Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-31
pressed it, he would not allow them to take al-
| vantage Of his design and buy where they
pleased to the prejudice of future public archi-

lecture
QUARREL WITH THE CARROLL FAMILY.
The most important Of the many disputes In
which the engineer involved himself was with
the wel-known Carroll family. They had begun
the construction Of a new brick mansion on
their estate. called 'Duddington." south OF
the site of the Capitol where the building
which was finally erected still stands. This
mouse, as 1t happened, was located right In the
center of one of IEnfants projected streets
and. considering himself military officer re-
sponsble only to the government, he directed
his assistants to rae the new building to the
ground. which they did. Washington wrote
letters to the engineer warning him that he and
everyone was subordinate to the neighborhood
law. As the difficulties with the owners and
Others increased Thomas Jefferson wrote to
Major l. Enfant. advising him to be more con-
siderate and to subscribe to the condition of
things. But the Frenchman, with his irascibIe
temper. was in no mood to be polite. Finally he
was removed by direction of Washington be-
cause he refused. among other things to ex-
pose his plans to the inspection of the public in
order that they might select lots to be purchase
at the public sales. He defended his action by
asserting that they would at once seize upon the
best lands in his yistas and architectural
squares and raise huddles of shanties which
would permanently disigure the city.
LENFANT IN OBsCURrTY.
After he was relieved as engineer OF the capt.
tai city. for a period of some twenty years
LEnfant is lost sight of, and the few letters
preserved among his papers give the only traces
OF him. Hamilton writes to him several times,
inviting him to come to dinner or to supper and
discuss some question of taste. President Madi-
son appointed him professor of engineering at
West Point but upon the commission which
was sent him the old man wrote Not &C
cepted, but not refused" During this period
he was in comparatively comfortable circum-
ha ST mr. liz bjSf
TO secure the amounts due him from the Society
OF the Cincinnati, aud writes bitterly to Robert
Morris He was bachelor and by living at the
hoSpltable houses OF friends he managed to keep
within his income.
THE ENGINEER OF FORT WASHINGTON.
When the war of 1912 broke out and it became
necessary To build a fort on the Potomac for the
protection of the capital, James Monroe. the
Secretary of War; selected L'Enfant as the engi-
neer in charge, and particularly cautioned him
that his critics had said he was too expensive
and too slow in his construction. The Major
planned the work. but again. not agreeing with
the authorities. he was dismissed.
From the date of his retirement from this the
last official position which he held, Major l. En-
fant tor some seven Years lived ut Warburton
Manor. the estate of Thomas Digges which was
in the neighborhOOd of Fort Washington. Only
few bricks and stones now mark the site of
the residence of one of the oldest and best
known families in Maryland After the death of
Mr. Dlgges Major L'Entant was unable to live
on friendly terms with the family. and so ac-
ccpted an invitation of VIM. Dudley Digges, a
nephew of Thomas Digges. to make his home
with him, Mr. Dfgges lived at a place called
Green Hill. about five miles northeast OF this
city. On the site of the old house the stone
mansion of the late Geo. W. Riggs now stands
1t was about the year 1924 that the old officer,
then on the verge of seventy years. repaired to
MS new home. Then after a troublOus career.
the first architect and engineer in the United
states passed peacefully away. His death oc-
Cured in the spring of 1875. He was buried in
the garden, where his remains still repose, with
nothing to mark his last resting place. The
spot is thickly grown with myrtle vines, and
lies within the shadow OF pine tree.
E,Enfant's Original Plan.
A TIME-STAINED AND TATTERED PAPER IN THE
POSSESSION OF ARCHITECT CLARKE.
Thrown in careiessly among a mass of maps
and plans in the gloomy little basement room
occupied by the architect of the Capitol. has
lain. for years, the original plan of Washington.
drawn by I.'Enfant in 1890, from which Andrew
El!icott's pan'was made in 1892 The Ellicott
plan is better known through its having been
very deliberately engraved and representing
instead OF the bowling wilderness that the new
washington then was. a city of unparalleled
magnitlcence. and circulated to the extent of
thousands of copies. L'Enfant's plan was never
engraved and Is yellow and worn with age. 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. The
plot itself 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 1870 as TO the national capital which
We're never carried into effect
IDEAS NOT CARRIED OUT.
One was for a national church, and the refer
ence to the point. and where the patent Office
now is. says:-'.This church is intended to be for
national purposes. such spublic prayer thanks
giving. funeral orations, ETC. 1t is not to be as
signed to the use OF any particular set or denomi-
nation but it 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 of grateful nation" A historic
column was to be located on point B. which
shOnld be one mile from the federal house or
Capitol, and should form the measure of dis
tances 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 a monument of it's rise and its achieve
mentS
At another point On the plot great cascade
was to be made out of Tiber Greek, and this was
TO be one ofthe sights of the city.
THE EASTERN AVENUE
An avenue was to run from the Capitol east to
the Potomac branch, 165 feet wide and 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 were divided among each
OF the fifteen states OF the Union. either to inn
prove or to furnish sum nf money equal to the
value OF the land to be used for their improve
ments- Each square will admit of statues. ODE
liSks, or any other ornaments, such as the state
may select TO perpetuate the memory and honor
of such individuals as were conspicuous in Civ
ing this country liberty and independence. aud
also noted heroes Of other ages and countries.
An Alaska Fish Yarn.
The San Francisco Cal of recent date has the
following:
Captain James Carroll for some time pest
has been master Of the steamer Idaho. plying
between Portland and Alaska, and not mixing
up much with the crowd Of shippers about
Broadway dock, it was to be expected that in
drawing the long bow he could not keep I'D
with the others. but since his return to this
port he has made it evident that his skill ex-
ceeds that Of his rivals. Alaska has for many
years been spoken of as most wonderful coun-
try and Astounding in game, gold and scenery.
but according to CAROLS yarns the half has
never been told. Yesterday the subject of fish
I'M md inc