Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-27


carry on the public works The reply is
that Ii is doubtful whether a loan could
De proposed without legislative authority,
or nlled until sale had settled the value
or the lots on which the security for the
loan would rest In answer to other cues
lions. the commissioners saw that the pro-
Poseu construction Of a canal. and of a
Tor money"-that the several proprietors
can only claim pay for their lands out Of
the proceeds Of their sale by the commits
encroachments of any kind on the streets
should be permitted-as to brick or stone
houses, liberty should be allowed "as TO
advancing or Withdrawing the 'front.' but
some limit as to height would be desirable;
no house wall higher than thirty-fve feet
In any part Of the town; none lower than
that on any Of the avenues" AS to the
public buildings, digging earth for bricks
this fall is Indispensable. provision of other
materials to depend on the funds" Plans
should be advertised for, with the promise
OF a medal or other reward for the best.
The various proprietors should be called
upon to ascertain their boundaries previous
to the sale, and a liberal compromise with
the late owners in Hamburg and CAROLS
burg is recommended. as better than dis
contents or disputed titles" The streets
should be named alphabetically north and
south, and numerically east and west, from
the Capitol.
Naming the District and the City.
The Commissioners decided that "the
name Of the territory should be the terri
tory Of Columbia, and that Of the city, the
city of Washington" The term territory"
was afterward changed to District" Thus
on that sth day of September. 1871. there
was double christening, which perpetuated
the names Of the great discoverer and the
great deliverer. No priests We're present at
the ceremony but two Of the first citizens
of the republic-Thomas Jefferson and
James Madison, both future Presidents,
stood sponsors; and in after years faith
fully fulfilled their obligations as such by
contributing their influence in behalf of the
federal city in the years of its infancy.
One of the most important matters dis
cussed at this meeting was the erection of
the public buildings. Nothing could be done
without money, but the Commissioners had
no funds at their command. The money
that the states Of Maryland and Virginia
had agreed to advance was payable In year
ly installments. none Of which were due 1t
was determined, therefore 70 have an i'm
mediate sale of lots, and IL was advertised
to take place on Monday, October Il, 119l.
Maj. l. Enfant had been at work on his
plans for some months, and he was in
structed to prepare a plat of the city. show
ing the streets, public building sites. reser-
vations, &c. Maj. Endicott was employed
to assist him, and especially to take sound
ings of the Eastern branch to be inserted
on the plat. This stream, at that time. was
much deeper than at present, and the gen
eral expectation was that its naTgable wa
tiers would attract commerce anu snip pulio-
ing The former never came, but the Uni
ted States navy yard afterward located
there furnished a good deal OF the latter,
and some of the finest ships or their GATE
were built there.
The sale came off as advertised. but the
weather was bad, the attendance small and
the map was not completed and could not De
exhibited to purchasers. Under these circum-
stances but few lots were sold, ana very
little money realized. 1 have recently given
a detailed account of this sale, in The Star
of December 2.
The Commissioner and Mai. EEnfant.
The failure of Mai. L'Enfant to produce
a complete plan of the city in time for this
sale was a great disappointment TO the
Commissioners and mutual dissatisfaction
began to grow between them, which soon
eliminated in an open rupture. The major
seems to have considered himself as respon-
sible only to the President. while the Com
missioners insisted that the law gave to
them the right of directing all things ana
all persons in matters pertaining TO the lis
trict. L'Enfant openly defed their authcr-
ity His plans were drawn on magnincent
scale and he gave orders for carrying them
out independently Of the Commissioners
and without any regard TO the Iuhus IN
hand. Accustomed to the summary pro-
ceedings of the camp, he had httie resaro
for the forms of law and did not hesitate 10
trample upon them when they came Al ms
way. He gave striking illustrauoh OF
this when he leveled to the ground the eie-
CANT mansion that Daniel Carroll OF Duo
dington one of the Commissioners, nao
erected for his own use. when u Enfants
plans were completed II was found that
this house stood in the middle OF the street
L'Enfanta ordered II taken down. MI car
roll refused to remove II, and was taxing
steps to obtain an injunction from the
courts to prevent L'Enfants interference
with II, when the major anticipated him by
demolishing the house. The President bad
heard of the controversy and had written
L'Enfant advising forbearance, and saying:
1T will always be found sound policy TO
conciiate the good will rather than pro-
woke the enmity of any man, where II can
be accomplished without much difficulty, in
convenience or loss" and he was himself
then in correspondence with Mr.. Carroll
with a view to a compromise providing for
the removal of the house. Unfortunately
the act Of demolition was done before Len
FAINT received his letter. When Washington
heard of IL he was indignant He wrote
Maj. LEnfant: Il have received with sin
cere concern the information from yourself
as well as others that you have proceeded
to demolish the house of Mr.. Carroll of Dud-
dington, against his consent, and without
authority from the Commissioners or any
other person. In this You have laid your
self open to the laws and in a country
where they will have their course. To their
antmadversions will belong the present
case. In future i must strictly enjoin you
To touch no mans property without his con-
sent or the previous order of the Commits
sioners. / wished you to be employed in
the management OF the federal city. ]
still wish IL. but only on condition that you
conduct yourself in subordination to the
authority of the Commissioners, TO whom by
law the business is entrusted, and who
stand between you and the President of
the United States-to the laws of the land
and to the rights of its citizens"
He also wrote to Mr.. Carroll, expressing his
regret at the dispute between himself and
Maj. LEnfant, whose zeal in the public
cause carried him too fast" He declared
that what has been DONE cannot be un-
done, and il would be unfortunate in my
opinion, IL disputes among the friends 10
the federal city should arm the enemies of
1t with weapons TO, wound it." This letter
seems to have quieted Mr.. Carroll but Mai
LEnfant was still tenacious of his sun
posed rights and unwilling to take orders
from the Commissioners. Washington
writes writes him again: IT can .,nly- Cnce
more, and now for all, inform Won that
every matter and thing. which has relation
to the federal district and the city within
II, is committed TO the Commissioners that
1t Is from them you are to derive your
powers, and the line of demarcation for
your government is TO be drawn hy them
The Trouble Breaks Out Afresh.
The President still had the highest opin-
ion OF l. Enfant's abilities. and was anxious
to retain his services. He writes the Conn
missioners: IF. however, he will bear the
curb. j submit to your consideration wheth-
er 1t might not be polite to give him pret-
ty general and ample powers for defined oh