University of Virginia Library

Thomas Jefferson to Charles Yancey

I duly recieved your favor of the 12th. and chearfully undertook a compliance with your
request. I now inclose the drawings you desired. every thing proposed in them is in the
plainest style, and will be cheap altho' requiring skill in the workmanship. without that it
will be rendered barbarous in the execution. of one truth I have had great experience that
ignorant workmen are always dearest. I cannot therefore but recommend to you to get the
work undertaken by some of the workmen of our University. better work, or more faithful,
in brick or wood, was never seen any where and our prices are reduced as low as they can
live by. considering the Philadelphia printed price-book as the result of long competitions
between workmen and employers, we notified, after the 1st. year of our work that these were
the prices we should be governed by. our own workmen refused at first to undertake for less
than from 15. to 40. percent on the Philadelphia prices, because they had always had that
extravagant set of prices. we therefor procured workmen from Philadelphia, who undertook
readily at the printed prices: and all our work, since the 1st. year has been executed
according to them, by which we have certainly saved 25. percent. for brickwork of the very
best kind we give 10. D. the M out and out, not allowing a sammel brick or a bad but where
necessary, to be used, and grouting every course. these people will do your work
understandingly, faithfully and quickly, and give you no trouble. indeed I would wish you to
take a ride here; and I will with pleasure go with you to the University, and have every thing
laid open to your information. there you may see and judge for yourself of these workmen &
their work, and get valuable insight as to the work you are to contract for, and make your
contract in a word by reference to the book for all prices, without higling or ? cation either
at the time of bargaining or settling. you will see an establishment than which no country
can shew a more beautiful one, nor one more economically executed. its whole expence
when compleat may go to 200. or 220. M D. I have heard that the Richmond court house has
cost that sum. theirs as a single house, ours is a town.

You will see that my plan of your Courthouse goes a little beyond the dimensions you
proposed, but that not a single foot can be taken from it without injuring the convenience. if
a good foundation can be got at the depth of 2. f. then the height from the bottom of that to
the watertable will be 5. f. and making it so far 2. bricks thick, and a brick and a half
upwards, the whole building, columns & all, will take 140,212. bricks accurately calculated
and deducting openings. the walls then will cost 1,402. D. and the rest of the work finished
in the best manner, will according to the common rule of estimating cost the double of that,
making a whole cost of 4,206. D. out and out, or 42. cents a tythe, mutilated ninty levy,
supposing you have 10. M tythes.

You will need 4. pr of stone caps & bases for your columns. if you have good stone
convenient you can get a stone cutter here. if no stone convenient they can be cut here and
sent round by water to your nearest landing. the whole 4. pair will weigh about 7,230, or one
boat load. I would advise you to cover with tin instead of shingles. it is the lightest, & most
durable cover inthe world, we know that it will last 100. years, & how much more we do not
know. the tin & putting on costs 15. D. a square, and we were asked here 10. D. a square for
heart pine shingling. all our buildings except one are covered with tin. your roof will be
about 37. or 38. squares.

I shall go to Bedford about the 6th. of August, and wish you could come before that. if a
later visit will be more convenient, my absence will be of a fortnight only, but my return
will be to stay but a few days at home. I could write you notice from Lynchburg of my
return and stay, but the surest would be for you to come before my departure. it is but a
morning's ride from Warminster to Monticello, where I will hope to see you. I salute you
with great esteem and respect.

Th: Jefferson

ALS (polygraph copy), DLC:TJ, 2p, with TJ docket "Yancey Charles July 23. 21." Owing to
the mutilated nature of the coversheet that TJ used in making this copy, the material in angle
brackets is missing from the manuscript. The coversheet was addressed to "Thos Jefferson
Esquire Monticello."