The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-16

ed builders who have wrought these
plans into dreams Of marble and granite
The real or practical builders will per-
haps never be known but few of the
most distinguished names may be men,
toned and briefly commented upon.
First, let us for a moment Sketch the
career Of Peter Char.es LEnant He
was born in France, in the year 1913;
became a lieutenant in the French pro-
rincial forces. Coming to America III
III, he at once rendered his services TO
the United States and was appointed
Captain of Engineers February Is, l77S,
and promoted to Major Of Engineers May
>. 1888 In 1871 he was Officially notified
by Secretary Of State jefferson to
operate with Mr.. EIIicott and to draw
the site of the Federal town and build
ings.' His task, however. lasted but one
year being abruptly terminated March
6. 1892, owing to characterization. His
first quarrel with the commissioners
which led to his dismissal, was occa-
stoned by his demolishing a house being
erected under the Capitol in the middle
of an avenue. AS compensation for his
services, Jefferson suggested that he be
paid the sum of 5000 or 5000 and Eli
colt WAS instructed to so on and finish
the plan of surveying and plating.
The author of the plan OF the capital
city lived long ana melancholy life, and
finally. in June. 1928 died in poverty on
the farm of q Mr.. Dggs, III Prince George
county, Maryland, about eight miles from
the city he planned. L,Enfant had taste,
knowledge and aptitude. but his lack of
judgment, or perhaps what we call tact,
was the cause of his dismissal from the
public service
MUCH TO FRANCE.
We owe much to France for her aid in
our early struggles for Independence, and
to France also we should be grateful for
furnishing the draughtsman Of our Gov
eminent city L'Enfant was poorly paid
in money. History must repay the debt
by handing down his name to posterity.
Later generations will no doubt overlook
his faults and honor his name.
Andrew Ellicott, the consulting and prac
teal engineer of the new Federal city,
was a Quaker. native of Pennsylvania,
and the son of an Engl shman who had
eniSrated TO >-..s country. He had been
an officer in the Revolution, and when
called TO his new post was an enterprs-
ing merchant at Euicott Mills. a place
started by his two brothers and himself.
He WIS said to be an intellectual man;
skilled as IL manufactures, an agrlcutu-
riSt and also an Inventor OF some note
He had been in politics, for he had served
Ellicott was thrty-seven years old when
he rode out with Washington 10 inspect
the Federal city He had already had eH-
perence III surveying. and among other
work had made the first accurate survey
of Niagara Falls. Ellicott finished the
work assigned him without trouble and
was paid five dollars a day and expenses
as compensation for the arduous task. La
ter he became tSurvcyor-General OF the
lai mt
Erie Warren and Franklin. in fennsyi-
vania. constructed Fort Erie and deter
mined the line separat ng HE republic
from the Spanish possessions. IN 1872 he
was made Professor OF Mathematics at
West Point, where he died August 18th,
1920. aged s:Nty-siN years.
The surveyors task completed. then
follow the architects and builders. Let
us turn our attention TO the Government
architects-thc men who planned and built
that great editice, which begun in a mod
est way, has grown and expanded with
the country's growth.
TWO NATIONALITIES
The first professional architect of the
Capitol building was stephen S. Haliet,
or Hallate, a Frenchman, but DR.. William
Thornton. an EngIishman, disputed with
him the claim 10 the first drawing of that
building. y, Mr.. Haded, an Enslshinan'
was the second architect, and he III turn
was succeeded by James Hoban OF South
Carolina. It was Ho5an who built tie
White House.
The fourth professional architect of the
Capitol VAS benjamin II. Latro6e. L.atrobe
was born in Yorkshire, England, May !,
l1G7. me death Of his wife caused him to
seek relief from his grief in a foreign
land, and he came TO America, landing At
Norfolk. where the customs officer intro
duced him TO Judge Bushrod Washing
ton, nephew OF George Washington. TINS
led to visit TO Mount Yer
non and /, lasting friendship between The
great first President and himself
Latrobe designed the penitentiary' and
several fine private mansions at Richmond.
He went to Philadelphia where he married
the daughter OF Robert Hazelhurst In loe%
he was summoned to Washington city and
made Surveyor of Public Buildings. When
the Capitol was burned in 1874 he was ao-
sent at Pittsburg. building the nrst steam
boat for Western waters. He hastened back
to Washington and took charge of its re-
1t was Latrobe who designed what Mad
ison called the American order of archi-
lecture, using cotton blossoms, tobacco
leaf and Indian corn-saaft and ear--!n
his columns and capitals. He resigned in
1877. after fourteen years in service, and
to Baltimore, He died in New,
Orleans in 1920. Among the build ngs he
erected are st. Johns Church, Washing