 | Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 |  |
A. H. Brooks to Thomas Jefferson
you will please to Excuse me for wrighing to you also Excuse the many faults that will be in
this letter as I have had only about three quarters Scooling. I was informed last fall that you
Said that a tin roofe Could be put on for the Same price that a Joint Shingle roofe was done
for. that a Joint Shingle roofe was done for. which is $2.50 for Squair. I find it is likeley to
keep me from geting the Covering of the buckenham Court house which enduceses me to
make so free as to lay down a rule by which you will be the better able to make up youre
mind 1 Joint Shingle will make 4 Inches by 6 the Carpenter has to take up one Shingle and
lay it down and take up 1. nails and drive it and then done. but the tinner has to take up one
pece and slip it under the Edge of the other and then hammer it Smooth the length of ten
Inches and then take up the punch and make three holes lay back the punch and get three
nails drive them turne the tin over the heads and hammer Severel time over to get it Smooth
and to lye Cleate the tin will make 5½ by 8 Inchs I think when you take it into
Consideration you will think quite diffirentley also when I informe you that I beleave that
myself and apprentice Can put on more tin than any three me[n] in the Same time and I also
beleve that a man well acquainted with working tin will Save a box in every 8 Square.
owing to the wet weather while I worked at youre office I had to work verry hard when the
weather would admit So that I think it would not be fair to Judge from my work while under
youre inspection persons are frequentley rong in making up thare minds as Mr
Brockenbrough was about Cuting tin he brought me from two a box to one Shortley I hired
a Journeman his wages board and washing Cost me a bout $27 pr month and he Could not
Cut and machine 1 box a day you will See thare was a little loss to me. but my apprentice
Could Cut nearley a box and half and machine it
as to the Covering Thare Should be a good price for it it is ingeorious to the eyes and very
disagreable work espesseley in hot weather yourse Respetfully
A H Brooks
ALS, DLC:TJ, 2p, with TJ docket "Brooks A. H. Staunton July 25. 22. recd. July 27."
| Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 | |