The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-05-25
DESIGNER OF
WASHINGTON

Washington Star - Preparatory to
burial in the Arlington national GENE.
terry alongside the graves of those the
people of the nation delight to honor,
the remains of Maj. Pierre Charles
l. 'Enfant, who planned the National
capital, were disinterred from their rest.
ing place on the Riggs farm, west of
Hyattsville, yesterday afternoon. They
had been there eighty-two years.
From the unmarked and almost oblit-
Grated grave in secluded spot, little
known to the people who take pride in
the National capitals beauty, the dust
of the famous engineer will be taken to
a burial spot overlooking the seat of
the nations government, over which
will rise handsome memorial to mark
for the ages the final resting place.
The disnterment was directed by d.
II. Rhoades of the quartermaster gen
eral 8 office of the War Department,
who has supervised the exhumation of
thousands of bodies. On account of the
long time which has passed since the
body was first inferred it was the de-
sire of the Commissioners, who have the
transfer in charge, to have the work
done by experts.
A tall cedar, planted probably at the
time of Maj l. 'Enfant IS burial, marked
the grave and stood as its headstone.
Shortly before three clock yesterday
afternoon workmen, under the direction
of Mr. Rhoades, began to clear away
the vines which had overgrown the
grave and to spade out the dirt around
the tree. The tree was soon pulled
down, and as the digging continued it
was noticed that the dirt was not
packed as tightly in an area such as
would be dug out for grave. AL
though over eighty years had passed
since the grave was dug and filled in
again, it never regained the same den.
sity as the earth around it, and that
indicated Immediately the resting place
of the remains sought by the party.
A thunderstorm interrupted the oper-
atoms for twenty minutes after the
ground had been broken, and then the
work was begun again. The digging of
the grave continued in silence for an
hour or more.
straight line of black earth, sharp.
ly contrasting to the yellow clay that
had so far been found, was discovered
at the depth of about four feet and a
nan hth tht ploNtl was uctu eau
tiously, the object being to trace out
the line of black earth. AS the dirt
was carefully removed along the line,
the outlines of the casket were made
discernible. 1t was so marked that it
proved conclusively to the party that
the resting place of Maj. L'Enfant
had been found.
From the wagon of the quartermaster
al y,
box which contained a new metal cas-.
ket, and this was placed at the foot of
the grave. As the party stood with
uncovered heads around the exeava-
tion, the transfer of the remains of the
famous engineer was begun. The bones
and blackened earth that were found
inside the limits indicated by the black
earth which was all that remained of
the original casket were carefully
placed in the coffin, an hour being re.
quired for the transfer.
When the cover had been replaced on
the coffin, and it in turn replaced in the
vanished wooden ease, huge Ameri-
can flag was wrapped around it and
the transfer to Mount olivet cemetery
began. Commissioner Mcfarland and
DIR, Tindall accompanied the remains to
to the cemetery, where the coffin was
placed in a receiving vault TO await its
transfer to the rotunda of the Capitol
next Wednesday morning,
The remains will lie in state in the
rotunda from until l2 o'clock Wed.
nesday morning At l0;30 O'Clock me.
mortal services will be conducted, at
which vice President sherman and Ans
bassadoT Jnsserand will speak.
With a military and an honorary es'
cort the remains win then be carried
TO Arlington cemetery 10 be rein-
TERED.