Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-15
IN THE EARLY YEARS
Important Recommendations by Col Wilson
About the City Records
Some Valuable Documents Missing
pied by Private Indfviduals.

pied by Private individuals.
COLI M. Wilson has made special report
to the chief of engineers in regard to the
old records of the city of Washington
These records. which in many instances
are accompanied by maps, show In detail
the various transactions of the Commits
s:cners In connection with the original
laying out of the city of WASHINGTON the
construction Of the United States public
buildings and the sale of public lots be-
tween the years 1871 and 1867. These
records are in constant requisition as evil
dence In the hearing of suits at law
The first Commissioners" says Col.
Wilson, were appointed by President
Washington on January %, 1871, in con-
formity with the terms of the act of Con-
gress approved July 16, 1870, and the duties
with which they were charged were trans
ferred by various acts of Congress to their
successors in office. who were appointed
from time to time by the Presidents of the
United States.
The Office Transferred.
by the act of Congress approved March
2, 1867, the office of Commissioner of public
buildings and grounds was abolished and
gineers, who thereby became the lawful
successor of the original commissioners ap-
pointed by President Washington in 1871
and the custodian of the records
Under date of March Ii, 1867. Maj. Ma
tnahiei Aichier, corps of engineers, was as
signed by the chief of engineers, under his
direction, to the charge of the public buill-
fngs and grounds, and shortly afterward
received from the Secretary of the Interior
and the late commissioner of public build
1ngs and grounds what were believed to be
all the books. records. archives and papers
pertaining to the office of the commissioner
and to the public works which had been
under his charge.
ted States Capitol building from the time
they were received by Maj. Michler, in
1867. until February, 1854, during portion
OF which time they were in charge of a
messenger and open to examination by
parties interested in them. I am informed
that some of them were occasionally Dor
rowed for official use by parties connected
with the local government of the city Of
Washington. ..
I'm August. 1876. Mr.. John Stewart, the
earnest. faithful and intelligent gentleman
now In immediate charge of these records,
under my direction was assigned to their
care, and since that date has devoted the
greater portion Of his time to their study
and to brieting and indexing them.
Books end Papers Missing.
I'm February 1884, the records were
brought from the United States Capitol 6
the office of the chief of engineers Of the
United States army, in Winders building,
and in February. 1888, they were trans
ferred to the State. War and Navy build
ings. In the study Of these old records Mr.
Stewart has found number of very i'm
portant books and papers missing. and he
has recently learned that many Of these
missing documents are now in the office of
the city surveyor of the District of Column
bia.
sor, Col. o. H. Ernst, U. S. A., Informed
the chief Of engineers as follows:
1t appears from the evidence Of Mr..
VIM. Forsyth, surveyor of the District of
Columbia, in case of United States VS.. NJ.
F. Morris ct al, that there are on file in his
office certain original documents which
would seem to properly belong here. such
as the original plats of the city, prepared
under an order Of the Commissioners in
1893, and the original note book of James
r. Dermott. containing soundings taken for
the Dermott map
Col. Ernst requested that steps might be
taken to secure the transfer to this office
documents which had at any time formed
part Of the records of the office, and which
were then in possession Of the surveyor Of
the District.
The City Surveyors Claim.
BASED upon Col. Errst's letter, the Sec
rotary Of War, under date of April %,
1890. requested the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia to take steps to cause
the transfer to the War Department Of the
records in question.
THE Commissioners called upon the sur
veyor of the District for information in the
matter, and the latter, while acknowledging
that there were a number of plats and pa
pers In his Office relative to the subject of
surveys in the city of Washington, pre-
pared by the early surveyors of the city,
claimed that the surveyor of the District
was the legal custodian of these papers,
and the District Commissioners declined to
comply with the request of the Secretary
of War
ut would seem eminently proper that
these important and valuable archives
should be retained by the federal govern
ment, as they contain among them original
letters from Presidents Washington, John
Adams, Jefferson, Monroe, Madison and
others, and cover the acts of the Presidents
in connection with the United States public
buildings and the United States reserva-
tionss it would also seem equally proper
that all of these old records should be
placed under the charge of one department
of the government, and I think congress
sional action should be taken to decide I'M
der whose control they shall continue, and
to require that all Of the records of the
original Commissioners shall be turned over
to the chief of engineers of the army, who,
by the terms of the act Of March 2, 1867,
became the legal successor of the first
Commissioners.
Lots Not Paid For.
LAS heretofore reported, Mr.. Stewart, the
who has had charge of the
old records for nearly a score of years. in
forms me that in his Investigations. he can
find no satisfactory evidences to show that
the United States has ever received pay
ment or granted deeds in fee for a number
NJ 1otS In, nf
the city of Washington. By my direction
he Is now engaged in preparing tabulated
statement showing every lot originally be-
longing to the United States as well as
those which were sold by the general gov
eminent between the years 1871 and 1867.
II again invite attention to this important
matter ard urgently recommend that pro-
vision be made for the employment Of a
clerk to take charge of all the old records
and make complete and exhaustive in
vestigation OF the whole subject and thus
permit the only draughtsman allowed this
office to attend to his legitimate duties.
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