The morning times., 1896-06-14
Plan Upon Which Greater Wash
ington Was Fduided.
ORIGINAL IS REPRODUCED
Grand Edifices and Squares Provided
For-NationaIChurc He Erected.
Historic Column Was Also One of
the Famous Frenchman's Ideas.
Was Gifted Engineer.

DistGiCt, except upon paper.
For years after the rupture between the
authorities ard engineers the original plar
| was undscoverable. IT was supposed that
| Major L'Enfant had either destroyed IL oi
| carried ii away with him when in his angel
| ne shook the dust of the embryonic capital
| from his feet and sought a home with an
other less uugrateful people.
From all accounts the earlier Washing.
tonians were more hostile to innovations
| than those were who cOmbatted the enter
prising schemes OF Boss Shepherd. and ii
Is said that the charge OF ingratitude may
be Justly laid at their doors
The plan Of n principal thoroughfare. II
carried out, would have displaced q dwell
ing. The result was that the protector
of that thoroughfare was run out Of the
city" and tradition hath il, III this Connec-
ton, that upon his death he was even de-
MED a burial place in District Foil. his bones
now lying at rest in q Maryland cemetery,
"off toward Sandy Springs
NAY BE BURIED HERE.
1t is seriously proposed that the remains
OF the illustrioUs Frenchnan, to whose
genius, after all, credit il due for devising
the present plan OF the CITY of Magnifi-
cent Distances shall be disinterred aud
given burial in the district, with a monn-
ment to mark the spot and perpetuate his
memcry.
The city map was discovered several
years ago. 1t became a necessity for use
by the attorneys in the suits brought To
establish the government title in the PO-
tornac flats, and the discovery was the
reward Of diligent inquiry and patient
search.
After the expenditure Of deal Of red
tape Congress provided, in 1887, for its
Reproduction, and 81 far as this was pos
sible, from the dim and distinct lines, the
work was done. A tracing for preservation
was made by Howard ]. Schneider and
William H. Benton, draughtsmen, under
tie supervision af Edward Hcrgensheiiner
of the geological survey office.
1t is copy of this tracing that hangs
in the office of the Engineer Commissioner,
anu there are other copies in the piss-s-
siuns OF other officials, and several are filed
away in the archives Of the District courts
that had to do with the Potomac flats
controversy.
In the upper left corner, with an oval
shaped border, is this announcement:
plan OF the City intended for the Per
manent Seat of the Government OF the
United States. Projected agreeable to the
direction OF the President of the United
States. in pursuance of an Act OF Congress
passed the sixteenth day of July, ADCCXC,
establishing the Permanent Seat on the
bank of the Potowmac."
In modest type at the bottom its authors
name appears.
The chief characteristics of ancient ty-
pography and orthography are preserved
throughout. even to the quaint, old fash
Toned letter So the profuse use Of capi-
tails. and the introduction OF German text.
HOW THE BUILDINGS WERE LOCATED
Among the observations explanatory OF
the PLAN is the statement that 1.-The posi-
ton OF the Grand Edfices and for the sew
eral Grand Squares and areas. OF different
I,,E.l H.xr
determined on the most advantageous
ground. commanding the most extensive
prospects, and the better susceptible OF
such improvements as the various interests
of the several objects may require
1T is also explained that Lines or ave-
Dues OF direct communication have been
devised to connect the separate and most
distant objects. with the principal, and to
preserve through the whole reciprocity of
sight. At the same time attention has been
paid to the passing OF those leading avenues
over the most favorable ground for pros
pcct and convenience"
The north aud south lines and their inter-
sections with others running due east and
west together with their relations TO
1.-The distribution OF the city into streets,
squares. etc. are fully explained, and
this is followed by a statement OF t he
breadth OF the proposed streets.
Every grand transverse line and every
principal street, as the notice reads, such
as the communication from tie Presidents
house to the Congress house, etc. are l60
feet in BREADTH ten feet being set aside
for pavement on each side, thirty feet OF
gravel walk" planted with trees on each
side, and eighty feet in the middle of the
carriage way
The other streets were to be in due
proportion, graded according to their ini-
portance.
ASSISTED by THE STARS.
A statement appears also TO the effect
that lin order to execute the above plan,
Mr.. Ellicott drew true meridinal lire
by celestial observation which passes
thro' the area intended for the Congress
house. This line he crossed by another due
east and west which passes through the
same area These lines were accurately
measured and made the basis on which the
whole plan was executed.
He ran all the lines by n transit instrii-
ment, and determined the acute angles by
actual measurements, leaving nothing to
the uncertainty of the compass
Side notes, as references, marked by
letters which correspond with the letters
with which the map is dotted, explain that
at the points indicated in the plan build
inss, spaces, statues, and mementoes of
heroes We're to be located, and these are
some of the examples:
At point near where the Washington
Monument now stands Was to be erected
the equestrian figure of George Washing
ton, monument voted in 1888 by the
late Continental Congress-
Another distinguishing feature was placed
one mile due east from 1.-The Federal
House." II was to consist of" an historic
also intended for n mile or
column, from whose station AL
distances of places through the continent
are to be calculated"
Locate on the Potowmac," near where
Seventh and Water streets now intersect,
was "a naval itinerary column, proposed
10 be erected to celebrate the first rise
OF a navy, and to stand a ready monu-
ment to consecrate Its progress and
In the vicinity Of the corner where the
Patent Office stands church was to De
built. intended for national purposes,
such as public prayer, thanksgiving, fu-
neral orations, ETC." 1t was to be as
signed to the special use of no particular
sect or denomination, but was to be equally
open to all, and this proviso is added:
A NATION AL CHURCH.
at will lie likewise a proper shelter for
such monuments as were voted by the late
Continental Congress for those heroes who
fell in the cause OF liberty, and for such
others as may hereafter be decreed by the
voice Of a grateful nation
Five grand fountains are provided for.
One was to be about the point where Tenth
street now intersccts with Pennsylvania
avenue; one near W here the New York Ave
nue. Presbyterian Church stands: one ut the
junctionofP fPennsylvaniaavenuea and Seventh
street: Que in the Southwest, at what ie
now the corner Of Four.and-a-half and N
streets, and the fifth at the corner of South
Capitol and G streets.
These fountains were intended to be sup
piled with "a constant spout OF water" and
a parenthetical note Ia added, conveying