The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-09
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BY ELMO SCOTT WATSON

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W{ III Tile AGUGTdl Dullu-
n ing program for our
~ national capital now
A IN under way at full
NV speed and every indi-
Nh cation that 1t will be
carried forward unin-
terruptedly to COM
pletion In time for the
great celebration in 1882 of the two
hundredfh anniversary of the birth of
George Washington, the century old
dream of Pierre L'Enfant, is nearing
its realization. Few Americans know
anything more about L'Enfant than a
somewhat vague idea ass0ciating his
name with the phrase "the founder
OF Washington" Yet had the advice
OF this young French engineer been
followed, the United States Of America
would have now the most beautiful
and impressive capital city in the
world. Even though the nation al
lowed him to die a disappointed man.
his goal unreached. yet he dreamed
and planned TO such good purpose that
not even a hundred years of blindness
to beauty and neglect of the oppor-
tunity at hand have been sufficient to
dim his vision splendid. and the United
States may yet have the wonderful
capital that he planned for it.
Pierre Charles L'Enfant was born
August 2, 1854, somewhere in sunny
France. He was lieutenant in the
French army In TIT when he came to
this country and offered his services
to the Continental congress. By his
ability he rose to the rank of captain
and then to major. He planned and
built Fort Mifflin and Fort Washing
/tdh. fought through the remainder Of
lar, was wounded at the battle of
-sSaShnnah, taken prisoner by Sir Henry
Clinton In 1880 and paroled three
years later. With the war at an end,
L'Enfant decided to remain in this
country and continue his career as an
engineer and architect. The city Of
New York presented him with testi
monial for his services and his repu.
tati0n was SO high that President
Washington selected him in 1871 to
lay out the new capital which was
planned on the banks of the Potomac,
declaring that "Major L'Enfant is as
elIqualified for the work as any man
living" TO this Thomas Jefferson.
secretary Of state, added the indorse
ment, Il am happy the President has
left the planning Of the city in such
go1d hands"
Certainly it needed the hand of
genius to transform the 'dismal ham,
let uD the Potomac into city be-
fitting the dignity of the capital of a
nation. For when President John
Adams transferred the seat of govern
ment from the old-established and gay
Philadelphia to this raw wilderness
town. he found it place of thirty or
forty nuts scattered around in the
woods and swamps and the beginnings
OF the public buildings, described by
a congressman in Adams party as fol.
lows:
some wing of the capitol only has
been erected, which, with the Presi
dents house, mile distant, both con.
quoted with white sandstone, were
lining objects in dismal contrast
th the scene around them. Instead
recognizing the avenues and, streets
brtrayed in the plan of the city, NOT
one was visible. unless we except a
road with two buildings on each side
Of II called the New Jersey avenue.
The Pennsylvania avenue, leading, as
laid down on paper. from the capitol
to the Presidents Mansion, was then
nearly the whole distance deep
morass. covered with alder bushes.
which were cut through the width Of
the intended avenue during the then
ensuing winter"
L'Enfant's plan called for connect
Ing the Presidents House and the Con-
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