91To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 October 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Last night, the wind having changed suddenly to the N. West it was exceedingly cold for a short time,—and this morning the condensed vapor was found to have dropped upon the decks in 3 or 4 places in the Hall of Representatives, but in one place exactly over one of the decks, a quantity fell equal to about a Wine Glass full. On going onto the roof I found the Cause of this difference. In...
92To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 30 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The very unfavorable weather of yesterday rendered it impossible for me to procure all the information necessary to compleat the enclosed report before the evening, & then, having no servant of my own here, I could not procure it to be conveyed to you agreeably to promise. In order to avoid intrusion on your time at the present near approach of the Session, I do not wait upon You. I have left...
93To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 March 1812 (Madison Papers)
By mistake I omitted to send my original appointment with the papers transmitted to You yesterday. If you think it necessary to transmit it to Congress I can I presume get it again by application to the Clerk of the House. Respectfully—Your obedt hble Servt. P. S. Mr. Jefferson was mistaken in the Salary of the former persons employed Mr. Hoban & Mr. Hadfield had each 750£ p Annum or 2000$ &...
94To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 5 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Lenthall has been so ill in health, & so much worse in humor for sometime past, that I cannot leave the Work sufficiently to compleat today the drawings necessary to explain to You the Work on the North Wing for which I have to request Your direction.—Every thing is going on well & to my utmost satisfaction excepting my situation with Mr Lenthall. He has been always in the habit of...
95To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 23 February 1811 (Madison Papers)
Notwithstanding the exertions I have made to complete the estimates required by the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 14h. of January, devoting a considerable part of every night to that object I have only been able to accomplish it now . At the same time I submit a list of outstanding claims. The drawings to which I allude in my letter are upon such large & heavy boards that I...
96To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 6 September 1811 (Madison Papers)
It was my intention to have undertaken the survey of the line of the Western Navigation of the State of New York, and I had already accepted the Office of Engineer offered to me by the Commissioners of that State, when you left the city. But on reconsidering the duty I have to perform for the Navy department here, & the injury which so long an absence might occasion to my other concerns I...
97To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 28 June 1811 (Madison Papers)
The considerations which arise out of my engagement with the public in the direction of the public buildings are so interesting to me, and involve so entirely my future residence and the means of supporting my family, that unwilling to occupy more of your time that [ sic ] I can help, in listening to what I have to suggest on the subject, I take the liberty of submitting to you a wish, that a...
98To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 15 December 1809 (Madison Papers)
The alterations which you have been pleased to make in the report submitted to you by me, will be attended to, and fair copies one for the Senate, another for the House of Representatives will be transmitted to You on Monday morning. These copies it has been usual with the late President to send to the house of Congress by a Message. In respect to the more detailed Specification of the...
99To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 18 January 1810 (Madison Papers)
In the original design of the senate chamber submitted to and approved by the late President, it was intended to place a range of seats along the semicircular wall of the room for the accomodation of members of the house of Representatives. This design was in the progress of execution during the summer session, and was observed and remarked upon by several members of the Senate. The result of...
100To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 February 1811 (Madison Papers)
I saw Mr. Bacon this morning who informed me that the letter I mentioned to you is now in possession of the Committee. I entreated him to transmit it to You, which he appeared to think would not be improper as one or two expressions might be considered as equivocal and authorize a communication to You by the members as individual members of the Legislature. Whatever those expressions may be,...
101To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 February 1811 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
11 February 1811, Washington. Submits at JM’s direction a list of outstanding claims against the public buildings. “The two first items arise from engagements which have subsisted for some years, and have not been closed. The latter exhibits the amount of the demands against the public for Labor & for materials delivered: the certified vouchers of which are deposited with the Superintendent of...
102To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 January 1811 (Madison Papers)
I herewith transmit to you the account of monies expended on the furniture of the presidents house since March 1809. The original Account and Vouchers have been lodged with the Accounting Officers of the Treasury. Besides the Sums put down in this account, I have disbursed others for which I have not yet obtained proper Vouchers the principal part of them being for the minor utensils of...
103To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
The important business which engages you, induces me to anticipate what I presume to be one of the objects of your wish to see me,—namely to explain to you the state of the fund for the south wing of the Capitol:— My estimate (from memory) stood thus South wing 25.000.— Due from the North wing, at least 5,000— From the Offices of State, War, {—3,000
104To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 January 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 29th. relative to the Glass supplied to you from the public Stock, was received on Sunday and I have since then searched all the papers belonging to the office for an account of it, an employment which took up the whole of yesterday, & part of this morning before I succeeded. I hope this will plead my apology for the late answer to your note. It was Mr Lenthall’s habit to...
105To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, [ca. 22 July] 1811 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Barry has expressed to me Your wish that your Glass should be sent by your Waggon. I will send tomorrow morning the Glass , the Box of Locks &c, the Keg of White lead to the President’s house that these things made [ sic ] be ready. Mr. Deblois informs me, that the boat to Fredericksburg will not sail for 10 days to come. He is now making an intermediate trip. In Mr Dinsmore’s letter he...
106To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 7 November 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I do not leave Washington till Tuesday next, before which period I hope to have the pleasure to wait upon you. The House of Representatives, exhibited only one leak in the Dome, but a very bad one in the flat under the dome at X [GRAPHIC IN MANUSCRIPT] at the NE Corner. The rain poured in a stream into the lobby. I think it can be easily cured, & probably arose from a drift of Snow. The...
107To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 10 March 1809 (Madison Papers)
Agreeably to your instructions, I have made arrangements to provide the most necessary articles of furniture required for the President’s house. The first and most expensive of these are Looking Glasses of large dimensions. I have already purchased conditionally 3 pair, the largest of which is 8 ft. 6 in in highth, and I have in view one other pair, of very considerable highth & width. The...
108To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 15 May 1809 (Madison Papers)
The expenditure of the office of the Surveyor of the Public buildings prior to the death of the late clerk of the works were as follows: Salary of the Clerk of the Works, Pr Annum $1.400 Office and house rent, from 150 to 250, say 200 A Subordinate clerk appointed at the commencement of the Year 1808 being found absolutely necessary at 1.25 pr Day, say 300 days in each Year } 375 Total...
109To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 5 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Agreeably to your desire, I have exerted myself to collect Workmen (Stonecutters) in this city, but have not yet obtained more than two, who will set off as soon as they can finish a small job which they are now about.—I called the Master Stonecutters together, & was so fortunate, as to obtain their promise to assist me in ascertaining the Character of the Men I may find willing to go to the...
110To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 27 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr Lenthall did not put the drawings of the proposed alteration of the North Wing of the Capitol into my hands till this moment. I have in the limits of the recess been attentive to the caution you formerly gave me on the subject of the Center part of the Work, and they are contracted within the line that bounds the North side of the South Recess, at the angle of which stands the pilaster...
111Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Thomas Jefferson, 28 October 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for your letter of the , & am much gratified by the approbation you express of my drawings. I hope you will do me the favor to let me know which of the pavilions you approve for your first work of next spring; with a sketch of its dimensions and its plan, that I may send you the working drawings & the details a t large. Some months ago, I sent to Jefferson & Gibson of Richmond a...
112To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 24 July 1809 (Madison Papers)
Having been for the last four days in Baltimore I did not receive the enclosed letters till my return. In answer I have written to Mr. Harvie, that, you certainly could not now take the Chariot , but that I should more fully explain myself to him in a few days. Mr. Patton’s letter I have merely acknowledged, and supposed that he would hear from yourself in a short time. In my last letter to...
113To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 23 September 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The fall of the arch or Vault of the Court room in the North Wing of the Capitol on Monday last, & the death of Mr. Lenthall who was buried in its ruins, must be known to you through the medium of the National Intelligencer & the Monitor in all its circumstances. Among the multitude of vexations, regrets, & business which this unfortunate event has thrown upon me, I feel extremely mortified...
114To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 18 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The several appropriations made at the last session of Congress for the progress of the work on the Public Buildings, have, during the late recess of the Legislature been applied to their specific objects in the manner which I now beg leave to report to You. 1. South Wing of the Capitol In this wing all the wood work & the covering of the Roof have been painted,—the Iron railing of the...
115To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 21 May 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
In arranging the papers which I brought with me from Washington, I have had the mortification to find the enclosed letter, written immediately before my departure from the city, and intended to have been forwarded by the post of that evening, but which it appears, in the hurry of packing up has slipped into my paper case. I still beg the favor of you to read it, as it contains my reasons for...
116To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 21 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 18th. came to hand this morning, & I feel exceedingly obliged by your early attention to mine of the 13th. I should have been the happiest Man in the United States had you adopted my first instead of my second proposition. But you have not, & I must now pluck up the courage of a Man who marches to meet certain death at the breach, & do my duty without inquiring the result of...
117To James Madison from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 8 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
I take the liberty of reporting to you the present State of the public buildings, a practice which I conceived it to be my duty to pursue, once a month, during the Presidency of Mr. Jefferson, & which you will, I doubt not, receive as a proof of my respect, & attention to the trust you have committed to me. During your very short visit to this city, I did myself twice the honor of waiting upon...
118To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 13 May 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I promised in a letter I wrote to You on Tuesday last to transmit to You by the post of the next day a statement of the progress which might reasonably be expected in the work of the South Wing of the Capitol in the course of the present season. A difficulty had occurred in the course of that day which had induced me to postpone this statement,—the flaws which were discovered in the stone...
119To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1 May 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
In reply to the letter I have had the honor to receive from you this morning I beg to submit the following estimate & remarks.— Estimate of the prime cost of Stone walling, in Washington, May 1st. 1808. 1./ The price at which we have paid for rough Stone for the last Season at least, (I believe for 3 Years past) is ⅌ perch delivered at the Wharf.— $1.75 It will not be lower this season,...
120To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 August 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letter d. Philadel. July 26th. gave you an account of the measures I had then taken, and was about to take in order to procure the necessary of supply of articles for the Capitol which can only be had to the North ward, & also to engage as many Stonecutters as could be got.—The consequences of my complaint had till then rendered it impossible for me to ride,—but I on the twenty seventh...