The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-12-02

present magnificent structure winch
houses the legislative part of our government
with the NEW settlement" of Washington and
the uncompleted structure which was the be-
ginning of our National Capitol
1t will be remembered that the first Capital
of the new nation, which came into being
the result of the Revolution was New York city,
There it was on April 49, 1889, that the first
congress convened and the two houses after
completing their organization by electing John
Langdon of New Hampshire temporary pres
ident Of the senate and Frederick A. Mullen
berg Of Pennsylvania speaker of the house,
met in joint session to count the electoral votes
cast in the several states a few weeks before
and to proclaim officially the election of George
Washington as President and John Adams as
Vice President.
On July 8, 1890. congress passed an act for
establishing a permanent seat of the federal
government and this act provided for the selec-
ton by the President of "a district of territory"
ten miles square, somewhere on the Potomac
river, in the region beginning at the mouth of
the eastern branch Anacostia river and
tending many miles to the northwest. The Pres
ident was authorized to appoint three commits
sioners to survey, define and limit" the dis
trict selected and, prior to December, 1900, they
were required to provide in this district "sut-
able buildings for the accommodation of con-
offices of the government of the United States"
For the purpose of defraying the expenses of
the purchase of the land and the erection of the
buildings the President was authorized and
requested to accept grants of money" 1t was
further provided that the first Monday of
December, 1870, the seat of government should
be removed from New York to Philadelphia,
where it to remain until December 1900,
when it was to be transferred to the new Po-
tomac district.
In accordance with this act President Wash
ington In 1901 chose county in Maryland
and one in Virginia. with the Potomac river
flowing between for the site Of the new Ma
tional Capital which was to be known as the
District of Columbia. At first this district
ten miles square or hundred square miles
and contained $4,000 acroes of land, which was
coded to the federal government by the two
states of Virginia and Maryland. But in 1916
all the land on the western side of the Potomac
was ceded back to Virginia and as a result the
District of Columbia since that time contains
only Ga square miles.
AS commissioners to survey, define and linn
it" the district and to erect the suitable build
ings," washington named Gen. Thomas John
son, who had been his intimate friend during
the Revolution DIR. David Stuart of Virginia
and Daniel Carroll, member of that illustrious
Maryland family. The commissioners decided
that the federal city should be named the "City
of Washington" in honor of the first President
and the plan of the city was to be made by
Maj. Pierre Charles LEnfant, the young French
engineer and architect who had reconstructed
the buildings in New York and Philadelphia
used by congress.
In March, 1892, the commissioners advertised
in the newspapers of Philadelphia, Boston and
New York that they would give lot in the
city of Washington and $500 to the person who
should produce to them the most approved
plan for a capitol to be erected in the city of
Washington" Sixteen plans were submitted
in response to these advertisements but all were
rejected because they did not meet the require
ments. Then Stephen Hallate, a French archi-
tect of New York, submitted plan which met
with great favor and it seemed that he
about to be awarded the work
But in the meantime William Thornton, tai
ented Englishman living in New York, who
had powerful friend in the person of Thomas
Jefferson, then secretary of state, drew up an
elaborate plan for the Capitol and submitted it
to Jefferson, who laid it before Washington
with an enthusiastic endorsement. The Presi-
dent thought it admirable and said it combined
grandeur, simplicity and convenience" He
wrote to the commissioners, requesting them to
adopt Thornton's plan in preference to Hallate's.
but charged them to do it with delicacy." I'm
mediately the commissioners informed Hallate
of the change and upon his examination Of
Thornton's plan, the Frenchman declared that
Thornton had stolen the idea from his (Hal-
latest original designs.
The result was acrimonious dispute be-
tween the two men which lasted for several
months but In the end the commissioners &C