To George Washington from Robert Townsend Hooe and David Ross, 31 October 1793
From Robert Townsend Hooe and David Ross
George Town 31st Octr 1793.
Sir
We have according to your appointment1 at the instance of the Commissioners of the City of Washington examined their Accounts, and find themselves charged to the State of Virginia £30.000. the State of Maryland £27.000 and for Lots and other articles sold £6.005.14.9. Amounting to the Sum of £63.005.14.9. And we find vouchers of Expenditure, up to the 30th Instant, to the Amount of £50.502.9.9.¼ including the purchase of the Quarry of White Stone, leaving a Balance in Mr William Deakins’s hands their Treasurer £12.500.4.11.¾, of whic⟨h⟩ £6.743.12.10.½ is Cash in hand, the Balance consists of an Order in his favor on the State of Virginia not yet received. It may not be improper to add that besides this balance there is £15.000 of the Donation of the State of Virginia not yet drawn for.2 And the Commissioners have already sold Lots to the Amount of £89.568.9.8.¼ payable by installments and including a contract, with one of the purchasers to build Annually Ten Houses for seven years, each House to cover at leas⟨t⟩ 1200 square Feet of Ground.3 We have the Honor to be Sir with the greatest Respect Yr Most Obt Servts
R. T. Hooe
David Ross
Copy, DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Proceedings, 1791–1802.
A note preceding the copy of this letter states that Hooe and Ross “made their report to the President, a Copy thereof they delivered the Commissioners, and is as follows.”
1. For the appointment see GW to Ross and Hooe, 9 September.
2. In 1790 the Virginia legislature had agreed to advance $120,000 to the federal government for the construction of public buildings at the Federal City, payable in three equal yearly installments (, 13:125).
3. This contract was made with James Greenleaf on 23 Sept. (see GW to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 20 Aug., n.3).