Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-22

transpirei in this city which, indeed
had most important bearing and in
fluence upon the future history Of
the United States; namely, the laying Of the
corner stone of the United States Capitol by
President George Washington
Prior to the convening of the second Ses-
sion Of the Sixth Congress in the City of WASH
gfess under the Constitution had for various
periods met in Baltimore. Lancaster, York,
Princeton, Annapolis. Trenton, New York and
Philadelphia and from the Aforementioned city
the public Offices were moved to Washington In
the Summer of 1909. On November IL Of that
year Congress met in the north wing Of the
Capitol, but as there was not quorum IN at
tendance 1t did not take formal possession Of
the building until four days later.
According to section three Of the sc-caned
residence act, approved July Is, $780, the
commissioners were empowered, according to
such plans rs the President shall approve
to provide suitable buildings for the
accommodation Of Congress and Of the Presi-
dent, and for the public Offices OF the Gov
eminent Of the United States" and 1t was by
virtue of this power that the corner stone CT
the Capitol was laid. September Is. 1893. =
LEnfant, it would seem, was responsible for
selecting the site upon which the Capitol stands.
In his report to President Washington, dated
Georgetown, June o. 1871, he speaks enthusi-
astically of jenkins Heights. upon which the
chief public building should Stand, and says:
After much mental search for an eligible
situation, prompted, / may say, from fear Of
bringing prejudice in favor of a first opinion,
could discover no one so aivantageouSly TO
greet the congressional building as is that on
the west end of jenkins Heights. which stand
as O pedestal waiting for a monument, and
I am confident were I'll the wood clearer from
the ground, no situation could stand in COM
petition with this. Some might perhaps re-
quire less labor to be rendered agreeable, but,
after all assistance of arts, none ever would
be made so grand ana all others would appear
but of secondary nature"
Indeed, the great French engineer not only
designed the Capital City Itself. but the adop-
ton Of some of his valuable suggestions ma
terially added to the perfection and grandeur
of the whole scheme.
In accordance with request made to search
along the lands near the Potomac River "for
three acres of land well stored with freestone,
and to purchase the same for the United
States" he selected and purchased Wiggington's
Island, on Aqua Run, Stafford County, Va.
December 2, 1871. which, however, contained IL
acres, and which is still said to b, public prop
erty The price paid for the island is stated
TO have been 5000.
AT the time the Federal Government was
planning to take over Marylands portion
Of the original 10 square miles. Jenkins Heights
Or Jenkins Hill, as it was also called, was owned
by Daniel Carroll whose farm extended from
Carrollsburg or Buzsard Point, northward to
near Florida avenue. On the east 1t included
. part Of James Greek and Goose Creek or
T1ber Greek, for some distance.
Many years before this, jenkins Hill was
known as Rome its owner in 1868 and for
some years later being Francis Pope, for whom
it was surveyed on June of that year. Though
little is known of the Pope family, yet there
is probability that this farm was patented
at an earlier date in the name of Thomas
Pope, and that Francis Pope, the son. later
became the owner and had It surveyed. The creek
which flowed around what was probably the
western boundary Of his 400 acres he named
"Iiber," perhaps more in keeping with the