1Richard Randolph to Thomas Jefferson, 18 March 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
By the return of the governor s boat I have taken the liberty of sending six barrels of the waterproof cement, the materials of which, were first discovered by my father on the James , and York rivers. Previous to its use, the cement should be made moist throughout, with clean water, in which state it must remain two or three days, to give time for the lime to slack perfectly: then it must be...
2Richard Randolph to Thomas Jefferson, 27 March 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
The governor left town so immediately after my return from Monticello that I had only time to send you two small specimens of the shale; the one burnt. The other as it was taken from the earth. I now send by M r Cabell some more pieces for your inspection, the difference of colour is produced by the degree of heat. The powder in the papers sent by the boatman are of the same material. the The...
3Richard Randolph to Thomas Jefferson, 10 April 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
The governor tells me that the cement which I sent you did not answer at all. From the circumstance of all our tryals with it being successful, and the very same material as that sent in the barrels, being considered equal to the imported cement, by the workmen on the canal at Columbia S o Carolina ; I am induced to believe that the failure was occasiond by the want of proper management in the...
4Richard Randolph to Thomas Jefferson, 30 May 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
The six barrels of hydraulic cement were sent to you with a belief that they would answer the purpose for which it was intended, and be useful to you in the construction of your cisterns. I am sorry that you are affraid to hazard the success of it in the cistern, and request you to use them in any way that you may think proper. Perhaps you may have occasion to use it at the Mill . Maj r Gibbon...