The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-05-07
HoNoRs TO MAJOR L,ENFANr

iss3s A1S'INOltsS IO MAJOR L'ENFANT 3
Hcmalns of Man Who Planned CITY
OF Washington Removed to
Arlington.
Washington, April 2S.-With
simple though impressive ceremonies
the remains of Major Charles
L,Enfant were today transferred to
the national cemetery at Arlington,
thus being accorded the nations
3 greatest tribute to the memory OF
the distinguished French engineer
who under the authority Of Gen.
Washington laid out the plans for
the capital city of the United States.
For the transfer of the remains of
the designer of the beautiful cap
ital from an obscure and unmark d
grave at Green Hill, Nd, to a more
slightly resting place and the cree
ton of a memorial, congress recent
ly appropriated $1,000.
This forenoon, before being re-
moved to Arlington, the body of
L'Enfant lay in state in the rotunda
OF the capitol, and from 10 to IL
o'clock a memorial service was held.
The service, although short and SIM
pie, was most impressive. The cere-
monies were conducted in the pres
ence OF a congregation which in
Scluded many from the highest Of
fiqal life of the nation, eminent
representatives of the society of the
Cincinnati, of which Major LEnfant
was member, and also representa-
tives of the Daughters of the Ameri-
can Revolution, Sons of the Ameri-
can Revolution, the Columbia His
torical society, and the Washington
society of engineers, which has taken
a special interest in the transfer of
L'Enfant's remains.
The two chief speakers at the
memorial exercises were Vice Pres
ident Sherman and NJ. Jusserand,
the ambassador from France. At
the conclusion of the services the re-
mains were taken from the capitol
to Arlington cemetery under a mill
tary escort furnished by the war de-
4partment.
AS has been the case with in
Vulnerable celebrations in all ages
and all countries, the services of
Major L'Enfant were but poorly ap-
preciated and still more poorly re-
scompensed during his lifetime. The
government records show that he
never received all that was promised
him for his services in laying out
the seat for the federal government,
though the amount in question was
but $4,000.
Born in France in 1855, L'Enfant
came to America with Lafayette and
entered the Continental army as an
engineer in 1777. He was made
a captain in February, 1913, and the
following year he was severely
wounded at the siege Of Savannah.
Through the remainder of the war
he served under the immediate COM
mand of Washington, and in 1888
he was made a major. He was one
of the founders of the Society of the
Cincinnati and designed the "order"
or jewel of that organization.
In March, 1871, he was commits
stoned by the secretary Of state to
proceed to what is now the District
of Columbia and lay out the site
for the capital Standing on a wood
ed hill on the Carroll farm, L-Enfant
chose the site for the capitol build
ing. He completed the contract
with the Brent quarry on Aqua
creek for supplying the stone of
which the original part of the cap
.ito1 was built. 1t was L'Enfant, too,
who selected the site of the presi-
dents home. He also directed the
clearing of the land and the laying
of the foundations for the capital
and the white house.
$ L, Enfant did not superintend the
construction of the building, how
ever, for on February ~, 1892, he
was dismissed from the service of
the government because he refused
to act under authority of the com
missioners, Thomas Johnston, David,
Stuart and Daniel Carroll. Then
arose a dispute as to the compensa-
ton L'Enfant should receive. The
government paid him about $1,000,
and in settlement of the remainder.
made him an offer of an additional
sum in cash and lot on what is
now Pennsylvania avenue. This of
fer u Emfant declined to accept and
the claim was sent to congress,
which body finally threw it out.
Later the matter was compromised.
In 1912 L'Enfant was appointed
sprofessor of engineering at the West
Point military academy, but he de-
sclined l,.s position. His closing
years were passed quietly on his es-
tate in Prince Georges county,
Maryland, where he died June IA,
1925.
Got His Moneys Worth.
A9 young man travelling for an
eastern Commercial, house few days
ago stepped off at Cottonwood, one
81 the new towns on the line be-
tween here and Rapid City, where
they pride themselves upon their
progress toward a young city with
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