Evening star., 1894-04-07


present day. L would not have it under
stood from hence mat / lean to extrava-
gance. A chaste plan sufficiently capacious
ana convenient for period not too re-
mote, but one to which we may reasonably
look forward, would meet my ideas in the
Capitol. For the Presidents house would
design a building which should also look
forward, but execute no more OF it, at pres
ent than might suit the circumstances of
this country when it shall be first wanted.
A plan comprehending more may be exc
cuted at a future period, when the wealth.
population and Importance of it shall stand
upon much higher ground than they do at
present"
OF the plans presented for the Presidents
house that of Capt. James Hoban was
preferred, and he was employed TO supern-
tend its construction, at a salary Of 800
guineas per year, the commissioners stipu-
lating that his draft and attention may be
other objects they may choose" The term
Palace was, at that time, frequently ap-
piled to the Executive Mansion.
OF the plans for the Capitol. those pre-
sented by DR.. William Thornton and Mr..
Stephen Hallett were considered the best,
and there was some hesitation as to which
of the two should be adopted. Finally, a
compromise was reached by the adoption
of Thornton's plan with some notifications
by Hallett, and the latter was appointed
architect to superintend the construction.
The cornerstone Of the Presidents house
was laid October 13, 1892. The mouse was
constructed by Hoban, and rebuilt by him
after its destruction by the British in 1914.
The location OF the Presidents house and
of the Capitol had been determined by Maj.
l. Enfant.
The Capitol Site.
For the Capitol. he selected Jenkins
Height, declaring that after much search
he could find no site so advantageous as
that on the west end of Jenkins Height,
which stands a pedestal waiting for
monument" The cornerstone of the origi-
nal north wing of the Capitol was laid by
Gen. Washington with appropriate Masonic
and military services, September Is, 1913.
Its construction was begun by Mr.. Halett,
and finished by Mr.. G. Hadfield and Capt.
| Hoban in 1900 Its cost was $3.50, 262. 81. 1t
was occupied for many years by the Senate,
| but after the marble building now known
| as the Senate wing was constructed, II was
turned over 10 the Supreme Court. The
erection OF the south wing was begun in
| 1903, under the superintendent of the ar
chitect, Henry B. Latrobe of Baltimore. and
! finished by him In 1898. at cost cf $685.,
SOS IA. In it was the old Hall of Represen-
| tauveS-now Statuary Hall This center
| building was not begun until 1878. and was
! finished IN 1927, at a cost of S957. .647.3 .35.
/ The buildings now occupied by the Senate
! and House of Representatives were erected
| many years after. Mr.. Force, in his pic
lures of Washington" published in 1Si5
| mentions an interesting incident. 1T is a
historical fact that even far back as
]
| lutionary war, the site of the city of Wash
| ington was laid out, and called Rome
4 A gentleman by the name of Pope was the
/ proprietor of the soil, and the 'Tiber' ran
| through his tract The stream still flows
at the foot of the Capitoline Hill. and has
| Its ancient name of fame" Since that was
written the Tiber has lost its local habta-
/ tion and its name in Washington, but every
/ few years flood shows where il once
| wound its sinuous course through the mea-
| dows. across which Pennsylvania avenue
| now stretches its asphalt way.
Private Buildings.
! The style to be adopted in the erection
Of private buildings was also a matter Of
! consideration to the commissioners, and in
this connection the irregular form of many
of the lots. especially those at the intersec-
tion Of the avenues and streets. was 8 per-
| picking element. Here jefferson came to
their assistance with the benefit of his cb-
servations in Europe. He writes: The an
| gular buildings at the commencement of TIE
avenues may probably be offensive to the
eye II not well managed. 1 have seen this
deformity oDviated by terminating the
house at that end with a bow-windoy or
with a semi-circular portico, and with other
similar fancies." To this suggestion WASH
mgton' perhaps, owes the bow-winiow, in
all It's attractive variations, that beautify
SO many of our triangular lots TODAY To
him also we may be indebted for the shade
trees that constitute such a charming fea-
m
ers: Should not rows of trees in the ave-
nues and streets be object of early at
tention?' Subsequently under his adninis-
tratio1 Pennsylvania avenue was planted
the treasury.
In December, 1892. Mr. Blodgett. who
seems 10 9laNe been gentleman of mag
nllcent Ideas, came forward with another
proposition. Mr. Jefferson thus states IL
TO the commissioners: Mr. Blodgett has a
scheme in contemplation for purchasing
ana building whole street in the new citv
ana any one of them which you may think
best. The magnitude of the proposition oc-
casioned 1t to be little attended to in the
oeglnning. However great as it is, il is
believed by good judges to be practicable
The street most desirable to be built IN ar
| once we suppose to be the broad one lead
ing from the Presidents house to the Can't
| tol And he suggests that the SQUARES on
| both sides of Pennsylvania avenue be laid
| off at once, so to be ready for sale in
case Mr.. Blodgett's scheme should be ner
tected. 1t never materialzed. Blod tett
however had impressed Mr.. Jefferson with
the idea that he could be of great service
| TO the cause by interesting capitalists AND
| real estate investors in the federal city and
III January, lI93 he was appointed agent
under the commissioners, with a salary Of
sooo' payable in money or lots"
| Maj. EIlicotrs Retirement.
About this time difficulties that had been
pending for some time between the commits
sioHers ana MAJ. Ellicott eliminated The
| commissioners thought he was too slow I'm
the work Of his survey and expressed their
| dissatisfaction. A correspondence ensued
| which resulted in Ellicotts giving them
| notice that he should quit their em,,lov-
| ment In the following May. In his last
| letter to them he said:
That you should pass a general ceosure
| on work You say You do not understand
| and great part of which you never saw is
| TO me most extraordinary circumstance
| General censures are, in my opinion. the
| most ungenerous mode of commencing an
attack. L shall therefore make it a point
10 vlndlcate myself as publicly as possible"
rms threat of newspaper war was COM
munlcated by the commissioners to The
President with the statement: I'VE feel
a strong disinclination to 20 into discus
| sions before the public and believe we shall
| not be driven into It,"
Both washington and Jefferson interyen-
ed to quiet matters. and the former wrote
Gen. Forrest friend of Maj. Ellcott's:
L perfectly agree with you that the city
mas INFINITELY more to dread from the dis
cord and want of union among its friends
than from all the power of its enemies
| The dispute between the parties is but lit
tie known outside of Geogeto yn, and if
Maj. Ellicott is as friendly toward the fed
eral city as he processes to be he will give
up the idea of a newspaper controversy on
the subject" The efforts of the peace