so you can see how far short in actual work we come behind our number ref 500, on the work we will not average 300 when we were up to the 300, and now we have not more than 450 on the rolls. I have you into details so you may have all the facts.
I hope you may be able to pay us a visit soon to see what we are doing. Some dissatisfaction was expressed at the last meeting with Mr Clayton, the Buncombe people seem to take great stock in his end. I hope he will be let alone, he is an industrious man and does as well as any man we might get. If I could get 50 men at once, I would start a force over the ridge and if so would start them at the heavy work near Patton's mill with the last of the work.