New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-22
AN OLD-TIME ARCHITECT.


DAYS OF THE REPUDLIc-sKr1Cn OF THE RISE
AND FALL OF ROBERT MORRISBRIGHT CAREERS
ENDED AMID SHADOWS
About five miles from the City of Washing ton, on
what is called the Sligo Branch of the Anacostia
River-Oherwise the Eastern Branch of the Poto-
mac-is the large stone mansion of George Riggs
the Washington banker 1t replaces a frame build
ing two stores and an attic high and OF long and
peculiar construction which was torn down some
time previous to 1880. Hero lived. through the
closing months of his life. Major Pierre Charles
LEnfant the first architect and civil engineer of
any consequence i'll the United States.
1t was he who designed the Federal Hall in New
York City, or rather transformed old building
which had stood there, and adapted it to the uses
of Congress- in 1889. The artistic resources of the
new Government were then poor that it was
thought fortunate that there was in America man
with the capacity to put up architectural IA
cade. For that work he was given ten acres of
ground in the city commons comprising some of the
richest real estate in the world, AMI undoubted V
worth millions. perhaps tens of millions now yet
by that system of oversight and ingratitude often
noted in popular Governments the old man never
actually received a foot of the ground, and no
money, for his pains.
few weeks or months hence, in accordance with
recent act of Congress, q statue Of Washington
will be raised on the steps of the Sub Treasury at
the head of Broad-st., New-York, to commemorate
Federal Hail. But il there still exists the curiosity
to see the head of the chtect the die or base
of the statue, there is probably portrait Of him
extant.
LEnfant also was sent to France by the Society
of the Cincinnati, one of the vessels of Robert
Morris, to arrange for the engraving of the gold
badge OF that society and he received its thanks III
an elaborate paper. sealed with its seal, making
him a draft for sum of money. The writer has
ne in wi a IA OFT "
the old man has written the corner: " The draft
voted was never drawn, nor any equivalent to it,"
The next step of Major LEnfant was to design
and commence the erection Philadelphia of the
most ambitious house which had then been put up
in any city of he country-that of Robert Morris,
the tnancier 1t gives the first instance ever seen
on the Western Continent of Mansard roofs, which
q century afterward became common here. The
building never finished, the estimates being
too small, and the owners money too irregularly
forthcoming. While he at work on this house.
the President and Secretary of State selected him
to plot the site of the Federal city, which he had
completely done on paper and partly done the
landscape when he became involved in Quarrels
with the rapacious lot holders of Washington and
was discharged because he would not let them take
advantage of his design and buy where they pleased
to the prejudice of future public architecture.
The last work of Major LEnfant was to design the
fort now called Washington, the Potomac River
nearly opposite mount vernon, during the war of
1872. While here his acquaintance with the pro-
prietor of the ground. Mr. Thomas Digges. became
Intimate and at the close of the he remained on
his farm as the superintendent and friend of the
owner, and had nearly reached his seventeen wear
when his inirmities were relieved by death, and
he lis now buried in the garden of Riggs's farm,
among myrtle vines under cedar trees.
PROPHET WITHOUT FAME.
The prominence of Major L'Enfant's name as the
planner CT the Capital City-which plan for so
long period was condemned as utterly extrava-
giant, and has more recently been as extravagaLtly
praised as its perspectives and landscape effects
come out IN the tracery of houses and trees, may
have led the reader suppose that all the particu
lars of his life we'll known. On the contrary
he is of the most obscure characters in Ameri-
can annals Although appointed by President
Monroe professor of Engineering at West Point. the
industry of General Cullum. in his three large vol
umes of the biography of the institution, has been
unable to tell his birthplace. AT his death, his
letters and papers were appraised with all his other
effects at the total value of some 81. and instead
OF falling into the hands of the Government they
were taken at the valuation by Mr. William Dudley
Digges, and probably few persons have looked
them over.
The writer's interest in the subject arose from
desire to write Christmas story on the pathetic
circumstances of the old Majors lonely decease
and fearing that from ignorance offence might be
inquiry was made if any of the Digges family was
still alive L'Enfant died in the spring of 1925.
and in the interval of tftysix years it was prob
able that the Digges family had been exception
to the usual mortality of old people on the western
peninsula of Maryland, who commonly said to
die on the spot of their origin. preceded by the
tumblng ruins of their old tobacco sheds. 1t was
found, however that Mr.. Digges was living under
the benevolent of one of the pretty institutions
which have sprung up around the Capital City,
Another direct descendant of the family was the
wife of Dr.. James +. Morgan, a prosperous phys-
clan of Washington. Calling at this house, arrange
ments were made for the writer to look over such
portions of the L'Enfant papers as had been ar.
ranged and he was told that there a large bag
full not yet ransacked.
THE OLD ARCHITECTS HISTORY.
Examining these papers several hours one oven
Ing, the story of the old began to take Inca
ments and associations. 1t does not appear from
what portion of France he came, but that he a
young officer in the French Unexpectedly born
175S-who came to America time about or
after 1777 is plain. He wounded at the assault
on Savannah under the Count dEstang thrown
into the ditch and made prisoner, and in 1892 was
exchanged for Lieutenant DE Heyden. of the Aus
pach fagers. His parole in French and English is
extant. AS most of the French contingent set sail
from America soon after this time, Lieutenant
EEnfant became in a measure distinguished as a
voluntary resident, perhaps citizen of the country
with variety of ornamental knowledge more taste
than was fashionable and considerable suggestive
ness as TO public monuments. He became Major of
Engineers 1888.
At that time Philadelphia the most flourish
Ing city in the country and had become the seat of
what was virtually the United States Bank the
creation of Robert Morris, to supply the Govern