The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-05-23
DESIGNER of
WASHINGTON
His Remains Exhumed After a
Burial of Eighty-Two
Years.

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
Hyattsvllle, 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
burial spot overlooking the seat of
the nation S government, over which
will rise handsome memorial to mark
for the ages the final resting place.
The disinterment was directed by D.
H. Rhoades of the quartermaster gen
eral s Office of the War Department,
who has supervised the elimination 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 s 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 "a grave Al
though over eighty years had passed
since the grave was dug and filed in
again, 1t never regained the same dem
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-
ations 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.
A 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
half. Then the shovel was used 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. n
From the wagon of the quartermaster
general IS department was removed the
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 excava-
ton, 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 ceffin, 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 case, a huge Ameri
| can flag was wrapped around it and
the transfer to Mount Olivet cemetery
began. Commissioner Macfar1and and
DR.. 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 9 until II clock We'd
nesday morning. At 1890 clock me-
mortal services will be conducted, at
| which vice President Sherman and Am
| bassador Jusserand will speak.
With military and an honorary es-
cort the remains will then be carried
| to Arlington cemetery to be rein
| TERED.