The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-05-02

ears surrounded by the leaves. No one
so lar as Is known, has ever copied these
American pillars, and they stand there
alone IN their glory and very little known
Whlcn fact, it is to be hoped. will serve
as an excuse for this depression.
But TO return to the portrait 1t is a
pencil sketch, made from memory, for
Mr. Latrobe and Maj I Enfant We're well
acquainted in the olden days. He is rep
resented just as Mr.. w w. Corcoran
often described him to Mr. Taggart,
tall, erect man, fully six feet in height,
finely proportional, with a prominent
nose, and military bearing; with couTtly
air and polite manners such as befitted a
Frenchman. He was usually enveloped in
long OVercoat his proud head sur
mounted by a bell-crowned hat, a man
who would attract attention in any as
sembly.
There have been many dates given for
his birth; many years given in which it
was supposed 10 have occurred, but Mr.
Taggart, not satisfied with these, sent 20
the French War Office, where, tied up
with even more red tape than is used in
this country, he finally obtained the de-
sired information. for it seems that that
Office keeps tab of all its soldiers with a
bit of biography 10 boot. He was born
in Paris. August 2. 1754 and coming to
this country at twenty-three, his service
IN our cause was very much TO his cred
II. Serving as a volunteer, he was COM
misSiOned Captain OF Engineers, and at
the assault on Savannah by Gen. Lincoln
he commanded the advance guard of the
American column. His gallantry and
bravery are well attested by the fact that
he was twice breyetted. He received a
gunshot wound on the field Of battle, and
in 1873 Louis XVI granted him a pension
OF BOG liyres.
He had transformed All old public build
ing in New York into a very fine Federal
Han, in which Congress held its sessions.
and he was al that time about the first
engineer Of any consequence in the Unit
ed States. though even 10 this day there
Is great discussion and divergence of
opinion as to whether he was a maligned
genius or an Overestimsted designer One
OF his faults, however. If II may be called
50, was an entire lacl. of consideration
Tor his patrons pocketboOk, as the case
OF the house Of Robert Morris testifes.
His plans for the ''palace" were on a
most magnificent scale, so much so. in
deed, that when the house was barely
above the foundations the secret pass
ages end other elaborate designs made
the great inancier. whose accounts were
in a precarious condition. beg MIN 10
alter the plans to something less ornate
and expensive but the aarchitect left in
what is known as a huff" and later
when his temporary embarrassment was
Morris wrote 20 a friend that he
had found the money. but where shall
We find Enfant?'
Washington recognized the genius Of the
man into whose hands he put The work OF
designing the Federal City. b1t for wears
the extravssant plans Of the Frenchinat.
were ridieulrd. for even foreigners laugh
ed at what vas then cnly a city OF mag
nifieent distances truly. with squares IN
morassas, Obelisks in trees Bur FFn-
fant's unapp-eciated genius had not plan
ned city for the small population OF his
own day, nor for its small needs. but 10.
the larger, greater requirements OF ali
time 10 cone. a caJital city that any
nation whatsoever night be proud 20
claim IL is said thar the plan OF Wash
ingfon has been liksreJ 10 that OF BsUy- I
lon, and also that II has been called /
Philadelphia griedied across Versailles .
No one approved Of the scheme. thinking /
Il too grand and visionary. with its woa-
ierful stretch OF grounds from the PTesi- i
3enTs house 10 Ihs Congress Houst."
set apart for government houses. aid 4
gaTden-ciTcled homes for the embassies 4
and heads OF departments But what has 1
been yaT1ousiy termed his conscientious