Correspondence re: remodeling of Palo Alto residence, 1887-1890

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Letters primarily directed to Arthur Brown from Jane Stanford; W.A. Rodman and Chas. Austin for firm of Shipley, Rutan, and Coolidge, Architects; and G. W. Clark and Co. Also includes bills and memoranda.



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SHEPLEY, RUTAN & COOLIDGE, ARCHITECTS

Menlo Park, Dec. 21, 1887

Arthur Brown, Esq.

Dear Sir:-It will require 10500 feet of oak flooring neat measurement. Please add to this the necessary amount for waste in working and laying. This amount includes the following rooms:

First Story

New Library Old Hall Two Parlors

" Hall " Dining Room

" Dining- room " Library

Second Story.

All the chambers and halls over the above rooms with their closets, except the boy's room, including chamber over toilet room in S.

Third Story.

Chambers and halls over new Dining room library & hall.

This should be quartered oak 2½" wide.

I will include cherry for floors (borders) with the rest of the inside finish.

When will you commence work at the building?

We may have to shorten the L. 6" in order to escape a tree which the Governor wishes to save.

Yours Resp'y,

W. A. Rodman.

Last edit over 3 years ago by MikeH
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SHEPLEY, RUTAN & COOLIDGE ARCHITECTS

Menlo Park, Feb.8.1888.

Arthur Brown, Esq.

Dear Sir:--

I send to Mr. Crichton, by express, today the ¾" scale drawings and full sise details for the library, dining-room and hall of the Governor's residence. Will you kindly return to us the tracings and one set of blue copies as soon as convenient.

Below I anote [sic] some notes from Mr. Coolidge's letter of instruction to me.

"The brad and screw mouldings shown in the fullsize can be turned and put on afterward. We generally have had the brad carved but this would be in opposition to the Governor's request that there should be no carving whatsoever.

The panels where you think there is any danger of warping should be made of three separate layers of veneer of the same wood, the two outside ones running in the direction of the panel and the middle one at right-angles to it. By using this method it is possible to select the best prices for the outside, using the poorer stock for the inside and thus obtain a better result.

In regard to the kind of Mahogany, the Governor said that he wished good wood but not

Last edit over 3 years ago by MikeH
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SHEPLEY, RUTAN & COOLIDGE, ARCHITECTS

the most expensive kind. I believe he mentioned Honduras as his choice.

Please have a line of gas pipe run around the top of the book shelves so it will be possible to make connections for brackets whenever choose, coming out through the cornice of bookcase. The glass in the doors of bookcases should be thin plate glass.

Also put gas pipe in the center of library and dining-room ceilings so that a chandelier can be put there if necessary. these should be in the center of center panel. The gas lights in the hall should be opposite the gas lights in the respective rooms, that is in the center of the panel on either side of the folding doors.

In regard to the mouldings in the finish of the residence will you impress on Mr. Brown the necessity of making the knives as nearly as possible like those shown on the full size drawings as they have been very carefully studied and that is all we have to keep the work from looking commonplace.

All the woodwork in library, hall and dining-room is to be finished in the following manner:--

One coat of oil, one coat of filler well rubbed in, one coat of shellac, and three coats of the best furniture varnish, to be rubbed down with pulverized pumice stone and hair cloth after each coat."

Yours Resp'y,

W.A. Rodman

Last edit over 3 years ago by MikeH
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SHEPLEY, RUTAN & COOLIDGE ARCHITECTS

Meno Park, Cal. Feb. 28, 1888

Arthur Brown, Esq.

Dear Sir:--

We had intended to divide the third floor by trussed girders into three equal parts same as on the second floor and then the 2"x12" joists would be amply strong. There is no objection, however, to making the joists 2"x14" instead, and keeping the layout as you had arranged it. Perhaps the latter would be better as we do not want to have any beams showing in ceiling of second story.

Will you please have copies of 3/4" scale details sent down as soon as convenient?

Yours Resp'y,

W.A. Rodman

Last edit over 3 years ago by MikeH
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M.70. (9-11-88---75.000.) R. R. B. SOUTHERN PACIFIC COMPANY

Henry Fisher Plastering &c. Gov. Stanfords Res - 3/10/88

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