University of Virginia Library

Workmen Submit New Proposals

Now that springtime had arrived in Virginia once again, the university began advertising for
undertakers to submit proposals to complete the western range of hotels and dormitories,
scheduled to be started during the upcoming season. The first to respond was William
Dawson & Co. of Baltimore which noticed the university's advertisement calling for
proposals from brickworkers in the Morning Chronicle and Daily Advertiser on 24 March.
Dawson sent a paper describing Roman Cement with an offer to sell it to the institution at a
cost of $9 per 350 pound cask.[445] The next day local sawmill owner M. W. Maury bid for
the carpentry and joinery work of a hotel and its adjacent dormitories at the prices
"heretofore Allowd for work of the same description done . . . or by M. Careys book of
prices printed at Philidelphia in 1812," and, Maury concluded, "I would furnish my own
lumber if requir'd as low as it can be obtain'd."[446] Also on 25 March, Thomas Pickering
wrote to "avail myself" of the opportunity to "undertake the Carpentry of buildings in the
general at the reduced price of twenty percent below the prices Current of
Philadelphia—My general unacquaintance with the inhabitance of this Vicinity would
render it inconvenient for me to furnish materials."[447] On the following day John Carter of
Richmond offered to work "Either as a brick maker or to make and Lay bricks," preferring
to make and deliver 4 to 600,000 bricks (common brick for $5.75 and rubbed stretchers for
$10 the thousand), "and find all at the Same that the work was done for Last Year."[448]

Philadelphian Richard Ware submitted his bid for wood work on 27 March, saying, "I will
be glad to do the Carpenters work of aney part of the Western range of Hotells &
dormoterys that the honorable committee may favour me with I expect to finish my presnt
job this next fall earley."[449] The next day George W. Spooner, Jr., wrote in, observing that
the advertisement divided the hotels and dormitories of the western range into "five partes,
am disposed to undertake one of those portions viz the execution of the Wood Worke, as I
shall have finished my presant engagements on Hotell B and dormitories on or ab[o]ut the
1st of July next."[450] Brockenbrough informed Spooner on 2 April that he could have a
piece of the work at a price reduced from the previous year, and Spooner accepted his
proposal the following day, noting that "we must necessarily be obliged to reduce the wages
of oure Workmen which are already so low that they are hardly sufficient to induce good
workmen to leave Sities and come here for employment."[451]

William B. Phillips, "feeling dispose to Solicit your patronage Again," said on 29 March
that he could make and lay 450 to 500,000 bricks during the coming season at the same
prices and conditions as before.[452] On 30 March Thomas R. Blackburn asked to be given
one-fifth of the western range's carpentry work at 10% off the Philadelphia Price Book,[453]
and Malcom F. Crawford said he would "under take to finish one fifth of youre work at the
preasent prisces and execute it in a most Expoditious and workemanlike manner. I
Comprehend that this tuscan work cannot be done for less than the preasant prisces, unless a
man dose injustices too himself or his Employer."[454] (Crawford and Lyman Peck entered
into a contract on 10 August for the carpentery and joinery work of 25 dormitories on the
west range).[455] James Dinsmore and John Perry sent in separate proposals on 30 March
proposing to build a hotel and set of dormitories at the same prices they were then working
at and promising to be ready to begin as soon as the brickwork required it.[456] Perry and
Abiah B. Thorn jointly proposed to do brickwork at the "Same price and Measurement that
we had last year" and if allowed to build the "Rotundor—we shall not "hezitate to challenge
the best specimin of Bricks at the university.[457]

Another bid for carpentry was written on 30 March by Joseph Pitt, one of Richard Ware's
carpenters who thought he could work at 10% below Mathew Carey's 1812 book.[458]
Dabney Cosby said he could make and lay 2 to 500,000 bricks, or 600,000 with "as good a
Brickmaker from the north as can be had to aid me," and deduct 50% for openings. "I will
further add," wrote Cosby, "should it be deemed to proceed to the erection of the pantheon
this season, and I consider'd trustworthy It would be a scource of much pride and
gratification to me, to see it executed in a stile, which for neatness and strength, should
equal it in importance, and granduer of design."[459] Cosby revised his proposal two days
later, changing the number of bricks he proposed to make and lay to 800,000 to 1,200,000
over two years.[460] James Starke promised to execute the carpentry work for ten
dormitories on the "west Back Range" in a "similar stile to the East Range The Lumber to
be Furnished at the place Which I will do the worke three per Cent Lower than the usual
prices."[461]

The rector received the few lines written by James W. Widderfield to inform him that "for
nearly four years as A Jurnaman and haveing know fullfill my Contract with Mr John M
Perry and wishing to do something for my self and family it meating the approbation of Mr
Dinsmore & Mr Nelson and being advise by my friends to write to you stateing that I wish
to have A part of the Carpenter work to be let this year."[462] Widderfield anxiously wrote
again two days later, telling the proctor that he would undertake the work at the "price
Which may be Offered by any other undertaker of respectibility and whom you may place
confidence in as a workman."[463] Housejoiner James Oldham sent his vague proposal for a
"portion of the Worke that is yet to be done, at the Standard Price" to the Board of
Visitors.[464] Oldham's was the last proposal received for the season except for Andrew
Smith's mid-month offer from Richmond to furnish Boston crown glass and Roman
cement.[465]