Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-11
MEMORY OF L'ENFANT
VIEWS OF COMMISSIONERS BE-
GARDINa TRIBUTE.
Remains Should Remain Where They
Are, They Say, and Monument Be-
Erected in Washington.

The District Commissioners believe the
remains of Maj. Pierre Charles L'Enfant.
the engineer who laid out the city OF
Washington, should not be removed from
their present resting place on the old Digges
estate in Prince Georges county MaryA
land. They believe that the government
should erect a simple tombstone over the
grave of the former great engineer. and
also that suitable monument should be-
erected to the memory of L'Enfant in the
national capital, preferably on the mall.
The foregoing is the substance of the re.
port forwarded to Speaker Cannon of the
House and to Senator Frye. president pro
tenn. of the Senate, late this afternoon. The
report was drafted by Commissioner Mac
farland and agreed to by the other CONF
missioners. aftnr considering the views of
many parties interested in the matter The
proposition proposed by the Commissioners
in their report. 1t is stated. seemed the only
feasible plan. 1t is stated that the owners
of the old Digges estate are opposed to the
removal of the remains. and since they are
on private land they probably could not
legally be removed. Others also believed
that the remains of Maj. LEnfant should
not be disturbed. but that a monument
should be erected here to his memory.
Action of Congress.
At the instance of the late Senator Hoar
there was inserted in the last District APP
preparation bill a clause directing the Dis
trict Commissioners to report at the press
ent session of Congress a plan for the re-
moval to a suitable place within the city
of Washington of the remains of Pierre
Charles LEnfant, and erecting a proper
monument over them. or erecting such
monument where they are now buried. as
seemed advisable to the Commissioners.
In their report. In response to the resolu-
ton submitted today, the Commissioners
say:
1.-THE Commissioners of the District of CO.
lunbia have the honor to report that they
have given special attention to this matter.
have consulted those whom they believe
to be especially interested in It, and have
received a number of suggestions from the
public in regard to 1t, and that their con-
illusions are as follows:
First, that the remains of Major Pierre
Charles l. Enfant, which were inferred on
the estate belonging to the Digges family,
where he ended his days, should not be re-
moved from that place provided its use in
perpetulty as resting place for them can
be secured, as the Commissioners believe il
entirely possible. The place is known az
Green Hill and lies in Prince Georges
county, Md, about one mile northeast from
the District line, on what is known as the
Riggs road which branches from what is
known as the Rock Creek Church road tho
idltef rodu having It's origin IN the District.
Removal Impracticable.
1T is understood to be the desire of the
present owners of the estate as well as the
desire of the descendants OF the former
owners of the estate. that the remains shall
not be removed, and probably their removal
would be impracticable In view of that
fact, even If it were desirable which the
commissioners think is not the case
The Commissioners consulted the late
Senator George F. Hoar of Massachusetts,
upon whose suggestion the provision re.
quiring this report was inserted in the Dis
trict appropriation act of 19O4-o5 and
learned that he thought 1t best that the
remains should be left undisturbed where
they are. There is reason to believe that
such dedication of the plot of ground
containing these remains (already conse-
Grated according to the rites Of the Roman
G atholic church, as would preserve II for
that special use for all time to come might
De made by the present owners and right
of way given to the public by them over
their estate from the public road.
Government Should Mark Grave.
Second, that If such a dedication were
made, the national government should mark
the grave of L'Enfant, now unmarked,
with a small tombstone suitably Inscribed.
The late Senator Hoar in giving his advice
on this subject in a letter to the president
of the board of Commissioners of the Dis
trfct of Columbia, said: My idea is that a
simple thick grave stone of slate arched at
the top, with brief inscription, is all that
would be necessary, and would be highly
appropriate
Third, that in honor of LEnfant a me-
mortal structure OF stone should be raised
in the national capital, preferably in the
Mall, with an appropriate inscription