Evening star., 1925-05-31

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central part OF the Northwest busi-
ness section, lying between Seventh
and Eleventh streets and extending
10 the river front. Burns owned most
of the territory west of Eleventh
street. The location and extent of
Davidson's holdings cannot be def
nitely determined.
The President had appointed three
Commissioners to govern the city
yet-to-be. Daniel Carroll was one of
these commissioners, and the others
were Thomas Johnson of Maryland
and David Stewart of Virginia.
The landowners took advantage of
the occasion to ask exorbitant prices
for their land. Stephen Girard, one
OF the few wealthy men of the young
Republic, endeavored unsuccessfulIy
to induce Carroll TO sell him a part
of his land for 100000, an enormous
sum in those days. L'Enfant pro-
tested vigorously against the attitude
OF the owners of the land and thereby
ineutEed their enmity.
L'Enfant Proves Grit.
Daniel Carroll was not only a dis
trict commissioner, but was mem
Der of the first Congress, and had
Philadelphia which framed the Fed
eral Constitution, and of family of
high standing and distinction and
strongly influential. L'Enfant, how
ever, played no favorites" and op-
posed with vigor and determination
anything which he deemed would in
terfere with the development of the
infant city. So when Carroll in
spite of warnings, began to build q
6
it was plotted on the map L'Enfa Mt
sent his assistant. Isaac Robideau. to
lear down the incomplete structure.
Before he finished the demolition Car
roll appeared upon the scene with a
warrant, and Robideau was arrested.
L'Enfant was at Aqua Creek getting
out a load of sandstone for the new
capitol, but as soon as he returned
and learned of the facts ne went
himself with a gang of laborers who
worked all night and completed the
work of destruction.
Washington, to whom Carroll COM
planned, demonstrated with the impul-
sive and hot-headed engineer, and sug-
geSted that he permit the construction
of the building; but, although Len
FAINT had great respect and reverence
for Washington, he would not yield
an iota. The President then called
Thomas Jefferson to his aid, who in
vited L'Enfant to dinner and endeav-
ored to dissuade him from his uncom-
promising attitude. But 1t was of no
avail, and so. on March s, 1892, Jeffer-
son reluctantly wrote to the district
commissioners that sit having been
found impossible TO employ Mai. Len
fant in that degree of subordination
which is lawful and proper, he has
been notified that his service was at
an end"
In his delight at being interested
with the planning of the Federal City,
and his deep interest in the work.
nothing had been said about compen-
sation, but soon after his dismissal
Washington instructed the commission
to pay him five hundred guineas and
to give him a lot in the best part Of
the city. L'Enfant, without giving
any reasons, refused both the money
and the land.
Remains Until Death.
After his dismissal he remained in
Washington and its immediate vicinity
until his death. The French Revolu-
ton had entirely destroyed the family
fortune, and his" city SO dominated
his mind that he seems to have been
unable to divert his brilliant talents
TO other fields of endeavor. He pre-
sented many memorials to Congress,
but received no pay whatever for his
services until 1910, when Congress
voted him the munificent sum of
$666.66, with interest from 1892. This
afforded him no relief, as it was seized
by his creditors
In 1912 he was appointed professor
of engineering at the United States
Military Academy, but he refused the
appointment. Notwithstanding that
James Monroe, the Secretary of State,
wrote TO him, urging him to accept
the office.
He received no pension from the
United States, but the King of France
on January 13, 1888, granted him a
pension of three hundred livres "in
consideration of his usefulness and of
the wounds received by him during
the American War" Perhaps it was
because Of the ironic ongruity of
receiving from France, instead OF
America, a pension for wounds In.
Cured while in the American Army
but, at any rate, he never drew this
pension, but permitted il to lapse.
During the l&st few years Of his life