1To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 21 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
We have now struck all the centers & I have employed Laborers to remove all the rubbish from the Ground story of the Capitol. If convenient to you to call when taking your ride at one o’clock, I shall be very happy to wait upon you to show You the Work, & will attend at the Building at that hour. The Men will then be at dinner & not return till two o’clock. With true respect DLC : Papers of...
2To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 23 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I most sincerely regret your continued illness.—The weather prevented till Saturday any measures being taken to lay out the grounds. Today I am engaged in it.—A contract for the Wall is made.—As soon as the stakes are driven the diggers will go to work. At the capitol we have this morng recommenced the external works. The plaisterers are lathing the cieling.— with high respect Yrs. DLC :...
3To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 21 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Latrobe intended to have waited on the President this evening, but as he has returned the report, with his approbation, he will immediately cause two copies to be made of it, & then wait upon the President with them.— The Weather has for two days prevented the Gates being put into the Walls. If fair tomorrow the breach will be made & the Gates fixed.— DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
4To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 27 April 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr Latrobe most respectfully requests the favor that the President will send him the design of the proposed method of completing the Capitol, as it contains the plan of the recess, without which no commencement of the work can be made. The bearer if convenient will take charge of it. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
5To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I arrived here about an hour ago,—having yesterday, broke the perch of my carriage, and this morning lost my way, so that I am several hours later than I hoped.—As soon as I can get my family in the house I have taken, I will wait upon you, probably about 6 o’clock. I have been through the Capitol and find every thing in good forwardness.—With the highest respect Yrs. DLC : Papers of Thomas...
6To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 3 October 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
B. Henry Latrobe presents his most respectful compliments to the President of the UStates, & begs to know when he may wait upon him, or whether it is rather the wish of the President to come up to the Capitol when Mr Latrobe may attend him.— The Glass for the roof of the Capitol was brought up to the building this morning and will be begun to be put on on Monday.— DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
7To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 20 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to enclose a sketch of my report on the public buildings. I will wait upon you on Tuesday in hopes of receiving your instructions on this subject With the highest respect I am Yrs. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
8To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 26 December 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
It has been out of my power from the multiplicity of business necessary now to be done to forward the reports & plans herewith sent before now.—I transmit them by Mr Demun, who will receive any commands with which you may please further to favor me respecting them.—A plan of the Wing so arranged as to be set in types is now in the hands of the printer, & will be ready for the printing of the...
9To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 22 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I herewith have the honor to send you two Copies of my report on the public buildings, the statements being corrected agreeably to your observations. It has been delayed by the copyist, & is even now not as fair, as I could have wished. With the highest respect Yrs. faithfully DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
10To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 13 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Latrobe offers his most respectful compliments to the President UStates & sends his annual report for consideration. It has taken up the whole of his time & attention for the last two months.—The accounts may be perhaps more clearly stated but their result is correct.— Mr L. will have the honor of waiting on the President on Wednesday morning for his further instructions unless it should...
11To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I much fear that in performing my duty, and endeavoring to give you all the information possible on the State of the public buildings, I claim an unreasonable portion of your time & attention.—My present letter is on a subject on which I see only one mode of proceeding, and that one , involves a mode of finishing the roof of the North wing on which I solicit your opinion and direction:...
12To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 21 April 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Although I have been in the city a week, an unfortunate accident has prevented my waiting upon you hitherto, a blow which I received upon my head from a brick, falling from the scaffolding of the building. I was stunned & senseless for a short time, & have been since so troubled with giddiness, that till yesterday, I could not see to write,—& have not ventured since the accident beyond the...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 21 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I was going to send you the enclosed when I received your valuable present of the Camera obscura, accompanied by a note still more valuable. You have conferred upon me nothing but benefits. This additional kindness renders me at a loss how to express what I feel towards you. I cannot do it in words; but the opinion and the regard that prompted this new proof of your sentiments towards me are...
14To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 8 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The Board of Directors & Committee of Works of our Company broke up only last night. The Subscribers are in debt to the Company for arrears of Subscriptions 86.000$ & upwards,—a deficiency fatal to any active operations this season. I have therefore been directed to discharge all our hands (about 300) excepting 60, and in this distressing business I have been all day engaged,—& have not yet...
15To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 29 December 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The storm of yesterday prevented my waiting upon you to state, that having done all the business relative to the accounts & design of the public buildings, which can now be done,—it was my wish to return for a short time to my family, from whom I have for the last 3 months been almost entirely separated.—Your note of to day found me just ready to go off by the mail, and as Mr. Lenthall is with...
16Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Thomas Jefferson, 20 November 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter has remained a week unanswered in consequence of my absence, but immediately on my return I wrote (yesterday ) to Philadelphia , desired one of the Carpenter’s pricebooks to be sent to You, which I have no doubt will be done without Loss of time.— I am under the necessity of resigning my situation at the Capitol . The present Commissioner Colonel Lane , has from the first week,...
17To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
During the course of August the turning of the lobby arches will render the progress of the freestone work unequal, but it is highly probable that on the 1st. of Septr. All the freestone work will be finished & be ready to receive the roof. In the meantime,—on the 1st. of July,—All the sashes & frames of the Office Story will be put in, & the grounds for Plaistering put up.— 10th. The...
18To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 28 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The Roof of the South wing of the Capitol having been completly boarded before the late heavy rain, it was sufficiently tight to throw a very large quantity of Water upon the Gutters which lie in the direction of, & over the Arch that surrounds the Area of the house. All the Water which fell between the Gutters & the external Walls was thus collected in a Body in the N.E & N.W, angles. These...
19To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 17 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I herewith submit to your consideration a project for laying out the ground around the president’s house. The present enclosure together with the buildings already erected & those projected are also laid down in their proper situations so as to give to You at one view all the merits of the plan. By the arrangement the public are put to no inconvenience of communication between the parts of the...
20To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 17 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
The arrangements proposed by me for the use of the rooms with North wing of the Capitol may be postponed untill your arrival, when on inspection of them, it may perhaps occur to you to give directions different from those which I have proposed, or which have yet been suggested. The extremely inconvenient accomodation of the court will no doubt strike you, & in the mean time, I will write to...
21To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 19 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr Latrobe presents his most respectful Compliments to the President U.S.—& thanks him for the Inventory sent him. Mr. Latrobe’s object in going to Philadelphia is to take some measures necessary for the supply of sundry materials for the Pblic Bldgs, & articles of furniture for the Presids. house. He intends to return without fail on the 2d. of March. Before the President’s journey to...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 7 December 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I fear I have done wrong in printing the letter herewith sent without communicating to you the Manuscript. My only excuse is this: that having postponed the fulfillment of my intention so long that I found there would be difficulty in getting the letter printed after congress had met,—I at last wrote hastily, & the little pamphlet is the production of three nights, between the hours of 10 &...
23To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 27 August 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
As I could not be well spared myself, I sent down my Clerk to the Quarries, immediately after writing to you, and as soon as the business would permit, I followed him, and made such arrangements, as that we have now all our most heavy stone in the Yard, and shall not probably be again at a Stand for stone. The architrave is set round the East semicircle, & by Friday evening the three Stones...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 11 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
We have put in the frames of the Pannel lights on the whole of the West side of the dome and are now engaged in putting in those on the East. I find it impossible to save the Center light on the South side, and indeed it would have been better to have sacrificed the two next east & West of them,—for the roof in that part is so flat, that I fear we must cover it with Lead. I will endeavor so to...
25To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 5 May 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I have waited till this late hour for the list of his Workmen, & of all the blocks which are now on the Yard which Mr Blagden has promised me, & which is necessary to the completion of the scheme of the progress of the workg which I have to submit to you. I find so many of our Blocks, on examination, to be cracked by drying, that my statement, is incorrect, in as far as the work expected to be...
26To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 21 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
A Report has just now been made to the House on the public Buildings. It contains all the arguments that can be adduced in favor of the appropriation & the best defence that could have been urged as to the deficit. To me it is highly flattering, a circumstance not less pleasing to my self love, & useful to my professional standing, than agreeable to every feeling of my heart in reference to...
27To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 3 April 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I am sorry that the necessity of producing your Voucher to the officers of the Treasury obliges me to trouble you with the enclosed account of expenditures. For my own expenses I have not been able to obtain vouchers in detail, travelling principally with my own horses, and must depend upon the amount of the expenses of each journey, which are minutely correct, appearing reasonable to you. For...
28To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 2 May 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Since I dispatched my letter of this morning, I have gone over with Mr Lenthall the papers in the office, & the following is the result. Our large stone has cost $1.75 ⅌ perch such as we have always used at the Capitol; but small stone fit for the Wall, if mixed with larger, may be had at $1.12 ½ , say with Waste, and laying up close, $1.30 One man will lay a perch of Wall & point it on both...
29To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 9 October 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I forgot to mention this morning,—that since my measurement & certificate of Mr Barry’s account he has threatened that unless I immediately complete his measurement he shall charge two Dollars a day for waiting here, & he has stated that you had ordered that no money should be paid out of the funds appropriated to the President’s house untill his demands were satisfied.—I feel an objection to...
30To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 4 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the favor of your letter of the 1st. of July yesterday evening & have immediately taken the necessary steps to procure 6 Stonecutters,—but as this is the Anniversary of our Independence I have found it impossible to procure the attention of anybody today . Tomorrow, I expect to be able to make sure of as many as the city can spare. I have called the Master Stonecutters together, & have...
31To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 10 November 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been twice at the Pr. House in hopes of having the favor of a few minutes conversation with you before my departure; but was both times so unfortunate as to find you engaged, and at the same time to be so pressed myself that I could not watch the opportunity of speaking to you.— I have I hope left nothing in a state to suffer by my absence, & I shall return as soon as I can arrange my...
32To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 25 May 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I herein enclose the strongest specimen of the plant which under the name of Dryrot commits such ravages upon the timber of buildings,—which I had ever met with. It was taken from the timber upon which the principal piers of the Senate chamber were built. The timber itself is reduced almost to powder, being more decayed than any other part of the work. We have now pulled them all down, & I...
33To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I fear the largest Vessel which Mr. Foxall could Cast would be too small for a Cistern for the presidents house. A round Vessel might be indeed made of two Cylinder with a flat bottom. Last Year I proposed to Mr Foxall to cast a number of Flanched plates to make a Cistern, but he made some objection. However I will see him as soon as I can get out. At present I am confined by a most painful...
34To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 24 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your absence from Monticello having prevented my hearing from you before this day, I had proceeded to carry up the Chimnies agreeably to the plan I sent to you. They must be capped as nearly level with the top of the Dome as possible, & I must contrive some kind of a sky light in the center of them. It would not well have done to have carried them straight up; for 4 of them would have come out...
35Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Thomas Jefferson, 17 June 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 12 th curr t (P.M. 14 th June ) I have just now received, and am, more than I can express, flattered and gratified by the request it contains.—And not only is it pleasing to me, tha to find that after so many Years knowledge of my character & talents, while employed in the public service under your eye & direction, I still retain your esteem and friendship, but I have...
36To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
To my no little surprize, but at the same time very much to the advantage of the progress of our works, I have not yet received a summons from Mr. Hay to attend the trial at Richmond, & from the course, which by the latest accounts, the proceedings appear to take, I almost think that, for the present at least, my testimony to the deceptions under which Colonel Burr attempted to raise a force...
37Benjamin Henry Latrobe to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 26] December 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
The enclosed letter will prove to you that I have not been unmindful of your wish to have the rate of Carpenter’s prices at Philadelphia , as your rule of valuation for the work of the new College . M r Thackara is one of the most respectable citizens & mechanics in Philadelphia . He did the Plaisterer’s work, so much & deservedly admired, of the Capitol , & was sent for again, by but did not...
38To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 20 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been so unavoidably detained by the different persons with whom arrangements [were] necessary previously to my departure, that I fear I shall be unable to wait upon you before [one] oclock.— I therefore take the liberty to request you to give the necessary directions to my being furnished, agreeably to Mr Rodneys desire with the papers I have heretofore given to the executive,— as the...
39To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 7 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I find considerable difficulty in getting a convenient & short road North of the President’s house, on the principle you proposed the evening before last.—I shall not therefore be able to lay a satisfactory project before You this day. I have in the mean time ordered the Mason’s to proceed Northward with the Wall already begun,—not Southward,—and tomorrow I hope to have something to submit to...
40To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 6 July 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The stone for the Steps of the President’s house is, in part arrived, & I am in hopes that the remainder will come up this week. It is now to be decided where it shall be wrought. GRAPHIC IN MANUSCRIPT If it could be prepared immediately on the spot marked ⊙ not less than 250 Dollars would be saved out of the expence of hauling & time which would be necessary if wrought out of the...
41To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 18 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Since the situation of my family has been such as to leave me at liberty to return to Washington, I have been detained here by the most distressing pecuniary embarrassments. They have arisen from the recoil of the notes issued by the Ches: & Del. Canal Company upon me,—which I took in payment & paid away again more than a Year ago; and also from the misconduct of the persons who were...
42To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 21 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have made a design, and a bargain for your redStone at 20₶. If you will have the goodness to send it to me ⅌ bearer it will immediately be put into hand. The Italians conceive themselves, and indeed are under such obligations to you, that they insistd on presenting to You their Labors,—but agreeably to your wishes I have made the bargain which appeared to me reasonable on all sides. I have...
43To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 17 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
In presenting to you the drawing of the Capitol, which I herewith leave at the President’s house, I have no object but to gratify my desire, as an individual citizen, to give you a testimony of the truest respect and attachment;—an attachment to which your high office adds nothing,—and which existed though not in the same degree for your character before I had the happiness to be known to you,...
44To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 28 May 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the two letters you have done me the favor to write to me before me, the first of the 22d & the last of the 26th. just now received.—The former I should have immediately answered had I not on the 21st. transmitted to you my report on the whole system & its reasons which I had pursued in the arrangements of the ground round the president’s house. I am sorry to have commenced otherwise...
45To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 23 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I arrived here on Wednesday evening, having been 11 days on the road, 3 of which were spent in waiting till it was practicable to cross the Susquehannah. The last fortnight of my stay in Philadelphia was devoted to the providing of curtains to be hung round the house of representatives by direction of the Committee appointed to devise the means of rendering the Hall less objectionable on the...
46To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
As soon as I had put all my things on board the Vessel, I prepared to set off to Washington from Philadelphia, & the same evening recd. a letter from the Attorney general summoning me to appear as a witness at Richmond on Mr. Burr’s trial. I immediately sent my Son to Wilmington to represent to him the impossibility of leaving my family in the state they then were, without the common...
47To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 31 March 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Dr. Salary of the Surveyor of the public Buildings Cr. Decr. 29 to March 1st. 60 days. By one Years pay 1804. 1.700 April 17th. 9 July 1. 13 Balance, loss on this Engagement 86. 62 Oct. 20.
48To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 2 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote to you yesterday, & gave you an account of the State of the Work in the South Wing of the Capitol. I will now report to you the progress of our work at the Presidents house. The South road is cut out excepting only at the Block A, at which [GRAPHIC IN MANUSCRIPT] the Men are hard at Work & in three Weeks they will have removed it. From the point B westward the Wall has not been...
49To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 30 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The impossibility in the present hurry of the Post office of ascertaining correctly the balances of the appropriations & indeed the variation hourly taking place in them by the payment of accounts, induced me to alter in the Report the passage rela tive to them, & to State merely tha t they were so nearly exhausted that the Work must soon close an d Workmen be discharged unless the legislature...
50To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 14 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Agreeably to your desire I submit to you an estimate of one intercolumnation as erected on each side of the Presidents house, calculating for a Stone entablature, on the South front,—and also stating the difference if the entablature be of Timber. Should the public offices be accomodated in these rooms, the necessary security from fire might require them to be arched as in the Treasury...