Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-02
The Results Of the Original Research
of Mr.. Marcus Baker.
COLUMBIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING
Stones Set Up on the District Line
a Century Ago.
NJ E Nj DRY OF 'ENFANT


meeting of this newly-organized society.
and the first held since the summer vaca-
ton. A number Of the members have not
yet returned to the city, and the attendance
was, therefore, not large. In addition to
the members there were quite a number
who had accepted invitations to be present.
The subject presented for the consideration
of the society was THE Boundary of the
District Of Columbia" and Mr.. Marcus
Baker read a notwithstanding and in
structive paper. The topic was not a new
one to MIR. Baker, for last year he treated
kindred theme in a paper which he read
before the National Geographic Society on
the surveys of the District, which will be
published in the proceedings Of that body.
The paper read by Mr.. Baker last even
ing contained the important results of some
original research which has occupied his
spare moments during the past summer
As there is no official record Of the stones
which are set up more than 100 years ago
to mark the boundaries Of the then ten
miles square, known as the District of CO.
iumbia, Mr.. Baker determined to ascertain
whether these stones were still in existence
and their condition. From an examination
previously made of one or two of the stones
which marks each mile on the four lines, he
learned that they contained the record of
the variation of the compass. From recent
surveys he found that the modern reading
Of the compass differed from that of the
record contained on these stones, and the
extent of this variation, he said, was a
matter OF scientific interest
Condition of the stones.
He gave a short but interesting account
of the instructions issued by Gen. Washing
ton for surveying the bounds of the District
and said that they showed the practical
knowledge which the first President po-
sessed of the science of surveying. Each Of
the four lines, it was specified, should be
ten miles hong, but Washington added that
they should be continued to the point of
meeting. The lines were not exactly the
length provided. The eastern line, for exam
pie, was some 2UO feet longer than the
stipulated length, and there was also a
small excess in one of the other lines The
bounds of the District therefore instead of
being square formed an oblong. Mr.. Bakers
personal tour of observation of these stones
be gan with the first stone which was set
up at Hunting Creek, below Alexandria.
AS this stone is now in the foundation of
the hshtnouse at that point, it could not be
examined The next stone, going north is
IN the back yard of DIR. Rabbits house in
AieAahdria These Stones he said, were
TWO feet high by one foot square and were
n.aue Vi the sandstone which was used for
the construction of the Capitol and the
PRESIDENTS house and the early department
buildings.
At this point Mr.. Baker paused to call at
Lloh 10 the perishable character of such
records. Although they had been craven on
stone, yet little more than one hundred
years after the record had been made IL
was practically obliterated. He said that
one stones IN virginia were in a very bad
condition, having been used apparently dur
ing the war as targets for rifle practice
ihose In Maryland were in better condition,
put even with the best of them 1t was diff
cult to decipher the Inscriptions.
Valuable Record.
lie LII,
and the difficulties in locating them afforded
a good deal of amusement. While it was
possible, with the aid of map to get with
in the near vicinity of the stones, yet the
exact spot where they stood could only be
learned by patient tramping through woods
and fields and inquiry from those who lived
in the locality. The first stone on the Mary
land side, he said, is located near the Con-
duit road and its situation is marked by it's
near proximity TO the ruins of an old cock
pit, which was freQuented by those fond of
this brutal sport, who were obliged to go
outside of the District in order to crafty
their tastes IN this particular. A similar
COCKPIT was found near boundary stone
which is on the Naylor road. Mr.. Baker
copied carefully the inscriptions as they &C
tually exist today on each of the stones. so
that his researches furnish a record of their
condition 1O2 years after they were set up.
He said that the dates cut in the stones
showed that those in Virginia were set up
in the year 1871, and that those in Mary
land were placed in position in the year
1892.
MIR. Bakers paper aroused the greatest
interest among the members of the society,
and at its close number of questions were
asked, which ELECTED additional facts Mr..
NJ. w. Gait inquired about the stone which
marked the center of the District, location
which is near the Washington monument.
Mr.. Baker had also Investigated that matter
and described the surveys made under di-
rectiOn of President jefferson for determin-
ing the meridian of Washington and the
setting up of stone near the Washington
monument and also one on 10th street, near
the site of the old standpipe. He had learn
ed from one of the local histories that the
stone which was supposed to mark the Dis
trict center was AT the corner of 18th and X
streets. and was used as carriage step.
He went there, but did not find it, but SUBJ
sequenty learned that the supposed stone
was at the reform school for boys, where it
was used as a hitching post. He saw this
stone, but found that the inscriptions had
practically disappeared; but it was evident
that it was once used to mark the meridian
line, and was probably the one erected at
the head of 18th street.
The Memory of L'Enfant.
Mr.. Baker had number of early maps
of the District, which were examined by
the members. This naturally caused some
reference to be made to Maj. LEnfant,
who designed the plan of the city, and to
MT. EIllcOtt, VINO maze the surveys.
DR.. James w. Morgan, who has quite a
of the original letters written to
and by Maj. LEnfant, presented two which
were written by Thomas Jefferson to Maj.
l. Enfant in regard to the surveys. He
also exhibited a rare old print of the origi-
nal l. Enfant map.
Mr.. John A. kasson. the ex-minister to
Germany, spoke of conversation he had
held with the late w. w. Corcoran in re-
gard to erecting fitting memorial to the
great French engineer in this city. He
learned from Mr.. Corcoran that Congress
had sent to LEnfant a check for f4VU in
payment of his services, which the naughty
Frenchman had returned, saying that if
his services were not worth more than that
amount they were worth nothing. This
check, Mr.. Kasson said, had been returned
TO the United States treasury, where it still
remained, and, with the accumulated in
terest, now amounted to a sum which
would be ample to meet the expenses of
erecting the proposed monument While a
member of Congress he had introduced a
bill for this purpose, but soon after he had
resigned his seat to accept a diplomatic
position, and had therefore not been able
TO push the measure. 1t had remained for
gotten in the pigeon-hole of the committee
room. He thought that the society would
do well to take up this matter, as it would
be late. but deserved honor to the men,
DRY of the creator of the plan of the can