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[
James Patterson's Written Description of the Plan of
Old East
]
The building to be of the following dimensions and executed
according to the inclosed plan & as hereby described — the Building
to be (96) Ninety Six feet (7) Seven Inches in Length, (40) forty feet one Inch
& a half in width, two storys in height. The first story twelve feet the
second story ten feet. The foundation to be laid with stone up to the surface
of the ground, from the surface of the Earth to the top of the first floor to
be two feet four Inches laid with Bricks two & a half feet thick. The
outside walls to be two Bricks thick up to the second floor, from the second
floor to the plates to be one & a half Bricks thick, all the partitions to
be a Brick & a half thick. Eight rooms on a floor with a Chimney to each
Room, the breast or front of the Chimney six feet in width, three feet nine
Inches in the opening & Eighteen Inches deep from the plate to the extreme
top of the Roof fifteen feet according to the written plan. The Roof strong,
not heavy, but well framed & braced, the plate twelve Inches by 4 Inches.
The upper joists to be Seven Inches by two & a half Inches, the middle
joists to be ten Inches by two & a half Inches, the lower joists or
sleepers to be ten Inches by three Inches, [Joinders] ten Inches by eight
Inches. The two floors to be laid with Inch & quarter plank, the lower
floor to be laid with square edged Boards, the second floor to be tongued &
grooved the Boards not to exceed Seven Inches in width, the joists to be at or
near fourteen Inches apart. The Cornise to be worked with common planes
sometimes called horse planes, the Sashes in the first story eighteen Lights
each ten by twelve, the Sashes in the upper floor to be fifteen Lights each ten
by twelve, the under Sash to be hung & the price the weights cost to be
charged exclusive of the Sum agreed for the Building, the upper Sashes to be
fixed in the frame one Oge round Page Tornthe inside quill
plain. The outer Doors to be folding Doors three panels in each square edge
& flat panel, the framing to be one Inch & a half thick, the panels
half an Inch thick with an Ovello on the framing, the Door Cases the same as
the windows, on Oge on the outside only, four Lights over the outer Doors. The
inner Doors to be six panel Doors, the framing to be one Inch & a half the
panels half an Inch all square with an Ovello on both sides, the partition to
divide one of the end rooms on the upper story to be of falling Wainscot. No
locks, hooks or fasteners of any kind to be found unless charged for
separately, a closet in each room with Six shelves fixed in the plaster &
plain panel Doors square edge & flat panel & a plain chimney piece over
each fire place, a plain skirting or wash board about 4 Inches broad &
beaded on the upper edge, the Chair board three Inches broad with surbase. The
Stair Case to be quite plain pine handrails & square Bannisters to the
lower side of the stairs to be lined with ¾ boards from one string board to the
other. The Shingles made of heart pine eighteen Inches long
Illegible, not rounded but laid square & nailed to sheeting
of oak plank with sixpenny nails. The floors to be nailed with flooring Brads
through the boards not secret nailed. No Bricks to be rubbed for either
chimneys or Doors or windows unless the Brick makers do it, the whole of the
Brick work to be laid in mortar made of Lime & sand. The stone work under
ground a dry wall, the outside Doors & windows put together with white
lead, the inside Doors & framed partitions with glue. The Ceilings to be
lathed with white washing on the plaister. The whole to be done & executed
in a plain but neat, substantial & workman like manner. The Sum to be give
for finishing the said Building (exclusive of Bricks, Sash Weights, Locks,
hooks, fastenings, & painting) is the sum of two thousand five hundred
pounds, one third eight hundred & thirty three pounds 6/8 on demand; one
third eight hundred thirty three pounds 6/8 when the second floor of joists are
put on the walls; the third & last payment of Eight hundred & thirty
three pounds 6/8 as soon as the House is received — a counterpart of this
being delivered to
James Patterson signed by the Commissioner. July 19th 1793.
James
Patterson
John
Daniel