National Republican., 1883-10-12
PLAN OF THE CAPITAL CITY.
Cumulative Evidence that Charles Peter
LEnfant Made It.
And that Eicott, His Successor Simply
Adopted It.
Some Interesting Facts in the Old Time Controversy
Brought 10 Light by Mr.. W. 7. BoOgher.
Tho Controversy About the Carroll House
and Its Result.

Mr.. w. f. Boogher has spent eighteen
months in patient research among tho docu-
ments, records, and letters of tho last ten
years Of tho last century, In the attempt to
discover to whom the honor belongs of plan
ming the city of Washington, The result of
his study will soon bo published in pam
phlet upon az 'Enfant in the Federal City"
Through the kindness of Mr., Boogher, THE
REPUBLICAN is able to give some interesting
facts, Cleaned by him, upon the birth Of the
city. The discussion As to tho author Of the
original plan mt one time bid fair to become
as famous as the war of tho "Separatists,"
that celebrated struggle, on paper to prove
that tho Iliad was the work, not of Homer,
but of q race of bards. The honor of oonceiv-
ing tho plan of Washington city lay be-
tween Charles Peter L'Enfant and Maj.
Andrew Ellicott Although the plans were
made less than hundred years ago, and
although there are voluminous letters aud
documents relating to the event still existing
in the original manuscript, tho adheronts of
the two mon have clung to their varying
faiths with desperate tonacity, and each party
has secuted the idea that the other could be
right John Stewart, custodian of the public
records, has unearthed from an old cupboard
in the basement of the capitol the original
plan made by L'Enfant. 1t is worn by time
and careless keeping, and certain
tents, of which an explanation is
given in tho margin, have entirely
disappeared. Some of tho lines are also
worn out, but enough remains to show what
the plan was In one corner of IL is written
inside o scroll, "The Plan of the City of
Washington, Intended for the Permanent Seat
of the Government of the United States. Pre-
pared Agreeably to tho Directions of the
.1A.. e t.1
of an Act of Congress Passed on the Sixteenth
day of July, 1900, Establishing the Perma-
nent Seat of Government on the banks of tho
Potomac" OF this map Mr.. Boogher has had
several lithographic copies made, and he cs-
tablishes its authenticity as the original plan
by letters and records of which he has official
copies in his possession.
This plan was presented TO President Wash
ngton about July, 1701 and was accompanied
by letter from L'Enfant explaining it, and
suggesting that tho territory be enlarged to
embrace the old and new towns. L'Eniant
was q French engineer, and had been in tho
American army under Washington in tho
revolutionary war. He was retired with the
rank of major, and engaged in business in
New York city as q surveyor. Ho laid out
and surveyed the city of Burlington, N. J..
1t was ut the solicitation of Washington that
he gave up his business, early in 1900, and
camo to Maryland to mako surveys and report
upon the feasibility of locating the federal
city here His original plan did not embrace
the old, towns of Georgetown, Hamburg, and
Carrollsburg On April 49, 1901, Washington
wrote to tho commissioners appointed to
supervise the foundation of the federal city,
that if it was tho intention to include tho
old towns, that was the proper time to do it,
and Maj. L'Enfant might be intrustod to lay
out the whole.
From this point records and letters in
which the plans are referred to, or which
bear upon them, come along in regular order.
On June 90 1901, Maj. L'Enfant wrote from
Georgetown to the commissioners describing
his plan of the federal city and pointing out
the most eligible points for tho executive
offices On Aug. 10 he writes again to the
commissioners upon the same subject These
letters, as well as all others mentioned below,
are in existence and accessible. On Sept. 8,
l79l, the commissioners wrote TO L'Enfant
that they have agreed that tho federal dis
trict shall be called tho Territory of Column
bia, and the federal city shall be called Wash
ington. "The title of the map will therefore
BIO a map of the city of Washington in the
Territory of Columbia" This is tho name
of L'Enfants second map, generally known
as the map of 1902, which was engraved, and
now bears the name of Ellicott. On Aug. 10,
1871, the commissioners write to the presi-
dent, notifying him, among other things, that
Maj. L'Enfant proposes to wait on him with
his plan for his confirmation, They add that
III the new laying out of the city, with the
addition of Carrolsburg and Hamburg as
little alteration and appropriation may be
made as possible, for they will have difficulty
enough ITO reconcile private interest with
public views" L'Gntant's second plan is
here clearly meant, for tho first one had
already been presented to tho president, and
it did not include the old towns.
Jefferson aftorward wrote to the commits
sioners announcing tho arrival of L'Enfant
in Philadelphia, stating that L'Enfant had
presented his plan, and that the president
had called council of several persons, in
Guiding Jefferson and Madison, to consult
about certain improvements based upon the
plan, among them the sale of lots, tho con.
struction of canal from James to Goose
creek, and a bridge over the Potomac. The
president wanted an immediate meeting OF
the commissioners to see about the sale o
lots, and Jefferson writes that he and Madi
son expect to pass through Georgetown soon
and will attend the meeting. This meeting
was held, and Madison and Jefferson were
present. On Oct. II the president made his
tirst order to the commissioners to sell lots
On Nov. the commissioners wrote to G.
Brent confirming Il L'Eniant's contract for
stone quarry, showing that L'Enfnnt wal
then i'll charge.
About this timo LEnfant's dinicultie.
with the commissioners began. The old Carroll
house stood in the way of the improvement,
and. L'llntant ordered It torn down. L'Enfant
was in Philadelphia and tho work here wa!
in charge Of Maj. Robedau, under whom
Ellicott was working as % surveyor. Th,
commissioners were displeased because thu
Carroll house was demolished, and on Nov. %
170l, they wrote TO LEnfant about it
L'Enfant replied Dec that he had used al
efforts Of courtesy to agree with the commits
soners about tho Carroll house, and failing
he could not anord to delay his work wheI
ho was himself under orders. Ho thought
he acted with due proprety, as the house wa
not one of those exempted under the trus
deed made TO the government by the origina
proprietors.
written to the president by L'Enfant about
raising money TO carry on the work. Ono o.
them suggests tho HOLLAND loau," which has
been generally supposed TO have been Jefier,
sons idea. In the following March tho com
missoners wrote to Jefferson about tho in
subordnation of L'Enfant respecting the Car
roll house, and five days afterward Jefferson
replies, giving L'Enfants views but discharg
ing him.
All further account of REnfant's second
map, which was laid before congress in 1902
is contained in n letter of the president, o
Dec /, 1906, notifying tho commissioners o.
his intention to send them by tho first saf,
hands this plan. In the same letter he says
that the idea Of national university was
suggested by Samuel Blodgott, jr. There is
another letter forwarding the plan of l. En-
tant, and an acknowledgement of its receipt
by the commissioners,