Report of the Committee on Repairs, Prepared by Paul C. Cameron,
with Kemp P. Battle and William L. Saunders,
[1875?]
The Committee on the Repairs of the University property beg leave to
submit a Report, as to the progress and extent of repairs accomplished and what
remains to be accomplished & the contract to date.
Very soon after the organization of your Committee in the month of April, a most
destructive tornado of wind embracing a very large portion of the Southern States passed
over your College property at Chapel Hill unroofing the New East building containing the Hall and Library
of the Philanthropic Society. Thus suddenly exposing a large & valuable
property to great damage from a long and continued rain storm. Fortunately the
books of the Library were in a great measure protected from the falling water by
their position on the shelves and the elegant Hall of the Society in the room
immediately below was saved in its furniture carpets and ornaments by a massive
oil cloth on the floor above which otherwise would have destroyed the walls and
ceiling of one of the very handsomest Halls of the state. For the immediate care
of the property, even before the storm had passed over, we are in debtto the ever watchful care and prompt action of
Andrew Mickel
Esq. recently elected to the trust and responsibility of the Bursar of
the University who with aid of other efficient persons of the village
protected the property as best they could. The exposed condition of the property
of 8 large College buildings covered with old and neglected Tin Roofs with open
doors and windows it is a wonder that the damage was not very much larger. Mr Mickel at once gave information as to the effects of the storm and a
supply of the best tin was ordered from New York and a large and active force put on to repair
the damage. This was an item for which no estimate was made and which with the
cost of Materials and workmanship made an addition of repairs of about Five
Hundred dollars. On the first visit of the Chairman on the summons of Mr Mickel to take orders for the preservation of the Hall Library of the
Philanthropic Society he was made to call to his aid his associates,
and seeing and feeling the obligation of immediate action not only for the
protection of the unroof'd building but of all the University
property. The best care was taken to organize an efficient and trust worthycorps of Mechanics to enter upon a general repair
of the entire property of the University. To Mr Foster Utley of Chapel
Hill was entrusted the carpenters work, to Henry Richards of Hillsboro the
mason work; to George
Songee of Durham the tin work or roofing and subsequently some fourteen painters
were employed under three different boss workmen. Some delay was occasioned by
the delay in collecting a proper supply of lumber, shingles and other material
owing to the fact that a large proportion of the lumber had to be obtained along
the line of the North Carolina R.R below the city of Raleigh, and all of
which had to be transported by wagons from the Railway station at Durham to Chapel Hill on the
ordinary farm wagons of the County at a very busy season of the year. And then
before it could be placed in the hands of the Carpenters had to be dried by
fire. The repairs have been nexecuted without interruptions or delay except that
of falling weather. And to consist of the overhauling of all the Tin Roofs of 7
large College buildings and the reshingling of the half of the New Chapel, all the roofs have received one coat of asbestos
Paint and enough paint is on hand to repeat the painting times makeing a
substantial job and it is now thought free from leak. The amount of plastering
was larger than any counted on by reason of the long allowed leaks thus
damageing very largely all the ceilings of all the 3rd story
Rooms. All the inside walls of all the College buildings have been neatly
repaired and white washed and all the inside painting
on doors and sash window facings & stair ways have been made except on
the New West &
East buildings which
needed but little repairs. The repairs contemplated will in Carpenters &
Masons work be completed by the 10th of September, and the
newly expected occupants will find an abundance of clean and neat appartments
prepared to receive them. In consequence of the driping weather of the last
month outside painting of window facings sills & door ways have been
much delayed but it is believed that the entire painting of the College
buildings will be completed by the 15th of September, and
all the outside brick walls will be washed makeing a very neat appearance.
The University own 4 Professors Residences all these buildings have been
or will be fit for occupation in less than 10 days haveing had a very thorough
overhauling, with new Shingle roofs, with all needed Masons work, and painting
inside and outside, with the additions of new and light piazzas in front of
each, adding alike to the comfort & appearance of the dwellings; and all
the outhouses have been put in order & all placed under new plank fence;
and all the outside stone walls have been been rebuilt where needed; and from
these stone wall enclosures we have set before us the wisdom of makeing all of
our improvements and repairs as far as practicable of permanent material. The
outside stone walls surrounding the campus have all been repaired and New Gates
put up and all stock have been excluded. The walks of the campus have all been
cleand and reopen'd and all the dead wood of the shrubbery and oak Grove have
been cut out and removed and the wild growth of briar & stick wood dug
up by the roots and carried out, the entire surface cut over by the scythe and
under the recent & copious rains present a lawn of green & shade
equaled by no educationalestablishment in the
country. These repairs embrace the renting of a very large amount of window
glass and of nearly every lock on all the doors of all the
Dormitories. The old locks were found to be very much better than any new ones
to be had and a very large portion taken off and repaired at Raleigh &
refitted with keys under the supervision of Messrs. Briggs & Jones to
whom acknowledgements should be made for their liberality and disposition to aid
in any and every way the substantial work of reconstruction. At the outset Mr Foster Utleyan experienced carpenter was requested to make estimates for all
the repairs exclusive of Painting and new Tin work and by reference to those
estimates it will be seen that he placed them at the sum of $4775.
the bills paid up to date amounts as stated on the Books of the Treas &
Sec of the Board K.
P. Battle Esqr sum of $4335.89, which
will be increased by the additional labour of carpenters masons and 14 painters
for the next 15 or 20 days when it is believed all the Repairsneeded or contemplated will be made and the
mechanics discharged with the exception of Mr Utley the carpenter who resides
in the village & should be retained in the service of the University for ordinary or extraordinary repairs.
The New West &
East buildings are
heated by Hot water Pipes, such is the condition of this apparatus in each of
these buildings that the Halls Recitations Rooms and Dormitories cannot be used
in the months of winter until a complete repair of Furnace & Pipes shall
be made. As it was thought that these buildings would not be needed in the early
days of the reopening and to make the repairs now would add very largely to the
expenditures & in the present condition of your finances it was prudent
to postpone until cash was more abundant.
The same remarks are applicable to the Chemical Laboratory in Smith
Hall under the University Library. The Repairs here will be
large and costly and the opinion is expressed that when made it should be in the
most permanent way by removing a badly decayed wood floor andsubstituting a cement or stone floor, guarding the
property alike against fire or decay.
All the Librarys are in great disorder by reason of long years of neglect and
indifferent handling to say nothing of the plundering. at the request of the
Committee Professor R.
H. Graves in has cheerfully undertaken to arrange the entire University Library according "to subject and size"
and to affix labels so as to facilitate the use of the books to those makeing
reference. In regard to the Society Librarys nothing will be attempted until the
Halls shall be occupied by returning students and the old order of things
reestablished for the care and keep of those capacious and elegant Halls which
should ever be regarded as a liberal exhibition of the good taste and generosity
of the Board of
Trustees to perpetuate a manly rivalry in the hearts & minds
of generous & benevolous youths.
It is but a simple act of justice to say that all the labor has been under the
supervision of Mr Andrew Mickel and who at the outset agreed to
be the keeper of the Mechanic Laborers time table and at all times very
efficient by his personal perusal. The entire bill of Repairs has been made by
an agreed per diem with all engaged on the work & all promptly paid by
your Treas on bills certified to him by the Chairman of Com on Repairs.
P. C. Cameron
K. P.
Battle
W.
Saunders