The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-10-06

he is unruly and quarrelsome; but we
| did not perceive that its frequency
/ impaired the business he was engaged
in. We made inquiry and formed
an opinion that he was most dis
Greet nor faulty in this particular to a
very uncommon degree; he has since
| tabled at Sims for nearly year with
| gentlemen of much sobriety and
propriety of conduct in every respect
as any in Georgetown, who speak well
| of him-the Major would be far from
| gaining by placing his moral character
| in one scale and Dermott's in the
other'
The letter of the Commissioners
further states: 'sThe Major is always
giving verbal evidence of his attach
| ment to the City, but neither he nor
anybody introduced by him has pur-
chased lot. Dermott says nothing
| about his attachment, that we have
ever heard, but out of his savings on
| moderate wages, he has purchased sew
eral lots and improved them accord
ing to his ability.
you may recollect that several
things in the course of the quarrel.
with L'Enfant strongly pointed to a
| duplicity and ill-intentioned conduct
of Ellicott. You may recollect too
though Ellicott would save twenty
shillings day by discharging Dermott
and putting double and impossible
duty on Fenwick, the Commissioners
declared they would not pass the
preceding accounts unless those en-
ployed were on a different footing"
Dermott had been employed in the
Fairquaer and afterwards in the Alex
andria Academies. He was a man of
science. DR.. Stewart, who did not
even know Dermott, told Mr.. Carroll
of him and in consequence of letter
of Ellicott's, they both thought it best
to engage him.
Later when certain charges were
made against Dermott and after a
thorough investigation the Commits
sion reported, 1--WE have seen strong
marks of candor in Dermott. We
have no reason to suspect his telling
lie-he shows an attention to the
public interests in his division, he has
his business in good order, and gives
us and others such ready answers that
he must have the clearest and most
comprehensive view of his depart
ment."
Dermott was not only a good
draughtsman but was much concerned
with the sanitary condition of the city.
He died September 9, 1S03,- aged 4S,
and was buried from st. Patrick's
Church. At the grave the Rev. DR..
Anthony Caffray conducted the rites
of the Church.
James Hohan.
L'Enfant, the Frenchman, and Der
mott, the Irishman, the planners of the
Federal City, were both Catholics; so
also was James Hoban, native of
Ireland, the architect and builder of
first called, and now known as the
White House.
Hoban was born at Tullamore,
County Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1853.
After the Revolution he came to the
United States and landed at Charles
ton, S. C. He became well known as
an architect
Congress had established on the
Potomac River the Ten Mile Square
City as the seat of Government. Daniel
Carroll, DR.. David Stuart and Thomas
Johnson were appointed Commission
ers to lay out the city and provide for
the erection of public. buildings. On
March IA, 1892, they advertised for
plans for the Capitol and Presidents
Palace, offering premium of $500, Or
a medal of that value, for the best de-
sign submitted before July 15 In
1891, when Washington visited South
Carolina, Col. Laurens and others
recommended to him the abilities of
the architect James Hoban. When
the Commissioners of the New Federal
City made announcement of seeking
plans, James Hoban went to Philadel-
phia-the seat of the Government, and
had an interview with Washington,
and made known his intention to sub
nit plan to the Commissioners.
Hoban then went to Washington
City and submitted to the Commits
sioners a plan for the Presidents
Palace. His plan was accepted at
once and without hesitation after a
view of the drawings had been sub
mitted. These drawings are not now
known to be in existence. Hoban did
not compete for the Capitol. That
building is the plan of Stephen Hal
lett; but Hoban was on September %,
1898, appointed Superintendent of the
work of construction. He received 300
guineas (about $1,000 per year.
Washington, ON learning that the
Commissioners had engaged Hoban,
wrote to them: Il think you have en-
gagged Mr.. Hoban upon advantageous
terms, and hope, if his industry and
honesty are piece with the specimens
he has given of his abilities, he will
prove a useful man and considerable |
acquisition
The first census of the Federal City
was under the control of Hoban. 1t
was taken August IL, 1893, and he
reports. 1t appears the number of
inhabitants exceeds $40, and that for
the last six months there has not been
a DEATH On January Is, 1896, Hoban
- Gil = 4