I received your letter to-day.¹ I will meet you in Asheville any time you name, except on Wednesday, Jan. 5th. I expect to be in Raleigh on January 10th and will see you then if you do not come to Asheville before that time. We are wanting a part of the Convict gang from Hickory Nut Gap if we can get them, but whether we get any of that force or not do not let any thing happen to the force we have. We expect to have the road open to the State Line by the time the Summer Season opens. As you know we are spending almost four hundred thousand dollars in this County and the greater part of it on the Central Highway. Any thing that might defeat our plans would be ruinous to us. Do not let any steps be taken that might against us until we go over the situation.