Memoir of the Life of Eli Whitney. 239 



arms were ready for delivery ; at which time, the additional sum of 

 five thousand dollars was to be advanced. Full payment was to be 

 made on the delivery of each successive thousand, with occasional 

 advances at the discretion of the Secretary. 



The expenses incurred in getting the establishment fully into ope- 

 ration, must have greatly exceeded the expectation of the parties, for 

 advances of ten and fifteen thousand dollars were successively made 

 by the government, above what was originally contemplated ; but 

 the confidence of the government seems never to have been impair- 

 ed J for the Secretary, after having examined Mr. Whitney's works in 

 person, declared to him, in the presence of witnesses, that the ad- 

 vances which he had made had been laid out with great prudence 

 and economy, and that the undertaker had done more, than he should 

 have supposed possible with the sum advanced. 



The site which Mr. Whitney had purchased for his works, was at 

 the foot of the celebrated precipice called East Rock, within two 

 miles of New Haven. This spot (which is now called Whitneyville) 

 is justly admired for the romantic beauty of its scenery. A water- 

 fall of moderate extent, afforded here the necessary power for pro- 

 pelling the machinery. In this pleasant retreat, Mr. Whitney com- 

 menced his operations with the greatest zeal ; but he soon became 

 sensible of the multiplied difficulties which he had to contend with. 

 A winter of uncommon severity set in early, and suspended his la- 

 bors ; and when the spring returned, he found himself so little ad- 

 vanced, that he foresaw that he should be utterly unable to deliver 

 the four thousand muskets according to contract. In this predica- 

 ament, he resolved to throw himself on the indulgence of the enlight- 

 ened Secretary of the treasury, to whom he explained at length the 

 various causes which had conspired to retard his operations. 



"I find, says he, that my personal attention and oversight, are 

 more constantly and essentially necessary to every branch of the 

 work, than I apprehended. Mankind, generally, are not to be de- 

 pended on, and the best workmen I can find are incapable of direct- 

 ing. Indeed there is no branch of the work that can proceed well, 

 scarcely for a single hour, unless I am present." 



At the end of the first year after the contract was made, instead 

 of four thousand muskets, only five hundred were delivered, and it 

 was eight years, instead of two, before the whole ten thousand 

 were completed. The entire business relating to the contract was 

 not closed until January, 1S09, when, (so liberally had the govern- 



