This agreement entered into at the Town of San Felipe de Austin
in the Province of Texas between Stephen F. Austin Empresario
for the settlement of three hundred families in this Province and
Seth Ingram surveyor is to witness— That said Ingram agrees to
survey such Tracts of land in this Colony as he may be directed to
Survey by sd Austin and the commission [er] of the Govt in the form
and manner which they may direct, using the Mexican Vara as the
standard for regulating their chains and running the true Meridian
after calculating the variation of the compass, and the sd Ingram
agrees to execute his work accurately and in a good and workman
like manner and to complete it as speedily as possible, establishing
corners with bearing trees at each principal corner of a survey with
the initials of the owners names marked on the bearing trees where
the owner is known, or erecting sufficient mounds of Earth in Prairie
at least three feet high and marking every line not bounded by a
River or creek which runs through timber so that it can be easily
traced and followed, and finally to make out correct returns and
plots of each survey to sd Austin—On completion of the work in
the manner above stated the sd Ingram shall be entitled to demand
and receive from each settler pay for surveying their lands at the
rate of five dollars pr Spanish mile payable in property on three
dollars pr Mile payable in Cash, to be paid by the settler, and for
which payment the sd Austin is not to be in any Manner accountable
or responsible more than to refuse to deliver the titles to any settler
untill he brings a certificate from the surveyor or stating that the
surveying fees of his land were paid or settled, For the faithful
complyance of all which the sd Ingram obligates himself under the
penalty of being liable for any damages which may arise from a
non or incorrect compliance with this contract,—
San Felipe de Austin Oct 1st 1824
Seth Ingram
Stephen F. Austin [Rubric]