Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-08-08
THE CAPITAL CITY.
The Original Plan of Washington, Made in $780,
The Proposed City as it was on Paper..-An Auto
graph Letter from the First President

| The Washington correspondent of the
| Cleveland Leader writes: I came across
the original plan of Washington in a lit
| tie stutfy back room of the basement Oh
the capitol to-day. do not mean the
plan of Andrew Ellicott, engraved in
| 1892, and the one from which all copies
have been made since then, but the
| slmOn-pure original paper, drawn up by
Maj. LEnfant in 1890, at the instance
OF George Washington. Ellicott was an
employe of L'Enfant, and he took
L'Enfant's place after he left. His plan
was that of L'Enfant's, with few i'm
material alterations, and it is that of
Washington to-day. In 1892 thousands
of copies of Ellicott's plan were en-
graVed similar to the copy here, and
| these were sent over the country and to
the various capitals of Europe for the
purpose of selling lots. This was, I
suppose the origin of the paper city
speculation of the frontier. Washington
was q wilderness of swamp and trees at
| the time, but to look at this plan Of Eli
| colts you would suppose it rivaled Paris
in It's mAgniicence. The Presidents
| house Is engraved upon the street, the
capitol and other public buildings are
represented, and the parks, squares,
reservations, gardens, and statues repre-
sent city of 800, 900 people. It is all
laid out in lots, and this plat 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'Enfant's plan, which was never en-
Sov
use. The lines marking the lots have
paled until they are almost invisible.
| In half 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-
| Dept when absolutely necessary. I don't
suppose q dozen men in the country
know of its existence. The plat itself
is elegantly gotten up, the writing is
like copper plate, and the whole work is
| as beautiful as that Of counterfeiter.
From the marginal notes one gees that
certain ideas were held in 1890 as to the
| national capital which were never car
ried 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 for national purposes, such
as public prayer, thanksgiving, funeral
| Orations, etc. It is not to be assigned
to the use of any particular set or de-
nomination, but is to be equally open to
all. It will be likewise a proper shelter
| for such monuments aB 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 of grateful na-
| tion."
A historic column was to be located
on point B, which should be one mile
from the federal house or capitol, and
| should form the measure of distances
for the continent Of America. On point
@ naval column was to be erected to
celebrate the founding of the American
navy, and it stands there as monument
Of its rise and its achievements.
At another point on the plat great
cascade was to be made out of Tibe1
Greek, and this was to be one of the
sights of the city.
An avenue was to run from the capitol
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 filed with shops
and fancy stores, going, as it was then
supposed, through the main part Of the
| city.
The fifteen squares colored yellow were
to be divided among each of the fifteen
states of the union, either to improve OF
to furnish sum of money equal to the
| value of the land to be used for their i'm
provement. Each square will admit Of
statues, obelisks, or any other orna-
nents, such as the state may select tC
perpetuate the memory and honor Of
such individuals as were conspicuous IL
giving this country liberty and indie.
pendence, and also noted heroes and sages
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
binding of the capitol. These include
writings of Washington, Madison,
Jefferson, Monroe and Adams. They are
pasted in book and are under the care
of an old Scotchman, who is employed
as an architect for the capitol. The fol.
! IOWAuS Is OA0 VI w aSuALS GOA 10bGSISs
(PriYate.)
| PHILADELPHIA, January 3, 1793.-GENTLR-
| MEN: have had under consideration Mr.. Hal
lett's plans for the capitol, which undoubtedly
| have great deal of merit. DR.. Thornton has
also given me view of his. These last came
forward under some very advantageous circum-
stances. The grandeur simplicity and beauty
| Of the exterior, the propriety with which the
| departments are distributed, and the economy
in the mass of the whole structure Will, doubt
not, give it preference in your eyes, as it has
| done IL mine and of several others whom
| have consulted, and W 10 are deemed men of
| skill and taste in architecture. I have there
| fore thought it best to give the doctor time to
| finish his plan, and for this purpose to delay q
| decision until the next meeting. Some difficult
| ty arises in respect to Mr. Hallet, who was, you
know, led into his plan by ideas expressed to
him. This ought not induce us to prefer it to
| a better, but, while he is literally rewarded for
| the time and labor he has expended on it, bis
| feelings should be saved and soothed as much
| as possible. 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