 | Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 |  |
Arthur Spicer Brockenbrough
to John Hartwell Cocke
I informed you some little time ago that my health required some relaxation from business
and that for the improvement of it I wished to take a trip for a few days to Striblings Springs
in augusta--I find at this time I can go with greater convenience to the business of the
institution than at a later period--As you will probably be up in a few days, I beg leave to
draw your attention to two or three things here--The Faculty wish to be arranging the books
in the Library--I find D & Neilson will not be able to get up the hand rail & Balasters to the
Stairs so as to secure the room in a fortnight from this agreeable to their own acct.--if we are
to be governed by their former promises and engagements, it will probably be double that
time--there are a sufficiency of Book cases made to begin with and as it will take some four
or five weeks to get them in place, perhaps it would be better that a temporary partition be
put up at the head of the Stairs, if you approve of this plan, you can direct D & N. to have it
done, I fear unless some plan of this sort is adopted the Library will not be in place before
the meeting of the Visitors--The next thing to call your attention to is to the expence of the
anatomical hall, I do not recollect how the roof is finished agreeable to Mr Js: design, but I
find 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. this matter you will please direct as You think proper,
the McAdamizing of the cross streets will be finished in a day or two--I have instructed the
overseer then to put the Labourer in the Botanical garden (after doing a few small jobs)
under the direction of Dr Emmet. I should be glad to know of you as soon as convenient
what number of labourers we had better employ another year, so that arrangements may be
made for the employment of an overseer for the next year--on my return I intend to have
another coat of Metal put over such parts of streets as require it--I am Sir respectfully Your
Obt Sevt
A. S. Brockenbrough
otherwise I am at a loss to determine--If Water from the Mountain could be gotten in
sufficient quantity I should prefer it, the stream is weak, and would hardly justify the
expence--if brought from the Mountain the best way would be to have a large cistern in my
yard (being the highest situation near the University,) the water from thence to be conveyed
in pipes to every part of the University the works to be so constructed to let off any quantity
at a given time that may be required for the supply of the buildings or in case of fire--This
requires money tho' of which we have very little
A. S B--h
ALS, ViU:JHC, 3p, with address "Genl John H. Cocke Bremo Fluvanna Co" and JHC
docket "Brockenbrough A. S. recd. Aug. 19."
| Documentary History of the Construction of the Buildings at the University
of Virginia, 1817-1828 | |