 |
Chapter 10
The Building Campaign of 1825
Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 |  |
Anatomical Hall
In September 1825 Brockenbrough estimated that another $15,000 would be needed to
finish the Rotunda, "exclusive of the Circular room."[722] When the Board of Visitors
assembled for its scheduled fall meeting during the first week of October it had nothing
concerning the buildings on the table for consideration except a section in the draft of its
annual report to the president and directors of the Literary Fund.[723] "It has been
indispensable," the report stated, "to finish the circular room, destined for the reception of
the books; because once deposited in there places, the removing them for any finishing
which might be left to be done hereafter, would be inadmissible. That has therefore been
carried on actively, and we trust will be ready in time for the reception of the books." The
visitors also reported that it had been indispensible to begin the work at several "other
apartments" in the Rotunda-"two for a Chemical Laboratory, one for a museum of Natural
History, and one for Examinations, for Accessory Schools, and other associated purposes.
An additonal building too for Anatomical dissections, and other kindred uses, was become
necessary. We are endeavoring to put these into a bare state for use, altho with some
jeopardy as to the competence of the funds."[724]
While Dinsmore & Neilson continued to perform the carpentry work in the dome room,
William B. Phillips began laying bricks at the Anatomical Hall.[725] In mid-winter Jefferson
instructed the proctor to reserve all his funds for the "book room" of the Rotunda and for the
Anatomical Hall. "till the latter is in a condition for use," Jefferson said, "there can never be
a dissection of a single subject, nor until the bookroom and cases be completely done can
we open another box of books."[726] Furthermore, Jefferson complained a couple of days
after he celebrated his eighty-third and last birthday in April 1826, "We are not satisfied with
the slowness with which the buildings have been conducted the last year, and particularly
with respect to the Library, and the Anatomical theatre. these ought to have been done
before this.[727] Professor Charles Bonnycastle, frustrated that "No preperations are yet
making for plastering" the elliptical lecturing room assigned for his use in the Rotunda "or, I
beleive, for any thing else," found "nothing that I can see but the interest of Messors Nelson
& Di[n]smore to oppose me."[728] In fact, it was a month after Jefferson's death before
Joseph Antrim submitted his proposal to "put stucco cornices and do the plastering that
remains undone inside of the rotunda . . . Said subscriber will also Plaster the Anatomical
hall on same terms except the materials which must be acertained, say one half of the
amount of Plastering & materials."[729] The roof of the Anatomical Hall was not finished by
August 1826 when Brockenbrough complained to the surviving member of the committee of
superintendence: "I do not recollect how the roof is finished agreeable to Mr Js: design, but
D & Neilson is geting timber for an expencive chines raling around the top, this, if left me
whether the original design or not, I think I should stop, a plain plinth like Pavilion No 8
over the Cornice is quite sufficient."[730] Shortly after this, professor Robley Dunglison
asked the proctor to require John Neilson to stop working on the building's "lower floor
which may not be wanted for a considerable period" and finish the "upper Room . . . which
is appropriated for a Lecture Room."[731] The incomplete state of the Anatomical Hall,
however, had not prevented the university from spending $85.25 for two skeletons that it
obtained from Dr. Robert Greenhow of New York in the spring of 1825 for use in training
the medical students.[732]
722. TJ and Brockenbrough, Queries and Answers, 19 September 1825, DLC:TJ.
Brockenbrough's estimate varies somewhat from that given in his General Statement of
Finances of 30 September, which estimated the "Balance as required to complete the
Rotunda & Anatomical Hall" at $25,535.32 (ViU:PP). That document also shows debts of
$30,000 owed "to Carpenters, Plasters, Stone cutters, Painter &c for work on the Rotunda."
723. The board did rule on a proposal respecting space for gardens and livestock for
university officers: "The board being of opinion that so much of the grounds of the
University as can be conveniently applied to that purpose, should be laid off in lots for the
uses of the Professors, the Proctor, and Keepers of the Hotels, rent free, but to be enclosed
and improved at there expense, therefore Resolved that the Proctor under the direction of the
Executive Committee do cause such lots to be laid off and assigned to the several Pavilions
& Hotels and to the Proctors house" (PPAmP:UVA Minutes, 5 October 1825).
724. Board of Visitors Annual Report to the Literary Fund, 7 October 1825, PPAmP:UVA
Minutes; see also Cabell, Early History of the University of Virginia, 483-87. The Board of
Visitors at its spring meeting on 4-5 March 1825 had resolved to build the Anatomical Hall
as soon as funds became available (ViU:TJ; see TJ to Brockenbrough, 9 March 1825, in
ViU:PP).
725. See William B. Phillips' Loose Receipts of 18 December 1825 for $100 "on acct of
Brick work on the Anat: Hall &c" and of 31 March 1826 for $76.56 (ViU:PP); John
Hartwell Cocke and Alexander Garrett's Demands of the Resources of the University, 31
May 1826, shows a figure of $1,250 for "Phillips' Accot. for Anat. Hall," part of the total
$1,736.30 "Paid towards the Anat. Hall" by that date (DLC:TJ).
726. TJ to Joseph Carrington Cabell, 4 February 1826, ViU:JCC; see also Cabell, Early
History of the University of Virginia, 363-64. The Board of Visitors claimed when drafting
its Annual Report to the President and Directors of the Literary Fund on 7 October 1826 that
the "Liberary Room in the Rotunda has been nearly completed, and the books put into it.
Two rooms for the Professors of natural Philosophy and Chemistry, and one large lecture
room have also been fitted for use" (ViU:TJ). On the verso of a letter that Coleman Sellers
of Philadelphia wrote to Brockenbrough about city commissioner Joseph Morris the proctor
made this memorandum about hardware for some of the Rotunda's cabinets: "40 Flat back
best quality book case locks for our Library with Keys alike that one may open all or nearly
so--at any rate not more than 4 or 5 different Kinds--the doors are 1¼ Thick--a Sufficiency
of Suitable Screws--2 Doz Desk lock for Emmets Mineral cases" (ViU:PP). Morris's Loose
Receipt of 16 December 1826 for $24.12½ worth of locks and keys, written at Philadelphia,
is in ViU:PP.
728. Bonnycastle to Brockenbrough, 10 April 1826, ViU:PP. Jefferson met with Bonnycastle
on 20 April to discuss the lecture room and the following day wrote to the professor: "I
omitted, in conversn with you yesterday to observe on the arrangement of the Elliptical
lecturing room that one third of the whole Area may be saved by the use of lap boards for
writing on instead of tables, the room will hold half as many again, and the expence &
lumber of tables be spared. a bit of thin board 12. I. square covered or not with cloth to
every person is really a more convenient way of writing than a table[.] I am now writing on
such an one, and often use it of preference[.] it may be left always on the sitting bench so as
to be ready at hand when wanted" (ViU:TJ). Jefferson wrote Brockenbrough on 5 May
promising to "send you soon a drawing of the Library tables for the Rotunda" (ViU:PP), but
Lasala suggests that Jefferson's last illness may have prevented him from sketching the
designs for the dome room's curved library tables (see #17-18 in "Thomas Jefferson's
Designs for the University of Virginia").
729. Antrim to Brockenbrough, 7 August 1826, ViU:PP. John Hartwell Cocke wrote to the
proctor on 27 September 1826 respecting the "internal Cornice of the rotunda now to be
done, get the prices pr. foot of Dinsmore & Neilson to execute them in wood & the prices of
Antrim to execute them in plaister--with details of their models, respectively" (ViU:PP).
|
Chapter 10
The Building Campaign of 1825
Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 | |