University of Virginia Library

John Hartwell Cocke to Thomas Jefferson

Conversations with Mr. Brockenbrough and other practical Mechanicks: together with
estimates made by Mr. B. & myself have induced me to suggest some changes in the Hotels
& Dormitories designed to be connected with them, which are about to be erected at the
University. In the Dormitories upon the upper level, connecting the Pavilions, I wou'd
propose no change. [832] The beauty & convenience of this part of the plan more than
counterbalances some objections which present themselves to my mind. Indeed here, it does
not appear to me, that any change cou'd be made for the better unless the low pitched roofs
concealed by a railing (upon the plan I once suggested) shou'd be found to be better & more
œconomical coverings & to render the rooms more comfortable by keeping the Sun at a
greater distance from the ceilings.

Perhaps upon examination of the inclosed scheme (if I succeed in making you comprehend
my imperfect sketch) you may deem it worthy of consideration, how far its cheapness, the
more retired situation of the Students apartments, and being less exposes to the influence of
the Sun, may recommend it for adoption--notwithstanding the sacrifice it demands in
Architectural beauty.[833]

You will perceive by the graduated paper upon which the plan is laid down that the area of
the building proposed is 56 by 36 feet--and that the divisions of the first floor are the same
proposed in your plan for Hotel No. 1--with the exception of the passage between the two
small rooms. This is a necessary change to embrace all the objects designd to be
comprehend'd I shoud propose that this building present its gable toward the pavilions and
that the Door represented thereon be its principal entrance--& into a large Street running
parallel with the back inclosures of the professors gardens. By this arrangement & making
the kitchen under the opposite end of the House, the natural fall in the land, (intended to be
represented by the diagonal line on the basement story of the side view) will releave this
apartment from the evil of being under ground and place the kitchen floor upon a level with
the back yard. And woud not the gardens as now designed to be divided between the Hotels
& Pavilions be too small--at any rate for the purposes of the former? To obviate this, upon
the plan here proposed, we might give extensive gardens to the Hotels adjoining their
kitchen yards & running back from the street on which they front. Shou'd this leave the
Professors gardens too long we may curtail them & move up the Hotels nearer to the line of
Pavilions--as smaller gardens will certainly do for the professors than will be required for
the Hotels.

This plan gives sixteen rooms for Students besides those designed for the keeper of the
Hotel & the large public room. The Students rooms will be about 12 ft. by 14. ft. 6 in. a fire
place in each, 8 in the 2d Story 9 ft. pitch & 8 in the Attic 8 ft pitch. It is presumed that these
rooms will be much more private from being in upper stories than the Dormitories opening
as they do into the public walk, & that they will be more cool and comfortable in
Summer--The comparative cost of the two plans will be seen by calculating the expence of
the Single building at 239,700 bricks and the Dormitory plan to afford the same number of
Rooms at 389,100

Your greater facility & accuracy in such calculations will readily detect any error in which I
may have fallen in making the estimates of the number of bricks required, in the respective
plans--I therefore add the following data upon which I have gone. The ground plan of the
Single building as stated above 56 ft. by 36--Cellar story,* if of brick 2½ thick & 10 ft. high
including foundation & depth of joist.

First Story 2. bricks thick 12 ft. high including depth of joists leaving 11 ft.

between floor & ceiling

Second Story including Attic 16 ft. high 1½ thick

2 gable parapets rising to the ridge of the roof which at 2/9's of the span

will be 8 ft. 1½--

1 Basemt. partition wall 2½ thick--First Story Do. 2. brick Second Story

& Attic Do. 1½.

4 Chimney breasts & Shafts containing 36,640.

The dimensions of the Hotel No. 1. I have put down from Memory & also the dimensions of
the Dormitories, it is therefore highly probable I have misstated some of them.

the ground plan of Hotel No. 1--50. by 34. Cellar Story 10 ft. high 2½ bricks thick. First
Floor 18 ft. high 2 bricks thick--Basement partition walls 2 bricks--First Floor Do. 1½

3 Chimney hearts 16,650 Arcade 15,000--

Dormitories 14 ft. sqr. in the clear

Foundations

Upper Walls

Chimney hearts

44

3

44

11

4.6

14

2 brick

1½

2

The Dormitory dimensions, adding 168 bricks for Chimney Shaft, give 13,500 for each. In all these calculations I
have made no allowance for openings excepted in the Arcade of Hotel No. 1. but the openings being nearly the
same in each plan wou'd not materially vary the comparative result.

By adopting the Single building we get over the difficulty of flat roofs. I find it to be the
universal opinion of all the mechanicks to whom I have mentioned the subject (and in this
opinion Mr. Brockenbrough fully accords) that the most durable timber we have will last but
a few years in any situation where it is liable to be wet & dry alternately.--but especially
when the timber is in huge peices & is placed in a horizontal position. The best heart pine
Shingling will last about 30 years. But this may be accounts for from the small size of each
peice--the nature of Shingling admitting the access of air & Sun to a surface which bears so
large a proportion to the whole mass of each peice--And the angle which it makes with the
horizontal lan throwing off the water quickly from its surface--These causes all combining
to dry it rapidly after rain.--As to shingle roofs, it is a maxim confirmed by all experience
that the higher the pitch the more lasting the Covering--This is manifestly the effect of less
water being absorped, from its going off more rapidly--and seems to show; that as timber
approaches a horizontal position, where it is exposed to be wit & dry its liability to decay
increases. I think you informed me your experiment had as yet stood the test of but 7
years--Will it not be hazarding too much to adopt it upon so large a scale as is proposed in
the Dormitories now to be built? And if any other mode of flat covering be adopted, the
result of a comparative estimate with the plan here offer'd, must be still more against it upon
the score of œconomy. I am aware, that the elevation of the plan now suggested, the
appearance of the Chimneys and the roof will be offensive to your cultivated taste but
perhaps you may think of some stile of finishing with parapet walls at the ends &
balustrades between the Chimneys (as are awkwardly represented in the sketch) that will so
far cover its deformity as to render it admissible upon the score of œconomy & comfort.

I am induced to write upon this subject knowing that Mr. Brockenbrough will be with you
this week and being now very unwell--which makes it quite uncertain whether it will be in
my power to be up at the Circuit Court, as I intended.

I have also to inform you, that the difficulties which seem to stand in the way of carrying the
design of Genl. Koscioscos will into execution--in the first place from the scarcity of
Schools about me & 2dly. from the prejudices to be encountered in obtaining admission for
negroes--to say nothing of the effect which might be produced on the minds of my own
people--must induce me to decline the undertaking. I presume the terms of the Will give you
no discretion that wou'd admit of your directing the fund to the accomplishment of the
object in the way set forth in the inclosed paper. I send you the paper, as I shou'd be glad to
know your opinion as to the practicality of the scheme of the Colonization Society--I
suppose you are in possession of the late information collated by Messrs. Mills & Burgess
on the Coast of Africa with a view to this object.--I am Sir Yours respectfully

J.H. Cocke

*If this part of the design is executed in Masonry--Walls 2 ft. 6 & less wou'd hardly do--at
$3.50 pr perch which is as low as we shall get it, it will cost only 6$ less than brick.

ALS, 4p, ViU:TJ [1690], with TJ docket "Cocke John H. Bremo May 3. 19. recd May 9."
and docket "J. H. Cocke to T.J. 3 May 19."; ADft, dated 2 May, ViU:JHC.