University of Virginia Library

Appendix N
A. H. Brooks Dispute

Thomas Jefferson to Charles Yancey

I duly recieved your favor of the 12th. and chearfully undertook a compliance with your
request. I now inclose the drawings you desired. every thing proposed in them is in the
plainest style, and will be cheap altho' requiring skill in the workmanship. without that it
will be rendered barbarous in the execution. of one truth I have had great experience that
ignorant workmen are always dearest. I cannot therefore but recommend to you to get the
work undertaken by some of the workmen of our University. better work, or more faithful,
in brick or wood, was never seen any where and our prices are reduced as low as they can
live by. considering the Philadelphia printed price-book as the result of long competitions
between workmen and employers, we notified, after the 1st. year of our work that these were
the prices we should be governed by. our own workmen refused at first to undertake for less
than from 15. to 40. percent on the Philadelphia prices, because they had always had that
extravagant set of prices. we therefor procured workmen from Philadelphia, who undertook
readily at the printed prices: and all our work, since the 1st. year has been executed
according to them, by which we have certainly saved 25. percent. for brickwork of the very
best kind we give 10. D. the M out and out, not allowing a sammel brick or a bad but where
necessary, to be used, and grouting every course. these people will do your work
understandingly, faithfully and quickly, and give you no trouble. indeed I would wish you to
take a ride here; and I will with pleasure go with you to the University, and have every thing
laid open to your information. there you may see and judge for yourself of these workmen &
their work, and get valuable insight as to the work you are to contract for, and make your
contract in a word by reference to the book for all prices, without higling or ? cation either
at the time of bargaining or settling. you will see an establishment than which no country
can shew a more beautiful one, nor one more economically executed. its whole expence
when compleat may go to 200. or 220. M D. I have heard that the Richmond court house has
cost that sum. theirs as a single house, ours is a town.

You will see that my plan of your Courthouse goes a little beyond the dimensions you
proposed, but that not a single foot can be taken from it without injuring the convenience. if
a good foundation can be got at the depth of 2. f. then the height from the bottom of that to
the watertable will be 5. f. and making it so far 2. bricks thick, and a brick and a half
upwards, the whole building, columns & all, will take 140,212. bricks accurately calculated
and deducting openings. the walls then will cost 1,402. D. and the rest of the work finished
in the best manner, will according to the common rule of estimating cost the double of that,
making a whole cost of 4,206. D. out and out, or 42. cents a tythe, mutilated ninty levy,
supposing you have 10. M tythes.

You will need 4. pr of stone caps & bases for your columns. if you have good stone
convenient you can get a stone cutter here. if no stone convenient they can be cut here and
sent round by water to your nearest landing. the whole 4. pair will weigh about 7,230, or one
boat load. I would advise you to cover with tin instead of shingles. it is the lightest, & most
durable cover inthe world, we know that it will last 100. years, & how much more we do not
know. the tin & putting on costs 15. D. a square, and we were asked here 10. D. a square for
heart pine shingling. all our buildings except one are covered with tin. your roof will be
about 37. or 38. squares.

I shall go to Bedford about the 6th. of August, and wish you could come before that. if a
later visit will be more convenient, my absence will be of a fortnight only, but my return
will be to stay but a few days at home. I could write you notice from Lynchburg of my
return and stay, but the surest would be for you to come before my departure. it is but a
morning's ride from Warminster to Monticello, where I will hope to see you. I salute you
with great esteem and respect.

Th: Jefferson

ALS (polygraph copy), DLC:TJ, 2p, with TJ docket "Yancey Charles July 23. 21." Owing to
the mutilated nature of the coversheet that TJ used in making this copy, the material in angle
brackets is missing from the manuscript. The coversheet was addressed to "Thos Jefferson
Esquire Monticello."

Charles Yancey to Thomas Jefferson

your highly esteemed favor of July last enclosing a draft for our Court house was duly
received, and I owe an apology for not answering it earlier, which is As follows--upon the
Submission of your plan to the board of Commissioners, it was disapproved, much to my
mortification, and a plan adopted Similar to the Albemarle Court house, I still indulged the
hope that before the work progressed too far to Make a Change of the plan, that the Strong
objections to the plan would be manifested, and fortunately two of our Commissioners were
Called over to Charlotteville last month, while there they saw & heard from the Members of
the Court & bar the Strong objections to the plan of your Court house, that they have
Changed their op[in]ion, & on Saturday last I obtained A board, when your plan was
adopted entire with one dissentient only,--we have directed a wing on each Side, of 16 feet
Sqr. attached to the Main building by an entry of eight feet with an Arch on each Side, flat
roof & Colums to the Wings, the propriety of which I doubt as they will not finish well to
the porticoe of the main building, & being So Much lower will obstruct Air &C--their being
no partion wall to Support the outer walls we have thought it but to make the latter two
bricks thick--Mr. Brookes a tinner at the university has offered to do our roof, but having
heard you had dismissed him for extravagance in price although A good tiner; we returned
him for Answer that, we would employ him to do our Court house if he would Submit the
price of the Work to you, in his proposals I think he offers to do the work for About $6.30 A
Sqr. the roof--guttering piping &C Another Charge but I do not recollect the prices--we have
determined to Cover with Tin, As you advised, & any information you May Choose to
Afford us, either in relation to Mr. Brookes, the price of Such work, & whether other
persons than Mr. Brooks, equally Skilled in Tining Cannot be had; will be thankfully
receved by Me who has already tresspased too Much on your Valuable time, patience &
goodness with real & Sincere regard, yr. H Servt.

Charles Yancey--

ALS, DLC:TJ, 3p, with address "The honorable Thomas Jefferson Monticello" and TJ
docket "Yancey Charles Buckinghm. July 4. 22." The word in angle brackets is mutilated.

Thomas Jefferson to Charles Yancey

Your favor of the 4th. is just recieved. mr Brooke's price of 6. D 30 the square for laying on
the tin of a roof, is exorbitant. it may be done, as well as he can do it for 1. Dollar the
square. we went on at the University giving him that price until ¾ of the houses were
covered. we were led to it from a belief that it could not be done without the very expensive
& complicated machine which he used to bend the tin, which he told us was a patent
machine, costing 40. D. and not to be had in the US. at that stage of our business I got him
to come and cover a small house for me. seeing his machine at work, and how simple the
object was, I saw that the same effect could be produced by two boards hinged together. I
had this done accordingly, and it did the work as neatly & something quicker than his 40. D.
machine, while this could be made for 50. cents. we then ceased employing mr Brokes, and
set a common negro man to work with our board machine, & he has covered all the
remaining houses as neatly and securely as those done before. any person will learn to do it
in a day as well as in a year, and when you are ready, mr Brockenbrough will spare you this
man for a week or so, to shew any body you please how to do it: you will have to get your
tin from Richmond at 13. D. a box. a box does a square & a half, and a handy man will lay a
square a day. your building exclusive of the wings will require nearly 30. boxes.[871] the tin
for a square, costs 8. D 67 C & the putting it on about 1. D. say 10. D. a square, instead of
15. D. mr Brooke's price. this is exactly what is asked here for heart-pine shingling. the tin
requires that the sheeting be jointed, and the surface entirely smooth & even.

You should take care that the roofs of your wings do not rise so high as the bottom of your
entablature. indeed this cannot be necessary, for if the rooms be 16. f. square and 12 f. pitch,
the roof, if of pediment pitch, will be only 4. f. high, making 16. f from the floor, whereas
the bottom of the entablature of the main building is 20. f. from the floor. but if you put flat
& guttured roofs on them (as our dormitories have) they are but 2 f high. I recommend this
strongly, because they will be vastly handsomer & much cheaper than the common roof.
they need no rafters, no tin covering, and the gutturs are better of wood than of tin or any
other metal. the manner of making them may be seen at the University or a[t] this place. I
heard you were at our last court, and should have been much gratified had you taken your
quarters here. I would have gone to the University with you, & pointed out the particulars
which you should attend to in your building. should you pay another visit to the
neighborhood I shall hope you will do me the favor to call. Accept the assurance of my
sincere esteem and respect

Th: Jefferson

ALS (polygraph copy), DLC:TJ, 2p, with TJ docket "Yancey Charles. July 12. 22." The
copying machine failed to copy the material in angle brackets.

A. H. Brooks to Thomas Jefferson

you will please to Excuse me for wrighing to you also Excuse the many faults that will be in
this letter as I have had only about three quarters Scooling. I was informed last fall that you
Said that a tin roofe Could be put on for the Same price that a Joint Shingle roofe was done
for. that a Joint Shingle roofe was done for. which is $2.50 for Squair. I find it is likeley to
keep me from geting the Covering of the buckenham Court house which enduceses me to
make so free as to lay down a rule by which you will be the better able to make up youre
mind 1 Joint Shingle will make 4 Inches by 6 the Carpenter has to take up one Shingle and
lay it down and take up 1. nails and drive it and then done. but the tinner has to take up one
pece and slip it under the Edge of the other and then hammer it Smooth the length of ten
Inches and then take up the punch and make three holes lay back the punch and get three
nails drive them turne the tin over the heads and hammer Severel time over to get it Smooth
and to lye Cleate the tin will make 5½ by 8 Inchs I think when you take it into
Consideration you will think quite diffirentley also when I informe you that I beleave that
myself and apprentice Can put on more tin than any three me[n] in the Same time and I also
beleve that a man well acquainted with working tin will Save a box in every 8 Square.
owing to the wet weather while I worked at youre office I had to work verry hard when the
weather would admit So that I think it would not be fair to Judge from my work while under
youre inspection persons are frequentley rong in making up thare minds as Mr
Brockenbrough was about Cuting tin he brought me from two a box to one Shortley I hired
a Journeman his wages board and washing Cost me a bout $27 pr month and he Could not
Cut and machine 1 box a day you will See thare was a little loss to me. but my apprentice
Could Cut nearley a box and half and machine it

as to the Covering Thare Should be a good price for it it is ingeorious to the eyes and very
disagreable work espesseley in hot weather yourse Respetfully

A H Brooks

ALS, DLC:TJ, 2p, with TJ docket "Brooks A. H. Staunton July 25. 22. recd. July 27."

Thomas Jefferson to A. H. Brooks

I recieved yesterday your favor of the 25th. it is certainly my opinion that you charge too
high for your work in covering with tin, and this opinion is founded mainly on information
from yourself. I learnt from you that a man can do a square a day of that covering. for this
your charge was 5. D 75 which I consider as too much for the earnings of a day. a box of tin
costing 13. D. does a square & a half. consequently the tin for a square is 8. D 67 and adding
your 5.75 brings it nearly to 15. D. the work is so simple that any person of common
understanding can perform it. we made a simple machine of two boards hinged together
which bends the tin as quick and as perfectly as the expensive machine you used. the last
row of houses has been covered very perfectly by a common negro man whose labor is not
worth more than half a dollar a day; so that these covers have cost but about 10. D. a square,
and our workmen asked that for heart-pine shingling. I have therefore (in belief I should do
a public good) recommended to my neighbors the substitution of tin-covering to shingling; I
have recommended the same to a gentleman having superintendance of the public buildings
in Washington, and being written to on the subject by one of the Commissioners of
Buckingham C. H. I gave him the opinion which truth and candour required, that your price
was much too high, and that I thought he could have it well done for 10. D. at this price I
hope the practice will become general, while I really think that your price will discourage
it's extension. my motive has been purely public good, & not at all to injure you, to whom I
assure you I wish prosperity & success, & that you possess my esteem and respect

Th: Jefferson

ALS (polygraph copy), DLC:TJ, 1p, with TJ docket "Brooks A. H. July 28. 22." Jefferson
made this copy on a coversheet addressed to "The Honble Thomas Jefferson Monticello"
and postmarked at Staunton on 19 March.

A. H. Brooks to Thomas Jefferson

I received your favor this day Stating that I informed you that `I Can put on a Squaire a day.
my Self and apprentice never did put on but verry little more than a Squaire in a day nor do I
beleave any man Can do it. So I must have Said we Could insted of my Self as to the price it
was 5 d not 5d 75 as to the Simplisity of the work I beleve a Carefull tinplateworker will
Save as mutch tin as will pay any negros wages and a greate deale over if you will put youre
Self to the troble to Examin the Seames of work don on the west range you will find that
thare is a Considerable more tin put on that building then I put on buildings of the Same
Size. the machine Comes next I have Seene it and I would venter all that I posess if disposed
to bet that I Can twine more tin in three hours than Can be twi[n]d with it in a day as to the
Cost of the Covering that the negro don I think from the time he was Covering the building
next the roads thare Could be no Calculation made for it was a long time and I think was in
that nebourhood twiste and it was not half done when I was thare last and I think it Seven or
Eight weeks from the first to the last time I heard Severel Say from the want of tin and the
lenght of time Spent it would be Cheaper to give me my prise than otherwise in my other
letter I laid down a rule by whitch you Could assertain the difference in time betweene
putting tin and wood but you have over looked it Sopose I was to go from home forty or
fifty miles to put on 20 Square at 2. d 50 what would I make it would take my Self and a
nother hand a bout a month frome the time wee left home till wee returned I Could not get
any Jorneman to work out for less than twenty dollars and his board and washing which
would Cost me nearley twelve dollars which would be 32 d then I would have 18. d for my
months work and traveling Expence which would be if I went in the Stage about Seven
dollars and the weare and tarre of Close would bring it down to but a trifle. yess to less than
ten dollars besides I must always give one dollar for the carriage of the machine it would
bring it down to five dollars in the month than I Earent Every weeke when I worked peace
worke in baltimore I would heare mention that five dollars is the least that I have heard of it
Should be a good price because it is ingeanous to the Eyes no person Can work at it unless
thare Eys are verry good it has worsted mine Some I would not accuse you with aiming at
doing me an injurey no Sir I bleave you would not harme any man if you new it but I must
insist upon it that you have not had an oppertunity of Judging what it is worth to Cover with
tin because it allways took us both a about as many days as thare was Squares and I am
Convinced that wee could put more on than any three men.

I am thankfull for your attention and esteem to me and sorry that I have to troble you so
mutch as to ask the Same favour a Second time[872] I am Sincerely youre friend and well
wisher

A. H. Brooks

ALS, DLC:TJ, 2p, with TJ docket "Brooks. A. H. Staunton Aug. 1. 22. recd. Aug. 3."