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November 15, 1850 | Letter
Letter from Claudius Crozet to Governor John B. Floyd, November 15, 1850
The Kelly contract dispute occupied the first year of Claudius Crozet's project to build the Blue Ridge Tunnel. This letter from Kelly to the Governor of Virginia explains the contractor's view of his contract and his disagreement with Claudius Crozet, the chief engineer. Kelly claims his contract was to include the building of some parts of the project, while Crozet let these to another contractor at a much lower price.
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January 15, 1851 | Letter
Quarterly Report
In one of the first reports to the Board, Claudius Crozet explains the dangerous conditions in the construction and advises against using sink shafts on the project. Crozet refers to Col. Randolph, probably Thomas Jefferson Randolph, grandson of Thomas Jefferson and contractor of slaves to the project.
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August 2, 1853 | Letter
Letter from Claudius Crozet to the Board of Public Works Reporting the Condition of Work, August 2, 1853
Claudius Crozet explains what he thinks prompted the strike among the Tunnel workers in April 1853 for $1.50 a day wages.
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August 2, 1853 | Letter
Letter from Claudius Crozet Reporting Generally upon the Conditions of the Work, August 2, 1853
Claudius Crozet reports on the changing costs of labor in 1853.
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December 6, 1853 | Letter
Letter from Claudius Crozet to the Board of Public Works, Reporting the Progress of Work for November, 1853
Claudius Crozet reports on labor costs and the national labor market as it affects the Blue Ridge tunnel project. He encourages the Board to consider a mixed labor force of white and enslaved black workers as a means to keep both in check.
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January 4, 1854 | Letter
Claudius Crozet's Monthly Report for December, 1853
In his report Claudius Crozet explains the high costs of white labor and the difficulties of securing enslaved labor.
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January 17, 1854 | Letter
Letter from Claudius Crozet to the Board of Public Works, January 17, 1854
Under pressure from the legislature to complete the Blue Ridge Tunnel project as soon as possible and at reasonable cost, Claudius Crozet outlined the progress on the construction for the Board of Public Works.
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April 20, 1854 | Letter
Letter from John Wood Jr. to Colonel Claudius Crozet, April 20, 1854
When two slaves were killed on the Blue Ridge Tunnel project, the slaveholders retained legal counsel to negotiate a settlement with the Board of Public Works.
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September 1, 1854 | Letter
Letter from Claudius Crozet Reporting the Cholera Epidemic at the Blue Ridge Tunnel, September 1, 1854
When cholera broke out among Irish workers at the Blue Ridge Tunnel, Claudius Crozet reported on the epidemic and the various problems on the project with contractors.
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October 27, 1854 | Letter
Samuel G. White's Affidavit, October 27, 1854
When two slaves were killed on the Blue Ridge Tunnel project, the Board of Public Works attorneys sought sworn affidavits from white men who knew the enslaved men to determine their value for compensation to the slaveholders. The legal process regularized and the practice of industrial slavery on the railroads.
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October 27, 1854 | Letter
William P. Jarman's Affidavit, October 27, 1854
When two slaves were killed on the Blue Ridge Tunnel project, the Board of Public Works attorneys sought sworn affidavits from white men who knew the enslaved men to determine their value for compensation to the slaveholders. The legal process regularized and the practice of industrial slavery on the railroads.
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October 27, 1854 | Letter
Thomas W. Wood's Affidavit, October 27, 1854
When two slaves were killed on the Blue Ridge Tunnel project, the Board of Public Works attorneys sought sworn affidavits from white men who knew the enslaved men to determine their value for compensation to the slaveholders. The legal process regularized and the practice of industrial slavery on the railroads.
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October 28, 1854 | Letter
William M. Sclater's Affidavit, October 28, 1854
When two slaves were killed on the Blue Ridge Tunnel project, the Board of Public Works attorneys sought sworn affidavits from white men who knew the enslaved men to determine their value for compensation to the slaveholders. The legal process regularized and the practice of industrial slavery on the railroads.
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November 1, 1854 | Letter
William M. Sclater's Proposal to the Board of Public Works, November 1, 1854
When labor shortages slowed the Blue Ridge Tunnel project, Claudius Crozet solicited proposals from local contracting agents to supply slave labor.
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November 1, 1854 | Letter
Attorney General W.P. Bocark's Opinion Regarding the Bureau of Public Works' Liability for Slaves Killed on Blue Ridge Railroad, November 1, 1854
When two slaves were killed on the Blue Ridge Tunnel project, slaveholders held the Virginia Board of Public Works, which had hired slaves through contractors, liable for the losses. Affidavits were taken on the value of the slaves, their character and history. The Attorney General of Virginia, W. P. Bocock, ruled that whether the slaves were killed on the Virginia Central Rail Road Co. or the Blue Ridge project was immaterial, and that the Board of Public Works was liable for reasonable compensation to the slaveholders.
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November 5, 1854 | Letter
Letter from Claudius Crozet to the Virginia Board of Public Works, November 5, 1854
Claudius Crozet comments on the problems with white labor on the Tunnel project, and the possibilities for increasing the use of black slaves.
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December 1, 1854 | Letter
Letter from Claudius Crozet Reporting the Condition of Work Under his Charge, December 1, 1854
Commenting on the unreliablity of Irish labor, Claudius Crozet recommends to the Board of Public Works that they hire black enslaved labor instead.
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December 28, 1854 | Letter
Letter from Claudius Crozet to the Virginia Board of Public Works, December 28, 1854
In one of his regular reports to the Board of Public Works, Claudius Crozet comments on the use of enslaved labor and the use of "time" that its employment enables. Because slaves were worked longer hours, often in gangs, and not paid by the hour, unlike whites, they could be transferred from one task to the next until their annual hire was renegotiated with the slaveholder.
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April 13, 1860 | Letter
Letter from Danforth H. Ainsworth to Samuel B. Reed, April 13, 1860
In this letter from April 13, 1860, Danforth H. Ainsworth writes to Samuel Reed discussing his position in Iowa City, Iowa as resident engineer. He states that he "would like it pretty well if I had only a respectable salary," noting that he had wanted to work on his farm but did not have enough money to "take on the first year's experiments." Ainsworth concludes that he can stand his position so long as it is not often necessary to explain delinquent payments to his suppliers.
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April 30, 1860 | Letter
Letter from John R. Boyle to Samuel B. Reed, April 30 1860
In this letter from April 30, 1860, John R. Boyle writes to Samuel Reed stating that the prospects for railroad work west of Iowa City, Iowa do not look good for the season. He notes that the governor of Missouri vetoed a state bill which had appropriated four or five million dollars "to finish up some of those roads now only part finished," and concludes "R Roading seems to be dead." He asks Reed to let him know if he hears of any work.
