 | Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 |  |
Arthur Spicer Brockenbrough to James Oldham
I have your communication of this date to Mr Jefferson, written no doubt to injure me in the
estimation of Mr J. and wherein you State "Since the 2nd Novr last I have repeatedly
solicited a Settlement of my work with the proctor["] of this fact there is evidence I admit
you have frequently mentioned the Subject of a settlement by arbitration--and I as often
have proposed going on with the measurement and fixing the prices of the work and such
articles as we could not agree on to be Settled by Arbitration hereafter--Your course I did
not think proper to take--my proposition you rejected again you say "on this day I renewed
the Subject again when he posatively refused to do any thing with it and declared that I
should not receive one cent of pay until it suited him to give it"--as well as my memory
Serves me (but perhaps it may not be as good as Capt Oldhams) our conversation on
Tuesday turned principally on the acct for Scaffolding, timber &c--when I Stated
particularly there were Items in that acct which I would Settle for at any time--but I could
not pitch on any particular day for an arbitration of the acct, I made no such declaration
relative to your pay as you Stated in your letter--I have called on you frequently for a
memorandum of such locks hinges &c. as you wanted for the buildings you were working
on--I have never received a memorandum of the articles, as for Hinges I sent to
Charlotesville to get them for the Hotel if Mr Vowles word is to be taken in evidence, it is
your fault that the Hotel windows are not glazed--Sir, I will lay down explicitly the course I
mean to pursue in this business--it is so Simply this, as fast as the buildings are finished, I
shall with the undertakers measure the work and make out the bills agreeable to the
Philadelphia price book, if the undertakers and myself can agree on all Settled Bills, I shall
give drafts for the balances that may be due as fast as funds can be obtained to take them up
all unsettled bills will be layed over untill the entire completion of the buildings, to be then
left to reference, Sooner than that unless expressly ordered--I will not arbitrate any acct--I
am Sir your Obt Servt
A. S. Brockenbrough P. U.Va.
Locks and Hinges left I suppose with Mr Thornton--A.S.B.
Capt James Oldham--Present
Copy, document J in Oldham vs University of Virginia, ViU:UVA Chronological File (see
James Oldham, Lawsuit against the University of Virginia, 20 November 1823); copy, part
of document U in Oldham vs University of Virginia, ViU:UVA Chronological File, dated 5
January 1822; copy, document no. 1 in "Memoriall to the bord of Visitors of the U.Va.
Octobr 3. 1823," ViU:PP.
| Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 | |