Framing 22 sqr of joists at 75c 16.50
" 15 sqr of shingling at $2.50 37.50
Laying 10 sqr of poplar flooring at $2.50 25.00
180 feet of washboard at 10c 18.00
2 chimney pieces at $10 20.00
3 doors cased with pilasters at $12 36.00
4 18-light windows with shutters at $16.50 66.00
1 Venetian window 16.00
100 feet of cornice at 50c 50.00
$2,396.30
Add one-fourth for boarding 599.07
$2,995.37
See estimate of lumber 804.63
$3,800.00
Add for pulleys, weights, cord, hinges and screws 150.00
$3,950.00
Article 4th. The main stairs to be circular, or geometrical, the work to
be done in the best and most approved style. A private staircase from
the room below called the steward's room to the chambers above, a
folding door in the rooms north as you enter the passage below, a door
from the room to the President's office, with a small passage spoken of
by the said Andrew not yet determined on. The front and back porch to be
finished as before, the columns of the former to be fluted and the
cornice and so forth to correspond with the estimate annexed. The east
wing, office, steward's room and passage to the garden to be finished on
the former plan. The said Andrew furnishing locks for the building,
using such of the old ones as will answer for the upper story and
furnishing new ones for the lower, Reiff and Hume putting on all the
locks.
Article 5th. The said Reiff and Hume agree to take and put into the
second story any of the old work saved that may be thought to serve to
answer and pay the value of the same. They also agree to take all the
lumber, plank, etc., that the said Andrew has now on hand as cash paid
in part of his contract.
Article 6th. It is hereby understood that the said Reiff and Hume bind
themselves to make a complete finish of the carpenters' work of the said
building, pay all expenses of turning, using cedar timber where it is
necessary, the contract to be fulfilled agreeable to the plan given, and
to the express understanding made and agreed upon in the presence of
Col. Love and Robert Armstrong.
Article 7th. The dimensions of the rooms, the size of the windows, and a
minute description of work to be done is not mentioned in this article,
but it is understood by the parties in the presence of the above named
gentlemen.
Article 8th. It is agreed upon that when the lumber, plank, etc., is
delivered the said Andrew will furnish the money to pay for the same and
will continue to make payment as the work progresses.
Article 9th. The said Reiff and Hume are to purchase the lumber and
commence the work immediately, and further agree that the carpenters'
work shall be so forwarded as to let the plasterers in to commence their
job by the first or middle of September next, so that the house can be
completely finished by 25 December, 1835.
As no contract has been made for the painting, the said Andrew will have
the priming done as fast as the work goes on.
It is understood that there is to be the same number of large fluted
columns in front as formerly if thought necessary, and it is further
understood that the said Reiff and Hume will do all and everything in
relation to the carpenters' work of said building as though every item
had been separately specified, making a complete finish of the
carpenters' and joiners' work of said building, finding everything
except the articles of locks and glass heretofore mentioned.
In witness we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 1st of January,
1835.
Joseph Reiff
William C. Hume
[Illustration: Uncle Alfred, who served Old Hickory during his
lifetime and now sleeps near his side in the Hermitage garden.]
[Illustration: Sunday morning at the Hermitage Church in the early
forties. General Jackson has just dismounted from his saddlehorse
tied to the tree in the right foreground, which tree is still
standing. (From an old print.)]
The work was got under way at once, but the building was not declared
completed until the summer of 1836--more than eighteen months after the
reconstruction was started. "Hands can not be got," Colonel Armstrong
wrote Jackson during the summer of 1835, "still we are doing the best we
can." It was the era of inflation and easy money, and labor was scarce.
So the work dragged along; and, as is not unusual in building
operations, the cost of the finished job considerably exceeded the
original estimate. Colonel Armstrong in his first letter expressed the
opinion that the work could be done for $2,000 or $2,500; in a later
letter he said "$2,500 or $3,000 will complete the whole work"; the
contract with Reiff and Hume was at a figure of $3,950; and when the
final settlement was made the total was $5,125--not including $900 for
plastering and $400 for painting. To add to the General's troubles at
this time came a calamitous failure of the cotton crop and he wrote
sadly to Andrew about the necessity for economizing. "Unless the farm
produces enough to pay its own expenses, my means here will be fully
exhausted in paying for the finishing of the house and restoring to it
the furniture destroyed."
There were a few minor changes in the plans as the work progressed
including one suggested by Major William B. Lewis, Jackson's closest
political friend, who expressed the view that "the stories of the house
should be made higher." Colonel Armstrong wrote: "I think it would be an
improvement and add very much to the appearance of the house." On this
subject General Jackson wrote to Andrew: "I would be satisfied to see it
restored to what it was before it burnt, but as I know I shall not be
long on earth to enjoy its comforts in retirement, I enclose his letter
on this point to you that you may exercise your own discretion." Major
Lewis carried his point; the stories were made higher. Also during the
course of the work, at the suggestion of the helpful Major, some changes
were made in the size and arrangement of the windows. The new windows,
he wrote Jackson, "are of very pretty size and proportions, and will
look much better than the old ones." He added that in his opinion the
house as rebuilt would be a great improvement over the old one, both in
interior arrangement and exterior appearance.
At last, on August 2, 1836, Colonel Armstrong rendered to General
Jackson a final statement of the expense of rebuilding:
Estimate of bills of the Hermitage House, with the amount paid and
balances due 1 June:
For amount of Reiff and Hume bill per agreement contract $3,950
For extra work done upon change of plan 239
For work done on west wing and new kitchen, finding 186
everything
For the full-length two-story porch added, finding 750
everything
$5,125
To cash paid Reiff and Hume at sundry times $2,285
ditto paid 25 April 1,000
ditto paid by A Jackson in work 513
ditto paid June 24 500 $4,298
$ 827
For Amt bill Higgins plastering $900
To cash paid Higgins in part $500
ditto ditto June 24 225 725 175
For Amt bill of painting, paints, oils, etc. $400
To cash paid Horn and Wells (Horn 100) $188
do paid Horn 50
do paid Wells 25 263 137
Do paid Horn 2nd of August 1836 pd by A. J. jr. 85
$ 52
"The house is well built and convenient and in appearance greatly
improved upon the old one," Colonel Armstrong wrote Jackson upon its
completion; and so the old General found it when he returned to the
Hermitage in June, 1836.
When the fire occurred Andrew, junior, and his family went to live
temporarily at the nearby Hunter's Hill place, but later took a house in
Nashville. In November, 1834, Mrs. Jackson and the children went to
Washington to spend the winter in the White House, with interspersed
trips to Philadelphia to visit her family and buy furniture for the
Hermitage, but Andrew stayed in Nashville to look after the rebuilding
work. He joined Sarah and the children for a vacation with the President
at the Rip Raps in July and August, 1835, but he came back to Nashville
in September.