The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-17
HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
THE CAPITOL AT WAsHTsaroy
sTARfEDIS 1923.
The Centennial Celebration OF tn. LAYING
of the Cornerstone at Hand.
Changes Made.

| tSUnb,
The cornerstone for the Capitol, the
| Federal House for Congress-" was laid
September IS. 1873. by President George
Washington. The commissioners appointed
to lay out the national capital acted under
| Instructions ITO procure suitable buildings
! for the accommodation Of Congress and
| the President and for the public Offices Of
! tie government OF the United States"
! The name Capitol was selected for the
/ Federal House because the French en-
| gfneer. Major Pierre Charles FEnfant,
| who had been chosen to draw tho new
federal town" after IL had been decided
| to remove the seat Of government from
Philadelphia, happened to designate its
| site By that word on the design.
| The commissioners offered prize OF $500
| and a building lot for the best design Of
| the Capitol, and their invitation was an
! syvered by sixteen architects In the prin-
| cipal cftieS who sent drawings Mr. JEFF
| ferson was then Secretary OF stats. lie
! very carefully examined the designs, and
rejected all as beneath serious consider
alton. His range Of vision contemplated
"the adoption Of some Of the models Of
| antiquity. which have had the approba-
! ton OF thousands Of years"
There was living In New York about
| this time q young French architect named
! Stephen Hallet, who IN July, 1872 sent
to the commissioners the draft Of q de-
sign which met with favor. He was in
vited TO come 10 Washington and examine
| the site chosen for the Capitol In order
that he might perfect his design, which.
In a general wGy. had been approved
Architects clarrel.
About the same time an Englishman,
Or. William Thornton, who had come to
the United States from the West Indies,
presented O hlghly-coiOred and elaborate
| design TO the President and Secretary Of
State. which proved the stumbling block
| In Hallets path TO glory. Thornton was
but an amateur craftsman, but his design
| so pleased Washington and Jefferson that
! they asked the commissioners Ia a COM
munlcation TO adopt ThomtOn's design in
stead Of Hallets. AT the same time they
suggested they do # "~'ith delicacy," and
advised the employment Of the French
man as super Ssing architect, inasrnuch
as Thornton had no practical knowledge
Of architecture When Hallet heard this
he Immediately began 80 improve his de-
sign. Thornton also improved and worked
out IA detail his, and q great rivalry
spraug up between the two competitors
for the honor OF designing the federal
building for the rising nation Of the West,
during which Hahet accused Thornton OF
having appropriated bis ideas from the
rough sketches, and merely drawing
out IN detail the plans he had thus OBJ
talned Thornton stOutly denied the
charge, and being able 20 convince the
commissioners that It was not well found
Oh. received the prize and had his design
accepted, while Hallett's grief and disap-
pointment were softened by his appoint
ment as supervising architect at a salary
Of 81 900 q year. And so work was begun
on the great edihco.
The cornerstone was laid I'm the south
east corner Of what was Intended 20 be
the north wing Of the Capitol. on It was
placed a large silver plate inscribed with
the following words:
This southeast cornerstone of the
Capitol Of the United STATES Of America,
ih the city OF Washington. was laid on
the 18th day OF September, 1898. ia the
thirteenth year Of Amcrea n independence
in the first year OF the second term of
the presidency Of George Washington,
conspicuous and beneficial as his military
ValOr ana prudence have been useful IN
establishing her liberties, and in the year
OF Masonry 57s3, by the President OF the
United States In concert with the Grand
Lodge Of Maryland, several lodges under
its jurisdiction, and Lodge No. %, from
Alexandria"
There is still In existence an ancient ac-
count Of the cornerstone laying or Sep
tember IS, 1913, which says that a barbe-
cue feast was INDUCED In by all who par
ticlpated in the ceremonies. No record
can be found Of the Grafton which Presl-
dent Washington IS believed to have de-
Nvered; but Sc IS known that an impress
sive address was made by the grand mas
ter OF the Maryland Masona.
The quarrel between Hahett and DIT.
Thornton broke out anew a few months
after the cornerstone laying. The latter
mad been appointed one Of the commits
sioners. who had requested Hallet 10 fur
nlsh them with his drawings and designs.
Hallet peremptOri'v refused and was ac-
cCrdingly dismissed from the public ser
vice His place was given 10 George
Headneld, an Engllshman, who had been
highly recommended by James Hoban,
the architect OF the White House. Head
field took charge Of the work, but II was
not long until be, too became involved In
Il quarrel With the commissioners and
was forced 20 retire. Whereupon Hoban
was appointed. He continued the work
until the north wing was finished, 81 1890.
Washington Watched Il.
The construction Of the south wing was
in 1903 placed IN the hands OF benjamin ii.
Latrobe. who studied architecture under
Cockrell, OF London, one OF the most en-
inent architects Of his time.
Mr.. Latrobe came 20 the United states
in 1895, and was introduced TO Judge Bush
rod Washington. a nephew OF the Presi-
dent, at Norfolk Va. Bushrod took Mr..
Iatrobe to Mount Vernon TO form the
acquaintance Of Washington. The Eng
lishman made favorable impression on
tho President, and frequently after that
he was consulted In regard 10 the public
buildings.
The north wing had been poorly con-
structed, and when Mr.. Latrobe was EN-
ployed by the commissioners II was under
Instructions TO build the south wing and
remodel the north in accordance with MS
own plans He finished the work In ISL,
and connected the two wings by means OF
a scaffolding or bridge, which stood where
is now the rotunda- The two wings OF
the edlfice were built OF sandstone quar-
ried on an island In Aqua Creek, which
empties into the Potomac, about forty
miles below Washington. The bricks used
I'm the inside work were made in kilns on
the Capitol grounds
A chronicier says: Congress had occu-
pied the building since 1900, and al the
time the British troops invaded the city
August "a, 1914, the new Capitol looked
quite imposing on its hiii top"
Burned by the British.
The burning Of the National capitol by
the British is one OF the most tragic events |
in American history. The invaders were
by General Ross and Admiral |