Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-08

til guia. rrSe-liLlons- The filing up OF the
canal has add Il TO this prop ,rty I'VE acres at
the Smithsonian grounds, and eleven htrtS NJ
the monument lot. The avenues, streets, 'lliF,
and res .rvationS have been iu iiGiaNT ie id al
to be the roo crty of the United Stat 5 al5ho Ign
the trustees never transferred the title tho lgh
often called upon by the commissioners 80 to IL.
1t appears by the records that the transfer was
prevented by some OF the Origlna propriesors.
who were dissatisfied with their allotnents and
who threatened the trustees with an Injunction
II they ATTEMPTED II.
Major L'Enfant drew the original plan of the
city. but some parts Of this were diSa proved
by the President and another plan varying in
some minor particulars was drawn by Mr.. Ell
colt, purporting to be from actual surveys.
through the United States and copies sent to
public agents in Europe; but on attempting to
trace out this plan on the site OF the city. many
other alterations were found necessary; some OF
the streets and squares, which on paper APP
peared to be at some distance from the water,
being found, on survey, to lie In the Potomac:
These changes caused many complaints, as lot
owners found the exact locality and surround
fngS Of their property uncertain. Complaints
were also caused by sales of lots In what were
supposed to be reservations, and by an attempted
grant by the Commissioners OF building SITE
In the Presidents square, to the queen OF Por-
tugal The policy of granting lots 10 Foreign
powers appears to have been a favorite one with
both President Washington and the Commits SION
ers as is shown by the following circular letter,
copy or which was sent to each foreign minis
ter then accredited to this country:
Sir: We are happy In having 1t In our power,
with the appreciation of the President
of the United States, to offer to your
ington. for the residence OF its minister ne lr
the United States. Should your government be
disposed to accept such grant, it will give us
great pleasure to Accommodate you agree lbly
both In point of situation and quantity of
ground. whenever it may suit you to make the
selection, and we shall feel ourselves much
gratified should this measure in any degree con-
tTlDutp 70 cpmnntinp that Dpapp and harmony
which now happily prevails between the two
nations, and which it is the interest Of both
countries to render perpetual.
w. THORNTON.
A. WHITE.
Circular to r. Liston, esq.,, British minister
and others, ministers resident.
1t does not appear that more than two OF the
representatives of foreign powers attempte1 TO
avail themselves of this offer. The Chevalier
Yrujo, Spanish minister, came to Washington
and selected site on which to build residence.
The lots selected by him. however, proved to be
private property, and the Commissioners were
this country which could give away the properly
OF private citizen without the consent OF the
owners. They were yet to discover that they
The Portuguese minister. Chevalier Cyprlano X.
Fereire, selected a portion of the .PreSld ent'S
Square" below the present State Department.
The Commissioners confirmed this selection,
and made out a deed to her most faithful
Majesty, the Queen OF Portugal" for a lot OF a
little over two acres. This deed was approved
by the President. and duly executed but on
being transmitted to the Attorney General he
returned it, with the information that only Con
gress was competent to give away the pubic
property an idea which seems to have never oc
CURED to either the President or the COmnis
SionerS The Commissioners could only express
their regrets to- the Chevalier, and their intea-
ton to ask Congress to confirm the gift, but the
continuation was never obtained.
NOte.-CitMenship is not required in the Dis
trict of Columbia as condition precedent to
title in real estate. An act of the Legislature OF
Maryland, passed November, 1892, contains the
following clause:
SO That any foreigner may. by deed or will,
hereafter to be made, take and hold lands With
in that part of the said territory (the DiStrict
which lies within this state. in the same manner
as If he was a citizen OF this state, and the SANE
lands may be conveyed by him, and transmitted
to, and inherited by his heirs or relations as II
he and they wel2 citizens. Provided That no
foreigner shall Il virture hereof, be entitled TO
any further or 6 ler privilege as citizen"
This act is still in force in the District. 1t was
intended to encourage the purchase of lots and
building of residences by the representatives OF
foreign governments.