Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-02

urgent, were not relieved by this measure
Some four years later, in 1903, L'Enfant
attention to the fact that this money had
been taken by one of his creditors and ex-
planning that the pressing need of securing
the means to support his miserable exist
Tor assistance. He suggested that in the
amount awarded to him under the act
OF Congress there had been some mistake
In the calculation, and, in his opinion,
there was still due him some $500 or $500.
He asked the superintendent to look into
the matter and inform him whether he
could not draw on him for that amount.
He stated that he would thus be able to
pay board bill due to a Mr.. Rhodes, and
that about 500 would be left for his own
use.
The history Of the claim seems to have
been closed by a BILL which became law
IN 1910. appropriating the sum of $3.50. &C,
with legal interest from March 1, 1892, to
pay LEnfant for services in laying out
plan or the city. The total amount paid
to L'Enfant under this act was s., 1914. 20.
1t is difficult to determine why this exact
amount was fixed upon, but 1t Is not i'm
probable that it was the balance remain
Ing unpaid of the $500, which Washington
and Jefferson and the commissioners be-
heved to be liberal compensation for his
services. Congress apparently was of The
same mind.
Owner of a City Lot.
AS has been already stated. the commits
sioners informed Mr.. Jefferson in 1892 that
they had already paid LEnfant 5000 With
this exception and the one above mention
ed, there is only one other record, as far
as have been able to learn, of another
payment having been made to L'Enfant.
At the first sale of the lots awarded to
the government in the division the records
snow that L'Enfant became the purchaser
OF lot 80, square 137, which is on the west
slde OF 18th street, just north of H street
uyoc hN1l T.,
L'Enfant paid $67 at the time of the sale.
and there was a balance due of some $500.
The price Of the lot was 800, or, in the
currency of the present day, about 1857.
FAINT, and several years later the balance
due was paid by the city. L'Enfant sub
seQuently transferred the lot to Richard
Loderstrom. and the latter, in 1869, es-
signed the lot to Philip Barton Key.
The general outlines of the life Of E'En-
FAINT are pretty well known He was
man In the prime of life when he de-
signed the plan Of the city. He lived
one-half of his life was practically spent
In obscurity. AS is well known, he lived
for number of years as a dependent at
the home of William Dudley Diggs which
Is now the property of the Riggs estate.
He was buried there. Some writer's clam
that he lived in absolute retirement never
even visiting this city. The late W. w.
eorcoran recalled having often seen Len
rant, ana said that he was frequent visit
or at his fathers house. Mr. Corcoran
described L'Enfant as tall, erect man,
fully six feet in height. finely proportioned,
nose prominent, of military Bearing, court
~ air and polite manners, his figure usual
ly enVeloped In a long overcoat and sur
mounted by bell-crowned hat. AS far as
known, no picture of L'Enfant is in ex-
istence, although in history of the city
OF washington published late as The
year 1883 there is cut of a handsome
man. under which appears the inscription,
Pierre Charles L'Enfant." The author
makes no reference to the picture, and,
under the circumstances, it is not an I'M
fair assumption that this portrait of LEN
FAINT had the same origin as a good many
of the facts in this rather remarkable at
tempt to write the history Of the city.