Vermont Capitol,Superintendent's Office.Montpelier, June 1, 1858

Hon. Geo. P. Marsh --

Page 1

Dear Sir

I have this moment returned from Woodstock & find yours of yesterday I have no means at hand of ascertaining the height at which the statue is to stand from the base of the building, but am quite sure it will be about to the top of the railing The columns are 36 feet, the architrave about 12--the pediment about 10--& 57 feet more to the top of the railing -- The diameter upon the inside of the railing will be very near feet, but the nearest point in front at which the top of the railing can be seen I have at present no means of determining The size or height of

the frame work, or pedestal on which the statue is to stand, has never as yet been agreed upon That can be made as shall be thought best I suppose it should be raised just high enough above the railing as to expose the feet to view from some point of observation in the street or nearly so --

So far as relates to the material to be used for putting the wood together with, I am decidedly in favor of thick white lead paint rather than glue The surfaces to be put together should have one good coat, & thoroughly dried, & then a very coat put on to stick them together with --

I will try to see you in Burlington some day this week --

In hasteT. E Powers

P.S. Mr. Richards writes me that there can be no doubt that the perspective was drawn showing the cupola of the pediments as he proposed to place it T.E P

References in this letter:

Dr. Thomas E. Powers, (1808-1876), of Woodstock, Vermont, was appointed by Governor Fletcher to be the Superintendent of Construction of the 1858-1860 project, to build a new State House in Montpelier to rebuild the structure burned in 1857. He and the architect, Thomas W. Silloway, were soon at loggerheads over their roles in the project. Powers became State Senator in 1861.

Joseph R. Richards was the architect who replaced Thomas W. Silloway in early 1858, when Silloway resigned from the position.