![JEFFERSON, Thomas, President. Letter signed ("Th: Jefferson") to General James Breckinridge (1763-1833), Monticello, 30 September 1821. [With:] Autograph free frank ("free Th: Jefferson") on separate address leaf, addressed in Jefferson's hand to "General James Breckenridge," slightly faded brown circular "Charlottesville 4 Oct" postmark and notation "free" in another hand, endorsed. hole not affecting text.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/1999/NYR/1999_NYR_09178_0213_000(115057).jpg?w=1)
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JEFFERSON, Thomas, President. Letter signed ("Th: Jefferson") to General James Breckinridge (1763-1833), Monticello, 30 September 1821. [With:] Autograph free frank ("free Th: Jefferson") on separate address leaf, addressed in Jefferson's hand to "General James Breckenridge," slightly faded brown circular "Charlottesville 4 Oct" postmark and notation "free" in another hand, endorsed. hole not affecting text.
JEFFERSON'S PLANS FOR THE UNIVERSITY, ESPECIALLY ITS LIBRARY
In their April 1821 meeting, the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia had authorized the construction of the library and "academical village" according to Jefferson's plans. It was Breckinridge, a member of the Board of Visitors, whom Jefferson credited with the successful passage by the legislature of the important funding legislation, but there were many in the Virginia legislature who strongly felt that Jefferson's proposed designs were too elaborate and potentially too costly. Reflecting that concern, the Board had required that the costs for construction must not exceed the existing appropriation and that no contracts for construction could be issued without Board approval, after examinining the current finances. Breckinridge was particularly critical of the way in which previous cost accounting had been reported, and here, Jefferson takes special pains to address these concerns: "Mr [Arthur] Brockenbrough [proctor of the University] has been closely engaged, since our last meeting in settling the cost of the buildings finished at the University, that we might obtain a more correct view of the state of our funds, and see whether a competency will remain for the Library. He has settled for 6 Pavilions, 1 Hotel, and 35 Dormitories, and will proceed with the rest...from what is done he has formed an estimate of the cost of what is yet to be done, & guided in it by actual experience, it is probably nearly correct."
As Jefferson confidently reckons, "the result is that our actual reciepts heretofore, with what is still to be recieved of the loan of this year, after paying for the lands and all incidental & current expences, will exactly compleat the 4 rows of the buildings ['hotels'] for the accomodation of the Professors and Students...and leave us without either debt or contract..." He admits that the "conjectural estimate" submitted in the Spring was optimistic, and "fell short by 18,000. D. of the real cost...which in a total of 195,000. D. is perhaps not over-considerable. I call it real cost," he explains, "because that of the unfinished buildings is reckoned by the real cost of those finished." As for the library building, "the season being now too far advanced to begin the Library, and the afflicting sickness in Genl. [John] Cocke's family having deprived me of the benefit of consultation with him, I think it a duty to leave that undertaking entirely open and undecided, for the opinion of the Visitors at their meeting in November, when it is believed the actual settlements will have reached every thing, except 1. pavilion and 3 Hotels which alone will be unfinished until the spring. The considerations which urge the building the hull, at least, of the Library seemed to impress the board strongly at their last meeting; and it is put in our power to undertake it with perfect safety, by the indefinite suspension by the legislature of the commencement of our instalments, this leaves us free to take another year's annuity, to wit that of 25. before we begin instalments, should the funds fall short which are here counted on for that building..." He concludes by anticipating Breckinridge's reaction to a disparity in construction costs among similar buildings: "You will distinguish in this statement, by their enormous cost, the Pavilions No 3 and 7. and 16 Dormitories, contracted for in 1817 & 18 at the inflated prices prevailing then while we acted as a central College only. In 1819 & the following years, prices were reduced from 25. to 50. per cent..."
Jefferson's careful cost-analysis for the Visitors proved convincing, and at the November meeting, the Board approved construction of the remaining buildings, with the exception of the library, whose enormous cost continued to alarm the Board. Jefferson persisted though, and by 1823, the shell (or "hull" as he termed it) was completed.
JEFFERSON'S PLANS FOR THE UNIVERSITY, ESPECIALLY ITS LIBRARY
In their April 1821 meeting, the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia had authorized the construction of the library and "academical village" according to Jefferson's plans. It was Breckinridge, a member of the Board of Visitors, whom Jefferson credited with the successful passage by the legislature of the important funding legislation, but there were many in the Virginia legislature who strongly felt that Jefferson's proposed designs were too elaborate and potentially too costly. Reflecting that concern, the Board had required that the costs for construction must not exceed the existing appropriation and that no contracts for construction could be issued without Board approval, after examinining the current finances. Breckinridge was particularly critical of the way in which previous cost accounting had been reported, and here, Jefferson takes special pains to address these concerns: "Mr [Arthur] Brockenbrough [proctor of the University] has been closely engaged, since our last meeting in settling the cost of the buildings finished at the University, that we might obtain a more correct view of the state of our funds, and see whether a competency will remain for the Library. He has settled for 6 Pavilions, 1 Hotel, and 35 Dormitories, and will proceed with the rest...from what is done he has formed an estimate of the cost of what is yet to be done, & guided in it by actual experience, it is probably nearly correct."
As Jefferson confidently reckons, "the result is that our actual reciepts heretofore, with what is still to be recieved of the loan of this year, after paying for the lands and all incidental & current expences, will exactly compleat the 4 rows of the buildings ['hotels'] for the accomodation of the Professors and Students...and leave us without either debt or contract..." He admits that the "conjectural estimate" submitted in the Spring was optimistic, and "fell short by 18,000. D. of the real cost...which in a total of 195,000. D. is perhaps not over-considerable. I call it real cost," he explains, "because that of the unfinished buildings is reckoned by the real cost of those finished." As for the library building, "the season being now too far advanced to begin the Library, and the afflicting sickness in Genl. [John] Cocke's family having deprived me of the benefit of consultation with him, I think it a duty to leave that undertaking entirely open and undecided, for the opinion of the Visitors at their meeting in November, when it is believed the actual settlements will have reached every thing, except 1. pavilion and 3 Hotels which alone will be unfinished until the spring. The considerations which urge the building the hull, at least, of the Library seemed to impress the board strongly at their last meeting; and it is put in our power to undertake it with perfect safety, by the indefinite suspension by the legislature of the commencement of our instalments, this leaves us free to take another year's annuity, to wit that of 25. before we begin instalments, should the funds fall short which are here counted on for that building..." He concludes by anticipating Breckinridge's reaction to a disparity in construction costs among similar buildings: "You will distinguish in this statement, by their enormous cost, the Pavilions No 3 and 7. and 16 Dormitories, contracted for in 1817 & 18 at the inflated prices prevailing then while we acted as a central College only. In 1819 & the following years, prices were reduced from 25. to 50. per cent..."
Jefferson's careful cost-analysis for the Visitors proved convincing, and at the November meeting, the Board approved construction of the remaining buildings, with the exception of the library, whose enormous cost continued to alarm the Board. Jefferson persisted though, and by 1823, the shell (or "hull" as he termed it) was completed.