Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-09-01
The Capital City.

The washington correspondent of
rpl Gereland Leader writes: 1 came
1 l, the original plan of Washington
u; a'' = little stuffy back room of the base
nnont of the capitol to-day. l do not
n m,ean the plan of Andrew Ellicott, en-
lnnaved in 1892, and the one from which
N comics have been made since then.
an, the simon-pure original paper
,7rswn up by Maj, L'Enfant in 1890. al
,he instance of George Washington.
M was an employee of L'Enfant.
and he took L'Enfant's place after he
left. His plan was that of L'Enfant's.
Nth q few immaterial alterations. and
y is that of Washington to-day. In
1902 thousands of copies of Elicottfs
nlan were engraved similar to the con
here. and these were sent over the
country and to the various capitals of
Europe for the purpose of selling lots.
This was, 1 suppose, the origin Of the
paper city speculation of the frontier.
Washington was a wilderness of swamp
and trees at the time, but to look at the
nlan of Ellicott's you would suppose it
rrivaled Paris in its magniticence. The
Presidents house is engraved upon the
street, the capitol and other public
buildings are represented, andthe parks.
squares, reservations, gardens, and
statues represent a city of 500, 600 people.
1t is all laid out in lots, and this blot
was put by the commissioners into the
hands of agents all over the world to
sell lots seven or eight years before the
capital was moved from Philadelphia.
L'Enfants plan, which was never en-
graved, is yellow with age and worn
With use. The lines marking the lots
have paled until they are almost invisi-
BILE. In half a dozen places it has been
torn and certain colors of ink maintained
on the margin have disappeared entirely.
1t has lately been put under glass in a
closed walnut case, and the old architect
who has charge of it rarely shows it ex-
cept when absolutely necessary. I
don't suppose a dozen men in the coun-
try know of its existence. The plot it.
self is elegantly gotten up, the writing
is like copper-plate, and the whole work
is as beautiful as that of a counterfeiter.
From the marginal notes one sees that
certain ideas were held in 1890 as to
the national capital which were never
carried into effect.
One was for a national church, and
the reference to the point, and where
the patent Office now is, says: ..This
church is intended to be for national
purposes, such as public prayer, thanks
giving, funeral orations, etc. 1t is not
to be assigned to the use Of any particu-
lar set or denomination, but is to be
equally open to all. 1t will be likewise
proper shelter for such monuments as
were voted by the last Continental
Congress for those heroes who fell in
the cause of liberty, and for such others
as may hereafter be decreed by the voice
ola grateful nation"
A historic column was to be located
on point B, which should be one mile
from the federal house or capitol, and
for the continent Of America. On point
G a naval column was to be erected to
celebrate the fo.. nding of the American
navy, and it stands there as a monu-
ment of its rise and its achievements.
At another point on the plot a great
cascade was to be made out of Tiber
Creek, and this was to be one of the
sights of the city.
An avenue was to run from the CAPT.
tol east to the Potomac branch, 165 feet
wide and a mile in length. On each
side of this arcades were to be erected,
and these were to be filled with shops
and fancy stores, going, as it was then
supposed, through the main part of the
city.
The fifteen squares colored yellow
we're divided among each of the fifteen
States of the Union, either to improve or
to furnish a sun of money equal to the
value of the land to be used for their
improvements. Each square will adj
nit of statues, obelisks, or any other
ornaments, such as the State may select
to perpetuate the memory and honor Of
such individuals as were conspicuous in
giving this country liberty and indepen-
lence, and also noted heroes of other
ages and countries.
Here in this same little back room are
Kept a number of autograph letters of
the early Presidents in reference to the
building of the capitol. These include
writings of Washington, Madison, JET
ferson, Monroe, and Adams. They are
pasted in a book and are under care of
an old Scotchman, who is employed as
an architect for the capitol. The fol-
lowing is one of Washington's letters:
.. %(PRIvATE.)
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 3, 1793.-GEETLEMEN:
have under consideration Mr.. Hallett's plans
for the capitol, which undoubtedly have u
great deal of merit. DR.. Thornton has also
given me a view of his. These last came for
ward under some very advantageous circum-
stances. The grandeur, simplicity, and beau
~ OF the exterior, the prOpriety with which
the departments are distributed, and the
economy in the mass of the whole structure
Will, l doubt not, give it a preference in your
eyes, as it has done in mine and of several
others whom I have consulted, and who are
deemed men of skill and taste in architecture.
ihave therefore thought it best to give the
doctor time to finish his plan, and and for this
purpose to delay a decision until the next
meeting. Some difficulty arises in respect to
Mr. Mr. Hallet, who was, you know, led ed into his Il
not induce us to prefer it to a better, but,
while he is literally rewarded for the time
aud labor he has expended on it, his feelings
should be saved and sOOthed as much as pos
sihle. l leave it to yourselves how best to
prepare him for the possibility that the doc
Tors plan may be preferred to his. Some
grounds for this will be furnished you by the
occasion you probably will have for recourse
to him as to the interior apartments, and the
taking him into service at u fixed allowance,
and | understand that his necessities render
It natural that he should know what his al
lowance is.
With great esteem, I am gentleman, your
most Obedient servant. G. WASHINGTON.
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