Thomas Jefferson’s Memorandum to Arthur S. Brockenbrough, [before 8 March 1823]
Memorandum to Arthur S. Brockenbrough
[before 8 Mar. 1823]
not a single samel brick to be used
nor more than 2. bats in 10. bricks.
the bond to be header & stretcher through the whole thickness and in every course
every course of bricks to be solidly grouted
the cement ⅔ lime & ⅓ pure clean sand1
the wall to be ½ a brick2 thicker than in the drawings, to be added inside.
the outer bricks uniform in colour, and of the colour of Pavilions II. & IV.
the brick work to be contracted for to the top of the Corinthian cornice only at first
the Carpenters to have a right to examine the correctness of the brickwork as it goes on, and to notify the Proctor in time for correction if any thing be going on w[rong]
the plank used by the Carpenters [to] be compleatly [se]asoned.3
the ribs of the roof to be compleat semicircles of four thicknesses breaking joints.4 [3.I.] thick
the curbed plate of 4. thicknesses also of 3.I. each b[re]aking joints and iron bolted.5
the first undertaking to be only of the walls,6 roof, Corinthian entablature,7 windows, doors, floo[rs] and staircases.
the Carpenter’s work at the Philadelphia8 printed prices, & where not specified among them to be settled beforehand.
MS (ViU: TJP); written in TJ’s hand on portion of reused address cover; undated, but evidently written before Brockenbrough’s Agreement with Abia B. Thorn and Nathaniel Chamberlain for Brickwork for the University of Virginia Rotunda, 8 Mar. 1823; mutilated and edge frayed, with missing text supplied from Tr. Tr (ViU: TJP-PP); in Brockenbrough’s hand; undated; endorsed by Brockenbrough as a “Copy” of “Mr Jefferson instructns for Brick laying & Carpenter W.”
samel (also sammel, sammen, or salmon) bricks are soft due to underheating in the kiln, while bats (brickbats) are fragments “occasionally inserted into walls as closers or as makeups” (Carl R. Lounsbury, ed., An Illustrated Glossary of Early Southern Architecture and Landscape [1994; repr. 1999], 48, 49; ). For the printed prices used for carpentry work in Philadelphia, see Brockenbrough to TJ, 22 Jan. 1823, and note.
1. Reworked in Tr to “⅔ sand & ⅓ lime.”
2. MS: “bricker.” Tr: “brick.”
3. Word faint and damaged, with missing letters supplied from Tr.
4. Remainder of line not in Tr. Following number and abbreviation faint.
5. Beneath this line TJ canceled “the balestrading to be of locust.”
6. Omitted comma at right margin supplied from Tr.
7. Word interlined in place of “cornice.”
8. Word not in Tr.
Index Entries
- Brockenbrough, Arthur Spicer; as University of Virginia proctor search
- Brockenbrough, Arthur Spicer; memorandum to search
- building materials; bricks search
- building materials; cement search
- building materials; iron search
- building materials; lime (mineral) search
- building materials; locust search
- building materials; plank search
- building materials; sand search
- cement; minerals for search
- lime (mineral); as building material search
- Philadelphia; builders’ prices in search
- sand search
- The House Carpenters’ Book of Prices, and Rules for measuring and valuing all their different kinds of work; and wages at University of Virginia search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; brick makers and brick masons at search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; building materials for search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; carpenters and joiners for search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; doors search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; floors search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Pavilion II search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Pavilion IV search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; roofs search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; stairs search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; walls and fences at search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; windows search