Evening star., 1899-02-11
OLD TIME LETTERS
Former Presidents Interest in the
National Capital.
STREETS, PARKS And BUILDINGS
Recommendations of the Executive
for Improving Washington.
F g n DIS OF THE CITY

FUN IDS OF THE CITY
Hidden away in musty old tome in the
War Department there were recently dis
covered some interesting letters relating to
the early days of the capital of this coun-
try, the writers being former Presidents of
the United States In most instances the
letters in question relate to the public build
ings which were deemed necessary for the
adornment of the federal city, but none of
them have ever been published before.
President John Adams is the first writer
of whom there is any record in this old
canVas-covered ledger, and his communica-
ton re4ates to a proposition relative to fur
nishing sites to fore .sn embassies for their
iega,-on buildings. 1his letter, which was
wntten at PhiIaue. .phia, April II, 1871, says
"Gentlernen: l have received your favor
of the Sd of this month. l have looked into
the acts OF Congress and the deed of trust,
and, although 1 nnd no literal authority
gwen to the Pres dInt to convey lots by
ueeuS OF gift, Yet the terms ald conditions
OF the SaIeS are SuDJecl to his discretion.
The SeIelal poilcy OF the measure under
consideration, that of Offering sites to the
foreign ministers. beng 50 obvious | should
have no doubt OF he authority of the Pres
dent to convey such lots for very small
pecuniary consideration, but then l should
suppose mat tie convey SduceS ought to be
upon coalition, for example, of erecting
buildings within certain reasonable term.
The pieuge OF the lots for the payment of
the loan appears not to diminish the all-
thority of the President to convey them for
such consideration and on such covenants
and conditions as he shall judge most bene-
hciary.
Money for Public buildings.
Another communication from President
Adams, bearing the same date, April II,
1851 addressed to the commissioners of the
federal city, says:
Gentlemen: am honored by your letter
of the llIh. Sensible of the difficulty of
obtaining loans of money in Europe at this
time and equally with nly predecessor
aware OF the evil of stopping the puu. C
buildings, l shall have no hesitation to ap-
prove OF your plan of employing agents to
sell lots for the best prlce they can obtain
provided they be not lower than the stand
ard that you shall prescribe, provided also
that you shall judge this measure neces-
sary- Inc whole OF this business is new
TO me. and | have many pressing avoca-
tions that | must repose myself very much
on your wisdom and experience
Writing from East Chester, Pa. October
81, 1871. President Adams addressed the
commissioners of the federal city as fol-
lows:
Il have received the letter you wrote me
some time ago inclosing the form of a full
power to borrow money. l have not an
swered it as yet, because some questions
arose upon which, in my mind l wished to
take advising. | ave written today upon
the subject, and shah be au.e to give YOU
some answer, hope, in a few days after
the meeting of Congress"
From Philadelphia, December ), 1897
President Adams wrote to the commits
sioners:
Gentlemen: here incose you a power
to borrow $50 900 for the use of the federal
city wherever you can find it. If this re-
source should fail of having it's complete
effect, ] agree fully with you in opinion
that it will be necessary for your board to
lay the whole subject beiore Congress for
thelr consideration and further provision,
and that it be necessary for one of you to
attend in Philadelphia, in order to explain
all things to the members of Congress I
nave no objection to the form you have pre-
pared ard shah BE- ready to convey it bv a
message to both houses. | am with great
esteem, gentlemen, your most humble sery-
ant, JOHN ADAMS,
For the House of Representatives.
Next in the collection of autograph let
ters of the Presidents is one from Thomas
jefferson, dated June 9. 1901 in which he
SAYS: "On consideration of the three plans
presented by Capt Hobens for providing an
aDartment for the House of Representa-
tiVes Of the United States. that appears to
me must be approved which proposes TO
raise to the Ieight of one story only the
el'ptical wall in the southern wing des-
tined for their occupation, without CARRYING
up at present the external square wall
which is to include it. 1t seems prefera BILE
to that which proposes a temporary room
OF scantHnS in the Senate. to cost between
-FOUR and five thousand dollars the whole
or which would have to be taken away in
luture and nothing saved but what the
antlng might then be worth Whereas
&c hoe
ana which he suDposes will cost $4,000, he
thinks not more than 81 600 will be lost
when the wing shall be completed in fu-
ture. 1t seems desirable that whatever
money is expended should go as much as
possible to the execution of the permanent
building. The plan for raising the elliptical
building only one story is preferable to
that for raising ii two stories First. be-
cause 1t will cost but half as much cir
cumstance desirable to the present state of
the city funds and to their immediate pros
poets. Second, Mr.. Hobens observed there
will be considerable Inconvenience in carry-
ing up the elliptical wall now without the
square one and the square one in future
without the elliptical wall, and that these
aihcuitIes increase as the walls get higher
rms obstacle. then, is lessened more than
ohe-haif by raising the elliptical wall to
one-half OF its height only. Another ad-
vantage IN adopting the eliipticai building
is that II before it is raised one story the
prospects of money should brighten and the
from the square wall should be found less
than mas been apprehended, can then
proceed to raise its second story"
The Funds of the City.
Writing from Monticello, Va, August "a,
1SO1, President Jefferson said to the COM
missionels: Your favor of the nth came
to hand on the GOTH but as it's contents re-
quired greater consideration and time than
the stay of the post and pressure of other
business permitted | have been obliged to
take another post for it's answer The ques-
tons, indeed, which it proposes are SO much
blended with law that l should have been
glad to have bad the opinion of the Attor-
ney General for my government, but his
distance and the urgency of the case rem
dering this impracticable / must venture
to form opinions myself, which | shall do
the more readily as such of the questions
as 1t is not necessary to determine do not
present great difficulty You state that for
the works contemplated now to be done
and the current expenses of the year you
a nf,