The Washington times., 1909-04-28
EMF ANTS BODY
IS LAID AT REST
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Continued from First Page
people can plead that time alone could
demonstrate the magnificent accuracy
of his beautiful design. For he gazed
into the future far as human eye could
see and saw the beauty of the spot and
all the grandeur that would be And
now that the real value Of his labor
has been shown we, representing the
people Of the United States, gladly
make such reparatiOn as lies in our
power. and to his memSTy We pay deep
homage"
In delivering the opening address
Commissioner Macfarland said that
L Enfant saw into the future greatness
OF Washington so well that little re-
NAMED 20 be done to carry TO a sue
cessful conclusion the plans originally
designed by the French officer.
Address of Mcfarland.
Commissioner Macfarland said, in
part:
George washington was the father
Of this Capital as well as Of the coun-.
| try. His was the great idea that a
greet Capital would some day be
needed for tae then young and small
country. Even Washington's genius,
even his reputation for common sense,
did not save the idea from ridicule when
men were doubtful whether the infant
nation would live.
Thomas jefferson and James Madi-
son aided George Washington IN clan
ming the National Capital with their
knowledge and wisdom. Jefferson con
tributed the maps of foreign capitals
as well as his own ideas.
But George Washington had to en-
/ ploy the technical skill OF L Enfant. the
/ French engineer, and EllicOtt. the
American engineer L Enfant drafted
the great plan OF what Washington al
ways called The Federal City and
/ after L Enfant left the task EIIicott
made the notifications which Washing
ton desired. Ellicott Las his memorial
at West Point, where he died professor
OF mathematics But L'EnfaEt has
| waited eighty-fOur years for the tardy
honors OF his adopted country.
Honor Paid at Last.
Last Thursday we reverently ex-
humed the scant vestiges of his body
/ from the farm where he found hospi-
| tally in life and in death, from the
/ Digges family, whose descendants are
happily present. Today we are to place
them in the immortal company of the
nations honored dead. Later we are TO
raise over them a memorial provided
by Congress, for which the Beaux Arts
Architects Of the United States are pre-
pairing the design as a gift Of gratitude
for their education in France.
I'VE hope to see in the future a statue
OF L'Enfant in our park system. But
/ the beauty of the city itself. increasing
with the years, will always be the best
remembrance OF his fame
The Capital had 70 wait for its de-
velOpment almost as long as L'Enfant
/ had TO wait for the tribute we pay him
/ today. The poverty OF the young ma
/ ton and the uncertainty as to whether
the Capital would remain here, only
ended when the civil war had conse-
Grated this place as the seat Of the
National Government forever account
N oea.Ff rTs 7n 1r1rr no
Governor Shepherds Part.
cit was not until 1871. when Governor
Shepherd shook the dust of the map,
and. backed by the President, Congress.
and the progressive men of Washing
ton, ran the plowshare of progress lit
orally through the streets and avenues.
that the plan began to be executed.
Ever since, especially in the last dec
ade. the progress OF the Capital has
been remarkable and steady.
1t IS l2e years TINS week since
George Washington first became Presi-
dent Of the United States We seek
and hope 20 have Inauguration DAY
changed 20 the last Thursday in April.
the day OF that first Inauguration We
can all see now what Washington only
More Parks Needed.
I'VE can see that this Capital. which
since 1878 has grown with the growth Of
the country. is to increase steadily as
the country increases, in wealth and
power and beauty. We want it to be
perfect We are working to make it So
Much has been done. Much remains
to do. We need at once, for example,
more parks outside of the city as well
as the complete redemption of the
south side of PENNSYLVANIA avenue We
need FOR health and beauty the improve
ment OF the AnacOstia and Of the Rock
Greek valley from the park 70 the Po-
tomac- we snsuld buy at once all the
park lands needed for the future. For
! they will be like the skyline books
Ambassador JusseIand absOlved the
American people from the suggested
charge that they had neglected to pay
/ proper honor to L'Enfant for his ser
vices as a soldier and as the designer
| of the Capital.
This impressive ceremony to-day
said the ambassador. lis more than
enough to recompense for all that
Major L EnfSnt did for the country he
loved so Well
He referred to the great honor done
I 10 the memory of L, Enfant by the pres
/ ence of President Taft who. he said,
as any man who had ever been PreSi-
dent of the United States
At the conclusion Of the ambas-
sador's address the casket was carried
out OF the Capitol by a detail from the
Engineer Corps and placed on a gun
carriage drawn by six bay horses
4 ttNCuLltB the KUN carriage were Bat
( teries d. r, and +. from Fort Myer.
and Troops d and G. also from Fort
| Myer- The impressive cavalcade was
headed by the Engineers Band. and
the troopers were accompanied by their :
own mounted band, both of which
/ played ChOpin's Funeral March" as
the parade wound its way down Capitol
Hill and into Pennsylvaa MA avenue.
Commissioner MartI-land, the French
ambassador and his attaches, and sew
eral others who attended the ceremonies
q n rral r-TFr
Tiages 10 attend the RELIGIOUS exercises
which were conducted hV the ReN- Dr.