Evening star., 1941-03-09

Initial Draft
Completed in
ThreeMonths
CircumstanceSMade
Him Work at
Breakneck Speed

by December IS it was ready to be
presented to Congress.
In the meantime, even while work.
ing at breakneck speed, L TEnfant had
encountered difficulties from an un-
expected source. He and the three
Commissioners we're unable to get
along. He would not listen to their
suggestions, nor to their repeated
warning against too drastic action in
his fight to stop land speculation.
Within year the crisis had been
reached. On March 6, 1892, Jeffer-
son informed the Commissioners
that, 1T having been found i'm
practicable to employ Mai L'Enfant
in that degree of subordination
which was lawful and proper. he
has been notified that his services
were at an end"
A testimonial was prepared i'm
mediately and signed by all land
owners of the District except two.
1t lamented LEnfants departure,
praised his work and expressed
wishes for his return.
In a short time the Frenchman
was engaged to design plans for the
first manufacturing city, devised as
such, in the United States-Pater-
son, N. j. Again he brought praise
to himself, though it was a reflection
Of fame much DINNER than that Of
the past. LEnfant, at Washington,
had reached the peak of his glory.
But he had not finished with
Washington. At the time he ac-
cepted the task OF laying out the
Capital City, there had been no
mention of compensation, nor would
he have permitted it at the time.
Now, since it had been necessary
to discharge him, there was dis
agreement as TO the value of his
services. The President suggested
that he be paid 500 guineaS and be
given city lot.
The matter dragged on, with the
Frenchman constantly appearing be-
fore Congress to present his claim.
There is still uncertainty as to how
much he actually got.
AS he advanced in age, LEnfant
continued to haunt the city he had
designed as one of the greatest capi-
tails OF all time His fortune became
depleted, his eyes weakened, his body
grew frail and was not as erect as
it once had been. 1t was in this
status as a penniless old man that
William Dudley Digges took him
into his home in nearby Maryland
to live.
He spent many hours OF his clos
ing days at Georgetown, talking with
oldtimers who could discuss intelh-
gently the period when he was in his
heyday. 1t was seldom in conver-
sation by others elsewhere that his
name was tied up. with the fine ave-
nues and broad streets which make
up Washington. His connection with
them had been fairly we'll obscured
by succeeding events at the time
his death came in 1925.
In a grave in honeysuckle bower
at the Digges home his body lay
until the third and fourth genera
tions had taken over. Then the
Nation became conscious of its
slight. Congress appropriated $1,000
in 1905 for the removal OF his re-
mans and, the following year, they
were placed in Arlington National
Cemetery.
Except for the honor now accord
ed his name and the small sum
Congress eventually paid him in
answer to his claim, Maj. Pierre
Charles LEnfant'S present we'll
markec grave is his sole compensa-
ton for the promising career he
smashed on the rocks of the Poto-
mac when he took advantage Of the
great occasion" offered by this
vast empire" for acquiring repu-
tation."