Arthur S. Brockenbrough to John H. Cocke
| Dear Sir | University of Va Augt 20. 1826 |
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 time 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 lessen 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 lumber for an expensive chinese 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—
P.S. Some additional water works are absolutely necessary—whether it shall be by pump or 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 may would be to have a large cistern in my yard (being the highest situation near th[. . .] 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 q required for the supply of the buildings or in case of fire—This requires money tho’ of which we have very little