University of Virginia Library

Settlements with the Workmen

The two months prior to the fall meeting of the Board of Visitors coincided with the waning
of the traditional building season as the visitors delayed their annual meeting until the end of
November in order to give the proctor time to settle his accounts with the contractors. Since
several undertakers performed the work on each separate building (i.e., brickwork, wooden
work, plastering, roofing, etc.), a myriad of loose ends were left dangling for the workmen
to take care of before the proctor could settle the accounts for a particular building. On 25
August Brockenbrough notified the workmen that "No farther advances will be made except
on buildings actually completed—Bills made and Settled—a draft for whatever may be due
on Such buildings will then be given on Bursar."[496] This unwanted stimulus certainly
helped motivate the undertakers to finish their never-ending odd jobs although it brought
worker morale at the site to its lowest ebb since construction began. The local delivery of a
few wagonloads of plank, cord-wood, and rock indicate that James Dinsmore (Pavilion IV
and one adjacent dormitory) and John M. Perry (Hotel B and its dormitories) were the
undertakers most concerned with carrying on their work,[497] and the shipment from
Richmond of sash weights, painting supplies, hardware, and tin reveals the priorities placed
on completing the installation of the windows and finishing the painting and roofing (see
appendix M).[498]

Brockenbrough was still "makeing some progress in the settlement with the workmen" when
the summer turned into another fall;[499] by the end of September 1821 he had settled for 6
pavilions, 1 hotel, and 35 dormitories, and he hoped by the next Board of Visitors meeting
in October to be nearly settled with the "whole of the 4. rows."[500] In fact, in early October
Bursar Alexander Garrett could report truthfully that the "buildings now make a respectable
appearance, great progress in the finishing way haveing been made the past summer."[501]
"Mr. Jefferson," Garrett continued, "finding (from the settlements made of part of the work
done) that the funds will be inadequite to the entire accomplishment of his wishes, yet does
not despare . . . him and the President have been puting their heads together on the subject,
and have projected new schemes . . . this hint is sufficient for you."[502] Although he
conceded that it was too late in the season to begin building the library, Jefferson thought
that the board at its upcoming annual meeting in November had it in its power to begin
building its hull "with perfect safety."[503] Indeed, Jefferson drafted "A view of the whole
expences, & of the Funds of the University" so that his fellow board members could
compare estimated and actual costs with the sources of income and see for themselves how
matters stood.[504] By the end of October, Brockenbrough's "further advance in the
settlements" brought the totals to 7 pavilions, 3 hotels, and 65 dormitories, and Jefferson
declared himself "decidedly of opinion we should undertake" to begin the library.[505]
(Brockenbrough, who experienced difficulty in settling with Joseph Antrim for
plastering,[506] could not settle with housejoiner James Oldham for the woodwork of
Pavilion I on west lawn and Hotel A on west range, and their disagreement eventually led
Oldham to bring a lawsuit against the university.)[507]