Thomas Jefferson Papers
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To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Munroe, 21 June 1805

From Thomas Munroe

Friday 21t. June 1805

T. Munroe presents his best respects to the President & has the honor of sending a Memdm. of the length and cost of the new road north & east of the Treasury—. T.M. thinking it had cost nearly a third more than it ought to have cost had some conversation with the Overseer on the subject—he said he had laboured under several disadvantages, and mentioned the digging up the gravel from the old road, and some other delays and difficulties at the gravel pit, which had caved in upon them unexpectedly, and covered with dirt large quantities of dug gravel; and he observed that the experience he had gained in making this piece of road would enable him, he was sure, to do more work for $100 less, and that he would be willing to enter into a Contract to do so, if there was any more such road to make—. T.M. has other reasons for believing that the present is not a fair or correct criterion by which the cost of making such road ought to be estimated, but that from a third to a fourth less would be nearer to the price at which it might be done.—

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 21 June and

feet D f = 1. mile D
if 1130  :  cost 360  ::  5280 will cost 1682.
if it can be done for less by ¼ 420 
it will cost about 1262  per mile”
(see note to Munroe to TJ, 3 July).

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