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diff --git a/old/69827-0.txt b/old/69827-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f615fd0..0000000 --- a/old/69827-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,12423 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A manual on the origin and development -of Washington, by H. Paul Caemmerer - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A manual on the origin and development of Washington - -Author: H. Paul Caemmerer - -Release Date: January 18, 2023 [eBook #69827] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Tim Lindell, Harry Lamé and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The - Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MANUAL ON THE ORIGIN AND -DEVELOPMENT OF WASHINGTON *** - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - Text printed in italics and small capitals in the source document - have been transcribed _between underscores_ and as ALL CAPITALS - respectively. Superscript text is indicated by ^{text}. Texts - |between vertical bars| was illegible in the source document, and is - a best-guess interpretation. - - More Transcriber’s Notes may be found at the end of this text. - - -[Illustration: _Courtesy of Fairchild Aerial Surveys (Inc.)._ - -THE HEART OF THE NATION’S CAPITAL] - - - - - 75TH CONGRESS, 3D SESSION · SENATE DOCUMENT NO. 178 - - A MANUAL ON THE - ORIGIN AND - DEVELOPMENT OF - WASHINGTON - - _By_ H. PAUL CAEMMERER, Ph. D. - - “The City of Washington--the central star of the constellation - which enlightens the whole world.” - - _General Lafayette, as Guest of the Nation, October 12, 1824._ - - UNITED STATES - GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE - WASHINGTON: 1939 - - - - -SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 280 - -Submitted by Mr. HAYDEN - - IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, - _April 20 (calendar day, May 18), 1938._ - -_Resolved_, That the manuscript entitled “A Manual of the Plan of -Washington,” prepared by H. P. Caemmerer, be printed in such style and -manner as may be directed by the Joint Committee on Printing, as a -Senate Document. - -Attest: - - EDWIN A. HALSEY, - _Secretary_. - - - - -PREFACE - - -This Manual on the Origin and Development of Washington is published -for the use of students, particularly in high schools, desiring to make -a study of the National Capital a part of their course in civics. - -The 25 chapters composing the book are of such interest and importance -that an hour a week may profitably be devoted to each, but the chapters -on public buildings and monuments require each two or three periods -for effective presentation. In this manner the Manual may serve as -a textbook for a year’s work; it will also be found helpful by the -general reader interested in Washington. - -The Manual deals historically with the founding and development of -the National Capital. Beginning with the twentieth century we find a -new impetus given to the development of the city by the McMillan Park -Commission of 1901. Its work has been carried forward by the Commission -of Fine Arts and the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, -in cooperation with the Government of the District of Columbia, -including the Zoning Commission; also, of course, in cooperation with -the President of the United States, officials of the Government, and -the Congress of the United States, which by virtue of the Federal -Constitution exercises “exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever” -over the District of Columbia. - -It should be kept in mind that in the study of the National Capital -we are studying the seat of government of the greatest nation in the -world, a city that was laid on a broad, firm foundation, and although -neglected for decades during the last century, the twentieth century -has seen Washington transformed into a city in keeping with the -dignity, power, and wealth of this great Nation. - -The Plan of Washington is at the basis of city planning in the United -States. The organization of the National Conference on City Planning in -1907 was inspired by the work of the McMillan Park Commission of 1901. -Many of the leading artists of the country--architects, sculptors, -painters, and landscape architects--have served in the work of -beautifying the city. Washington is a city that is ever growing and it -is destined to be the most beautiful city in the world. - -The writer wishes to express his grateful appreciation to Senator Carl -Hayden for having introduced the legislation to print this volume. - - H. PAUL CAEMMERER. - - - - - THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PURCHASED FROM THE - SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE - WASHINGTON, D. C. AT $2.00 A COPY (BUCKRAM) - - - - -CONTENTS - - - Chapter Page - - I The Federal City: Story of the Movement Which Established - the Seat of Government Near the Potomac 1 - - II Establishment of the Temporary and Permanent Seats of - Government 7 - - III Development of the National Capital--The Plan of the City 13 - - Site of the Federal City 13 - - Terms of Original Agreement 15 - - Boundary Stones of the District of Columbia 19 - - Preliminary Studies 20 - - IV Maj. Pierre Charles L’Enfant 23 - - V The L’Enfant Plan 25 - - The Ellicott Plan--The L’Enfant Plan Enlarged 29 - - VI Early Washington 35 - - VII Washington 1810-1815 41 - - VIII Washington 1816-1839 45 - - IX Washington 1840-1859 49 - - X Washington 1860-1870 53 - - XI Improvements Made During President Grant’s Administration 61 - - XII The Influence of the Centennial Celebration and of the - World’s Columbian Exposition on Art in the United States 65 - - XIII Highway Plan of the District of Columbia 69 - - XIV The McMillan Park Commission--The Plan of 1901 73 - - XV National Commission of Fine Arts 95 - - XVI Zoning of the Capital 101 - - XVII The National Capital Park and Planning Commission 105 - - XVIII The Lincoln Memorial and the Arlington Memorial Bridge 131 - - XIX The Parks of the District of Columbia 143 - - XX Architecture of Early Days 165 - - XXI Public and Semipublic Buildings 219 - - XXII The Public-Buildings Program 293 - - XXIII The Government of the District of Columbia 305 - - XXIV Arlington National Cemetery 309 - - XXV Statues and Monuments 319 - - Appendix 347 - - List of Statues and Monuments in Washington 347 - - Bibliographical List of Books on Washington the National - Capital 353 - - List of Presidents of the United States 355 - - Quotations from Great Americans on Washington the - National Capital 357 - - Index 359 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Page - - The heart of the Nation’s Capital Frontispiece - - Adams Memorial, the 324 - - Anacostia Park, plan of 160 - - Aqueduct Bridge, old 180 - - Arboretum, National, map of 162 - - Arlington Cemetery, Arlington Mansion, and Fort Myer 308 - - Arlington Mansion, reception hall 310 - - Arlington Memorial Bridge 138 - - Arlington Memorial Bridge, architect’s design 136 - - Arlington Memorial Bridge development 141 - - Arlington Memorial Bridge, eagle and fasces 139 - - Arlington Memorial Bridge, eagle and bison head 137 - - Arlington National Cemetery--Memorial Amphitheater 312 - - Arlington National Cemetery--Maine Monument and the Memorial - Amphitheater 316 - - Arlington, plan for development of greater 142 - - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station, old 73 - - Boundary stone near Sixteenth Street NW. 19 - - Boundary stones of the District of Columbia 17 - - Boundary stones, three of the 18 - - British Embassy 290 - - Building regulations issued by President Washington 21 - - Burke, statue of Edmund 344 - - Burnham, Daniel H., on city planning 81 - - Cabin John Bridge 214 - - Capitol, the 220 - - Capitol, the, 1840 49 - - Capitol, the, 1870 60 - - Capitol at night 222 - - Capitol, basement plan of, 1800 171 - - Capitol, bronze doors to the 225 - - Capitol, bronze doors to the House of Representatives wing 229 - - Capitol, bronze doors to the Senate wing 227 - - Capitol, design by Thornton, 1800 165 - - Capitol, from Pennsylvania Avenue, 1830 166 - - Capitol, from the west, showing the Tripoli column 167 - - Capitol Grounds and Union Station Plaza, 1917 96 - - Capitol Grounds, treatment of the 297 - - Capitol Prison, old 53 - - Capitol, showing uncompleted dome, 1860 54 - - Capitol, treatment for area west of the, plan of 1901 85 - - Capitol upon its restoration, 1827 164 - - Capitol, view from dome of, looking east 106 - - Capitol, view of dome of the, looking south 107 - - Central composition of the National Capital 100 - - Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, Georgetown, lock of the old 178 - - Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, gatehouse 48 - - Christ Church, Washington 189 - - Christ Church, Alexandria, Va 120 - - Christ Church burial ground, later known as Congressional Cemetery 44 - - Columbia Island Plaza and Memorial Avenue 140 - - Constitution Hall 278 - - Dante, statue of 337 - - Decatur House 176 - - Declaration of Independence and the Constitution 251 - - Dermott map, the 32 - - District of Columbia Supreme Court Building 194 - - Dolly Madison House 175 - - Dupont Memorial Fountain 335 - - East Capitol Street 111 - - Ellicott plan, the 30 - - Ellicott map, the 39 - - Executive Building, 1820-66 267 - - Fish market along the water front 115 - - Folger Shakespeare Library 253 - - Folger Shakespeare Library, exhibition hall 254 - - Ford’s Theater 216 - - Fort Drive 110 - - Francis Scott Key Bridge 181 - - Francis Scott Key House 183 - - Freedom, statue of 223 - - Gatehouse by Bulfinch, formerly near the Capitol 72 - - Gatepost designed by Bulfinch, near the Capitol 63 - - George Washington Memorial Parkway 114 - - Georgetown, house of the early days in 184 - - Government Printing Office, the United States 258 - - Grand Army of the Republic Memorial 330 - - Grand review of Union Army, May 1865 58 - - Grant, Gen. U. S., memorial 338, 342 - - Grant, Gen. U. S., memorial, Artillery group 341 - - Grant, Gen. U. S., memorial, Cavalry group 340 - - Great Falls of the Potomac 116 - - Hamilton, statue of Alexander 345 - - Haymarket Square, old 59 - - Horse cars, view showing 61 - - House of Representatives Chamber 231 - - House of Representatives about 1820, painting by Samuel F. B. - Morse 46 - - House of Representatives Chamber, 1830 169 - - House of Representatives Office Building, New 233 - - House of Representatives Office Building, Old 233 - - Italian Embassy 291 - - Jackson, statue of Gen. Andrew 323 - - Jeanne d’Arc, statue of 334 - - Joaquin Miller Cabin in Rock Creek Park 159 - - King map, the 33 - - Lafayette Park, showing statue of Gen. Andrew Jackson 152 - - Lafayette, statue of General 327 - - L’Enfant, Maj. Pierre Charles 23 - - L’Enfant plan, the 26 - - L’Enfant plan, sketch of the 22 - - L’Enfant, tomb of 317 - - Library of Congress 244 - - Library of Congress addition 248 - - Library of Congress, grand staircase 246 - - Library of Congress, reading room 249 - - Lincoln died, house in which President 217 - - Lincoln, second inaugural of President, 1865 56 - - Lincoln Memorial, the 130, 154 - - Lincoln Memorial and approaches, the 130 - - Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Basin 134 - - Lincoln Memorial, site of the, 1901 92 - - Lincoln Memorial, statue of Abraham Lincoln 132 - - Lincoln Memorial, Memorial Bridge, and Riverside Drive, plan of - 1901 93 - - Longfellow, statue of Henry Wadsworth 328 - - Mall about 1890, view of the 64 - - Mall, the, 1930 97 - - Mall, view from the Washington Monument, looking east 295 - - Mall, view from the Capitol dome, looking west 294 - - Mall, the, inundated 79 - - Mall and Monument Gardens, plan of 1901 88 - - Mall, plan of the 90 - - Mall, the, showing railroad tracks crossing it 78 - - Meridian Hill Park, lower garden 156 - - Meridian Hill Park, upper garden 156 - - Mount Vernon 125 - - Mount Vernon from the air 124 - - Mount Vernon Memorial Highway 118 - - Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, bridge over Hunting Creek 121 - - Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, north of Little Hunting Creek 117 - - Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, bridge over Boundary Channel 119 - - Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, underpass at highway bridge 121 - - National Archives Building 282 - - National Archives Building, mural paintings in 283 - - National Gallery of Art 281 - - National Geographic Society 278 - - National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception 287 - - New Hampshire Avenue 144 - - Octagon House 174 - - Old Tobacco Barn (old Christ Church) 188 - - Park areas acquired to July 1, 1938 149 - - Patent Office Building, Old 198 - - Pennsylvania Avenue, plan of 1910, plan for developing south side 293 - - Pennsylvania Avenue, between the Treasury and the Capitol 298 - - Pennsylvania Railroad Station, old 77 - - Pulaski, statue of Gen. Casimir 332 - - Rock Creek Church 186 - - Rock Creek Park, map of 158 - - Senate Chamber 230 - - Senate Chamber, 1830 168 - - Senate Office Building 232 - - Six Buildings, the 36 - - Smithsonian Institution 255 - - Soldiers’ Home, United States 212 - - St. John’s Church 191 - - St. John’s Church, early view of 192 - - State Building, Department of, 1801 265 - - State Building, Department of, when remodeled 264 - - Thornton, Dr. William 197 - - Treasury Building, Department of the 270 - - Treasury Building, Department of the, 1855 52 - - Treasury Building, site and material for, 1839 47 - - Triangle group of public buildings along Constitution Avenue 280 - - Tripoli Column, at Annapolis, Md 320 - - Tudor Place, showing gardens on the east side 187 - - Tudor Place, Thirty-first and Q Streets 185 - - Unknown Soldier of the World War, the Tomb of the 314 - - Union Square, plan of 1901 86 - - Union Station 234 - - Union Station, concourse 236 - - Union Station, waiting room 238 - - Union Station and Plaza, looking north from the dome of the - Capitol 300 - - United States Supreme Court Building 302 - - United States Supreme Court Chamber 303 - - Van Ness Mansion 177 - - Wakefield, at Popes Creek, Westmoreland County, Va 127 - - Wakefield, Washington family burying ground 129 - - Washington and Wakefield, map showing 128 - - Washington, 1852 50 - - Washington, 1890 62 - - Washington and environs, regional plan of 104 - - Washington Cathedral 285 - - Washington Cathedral, interior 286 - - Washington City Post Office 242 - - Washington, early, showing the Jefferson poplars 38 - - Washington, view of early 34 - - Washington from Arlington Heights, 1865 55 - - Washington from Arlington, plan of 1901 76 - - Washington from the President’s House, 1830 44 - - Washington, the future 94 - - Washington in 1792 12 - - Washington in embryo 14 - - Washington, looking north from the White House 70 - - Washington, looking south from Sixteenth Street and Columbia Road 71 - - Washington, model of the future, plan of 1901 75 - - Washington, model of, showing conditions in 1901 74 - - Washington, George, Houdon bust of 122 - - Washington, George, statue of 322 - - Washington, George, statue of Gen. 318 - - Washington, tomb of 126 - - Washington Monument, the 208 - - Washington Monument, as seen from the Mall grounds 206 - - Washington Monument, plan of the, by Robert Mills 200 - - Washington Monument, uncompleted, as it appeared from 1852-78 204 - - Washington Monument, under construction, 1872 202 - - Washington Monument, view northwest from the 274 - - Water front, plan for improvement of the 112 - - White House, early view of the 170 - - White House, north side 262 - - White House, view showing terrace on south side, 1827 172 - - Witherspoon, statue of John 329 - - World’s Columbian Exposition, Court of Honor, looking east 66 - - World’s Columbian Exposition, Court of Honor, looking west 67 - - Zero milestone 336 - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE FEDERAL CITY - -STORY OF THE MOVEMENT WHICH ESTABLISHED THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT NEAR THE -POTOMAC - - -The problem of establishing a permanent seat of government for the -United States was most perplexing. The Continental Congress was obliged -for its own protection to travel from place to place to conduct its -sessions. By the treaty of Paris, in 1783, the independence of the -Colonies had been recognized, but they were then united simply as a -confederation, and there was lacking Federal authority through which -the needs of the Government could be asserted and provided for. This -was felt keenly in the matter of obtaining the necessary revenue to -maintain the Government, for the Continental Congress did not have the -power of taxation and had to depend upon the good will of the Colonies. - -The demands upon the Continental Congress were many. The War of -Independence had impoverished the Colonies. There were the debts of war -incurred by the Continental Congress and also the debts of the Colonies -themselves--in all, $20,000,000, a huge sum in those days, and a factor -which, as we shall see, figured in the location of the Federal City -south of the Mason and Dixon line. Then, too, there was an army of -soldiers being discharged, with no funds at hand to pay them for their -services. - -Prior to the establishment of the Federal City on the banks of the -Potomac, the Continental Congress met in eight different cities and -towns, viz: - -Philadelphia, September 5, 1774, to December 12, 1776. - -Baltimore, December 20, 1776, to February 27, 1777. - -Philadelphia, March 4 to September 18, 1777. - -Lancaster, Pa., September 27, 1777. - -York, Pa., September 30, 1777, to June 27, 1778. - -Philadelphia, July 2, 1778, to June 21, 1783. - -Princeton, N. J., June 26, 1783, to November 4, 1783. - -Annapolis, Md., November 26, 1783, to June 3, 1784. - -Trenton, N. J., November, 1784, to December 24, 1784. - -New York City, January 11, 1785, to March 4, 1789. - -From March 2, 1781, the Continental Congress was also called by some -the Congress of the Confederation. The first Congress under the -Constitution met on March 4, 1789, and adjourned September 29, 1789. -On December 6, 1790, the third session of the First Congress began -in Philadelphia, which was the temporary seat of government until -November, 1800. - -The Continental Congress was seriously inconvenienced by this moving -from place to place. They could not take with them their records and -files, were required to seek protection, and there was lack of adequate -accommodations in some of the towns where they met. In Princeton the -sessions were held in the college building, Nassau Hall, where the -average attendance was only 22 Members. - -The suggestion had been made in November, 1779, by some Members that -the Congress purchase a few square miles near Princeton village, -whereon to erect public offices and buildings for a permanent home for -Congress. - -The two leading factors that entered into the question of establishment -of a seat of government of the United States were jurisdiction and -geographical location. It was deemed very important to give to the -National Capital a central location along the Atlantic coast. Debates -on this question continued until 1790. - -On January 29, 1783, the trustees of the corporation of Kingston, N. -Y., took the first recorded action by sending a memorial to the New -York State Legislature that “their estate be erected into a separate -district for the Honorable Congress of the United States.” It was -proposed to grant to Congress 1 square mile within the limits of the -town of Kingston, and the New York Legislature consented to this by -the adoption of a resolution on March 14, 1783. Upon the suggestion -of Alexander Hamilton and William Floyd this area was, in September, -increased to 2 square miles. - -On May 12, 1783, the corporation of Annapolis adopted a resolution -calling upon the Maryland Legislature to allow the establishment of -the seat of government at Annapolis, because of its central location -along the Atlantic coast. The Continental Congress took note of this -on June 4, 1783. New Jersey, on June 19, 1783, offered a site anywhere -in the State. On June 28, 1783, the Legislature of Virginia offered to -Congress the town of Williamsburg and agreed to present the capitol, -the palace, and all the public buildings, together with 300 acres of -land adjoining the city, and a sum of money not to exceed £100,000. -This money was to be expended in erecting 13 hotels for the Delegates -to Congress. Also the town would cede a district contiguous to it not -exceeding 5 miles square. The legislature also offered to cede a like -district on the banks of the Potomac and to assure a sum not exceeding -£100,000 for the erection of hotels, and would also purchase 100 acres -of land for the erection of public buildings. Virginia offered to -cede land along the banks of the Potomac if Maryland would unite and -offer a similar tract on the opposite bank of the river; but should -Congress build on the Maryland side only the sum of £40,000 would be -appropriated and the State would be expected to supply the deficiency. - -The offers of New York and Maryland, as recorded in the proceedings -of Congress of June 4, 1783, having emphasized the importance of the -subject to establish a permanent seat of government, we are told -in the annals of Madison that a day in October was named when the -subject would be considered. However, during that very month a mutiny -of dissatisfied soldiers took place. A band of soldiers started from -Lancaster, Pa., on June 17, 1783, for Philadelphia, to demand from the -Continental Congress the money then due. Congress appointed a committee -to appeal to the executive council of the State of Pennsylvania, in -session in the same building, for protection against the threatened -attack by the soldiers, but the council refused, saying that the -militia would doubtless not be willing to take up arms “before their -resentment should be provoked by some actual outrages.” The soldiers, -about 300 in number, proceeded to the state-house--Independence -Hall--where Congress and the executive council were in session, -surrounded that building, but attempted no violence. Occasionally -some soldier would use offensive language and point his musket at the -windows of the Halls of Congress, but at night the soldiers departed. -Congress thereupon adjourned hastily to meet in Princeton eight days -later. General Washington ordered a court-martial, in which two of -the mutineers were sentenced to death and four to receive corporal -punishment; but the convicted men were all pardoned by Congress. -General Washington regarded the mutineers as “recruits and soldiers -of a day who have not borne the heat and burden of war, and who can -have in reality very few hardships to complain of.” The legislators -were invited to return to Philadelphia, but the offer was refused, for -the reason that the armed soldiers had grossly insulted Congress and -it seemed useless to apply to the executive council for protection. -This led to the appointment of a committee, of which James Madison -was chairman, on the subject of a permanent seat of government. They -submitted a report on September 18, 1783. - -The committee reported on two questions: First, the extent of the -district necessary; second, the power to be exercised by Congress -in that district. As to the first question, it was reported that a -district should not be less than 3 miles or more than 6 miles square; -and second, that Congress ought to have exclusive jurisdiction. The -report was referred to a committee as a whole, but there is no record -that further action was taken. - -When the question of a permanent seat of government was again taken -up by the Continental Congress, it was the question of location that -predominated; the question of exclusive jurisdiction had generally -been conceded. The discussion was finally limited to two sites: First, -a location on the banks of the Potomac at least as far south as -Georgetown, which was favored particularly by the southern Members of -Congress as being the geographical center of the United States; second, -a site on the Delaware River near the falls above Trenton, which -Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the other States near by favored. - -On October 7, 1783, Congress decided that a permanent seat of -government should be established on the Delaware River site, and a -committee was appointed to visit the location. Ten days later, on -October 17, 1783, Congress decided that there should be a National -Capital at the lower falls of the Potomac, at Georgetown. This is -the first mention of the present location of the National Capital. -Pending the completion of necessary buildings, it was decided that -the Continental Congress would meet at Trenton and Annapolis. But -the idea of having two capitals was ridiculed by such men as Francis -Hopkinson, who suggested that there be one Federal town to be placed -on a platform supported by wheels and two places of residence. As to -a statue of George Washington that had been authorized by Congress at -the same session, he suggested it be placed on wheels and be taken to -wherever Congress met. The idea of having two capitals was abandoned by -legislation adopted at Trenton on December 23, 1784. - -Two years elapsed before Congress took up the subject again. In the -meantime a movement began, under the leadership of George Washington, -to promote trade relations between Virginia and Maryland, and to -establish trade with the western frontier by the construction of a -canal along the banks of the Potomac. Washington became president of -the Potomac Company at the time of its organization in 1785, and was -its guiding spirit for a period of four years, until 1789, when he -resigned from that office to take up his duties as first President of -the United States. - -A trade convention, held at Annapolis, led to the call for the -Constitutional Convention, February 21, 1787, to meet in Philadelphia -in May of that year. - -On May 29,1787, the draft of the Constitution submitted by Charles -Pinckney, of South Carolina, first mentions the section relating to -the Federal district in the form in which it became a part of the -Constitution of the United States (Art. I, sec. 8, par. 17), under the -powers of Congress-- - - To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over - such district (not exceeding 10 miles square) as may, by cession - of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the - seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like - authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature - of the State in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, - magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings. - -There was objection on the part of some lest such a provision in the -Federal Constitution would create a government that would become -despotic and tyrannical and result in unjust discrimination in matters -of trade and commerce between the merchants within and outside of the -district. But on the other hand the advocates for a Federal City over -which Congress would have exclusive jurisdiction called attention to -the great importance for the Government to have a permanent residence -for the Congress and the executive departments, with their files and -records properly housed, and cited the mutiny in Philadelphia as -an illustration as to what might happen to the Government again in -the absence of such Federal authority. On September 17, 1787, the -Constitution of the United States was adopted and soon after was -ratified by a majority of the States. - -When the time came for the inauguration of President Washington, -on April 30, 1789, in New York City, the Continental Congress was -completing its sessions, having resided in that city from 1785, a -period of four years. Of a population of 25,000 in 1776, the city in -1789 had a population of only half that number, due to the continuous -occupation by the British Army for a period of seven years. During -the evacuation the city was partly ruined. But a new era began; trade -increased, and the city began to grow rapidly. The Continental Congress -was meeting in the old city hall, which had been used by the British as -a prison and was in a dilapidated condition. As Washington was to be -inaugurated in New York, the people thought that city would become the -seat of government, so the city hall was torn down and a new building -erected on the site where the subtreasury building on Wall Street now -stands. - -It was recognized that the presence of that national body was a -valuable asset to the city. Pierre Charles L’Enfant, who late in -1791 made the plan for the Federal City, was selected to design and -construct the building. When the Members of Congress assembled for the -First Congress under the Federal Constitution, they met in a building -constructed with classical arches and columns, painted ceilings and -marble pavements, and furnished in a magnificent manner with crimson -damask canopies and hangings. The exterior was marked by a portico with -arcaded front and highly decorated pediments. But the building had been -erected too rapidly to endure permanently; poor work had been done, and -in a few years it was demolished. - -The building was called Federal Hall. Here on April 30, 1789, a date -never to be forgotten in the annals of American history, George -Washington was inaugurated first President of the United States of -America. The spot where General Washington stood is now marked, as -nearly as possible, by the J. Q. A. Ward statue of the first President, -which stands in front of the subtreasury building on Wall Street. Just -inside the door, preserved under glass, is a brownstone slab on which -is inscribed: - - STANDING ON THIS STONE, IN THE BALCONY OF FEDERAL HALL, APRIL 30, - 1789, GEORGE WASHINGTON TOOK THE OATH AS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - -During the sessions of this Congress long and careful consideration was -given to the question of a permanent seat of government. It had its -place with great problems before Congress at the time--as the revenue -bill, which would provide money for the newly established Republic, -creating executive departments, plans for the funding of the public -debt and the assumption of State debts, disposal of public lands, and -establishing a judicial system. At the opening of the last month of the -session the question of a residence for the United States Government -was brought up. Protest was made against consideration of the subject -in view of the other important questions pending before Congress that -seemed to some to be more urgent, also because, they said, Congress -was properly housed, and that other towns like Trenton, Germantown, -Carlisle, Lancaster, York, and Reading would be glad to have Congress -locate with them. - -However, the southern Members, led by Richard Bland Lee and -James Madison, Representatives from Virginia, argued for present -consideration of the subject. They favored the Potomac River site -at least as far south as Georgetown, which they asserted would be -geographically the center of the United States. They claimed for their -section of the country in this matter the consideration of justice and -equality. They argued that there was no question more important--one in -which the people of the country were so deeply interested and one on -the settlement of which the peace and the permanent existence of the -country so much depended. The question of location finally resolved -itself into the consideration of two localities: First, a site near -the falls of the Susquehanna, at Wrights Ferry, Pa., 35 miles from -tidewater; and second, a site at Georgetown, Md., near the lower falls -of the Potomac. - -Great stress was laid on the importance of a site that would place the -seat of government on a navigable stream far enough from the sea to -be safe from hostile attacks. But it was also deemed very important -to select a place that would offer means of communication with the -western country, which was a subject, as we have seen, in which George -Washington was interested for years previously. This argument was -effective, as it offered advantages for carrying on trade with the vast -western country for which the Potomac Company had been established. - -The subject received the consideration of both the House and Senate in -September, 1789, but its final consideration was deferred until the -following year, in June, 1790. The southern Members, especially the -Representatives of Maryland and Virginia, were particularly active, -believing a decision on the Potomac River site was in their favor. In -December, 1789, Virginia had made a grant of $120,000, and a sum equal -to two-thirds of that amount had been voted by the Legislature of the -State of Maryland for the construction of buildings, in addition to -their willingness to cede the portion of the 10-mile square in their -respective States along the Potomac River desired for the Federal -district. - -The final disposition of this question was settled by compromise. - -At the time Hamilton had the funding bill before Congress, and lacked -one vote in the Senate and five in the House to secure its passage, he -came to an agreement with Robert Morris, financier of the Revolution, -on the question of location of the seat of government. Also, Thomas -Jefferson tells us, in his “Anas,” of a dinner given by him at which -the residence question was discussed and an agreement reached whereby -the southern Members agreed to the funding bill in consideration of the -designation of Philadelphia as the seat of government for a 10-year -period and thereafter along the Potomac. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT SEATS OF GOVERNMENT - - -The House of Representatives had proposed a bill naming Baltimore as -the site, but the Senate struck out this provision, and on July 1, -1790, voted 14 to 12 for the Potomac River site between the mouth of -the Eastern Branch and the Connogochegue, a tributary of the Potomac, -20 miles south of the Pennsylvania State line. The bill which became a -law July 16, 1790, reads as follows: - - An Act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the - Government of the United States - - SECTION 1. _Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives - of the United States of America in Congress assembled_, That a - district of territory, not exceeding ten miles square, to be located - as hereafter directed on the river Potomac, at some place between - the mouths of the Eastern Branch and Connogochegue, be, and the same - is hereby, accepted for the permanent seat of the government of the - United States. _Provided nevertheless_, That the operation of the - laws of the state within such district shall not be affected by this - acceptance, until the time fixed for the removal of the government - thereto, and until Congress shall otherwise by law provide. - - SEC. 2. _And be it further enacted_, That the President of the United - States be authorized to appoint, and by supplying vacancies happening - from refusals to act or other causes, to keep in appointment as long - as may be necessary, three commissioners, who, or any two of whom, - shall, under the direction of the President, survey, and by proper - metes and bounds define and limit a district of territory, under the - limitations above mentioned; and the district so defined, limited and - located, shall be deemed the district accepted by this act, for the - permanent seat of the government of the United States. - - SEC. 3. _And be it further enacted_, That the said commissioners, - or any two of them, shall have power to purchase or accept such - quantity of land on the eastern side of the said river, within the - said district, as the President shall deem proper for the use of the - United States, and according to such plans as the President shall - approve, the said commissioners, or any two of them, shall, prior to - the first Monday in December, in the year one thousand eight hundred, - provide suitable buildings for the accommodation of Congress, and of - the President, and for the public offices of the government of the - United States. - - SEC. 4. _And be it further enacted_, That for defraying the expense - of such purchases and buildings, the President of the United States - be authorized and requested to accept grants of money. - - SEC. 5. _And be it further enacted_, That prior to the first Monday - in December next, all offices attached to the seat of the government - of the United States, shall be removed to, and until the said first - Monday in December, in the year one thousand eight hundred, shall - remain at the city of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania, at - which place the session of Congress next ensuing the present shall be - held. - - SEC. 6. _And be it further enacted_, That on the said first Monday - in December, in the year one thousand eight hundred, the seat of - the government of the United States, shall, by virtue of this act, - be transferred to the district and place aforesaid. And all offices - attached to the said seat of government, shall accordingly be removed - thereto by their respective holders, and shall, after the said day, - cease to be exercised elsewhere; and that the necessary expense of - such removal shall be defrayed out of the duties on imposts and - tonnage, of which a sufficient sum is hereby appropriated. - -It is said that the loftiest minds of Congress were swayed by the -judgment of George Washington in this matter. They agreed with him -that America should establish the precedent of a nation locating and -founding a city for its permanent capital by legislative enactment. -Furthermore, they wished to honor that first President and great -general and counselor, who had made their independence possible, -by conferring upon him the power to select for this Federal City -the locality he had in prophetic vision chosen as a suitable site -for the capital of the Republic. By this act Congress expressed its -faith in President Washington by permitting him to establish the -capital anywhere along the Potomac between the Eastern Branch and the -Connogochegue, a distance of 80 miles. The boundaries of no other -city were ever fixed with more certainty. It is recorded that George -Washington was harassed by the importunities of anxious residents and -aggressive speculators, but that he never wavered in his purpose to -select for the site of the Federal City that which in former years he -had chosen for the Federal home upon the establishment of the Republic. - -By proclamation of January 24, 1791, President Washington directed that -a preliminary survey be made, or, in the President’s words, “lines of -experiment” were to be run. This survey was substantially in accord -with the lines subsequently adopted, moving the southern boundary point -of the “ten miles square” farther south so as to include a convenient -part of the Eastern Branch and also the town of Alexandria. - -The act of July 16, 1790, was thereupon amended accordingly by act -approved March 3, 1791, as follows: - - _Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the - United States of America in Congress assembled_, That so much of the - act, entitled “An act for establishing the temporary and permanent - seat of the government of the United States,” as requires that the - whole of the district of territory, not exceeding ten miles square, - to be located on the river Potomac, for the permanent seat of the - government of the United States, shall be located above the mouth of - the Eastern Branch be and is hereby repealed, and that it shall be - lawful for the President to make any part of the territory below the - said limit, and above the mouth of Hunting Creek, a part of the said - district, so as to include a convenient part of the Eastern Branch, - and of the lands lying on the lower side thereof and also the town of - Alexandria, and the territory so to be included, shall form a part - of the district not exceeding ten miles square, for the permanent - seat of the government of the United States, in like manner and to - all intents and purposes, as if the same had been within the purview - of the above recited act: _Provided_, That nothing herein contained, - shall authorize the erection of public buildings otherwise than on - the Maryland side of the river Potomac, as required by the aforesaid - act. - -Thus within a period of nine months the limits of the Federal territory -were established. The corner stone was set with appropriate ceremonies -at Jones Point, Alexandria, Va., April 15, 1791. Not a cent was -advanced by Congress for buildings or grounds. In fact, the Treasury -was empty, and without credit Congress was unable to give financial -assistance. Washington himself drew up the original agreement by -which the owners were to convey the land to the Government which the -Cincinnatus of the West bought from the landholders at £25 per acre. - -Of George Washington, Daniel Webster said, at the ceremonies for -enlarging the Capitol to its present size, on July 4, 1851: - - He heads a short procession over naked fields, he crosses yonder - stream on a fallen tree, he ascends to the top of this eminence, - where original oaks of the forest stood as thick around as if the - spot had been devoted to Druidical worship, and here he performed the - appointed duty of the day. - -In earlier years Washington had noted the beauty of the broad eminence -on which the Capitol was destined to be reared, and had marked the -breadth of the picture and the strong colors of the landscape with its -environing wall of wooded heights, which rolled back against the sky -as if to inclose a beautiful area fit for the supreme deliberation of -the governmental affairs of a great Republic in the New World, founded -on the truths “that all men are created equal; that they are endowed -by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are -life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” These truths, as set -forth in the unanimous declaration of the thirteen original colonies of -the United States of America adopted July 4, 1776, formed the basis of -the Magna Charta of American liberty, known to us as the Declaration of -Independence. - - -HISTORY OF EARLY SETTLEMENTS ALONG THE POTOMAC - -Somewhat more than a century and a half before (in 1608) Capt. John -Smith and his men sailed up the Patawomeck and visited the site of the -future Federal City. The famous adventurer only partially explored -the country, the principal item in the log book of his voyage being -that they found the river full of luscious fish and its shores lined -with ferocious savages. They met with opposition from Chief Powhatan -and were subject to continual attacks. Nevertheless the exploration -was continued up the Potomac as far as Little Falls, about 5 miles -above the city of Washington. At the time of this exploration there -were about 30 tribes, principal and subordinate, living along the -shores of Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Virginia. The chief of these -principal tribes were the Powhatans, the Manahoacs, and the Monacans. -The Powhatans lived along the shores of the Chesapeake as far north -as the Patuxent in Maryland, and the other two lived in the territory -contiguous to the York and Potomac Rivers. The Manahoacs and the -Monacans, who were continuously at war with the Powhatans in Virginia, -inhabited the present District of Columbia. The Manahoacs were almost -exterminated by war, pestilence, and spirituous liquors, and about -1712 migrated to the west, joining the Iroquois and the Tuscaroras. -Among the smaller tribes were the Nacotchants and the Toags, who were -friendly to Capt. John Smith. The Toags lived near Mount Vernon, as is -shown by the name Tauxement on Capt. John Smith’s map. The Moyaones -lived directly opposite Mount Vernon, in Maryland, at the mouth of the -Piscataway. The Nacotchants lived just below the Eastern Branch, within -the District of Columbia. - -There is a tradition of the early settlers of Maryland that the -valley at the foot of Capitol Hill, drained by Tiber Creek, was a -popular fishing ground of the Indians, and that they gathered not far -from there, at Greenleaf’s Point, for their councils. The Indians of -Maryland and Virginia closely resembled each other. Those of Maryland -were descendants of the same race as the Powhatans and spoke dialects -of the great Algonquin language. Powhatan claimed jurisdiction over the -Patuxent, but it is doubtful whether he ever enforced the claim. - -The Indians lived along the banks of the rivers in this part of the -country, and thus many Indian names, suggested by the suffixes “annock” -and “any,” have come down to us, as the Susquehanna, Rappahannock, -Allegheny, and Chickahominy. The name Chesapeake is said to have -come from the Algonquin language, and Potomac comes from the Indian -name Patawomeck. The Powhatans were won over to the English by the -marriage of Pocahontas to John Rolfe, but the marriage, though notable -in history, offered no advantages to the settlers. The original -inhabitants were finally driven out by the relentless Iroquois. Among -the early fighters against the Indians was Col. John Washington, who -came to America in 1657 and settled at Bridges Creek, Va., later called -Wakefield. He led 1,000 men against the Susquehannas. The Maryland -tribes were gradually consolidated with the Piscataways, and about -1700 they moved to a new settlement on the lower Susquehanna, near -Bainbridge, Pa. Here, in 1765, they numbered about 150 persons and were -under the jurisdiction of the Iroquois. Thereafter they moved to the -Ohio Valley and joined the Delawares. - -To-day the name Anacostia, derived from the name of the small Indian -tribe of Nacotchants, reminds us of the occupation of the District -of Columbia by Indians. As has been said, they lived just below the -Eastern Branch, in a suburb of Washington known as Anacostia. The -great Anacostia Park, in the immediate vicinity, is named after -them. They were a tribe of peaceful Indians, about 80 in number, and -were kind and well disposed to Capt. John Smith and his explorers. -The name of Anacostia was also given to an island near the shores -of Virginia, at Georgetown. Later it took the name Analostian and -also Anacostian Island. When George Mason, prominent delegate to the -Virginia Legislature, purchased it in 1777, it came to be known as -Masons Island. Later it was called Analostan Island. Stone implements -and fragments of pottery and traces of Indian villages have been found -in these locations, which give evidence of habitations of the Indians -in the District of Columbia in those days. It was a region favored by -the Indians for its game of all kinds, as well as fish. The soil was -rich and fertile and crops were plentiful. Then, too, the climate was -agreeable; that is, it did not have the extreme cold of the North, nor -did the inhabitants suffer from the continued heat of a tropical sun. -The latitude of Washington is 38° 52′ 37″ N. and the longitude 76° 55′ -30.54″ W. - -Weather reports of a hundred years ago give 97° for the average of -maximum in summer and 24° above zero for the winter. This mild climate -has had its consequent effect on the flora of the District of Columbia. -A report of the Botanical Society of Washington, made in 1825, gives -us the names of 860 distinct species and varieties of plants in the -District of Columbia. To-day grow here the oak, walnut, hickory, elm, -maple, and other hardy trees; pine trees in all their varieties, and -magnolia, also the rhododendron, laurel, box bushes, privet hedges, -holly; and roses bloom in Washington almost the entire year. In spring -the beautiful Japanese cherry trees add charm to the city. - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON, 1792] - - - - -CHAPTER III - -DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL THE PLAN OF THE CITY - - -SITE OF THE FEDERAL CITY - -The first mention of the upper Potomac and adjacent regions to -Indianhead, about 35 miles south of Washington, is made by Capt. -John Smith, who explored this region from the Jamestown settlement -in Virginia in 1608. In 1634 Henry Fleet, who was taken captive by -Indians, visited the falls of the Potomac. In 1635 a tract of land -(400 acres) called Rome was laid out for Francis Pope, gentleman. The -Capitol is said to be on this land. In 1790 the region in which the -city of Washington has been built was in the form of 17 large farm -tracts, as is shown on the following page. They were covered with woods -and streams; the arable portions were tilled and produced wheat, maize, -and tobacco. Two hamlets, Carrollsburg (where the War College now -stands), and Hamburg (about where the Naval Hospital is located), which -was then southeast of the thriving port of Georgetown, were within the -limits of the early survey. - -On April 30, 1783, 19 days after the proclamation of peace between the -American Colonies and England, the subject of a permanent capital for -the General Government of the States was brought up in Congress. The -act of July 16, 1790, heretofore cited, provided for the selection of a -permanent site on the upper Potomac River for the National Capital-- - - according to such plans as the President shall approve and prior to - the first Monday in December, 1800, and suitable buildings for the - accommodation of Congress, and of the President, and for the public - offices of the Government of the United States. - -On January 22, 1791, President Washington appointed three -commissioners--Daniel Carroll and Thomas Johnson, of Maryland, and -David Stuart, of Virginia. - -By proclamation of January 24, 1791, President Washington directed that -the three commissioners appointed pursuant to the act approved July 16, -1790, “proceed forthwith to run the said lines of experiment and, the -same being run, to survey and by proper metes and bounds to define and -limit the part within the same,” which were substantially in accord -with the lines subsequently adopted, moving the southern boundary point -of the 10 miles square farther south, so as to include a convenient -part of the Eastern Branch and also the town of Alexandria. - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON IN EMBRYO] - -When President Washington arrived in the future National Capital he -found the great task before him was to bring into harmony the rival -interests of the Eastern Branch, or Carrollsburg, and of Georgetown. -The property holders of Carrollsburg appeared to be anxious that the -new public buildings be located in their town. David Burnes, who owned -much of the land that now lies between the White House and the Capitol, -was keen to have, on condition that he give up part of his property, -the public buildings located there. Thus from the beginning of the -history of the city there has been rivalry between various sections of -the city while the Government was planning for its development. - -The controversy between the landholders led Thomas Jefferson to make -a rough outline plan for a city one-fourth less in size than that -which George Washington had in mind, to be built in the vicinity of -Georgetown. This sketch showed the Capitol building at the site of the -town called Hamburg, about where the Naval Hospital is now located; -from there eastward public walks or a Mall was planned, with the -location of the President’s House at about the present Nineteenth -Street, south of Pennsylvania Avenue. Jefferson also proposed a -rectangular system of streets, in contrast with the open spaces and -radiating avenues planned by L’Enfant, who also reversed the position -of the Capitol by placing that to the east of the President’s House on -Jenkin’s Hill. - - -TERMS OF ORIGINAL AGREEMENT - -The terms of the sale of land to the Government were agreed to on March -30, 1791, under which the original owners agreed to convey to the -United States Government, free of cost, such portions of their farms -as were needed for streets, parks, and other public reservations; and -to sell such land as was needed for Government buildings and public -improvements at £25 per acre (about $67). The remaining land was to be -laid out in building lots and apportioned equally between the Federal -Government and the original owners. Rufus R. Wilson, in Washington, the -Capital City, says: - - In this way, without advancing a dollar and at a total cost of - $36,000, the Government acquired a tract of 600 acres in the heart of - the city. The 10,136 building lots assigned to it ultimately proved - to be worth $850,000, and now represent a value of $70,000,000. - Shrewd financier as he was, it is doubtful if Washington ever made - another so good a bargain as that with Burnes and his neighbors. - -The following is a copy of the agreement: - - THE AGREEMENT OF PRESIDENT WASHINGTON WITH THE ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS - - We, the subscribers, in consideration of the great benefits we - expect to derive from having the Federal City laid off upon our - Lands, do hereby agree and bind ourselves, heirs, executors, and - administrators, to convey, in Trust, to the President of the United - States, or Commissioners, or such person or persons as he shall - appoint, by good and sufficient deeds, in Fee simple, the whole of - our respective Lands which he may think proper to include within the - lines of the Federal City, for the purposes and on the conditions - following: - - The President shall have the sole power of directing the Federal City - to be laid off in what manner he pleases. He may retain any number - of Squares he may think proper for public Improvements, or other - public Uses, and the lots only which shall be laid off shall be a - joint property between the Trustees on behalf of the public, and each - present proprietor, and the same shall be fairly and equally divided - between the public and the Individuals, as soon as may be, after the - City shall be laid off. - - For the streets the proprietors shall receive no compensation; but - for the squares or Lands in any form, which shall be taken for - public buildings, or any kind of public improvements, or uses, the - proprietors, whose lands shall be so taken, shall receive at the rate - of twenty-five pounds per acre, to be paid by the public. - - The whole wood on the Lands shall be the property of the proprietors. - - But should any be desired by the president to be reserved or left - standing, the same shall be paid for by the public at a just and - reasonable valuation, exclusive of the twenty-five pounds per acre to - be paid for the land, on which the same shall remain. - - Each proprietor shall retain the full possession and use of his - land, until the same shall be sold and occupied by the purchasers - of the Lots laid out thereupon, and in all cases where the public - arrangements as to streets, lotts, &c., will admit of it, each - proprietor shall possess his buildings and other improvements, and - graveyards, paying to the public only one-half the present estimated - value of the Lands, on which the same shall be, or twelve pounds - ten shillings per acre. But in cases where the arrangements of the - streets, lotts, squares, &c., will not admit of this, and it shall - become necessary to remove such buildings, Improvements, &c., the - proprietors of the same shall be paid the reasonable value thereof, - by the public. - - Nothing herein contained shall affect the Lotts which any of the - parties to this Agreement may hold in the Towns of Carrollsburgh or - Hamburgh. - - In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and Seals, this - thirtieth day of March, 1791. - - {Signed - Signed & sealed in presence of us--Mr. {ROBERT PETER (Seal) - THOS. BEALL, making an exception of the {DAVID BURNES (Seal) - Lands he sold Abraham Young not yet {JAS. M. LINGAN (Seal) - conveyed. {URIAH FORREST (Seal) - - Witness to all the subscribers including {BENJ. STODDERT (Seal) - WILLIAM YOUNG {NOTLEY YOUNG (Seal) - - WILLIAM BAYLY {DAN. CARROLL of Dn. (Seal) - WILLIAM ROBERTSON {OVERTON CARR (Seal) - JOHN SUTER {THOS. BEALL of Geo. (Seal) - - SAMUEL DAVIDSON witness to ABRAHAM {CHARLES BEATTY (Seal) - YOUNG’s signing {ANTHONY HOLMEAD (Seal) - - BENJ. STODDERT witness to EDWARD PEIRCE’s {WM. YOUNG (Seal) - signing. {EDWARD PEIRCE (Seal) - - JOSEPH E. ROWLES for JNO. WARING. ABRAHAM YOUNG (Seal) - - WM. DEAKINS Junr. for WM. PROUT & WILLIAM {JAMES PEIRCE (Seal) - KING as attorney in fact. {WILLIAM PROUT (Seal) - - ROBERT PETER, as - attorney in fact for - ELIPHAS DOUGLASS. (Seal) - BENJ. STODDERT for - JNO. WARING by - written authority - from Mr. Waring. (Seal) - WILLIAM KING (Seal) - -[Illustration: MAP OF BOUNDARY STONES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA] - -[Illustration: THREE OF THE BOUNDARY STONES] - -The land which was being considered for the city proper consisted of -about 6,000 acres. In laying out the streets 3,606 acres were taken, -and about 540 acres were bought by the United States as sites for the -public buildings and grounds. The lots laid out numbered 20,272. Of -these the United States took half and the property owners were given -back the remainder. The United States sold its share of the lots and -from the proceeds paid for the 540 acres on which it was to put the -public buildings. - -The United States also took a fee-simple title to the streets and -avenues. - - -BOUNDARY STONES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - -A survey of an outline of the District of Columbia was made by Andrew -Ellicott. From the initial point at Jones Point, on Hunting Creek, at -the Potomac (just south of Alexandria), a line was run due northwest -10 miles; thence (into Maryland) due northeast 10 miles to a northern -boundary point (now called Sixteenth Street Heights); thence due -southeast 10 miles; thence due southwest 10 miles, or back to Jones -Point. - -[Illustration: BOUNDARY STONE NEAR SIXTEENTH STREET, NORTHWEST] - -This survey was approved by Congress with the amendment that all public -buildings should be erected on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. - -On March 29, 1791, President Washington arrived on a visit to the -Potomac and stayed at Suter’s Tavern in Georgetown. The next day, -accompanied by the three commissioners and Maj. Pierre Charles -L’Enfant and Andrew Ellicott, he rode over the ground. Washington met -the owners of the land the same night, and the general terms were then -agreed upon and signed by the 19 “original proprietors.” The area of -100 square miles embraced about 64 square miles of Maryland soil (ceded -previously in 1788) and about 36 square miles of Virginia soil (ceded -in 1789). - -Thereupon the three city commissioners were ordered to have the -boundary lines permanently marked by monuments placed 1 mile apart. -One of these boundary stones can be seen to-day near the north corner -of the District of Columbia. Each stone was quite large, and this -particular one is well preserved. - - -PRELIMINARY STUDIES - -When the city of Washington was planned under the direct and minute -supervision of President Washington and Secretary of State Jefferson, -the relations that should exist between the Capitol and the President’s -House were closely studied. On August 7, 1791, L’Enfant sent a sketch -to President Washington, with a note, “the plan altered agreeable to -your suggestion.” Indeed, the whole city was planned with a view to the -reciprocal relations that should be maintained among public buildings. -Vistas and axes; sites for monuments and museums; parks and pleasure -gardens; fountains and canals--in a word, all that goes to make a city -a magnificent and consistent work of art were regarded as essential. -Thus, aside from the pleasure and the positive benefits to health that -the people derive from public parks in a capital city like Washington, -there is a distinct use of public spaces as the indispensable means -of giving dignity to Government buildings and of making suitable -connections between the great departments. - -The original plans were prepared after due study of great models. The -stately art of landscape architecture had been brought oversea by royal -governors and wealthy planters, and both Washington and Jefferson were -familiar with the practice of that art. - -On September 8, 1791, it was decided by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of -State, and James Madison, in conference with the Commissioners of the -District of Columbia-- - - to name the streets of the Federal City alphabetically one way and - numerically the other from the Capitol and that the name of the City - and Territory shall be the City of Washington and the Territory of - Columbia. - -The city had also been divided into four sections--namely, northeast, -northwest, southeast, southwest--with the Capitol as the center and -North and South Capitol Streets dividing the east and west sections and -East Capitol Street and the Mall the north and south sections. - -[Illustration: BUILDING REGULATIONS ISSUED BY PRESIDENT WASHINGTON] - -[Illustration: SKETCH OF THE L’ENFANT PLAN] - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -MAJ. PIERRE CHARLES L’ENFANT - - -Maj. Pierre Charles L’Enfant was born in Paris August 2, 1754, the son -of an academician, who was “Painter in ordinary to the King in his -Manufacture of the Gobelins,” with a turn for landscape and especially -for battles, as is shown by the collections at Versailles and Tours. -Trained as a French military engineer, young L’Enfant at the age of 23 -obtained a commission as a volunteer lieutenant in the French colonial -troops, serving at his own expense. - -[Illustration: MAJ. PIERRE CHARLES L’ENFANT] - -L’Enfant preceded Lafayette to America by a month. Arriving in 1777, -he entered the Continental Army at his own expense. In February 1778 -he was made a captain of engineers and as such proved his valor in -battles about Charleston, where he was wounded and was included in the -capitulation and exchanged. He was made a major in 1783. - -He was “artist extraordinary” to the Army, drawing likenesses -(including one of Washington at Valley Forge), decorating ballrooms, -and building banquet halls. Then by turn he became a drillmaster, like -Von Steuben. When peace was declared he made a brief visit to France -to see his father and, incidentally, to establish the Society of -the Cincinnati in France and procure the gold eagles he had designed -as insignia of the organization. Then he returned to remodel the New -York City Hall for the reception of the first Congress of the United -States, a building of such beauty never before having been seen by the -assembled representatives of the people. L’Enfant was an artist, and -this Washington knew when he selected him to design the Federal City. -He was imbued with the artistic development of Paris, with its fine -central composition from the Tuileries to the Arch of Triumph, the -beauty of the Champs Elysees, the Place de la Concorde and adjacent -great buildings as the Louvre; and with Versailles, built by Louis XIV, -with its fountains, terraces, gardens, and parks, which still thrill -thousands of visitors each year. He understood the art of city planning. - -L’Enfant was long maturing in his mind the plan he so quickly put on -paper. In September, 1789, while yet the idea of creating a capital -city was still in the air, he wrote to President Washington asking to -be employed to design “the Capital of this vast Empire.” The nations of -Europe wondered at the probable future of the new Republic. Visualizing -the future, L’Enfant wrote: - - No nation ever before had the opportunity offered them of - deliberately deciding upon the spot where their capital city should - be fixed, or of considering every necessary consideration in the - choice of situation; and although the means now within the power of - the country are not such as to pursue the design to any great extent, - it will be obvious that the plan should be drawn on such a scale as - to leave room for that aggrandizement and embellishment which the - increase of the wealth of the Nation will permit it to pursue to any - period, however remote. - -Major L’Enfant, a man of position and education and an engineer of -ability, was also familiar with those great works of the master Le -Nôtre, which are still the admiration of the traveler and the constant -pleasure of the French people. Moreover, from his well-stocked library -Jefferson sent to L’Enfant plans “on a large and accurate scale” of -Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfort, Carlsruhe, Strasburg, Orleans, Turin, -Milan, and other European cities, at the same time felicitating himself -that the President had “left the planning of the town in such good -hands.” - -Thereupon the name of L’Enfant became, and has since remained, -inseparably associated with the plan and development of the Nation’s -Capital. He was gifted but eccentric, a characteristic that got him -into many and serious difficulties. - -President Washington had high regard for him and wrote of him as -follows: - - Since my first knowledge of the gentleman’s abilities in the line of - his profession, I have viewed him not only as a scientific man, but - one who added considerable taste to professional knowledge, and that, - for such employment as he is now engaged in--for projecting public - works and carrying them into effect--he was better qualified than - anyone who had come within my knowledge in this country, or indeed in - any other, the probability of obtaining whom could be counted upon. - I had no doubt at the same time that this was the light in which he - considered himself; and of course he would be tenacious of his plans - as to conceive they would be marred if they underwent any change or - alteration. * * * Should his services be lost, I know not how to - replace them. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE L’ENFANT PLAN - - -The L’Enfant plan, as before stated, was prepared for the Federal -City under the direction of President Washington and Thomas Jefferson -in 1791 by Maj. Pierre Charles L’Enfant, and applied to the 10 miles -square set apart as Federal territory and called the District of -Columbia. This was the first and most comprehensive plan ever designed -for any city. It was a masterpiece of civic design. As originally drawn -it extended only to Florida Avenue NW. and was designed for a city of -800,000, the size of Paris at the time. It was submitted to Congress by -President Washington on December 13, 1791. - -The original plan shows explanatory notes and references by Major -L’Enfant, among which he calls attention to the position of the -main buildings and squares, the leading avenues, and the plan of -intersection of the streets and their width. The avenues were to be 160 -feet in width. No city designed merely for commercial purposes would -have avenues of such width; hence the whole plan indicates that it was -especially designed for the seat of government of the Nation. - -There are two great focal points in the L’Enfant plan--the Capitol and -the White House--each with its intersecting avenues, that add beauty -and charm to the city and at the same time make distant parts of the -city easy of access. - -The methods and features of L’Enfant’s plan, which included the reports -and correspondence between L’Enfant and President Washington, in -1930 were given intensive study by William T. Partridge, consulting -architect of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Mr. -Partridge’s findings and his review of the features of the plan, which -are still possible of attainment, constitute a notable contribution to -the research in this field, and we quote at length: - - A study of L’Enfant’s plan, as well as a careful reading of his - descriptions, shows the effort made to model his design to the - existing topography. No mention can be found of Versailles or London - as an inspiration. He reiterates again and again in his letters - that this plan of his was “original” and “unique.” In a letter to - Jefferson requesting some Old World city maps he deprecates any - copying and asks for this information only as a means for comparison - or to aid in refining and strengthening his judgment. - - In order to investigate how far the existing conditions of the - site for the Federal City dictated the plan of present Washington, - a topographical map of the terrain, as existing at that period, - has been carefully prepared from old maps and descriptions and an - attempt made with an open mind to follow L’Enfant’s procedure. Much - was assumed, only to be corroborated by later study of the original - manuscripts and reports. All printed transcriptions of L’Enfant’s - reports have been altered by their editors in the effort to interpret - L’Enfant’s strange English, a fact leading to misinterpretation on - the part of trained architectural commentators dependent solely on - these printed transcriptions. - -[Illustration: THE L’ENFANT PLAN] - -[Illustration: TRANSCRIPTION OF NOTES INSCRIBED ON L’ENFANT PLAN] - - At the convention of the American Institute of Architects held in - Washington in 1929, the history and development of the National - Capital was the principal topic of discussion. The merits of the - plan of L’Enfant were duly acknowledged by all, though emphasis - was laid upon the progress of those modern projects sponsored and - carried through largely by the efforts of the institute or its - individual members. The work of the McMillan Commission and the - admirable recommendations of that trained and experienced body, that - the “central area” be restored with some resemblance to L’Enfant’s - original plan were generally acknowledged. There was no comparison, - however, attempted between the proposed plan of L’Enfant and the - much-altered modern plan, nor was there discussion in detail of the - “public walk” of the original design. The real merit of the original - L’Enfant plan was sensed only by one speaker at the convention - mentioned, Mr. Medary, when he spoke of the early structures - maintaining their places as dominating elements in the original - design and confirmed the judgment of L’Enfant “in fitting the plan of - the proposed city to the topography of the site.” - - There has come down to us only a single manuscript plan which - students have accepted as the original design and on which they have - based all their comments. This drawing depicts only an intermediate - stage of the plan. The first plan was much altered by L’Enfant - himself at the request of President Washington, but by a careful - study of internal evidence of the later drawing the designer’s - masterly original may be restored. Existing documents tell us that - not only were considerable changes made in the plan by order of - President Washington, but alterations in the layout were also made - by L’Enfant’s successors, all of which disturbed considerably its - skillful symmetrical fitting to the irregular topography. If this - submitted restoration proves correct, there is no ground left for - further accusation of his indebtedness to both Versailles and the - London plan for minor details. It is the writer’s conclusion that - L’Enfant did exactly what he claimed--devised an original plan, - entirely unique. He arrived at his parti only after a careful study - on the spot of the best sites for the principal buildings, allocated - in the order of their importance, and located with consideration of - both prominence and outlook. He tied these sites together by means of - a rectangular system of streets and again connected them by means of - diagonal avenues. The principal avenues followed closely the existing - roads. Additional avenues were extended to the “outroads” or city - entrances and were laid out primarily for the purpose of shortening - communication--an engineering consideration. L’Enfant mentions that - the diagonal avenues would afford a “reciprocity of sight” and “a - variety of pleasant ride and being combined to insure a rapide - Intercourse with all the part of the City to which they will serve - as does the main vains in the animal body to diffuse life through - smaller vessels in quickening the active motion to the heart.” - - The similarity of the angles of the two principal avenues - (Pennsylvania east, from Eastern Branch Ferry to the Capitol, and - Maryland east, from the Bladensburg Road entrance to the Capitol) - which followed closely for some distance the existing roads, - doubtless suggested the radial pair-avenue idea. This was entirely - accidental and the outgrowth of existing conditions. The system of a - rectangular-street plan with radial avenues is not only borne out by - the mention he makes himself in his descriptions but was followed by - Ellicott in his redrafting of the plan for the engraver. - - Our artistic, hasty-tempered genius refused to give Ellicott any - documents or any information. Ellicott states in his letters on the - subject that, although he was refused the original plan, he was - familiar with L’Enfant’s system and had many notes of the surveys he - had made of the site himself, so it is possible that the plan was - recreated by Ellicott. - - Space and time do not permit an excursion into the squabble over - this engraved plan. Changes were made in reduction to the proper - size of the plate. These changes led to violent protests on the - part of L’Enfant, although in later years his memorial states that - the changes were not so very damaging. To an architectural mind the - alterations in question destroyed the unity and symmetry of the - whole, and L’Enfant’s later softened protest can be explained by his - desire for payment by Congress. He could not afford at that time to - imperil his chances. - - In the attempt to find the method by means of which L’Enfant arrived - at the system underlying his plan for the city, we are handicapped - at the very start by lack of sufficient data for identification - of the various plans mentioned in the old records. There was made - in Washington, as the work progressed, a large map with numbered - squares. Many references are made to this “large plan” in the old - correspondence, but it must not be confused with the layout of the - original design under discussion. A letter from the commissioners - states it was in L’Enfant’s hands some time after his dismissal. - - As far as we now know, there is but one original drawing in - existence, which, after 100 years of neglect and careless handling, - is now sacredly preserved in the Library of Congress. The - elaborateness and care shown in the carefully lettered notes and - profuse marginal references marks this a presentation copy. This - plan included “the alterations ordered by Washington and sent to - Philadelphia on August 19, 1791, for transmission to Congress.” - - -THE ELLICOTT PLAN--THE L’ENFANT PLAN ENLARGED - -The executed plan of the Federal City as redrawn by Andrew Ellicott -departs but little from the modified L’Enfant plan. The changes -are perhaps an improvement on the layout as modified by President -Washington. - -Discussion recently has arisen in reference to the credit Ellicott -should be given for the executed plan of Washington. In 1802 a -congressional committee found-- - - that the plan of the city was originally designed by Major L’Enfant, - but that in many respects it was rejected by the President, and a - plan drawn up by Mr. Ellicott, purporting to have been made from - actual survey, was engraved and published by order of General - Washington in the year 1792. - -The chief alteration shown in Ellicott’s engraved plan is the -straightening of what is now Massachusetts Avenue. The suppression of -the eastern portion leading to the upper bridgehead made it end at what -is now known as Lincoln Square, the drawbridge over Eastern Branch -being reached by what is now Kentucky Avenue. - -By moving the marine hospital site north some distance and ignoring -the Rock Creek Ford at the other end, Ellicott was enabled to run -Massachusetts Avenue in nearly a direct line; the western end reached -the road to Frederick, as it did in L’Enfant’s plan. - -The settlement of this section of the city was at that date -problematical, and no serious attention was given to the change in -plan. The area was marshy and was a popular place for hunting snipe. -This fact explains the meandering of Florida Avenue to the northwestern -boundary line of the old city. - -[Illustration: THE ELLICOTT PLAN] - -[Illustration: TRANSCRIPTION OF NOTES INSCRIBED ON ELLICOTT PLAN] - -In an overlay of the two plans of L’Enfant and Ellicott, prepared with -great accuracy by the hydrographic section of the Navy, only the main -east-west and north-south axes of the Capitol and White House coincide. -An examination of this drawing shows that the art of surveying had not -at that period reached present-day accuracy. - -[Illustration: THE DERMOTT OR TIN CASE MAP OF THE CITY OF WASHINGTON, -1797-98] - -Several suppressed sections of the L’Enfant plan were restored in -the engraved plan. Maryland Avenue was carried through to the “Grand -Avenue,” and South Carolina Avenue extended to New Jersey Avenue and -the “Town House” site. - -The plan of James R. Dermott, the officially approved plan, had many -more city squares, and consequently more lots for sale. It is known -as the Tin Case Map, because about 50 years later it was thus found -preserved. The cry of grasping owners and voracious speculators was for -more lots; and L’Enfant’s letter of warning to President Washington -dated August 19, 1791, against this evil proved more than justified. -This city plan also indicated the names of the avenues. - -What is known as the King Map was made by Robert King, a surveyor -in the office of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, and -published in 1818. - -[Illustration: THE KING MAP] - -The map is of interest in that we note in it the word _Judiciary_ in -what is known as Judiciary Square. We learn from L’Enfant’s Memorial -addressed to Congress on December 7, 1800, that L’Enfant intended the -third coordinate branch of the Government, the Judiciary, be located -there. To-day the Square is largely occupied by court buildings. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF EARLY WASHINGTON] - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -EARLY WASHINGTON - - -While Major L’Enfant drew the plan of the Federal City, it was Andrew -Ellicott who afterward carried it out. The building of the city -attracted many speculators, who invested heavily. Robert Morris, James -Greenleaf, Thomas Law, John Nicholson, and Samuel Blodgett were among -those who lost thereby. - -When Washington became the seat of government in 1800 there were 109 -brick and 263 frame houses, sheltering a total population of about -3,000. The early years of the city’s development were difficult and -too much praise cannot be given the men who carried the burden. The -departments of the government that existed then were State, Treasury, -War, Navy, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Postal Service. -They employed a total of 137 clerks. - -We have brief accounts of the appearance of Washington written by -travelers who visited the United States during the period from -1790 to 1800. There is an interesting description by Duc de La -Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, who wrote an account of his “Voyage dans -les États-Unis d’Amerique fait en 1795-97.” The accounts of several -inhabitants in Washington of the period is well summed up by Albert J. -Beveridge in his Life of John Marshall (vol. III, pp. 1-4): - - A strange sight met the eye of the traveler who, aboard one of the - little river sailboats of the time, reached the stretches of the - sleepy Potomac separating Alexandria and Georgetown. A wide swamp - extended inland from a modest hill on the east to a still lower - elevation of land about a mile to the west. Between the river and - morass a long flat tract bore clumps of great trees, mostly tulip - poplars, giving, when seen from a distance, the appearance of a fine - park. - - Upon the hill stood a partly constructed white stone building, - mammoth in plan. The slight elevation north of the wide slough was - the site of an apparently finished edifice of the same material, - noble in its dimensions and with beautiful, simple lines, but - “surrounded with a rough rail fence 5 or 6 feet high unfit for a - decent barnyard.” From the river nothing could be seen beyond the - groves near the banks of the stream except the two great buildings - and the splendid trees which thickened into a seemingly dense forest - upon the higher ground to the northward. - - On landing and making one’s way through the underbrush to the foot of - the eastern hill, and up the gullies that seamed its sides thick with - trees and tangled wild grapevines, one finally reached the immense - unfinished structure that attracted attention from the river. Upon - its walls laborers were languidly at work. - - Clustered around it were fifteen or sixteen wooden houses. Seven or - eight of these were boarding-houses, each having as many as ten or a - dozen rooms all told. The others were little affairs of rough lumber, - some of them hardly better than shanties. One was a tailor shop; in - another a shoemaker plied his trade; a third contained a printer with - his hand press and types, while a washerwoman occupied another; and - in the others were a grocery shop, a pamphlets-and-stationery shop, a - little dry-goods shop, and an oyster shop. No other human habitation - of any kind appeared for three-quarters of a mile. - -[Illustration: THE SIX BUILDINGS - -_Courtesy of National Photo Co._] - - A broad and perfectly straight clearing had been made across the - swamp between the eastern hill and the big white house more than a - mile away to the westward. In the middle of this long opening ran - a roadway, full of stumps, broken by deep mud holes in the rainy - season, and almost equally deep with dust when the days were dry. On - either border was a path or “walk” made firm at places by pieces of - stone; though even this “extended but a little way.” Alder bushes - grew in the unused spaces of this thoroughfare [the present notable - Pennsylvania Avenue], and in the depressions stagnant water stood in - malarial pools, breeding myriads of mosquitoes. A sluggish stream - meandered across this avenue and broadened into the marsh. - - A few small houses, some of brick and some of wood, stood on the edge - of this long, broad street. Near the large stone building at its - western end were four or five structures of red brick looking much - like ungainly warehouses. Farther westward on the Potomac hills was - a small but pretentious town with its many capacious brick and stone - residences, some of them excellent in their architecture and erected - solidly by skilled workmen. - - Other openings in the forest had been cut at various places in the - wide area east of the main highway that connected the two principal - structures already described. Along these forest avenues were - scattered houses of various materials * * *. Such was the City of - Washington, with Georgetown nearby, when Thomas Jefferson became - President and John Marshall Chief Justice of the United States--the - Capitol, Pennsylvania Avenue, the “Executive Mansion” or “President’s - Palace,” the department buildings near it, the residences, shops, - hostelries, and streets. - -The south lines of the 10-mile square--the Federal district in which -the new Capital lay--were to run from the intersection of the Potomac -River and the Eastern Branch, but, as has been related, by the act -of March 3, 1791, these boundary lines were moved south to include -Alexandria and part of Virginia within the Federal territory. The -land lying within the bounds of the proposed city was given by the -proprietors to trustees appointed by the Government under an agreement -by which the Nation received the land necessary for streets without -charge, purchasing the areas for parks and building sites at the rate -of £25 per acre. The remaining land was divided equally with the -original proprietors. The first settlements were made on grants given -chiefly to retired naval officers who named their holdings after their -camps--Mexico, Jamaica, and Port Royal. There were two settlements on -the site--Carrollsburg, named after its founder, and Hamburg, an early -real-estate development near and south of Georgetown. A stream of -considerable size known originally as Goose Creek ran through the city. -It later became known as Tiber Creek, because a resident named Pope, -whose estate he facetiously called Rome, contended that if there was a -Pope in Rome, his residence should be situated on the Tiber. - -As is noticed by reference to the plans, a canal extended from the -point about where the Lincoln Memorial is located, along B Street, now -Constitution Avenue, east to the Capitol; thence along James Creek, -known to-day as Canal Street. In those days Pennsylvania Avenue was a -dusty road, lined with poplar trees, and often so flooded that it was -not an uncommon sight to see boats floating on it. For a long time an -isolated group of buildings known as the Six Buildings at Twenty-first -Street and Pennsylvania Avenue stood halfway between the Capitol and -Georgetown. - -[Illustration: EARLY WASHINGTON, SHOWING THE JEFFERSON POPLARS] - -[Illustration: THE ELLICOTT MAP] - -Washington as the infant city appeared in 1800 is best described by -John Cotton Smith, Member of Congress from Connecticut, in a letter -written by him at the time, as follows: - - Our approach to the city was accompanied with sensations not easily - described. One wing of the Capitol only had been erected, which with - the President’s House, 1 mile distant from it, both constructed with - white sandstone, were shining objects in dismal contrast with the - scene around them. Instead of recognizing the avenues and streets, - portrayed on the plan of the city, not one was visible, unless we - except a road, with two buildings on each side of it, called the New - Jersey Avenue. The Pennsylvania Avenue, leading, as laid down on - paper, from the Capitol to the Presidential Mansion, was nearly the - whole distance a deep morass covered with alder bushes, which were - cut through to the President’s House; and near Georgetown a block of - houses had been erected which bore the name of the “six buildings” - * * *. The desolate aspect of the place was not a little augmented by - a number of unfinished edifices at Greenleaf’s Point. - - There appeared to be but two really comfortable habitations, in all - respects, within the bounds of the city, one of which belonged to - Dudley Carroll and the other to Notley Young. The roads in every - direction were muddy and unimproved. A sidewalk was attempted, in one - instance, by a covering formed of the chips hewed for the Capitol. It - extended but a little way and was of little value; for in dry weather - the sharp fragments cut our shoes, and in wet weather covered them - with white mortar. In short, it was a new settlement. - -Newspapers in New York, Philadelphia, and New England and satirists -everywhere cracked many amusing jokes at the expense of the embryonic -city. The Capitol was called “the palace in the wilderness” and -Pennsylvania Avenue “the great Serbonian Bog.” Georgetown was declared -“a city of houses without streets” and Washington “a city of streets -without houses.” - -The Abbe Correa de Serra, the witty minister from Portugal, bestowed -upon Washington the famous title of “the city of magnificent -distances,” referring to the great spaces between the scattered houses; -while Thomas Moore, just then coming into prominence as a poet, visited -the city in 1804, and contributed to the general fund of humor by the -composition of this satire: - - In fancy now beneath the twilight gloom, - Come, let me lead thee o’er this second Rome, - Where tribunes rule, where dusky Davi bow, - And what was Goose Creek once is Tiber now. - - This fam’d metropolis, where fancy sees - Squares in morasses, obelisks in trees; - Which second sighted seers e’en now adorn - With shrines unbuilt and heroes yet unborn. - -During the administrations of Adams and Jefferson the city improved -considerably. Jefferson secured money from Congress for public -buildings. In 1803 he appointed Benjamin Latrobe as the Architect of -the Capitol, and by him the construction of the Capitol was carried on -so energetically that he gave form to the old portion of the Capitol -that Thornton had simply planned. - -Thomas Jefferson also secured money from Congress for the improvement -of Pennsylvania Avenue, which was then a dusty highway in the summer -and swampy place in winter; planted poplar trees and did what he could -to redeem that thoroughfare from its lamentable condition. He applied -his artistic taste and skill to the work of beautifying the city. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -WASHINGTON, 1810-1815 - - -An interesting account of Washington during this period is given -by David Baillie Warden in his book entitled “A Description of the -District of Columbia,” published in Paris in 1816, and dedicated to -Mrs. George Washington Parke Custis. He states: - - It is scarcely possible to imagine a situation more beautiful, - healthy and convenient than of Washington. The gentle undulated - surface throws the water into such various directions, as affords - the most agreeable assemblage. The rising hills, on each side of the - Potomac, are truly picturesque; and as the river admits the largest - frigates, their sails, gliding through the majestic trees which adorn - its banks, complete the scenery. - - The city extends from northwest to southeast about four miles and a - half, and from northeast to southwest about two miles and a half. The - public buildings occupy the most elevated and convenient situations, - to which the waters of the Tiber Creek may be easily conducted, as - well as to every other part of the city, not already watered by - springs. - - The streets run from north to south, and from east to west, crossing - each other at right angles, with the exception of fifteen, that point - to the State of which each bears the name. The capitol commands the - streets called the Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania avenues; - the President’s House, those of Vermont, New York, and Connecticut; - and all these different intersections form eleven hundred and fifty - squares. The Pennsylvania Street, or avenue, which stretches in a - direct line from the President’s house to the capitol, is a mile - in length, and a hundred and sixty feet in breadth. That of the - narrowest streets is from ninety to a hundred feet, which will give - a fine appearance to the city; but in a region where the summer sun - is so intensely hot, and the winter winds so severely cold, narrow - streets, affording shade and shelter, would be of great utility. - - The plan of the city of which we have prefixed an engraving (There is - a plan by Major L’Enfant, engraved at the expence of the Government, - on the scale of a hundred poles to an inch), is universally admired. - The most eligible places have been selected for public squares and - public buildings. The capitol is situated on a rising ground, which - is elevated about eighty feet above the tide-water of the Potomac. - This edifice will present a front of six hundred and fifty feet, with - a colonade of two hundred and sixty feet, and sixteen Corinthian - columns thirty-one feet and a half in height. The elevation of the - dome is a hundred and fifty feet * * *. - - The President’s house consists of two stories, and is a hundred and - seventy feet in length, and eighty-five feet in breadth. It resembles - Leinster-House in Dublin. * * * The view from the windows fronting - the river is extremely beautiful. - - The Public Offices, the Treasury, Department of State, and of War, - are situated in a line with, and at the distance of four hundred - and fifty feet from the President’s House. These buildings, of two - stories, have a hundred and twenty feet in front, sixty in breadth, - and sixteen feet in height, and are ornamented with a white stone - basement, which rises six or seven feet above the surface. It was - originally proposed to form a communication between these offices and - the house of the president, a plan which was afterwards abandoned. - - The Jail consists of two stories, and is a hundred by twenty-one feet. - - The Infirmary is a neat building. - - There are three commodious Market-places built at the expence of the - corporation. - - The public buildings at the Navy Yard are the barracks, a work-shop, - and three large brick buildings for the reception of naval stores. - The Barracks, constructed of brick, are six hundred feet in - length, fifty in breadth, and twenty in height. At the head of the - Barrack-yard is the Colonel’s house, which is neat and commodious. - The Workshop, planned by Latrobe, is nine hundred feet in length. - - The Patent Office, constructed according to the plan of J. Hoban, - esquire (who gained the prize for that of the President’s house) - consists of three stories, and is a hundred and twenty feet long, - and sixty feet wide. It is ornamented with a pediment, and six Ionic - pilasters. From the eminence (This eminence has the shape of a - tortoise-shell) on which it stands, the richly-wooded hills rise on - every side, and form a scenery of unequaled beauty. It was erected by - Mr. Blodgett to serve as a public hotel * * *. In 1810 this edifice - was purchased by the government.--Dr. Thornton, director. - - In the summer of 1814 this metropolis was taken possession of by - an English naval and land force, which set fire to the Capitol, - President’s house, Public Offices, and Navy Yard. The loss sustained - was $1,215,111. - - Two of the luxuries of life, pine-apples and ice, are found at - Washington at a cheap rate. The former, imported from the West - Indies, are sold at twenty-five cents each. The latter article is - purchased, throughout the summer, at half a dollar per bushel. * * * - - It is deeply to be regretted, that the government or corporation did - not employ some means for the preservation of the trees which grew - on places destined for the public walks. How agreeable would have - been their shade along the Pennsylvania Avenue where the dust so - often annoys, and the summer sun, reflected from the sandy soil, is - so oppressive. The Lombardy poplar, which now supplies their place, - serves more for ornament than shelter. - - Water may be distributed to any part of Washington from several fine - springs, and also from the Tiber Creek, the source of which is 236 - feet above the level of the tide in the same stream. * * * - - The canal, which runs through the centre of the city, commencing at - the mouth of Tiber Creek, and connecting the Potomac with its eastern - branch, is nearly completed. Mr. Law (Brother to Lord Ellenborough) - the chief promoter of this undertaking, proposes to establish - packet-boats to run between the Tiber Creek and the Navy-Yard--a - conveyance which may be rendered more economical and comfortable than - the hackney-coach. This canal is to be navigable for boats drawing - three feet of water. - - The population of the territory of Columbia, in 1810, amounted - to 24,023. That of the city was 8,208; of Georgetown, 4,948; of - Alexandria, 7,227. - -On August 24, 1814, the British arrived in Washington at about 6 -o’clock in the evening. That night they burned the Capitol, the -President’s House, the Treasury, State and Navy Department Buildings, -and a number of private houses on Capitol Hill. The flames could -be seen from the Francis Scott Key mansion at Georgetown. Several -wagonloads of valuable documents had been taken a few days previously -from the State Department to Leesburg, Va., 35 miles northwest of -Washington, to a place of safety. - -The British also intended to burn the Patent Office, but Commissioner -Thornton met them boldly, saying: “Are you Englishmen or Goths and -vandals? This is the Patent Office, the depository of the ingenuity of -the American Nation, in which the whole civilized world is interested. -Would you destroy it? If so, fire away and let the charge pass through -my body.” The British allowed it to remain and withdrew. - -Mrs. Dolly Madison, having secured such property from the White House -as could be carried, including the Gilbert Stuart portrait of General -Washington, which she cut from the frame, went through Georgetown and -that night slept in a camp of soldiers with a guard about her tent. -Later the President, who had taken refuge in a tavern near McLean, -in Virginia, joined Mrs. Madison. The southwest end of the bridge -over which they had crossed the Potomac--it was then a pile bridge 1 -mile long--was burned, and they were thereupon required to make their -return to Washington by boat. The residence of the President was then -established at the Octagon House at Eighteenth Street and New York -Avenue. In 1815 the residence of the President was removed to the -“Seven Buildings,” at the northwest corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and -Nineteenth Street, one of the early homes of the Department of State. -Here it remained until the Executive Mansion was restored, March, 1817. - -After the withdrawal of the British the Blodgett Hotel building, -acquired for the use of the Patent Office, was for a time occupied by -Congress for its sessions. Later Congress moved into a building at -First and A Streets NE., known later as the Old Capitol Building and -used during the Civil War as a military prison. - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON, FROM THE PRESIDENT’S HOUSE, 1830] - -[Illustration: CHRIST CHURCH BURIAL GROUND, LATER KNOWN AS -“CONGRESSIONAL CEMETERY” - -SHOWING CENOTAPHS ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN EARLY -DAYS] - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -WASHINGTON, 1816-1839 - - -The administration of President Monroe, who served two terms -(1817-1825) is known as the “era of good feeling,” but so far as -developing the plan of Washington little was done. In 1820 the -population of Washington was 13,247. - -During these years the Capitol was rebuilt and was reoccupied by -Congress. In 1820 the corner stone of the city hall on Judiciary -Square was laid. In 1824 General Lafayette made his memorable visit to -Washington. - -In 1825 trees were planted on two squares of the filled lowlands -south of Pennsylvania Avenue. That year, also, the eastern portico -of the Capitol was completed; Pennsylvania Avenue was graded from -Seventeenth to Twenty-second Streets; the grounds of the White House, -as the Executive Mansion came to be known after the War of 1812, and -the grounds of the city hall were also graded. At that time there were -about 13 miles of brick paving, average width 13 feet. - -Among churches that were built during this period was Foundry Methodist -Church, founded in 1816, at Fourteenth and G Streets NW. The site -was given by Henry Foxall, who operated a foundry about a mile above -Georgetown, near the site of the canal, in fulfillment of a vow that if -his foundry were spared during the attack on Washington he would make -this gift. - -On January 27, 1824, the Legislature of Virginia granted a charter -to the newly organized Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Co., which was to -supersede the old Potomac Co., of which George Washington had been -first president, and which had developed commerce with the West. At -Little Falls, on the north side of the river, a canal 2¹⁄₂ miles long, -with 4 masonry locks having a total elevation of 37 feet, had been -constructed. At Great Falls, on the south side, a canal 1,200 yards -long, with 5 locks having a total difference of level of 76 feet 9 -inches, was constructed. The two lower locks were cut in solid rock. - -On July 4, 1828, President John Quincy Adams turned the first spadeful -of earth for the new canal, which was completed to the first feeder -at Seneca on July 4, 1831. From this place to Point of Rocks work -was delayed by a legal contest with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad -Co., which extended its first 45 miles along the same course as the -canal. That railroad company, organized in 1828 at Baltimore, was the -beginning of one of the great railroad systems of the United States -that were to revolutionize commerce and industry. To-day the Chesapeake -& Ohio Canal remains the property of the United States Government, and -is to be made into a great park. - -[Illustration: THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT 1820 - -FROM PAINTING MADE BY SAMUEL F. B. MORSE, SHORTLY AFTER REBUILDING OF -THE CAPITOL AFTER THE FIRE OF 1814 ORIGINAL IN THE CORCORAN GALLERY OF -ART] - -[Illustration: _Courtesy of National Photo Co._ - -SITE AND MATERIAL FOR DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BUILDING, 1839] - -Georgetown had become a great trading center. From 1815 to 1835 -products to the value of $4,077,708 were exported from Georgetown to -foreign markets, and from 1826 to 1835 nearly $5,000,000 worth of -products to other American cities, including a million barrels of flour -and 5,400 hogsheads of tobacco. - -[Illustration: GATEHOUSE, BUILT IN 1835, ALONG THE OLD CHESAPEAKE & -OHIO CANAL] - -In the spring of 1828, shortly before what was called the corner stone -of the main line was laid, Congress enacted a law granting entrance of -a railroad line into the District. Some six years passed before the -Washington branch reached the District line. The first service began on -Monday, July 20, 1835, with two trains each way. A great celebration, -in which 1,000 passengers and 2 bands on 4 trains took part, marked the -entrance of the railroad service to the National Capital. The steam -cars passed through the city on their daily trips to the depot at the -northwest corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Second Street. October 1, -1835, it was reported that the average number of travelers per day was -200. - -During this period the construction of the present Treasury Department, -Patent Office, and old Post Office Department Buildings was authorized. -They conformed to the Capitol and the White House in their fine style -of classical architecture, and emphasized the fact that Washington is -the National Capital. - -Unfortunately, it was during this period that great mistakes were -made--such as giving over part of the Mall to garden purposes and in -letting Government areas, so much desired now, go for private purposes; -also in the location of certain public buildings, as erecting the -Treasury Department in the center of Pennsylvania Avenue. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -WASHINGTON, 1840-1859 - - -In 1840 Washington had a population of 23,364. The city was still -in a very much undeveloped state, though the fact that it was the -National Capital was not lost sight of. In 1846 the construction of the -Smithsonian Institution Building was begun, and on July 4, 1848, the -corner stone of the Washington Monument was laid. On July 4, 1851, the -corner stone for the enlargement of the Capitol according to plans as -we see it to-day, was laid. - -[Illustration: THE CAPITOL, 1840] - -However, so far as city development was concerned, little was done -during this period. The L’Enfant plan seemed either forgotten or -entirely too large for the National Capital. In the city of Washington -not a street was lighted up to 1860 excepting Pennsylvania Avenue. Pigs -roamed the principal thoroughfares. Pavements, save for a few patches -here and there, were altogether lacking. An open sewer carried off -common refuse, and the police and fire departments might have sufficed -for a small village rather than for a nation’s capital. - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON, 1852] - -In 1846 the part of the District of Columbia on the west bank of the -Potomac, including Alexandria, was re-ceded to Virginia. This was -done pursuant to an act of Congress of July 9 of that year, and with -the assent of the people of the county and town of Alexandria, at an -election on the first and second days of September, 1846, by a vote -of 763 for retrocession and 222 against it. On September 7, 1846, -President Polk issued a proclamation giving notice that the portion -derived from the State of Virginia, about 36 square miles, was re-ceded -to that State. The action of Congress and the President was based upon -petitions of the people of the town and county of Alexandria. The -chief reasons were two: First, that the United States did not need -Alexandria County for the purpose of the seat of government; the public -buildings were all erected on the north side of the river, as required -by law--none on the south side--and it was declared that so far as -it could be foreseen the United States would never need that part of -the District of Columbia for the purpose of the seat of government. -Secondly, the petitioners said that the people of Alexandria had failed -to derive or share in the benefits which had been enjoyed by the -residents of the Maryland portion of the District of Columbia in the -disbursements for public improvements, etc., while on the other hand -they were deprived of those political rights incident to citizenship in -a State. - -Since then the United States has acquired something over 2 square miles -of this territory for use as a military post, a national cemetery, a -Signal Corps station, and the Department of Agriculture Experiment Farm. - -The constitutionality of the retrocession has often been questioned. -But Congress had expressed itself clearly on the subject, and the -majority of the voters had their way in the matter. In a test case -before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1875 (Phillips v. -Payne), the court, while not directly ruling on the question, held that -an individual is estopped from raising the question. According to an -opinion rendered by an attorney general about 1900, it would now take -the consent of the State of Virginia to reinclude the Virginia portion -as part of the District of Columbia. - -In the development of the National Capital the portion in Virginia is -properly included in the metropolitan area of Washington. The National -Capital Park and Planning Commission is, by authority of Congress, -cooperating with similar commissions of the States of Maryland and -Virginia. The great object is to secure for the remote regions of the -National Capital area the same harmonious development as there is in -the heart of the city. Both the States of Maryland and Virginia are -cooperating to the fullest extent in this matter. - -On December 16, 1852, the first issue of the Washington Evening Star, -which has grown into one of the great national dailies, appeared. - -[Illustration: DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BUILDING, 1855] - - - - -CHAPTER X - -WASHINGTON 1860-1870 - - -Washington in 1860 was still a comparatively small and undeveloped -city, with a population of 61,122. But the people were soon aroused to -intense excitement because of the strife between the States. When the -Civil War began, the eyes of the Nation were turned on Washington. The -city increased in population to over 100,000 in a few months time and -was the center of great war-time activities. On April 18, 1861, 500 -Pennsylvania troops, the first to answer President Lincoln’s call for -volunteers, entered the city, and the day following they were joined by -the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment. Soon thousands of additional men were -here from all the States in the North. Washington became an armed camp. -Schools, churches, and public halls were turned into hospitals to care -for the sick and wounded. A chain of forts and batteries was erected -about the city to protect it, and by October 1862 there were 252,000 -soldiers encamped around Washington on both sides of the river. There -were 70 hospitals, caring for 30,000 sick and wounded men. - -[Illustration: OLD CAPITOL PRISON] - -[Illustration: THE CAPITOL, SHOWING UNCOMPLETED DOME, 1860] - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON, FROM ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, 1865] - -[Illustration: SECOND INAUGURAL OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN, 1865] - -On the morning of July 11, 1864, great fear spread over the city as -Gen. Jubal A. Early reached a point about 6 miles to the north of -the city where the Walter Reed General Hospital now stands. General -Grant sent the Sixth and part of the Nineteenth Corps to Washington, -and their arrival on the afternoon of that day saved the city. On the -following day a skirmish of troops and sharp engagement took place, -which President Lincoln witnessed as a spectator at Fort Stevens, -exposing himself for a time to the fire. That evening General Early, -finding himself opposed by a greater force than he was prepared to -meet, withdrew, recrossing the Potomac at White Fords, Va. - -During the four years of the war thousands of troops passed through -Washington on their way to the front, thrilled by the thought of being -in the Nation’s Capital. Even though the Civil War was a great handicap -to the carrying out of improvements in the city, still several notable -improvements were made, among these being the work of enlarging the -Capitol and completing the Dome as we see it to-day. In that period -also the first street-car line was opened, the Long Bridge was rebuilt, -and work on the Washington Aqueduct developed so that from that time -water has been brought from the Potomac at Great Falls to the city. - -In 1861 the number of employees of the Government was 3,466, and in -1865 they numbered 7,184. - -On October 2, 1862, the first horse-drawn street cars commenced -operation, running from the Navy Yard to Georgetown; they continued in -use for 40 years. - -On April 14, 1865, occurred the great tragedy when President Lincoln -was assassinated at Ford’s Theater by the actor John Wilkes Booth. The -funeral procession was a great solemn occasion, for Abraham Lincoln, -on whom the Nation had depended during four years of war to guide it -safely through the bitter conflict, had given his life for the cause -that the Union might be preserved. On May 23 and 24 took place the -Grand Review on Pennsylvania Avenue of 200,000 men, requiring six hours -for General Meade’s army on the first day and seven hours for General -Sherman’s army on the second day to pass before President Johnson and -General Grant. In a few days those who made up these armies passed from -military life and resumed their places among their fellow citizens. - -Buildings that had been used as hospitals were again given over -to peaceful pursuits, and the forts that surrounded the city were -dismantled. Lumber from temporary buildings that were torn down was -used to begin the construction of houses in a new subdivision called -Mount Pleasant. But the great era for civic improvements was not -to take place for another five years, until the administration of -President Grant. - -[Illustration: _Photograph by courtesy of the Oldest Inhabitants -Association_ - -GRAND REVIEW OF UNION ARMY, MAY, 1865] - -[Illustration: OLD HAYMARKET SQUARE, LOUISIANA AVENUE BETWEEN NINTH AND -TENTH STREETS] - -[Illustration: THE CAPITOL, 1870] - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -IMPROVEMENTS MADE DURING PRESIDENT GRANT’S ADMINISTRATION - - -The year 1870 marked the beginning of a new and effective movement for -the development of the National Capital. Washington was then a city of -109,199. - -Great efforts to relocate the National Capital in some other city, -preferably farther to the west, were made by some who were familiar -with conditions in Washington. St. Louis offered to spend several -millions of dollars for the erection of public buildings. Congress -settled this agitation by appropriating $500,000 as an initial sum for -the construction of the State, War, and Navy Building. - -By an act of Congress approved February 21, 1871, a Territorial form of -government, consisting of a governor, a board of public works, and a -legislative assembly, was created. Alexander R. Shepherd, better known -as “Boss” Shepherd, a native of Washington, was appointed a member of -the board of public works and, later, governor of the new Territory. - -[Illustration: VIEW SHOWING HORSE CARS] - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON, 1890] - -Great projects were placed under way for the development of the city. -One hundred and eighty of the 300 miles of half-made streets and -avenues were improved, and nearly all the thickly settled streets of -the city were paved with wood, concrete, or macadam; 128 miles of -sidewalks were built and 3,000 gas lamps were installed. A general and -costly system of sewers was begun. Old Tiber Creek was filled in, and -the greatest nuisance of Washington thereby put out of sight. Scores of -new parks were graded, fenced, and planted with trees and beautified -by fountains. A special park commission was appointed for this work. -It planted 60,000 trees, and a movement was thus begun which has given -to Washington one of its most characteristic features. To-day there -are 114,000 trees along street curbs because of the custom that has -prevailed to plant trees along curbs when new streets are opened for -traffic. Many of the small triangles for which Washington is noted were -transformed from rubbish heaps into beautiful reservations and planted -with trees. There were soon more paved streets here than in any other -city of the country, and President Grant, in his message to Congress, -said, “Washington is rapidly becoming a city worthy of the Nation’s -Capital.” - -[Illustration: GATEPOST DESIGNED BY BULFINCH, NEAR THE CAPITOL] - -However, the public took issue with Governor Shepherd, whose drastic -measures paved the way for modern Washington. Bonds were issued to meet -the expenses incurred by these improvements, taxes piled up to the -point of confiscation, and Shepherd was banished from the city. Yet -without the support of President Grant it would have been impossible -for Governor Shepherd to have brought about those civic improvements -for which he is remembered. - -The Territorial form of government lasted three years, or until -June 20, 1874, when Congress provided that a new form of municipal -government with three commissioners appointed by the President, with -the consent of the Senate, should be established in the District of -Columbia. This, known as the temporary form of government, lasted until -July 1, 1878, when the present form was established. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF THE MALL ABOUT 1890] - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE INFLUENCE OF THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AND OF THE WORLD’S -COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION ON ART IN THE UNITED STATES - - -The Centennial Exhibition of 1876 at Philadelphia marked a century of -progress. It aroused the country to its opportunities, after a period -of lethargy and unrest that followed the Civil War. A decade had -elapsed since the end of that terrible conflict, and a new day dawned. -President Grant gave the people confidence that he would guide the -affairs of the Nation safely as their Chief Executive. Industries were -established, commerce and trade developed, and prosperity followed. -The Philadelphia Centennial of 1876 brought a sense of the power of -the United States in material resources, coupled with an admission of -poverty in the things of the spirit, and a determination to remedy -shortcomings in this respect. The people then turned their attention to -the finer things of life and became interested in erecting monuments -and establishing art galleries. Thus, the Corcoran Art Gallery, -Washington, D. C., the Metropolitan Museum in New York, and the Boston -Museum of Fine Arts were chartered about the time of the centennial -celebration. - -Again, in 1893, the World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, had a great -effect on art in the United States. It stirred the whole world by -the production of beautiful and impressive groups of buildings, so -arranged and coordinated as to create the sense of unity in the whole -composition. The White City along the shores of Lake Michigan still -lives in the minds of many people to-day. The use of landscape effects, -of canals and basins, of statuary and paintings, all contributed to -impress the public and to lift people to new standards and ideals of -achievement. It marked the beginning of a new era of civic development. -In Chicago, for the first time, men saw the advantage of teamwork to -produce a result finer than anything before dreamed of. A number of the -great artists in the United States to-day served their apprenticeship -during the preparation of the World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago. -Several of the artists served on the decorations of the Congressional -Library, which was completed in 1897. A considerable number of the -beautiful creations in architecture and sculpture in Washington -during the past 35 years by great artists reflect the experience and -inspiration received during that period. - -[Illustration: WORLD’S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION, CHICAGO--COURT OF HONOR, -LOOKING EAST] - -[Illustration: WORLD’S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION, CHICAGO--COURT OF HONOR, -LOOKING WEST] - -A most remarkable result of the aesthetic achievements of the World’s -Columbian Exposition was the influence it had on the architecture -of several national expositions which were held at the close of the -nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries. The first of -these expositions was the Trans-Mississippi Exposition, which was held -at Omaha, Nebr., 1897-1898. Several classical buildings were erected -for it, as were erected also for the Pan-American Exposition, held at -Buffalo, N. Y., in 1901, to emphasize the progress of Americans of the -western continents during the nineteenth century. Then followed the -Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which ranks as the third great World’s -Fair held in this country in 1904, in celebration of the one hundredth -anniversary of the transfer of the Louisiana Territory by France to the -United States, during the administration of President Jefferson. It is -significant that as Thomas Jefferson had introduced the classical style -of architecture into this country, so at this Exposition most of the -15 largest buildings resembled in character the classical buildings of -the Chicago World’s Fair. The next exposition in which architecture -had an important part was the Alaska-Yukon Pacific Exposition, held at -Seattle, Wash., in 1909. Again the classical style of architecture was -emphasized, and, as at the Chicago Exposition, the buildings had an -ivory-white appearance. It was stated at the time: - - The influences of an Exposition are of course many, but one of the - most palpable influences of our American expositions has been their - power to stimulate a powerful interest in architecture and building. - - The beneficent influence of the Chicago World’s Fair on our - architecture is of inestimable value, not only for the architects - but for the entire country. Many Americans owe their interest in - buildings and architecture to a visit to Chicago in 1893, just as - many cities and towns recall in their municipal and government - structures the revival of classic splendor seen in the stucco palaces - of the World’s Fair. - -The next exposition of importance was the Panama-Pacific Exposition at -San Francisco, Calif., held in 1915. In 1906 almost the entire central -part of the city had been destroyed by a frightful earthquake and fire. -In less than a decade the city was rebuilt, and by 1915 there had -also been planned and constructed the great Exposition. Its principal -buildings were built in the classical style of architecture. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -HIGHWAY PLAN OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - - -The street-planning process has experienced several stages of -development. - -1. The narrow streets of Georgetown are typical of the first stage. - -2. The wide avenues and streets of the area included in the L’Enfant -plan are appropriately referred to as outstanding proof of the value -of proper planning. The merit of this generous street plan was never -more widely appreciated than at present, when other cities are spending -millions of dollars to have their streets widened to meet traffic -requirements. - -3. The dark days of the National Capital, as far as its circulation -system is concerned, were those during which, outside the city -planned by L’Enfant, streets were dedicated without reference to any -comprehensive plan. This period was from about 1866 to 1893. The lack -of authority to enforce a plan allowed land-owners, insensible to the -superior qualities of the L’Enfant scheme, to do as they pleased. -Prior to 1893 no city plan existed beyond the original city limits. -Streets could be created entirely at the will of the subdivider by -the simple recording of a plat, for there was no authority to control -or coordinate subdivisions. Sixteenth Street was blocked at Florida -Avenue, just as Seventeenth Street is today. Vermont, Connecticut, -New Jersey, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Tennessee Avenues were -ignored. Widths of important streets were reduced, and a method of land -subdivision came into vogue wholly out of keeping with a capital city. - -4. The reaction brought the so-called highway plan outside of the -original city limits of Washington and Georgetown. It was in effect -an extension of the plan of the original city to apply to all parts -of the District of Columbia, with such changes as were influenced -by the topography. All subdivisions subsequent to 1893 conform, by -requirement of law, to this official plan. This highway plan, first -made effective in 1898, was a belated but praiseworthy effort to extend -the L’Enfant plan with its scheme of streets and avenues beyond the old -city. Considering the period in which it was prepared, and the state -of city-planning science at the time, it was a notable achievement. -The work was done by a board on street extensions, with a membership -entirely ex officio, known as the Highway Commission, established by -the act of Congress of 1893. - -[Illustration: _Courtesy Army Air Corps_ - -WASHINGTON, LOOKING NORTH FROM THE WHITE HOUSE] - -[Illustration: _Courtesy Army Air Corps_ - -WASHINGTON, LOOKING SOUTH FROM SIXTEENTH STREET AND COLUMBIA ROAD] - -5. Since then the Surveyor’s Office of the District of Columbia and -the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, which superseded -the Highway Commission of 1893, have made an intensive study of the -highway problems of the District of Columbia, including street railroad -problems. This has required a differentiation of street functions, and -an application of the best methods of modern land subdivision to the -remaining undeveloped areas; also an attempt to restate the L’Enfant -ideal in the terms of a motor age. The results achieved appear in the -changes in the highway plan already approved by the Commission or being -recommended to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia from time -to time. Many changes in the highway plan have thus been made, each -case having required careful study of effects on topography, trees, -drainage, lot depths and sizes, etc. The acts of Congress of 1914 -and 1925 authorized additional changes in the Highway Plan. The act -approved December 15, 1932 (Public, No. 307, 72d Cong.), authorizes -the Commissioners of the District of Columbia “to readjust and close -streets, roads, highways, or alleys in the District of Columbia -rendered useless or unnecessary.” The desirability of discontinuing -streets which have never been opened and which exist only on a map and -only part of which are in public ownership, when a better and cheaper -way of giving the same traffic connection can be found, seems so -manifest as to require no further justification. - -[Illustration: GATEHOUSE BY BULFINCH WHICH FORMERLY STOOD NEAR THE -CAPITOL] - -With a view to creating direct arteries in which the vital traffic -flow of the community may freely move, a major thoroughfare scheme, -extending into the metropolitan area of Washington, has also -been studied. The District Commissioners have an interesting map -illustrating the Highway Plan. The Highway Department of the District -of Columbia has charge of upkeep and maintenance of highways in the -District of Columbia. Out of 1,020 miles of streets in the District of -Columbia 855 miles are paved. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE McMILLAN PARK COMMISSION--THE PLAN OF 1901 - - -In 1900 a great celebration commemorating the one-hundredth anniversary -of the removal of the seat of government to the District of Columbia -was held in Washington. The keynote of the celebration was the -improvement of the District of Columbia in a manner and to the extent -commensurate with the dignity and the resources of the American Nation. -The population was 218,196. - -[Illustration: OLD BALTIMORE & OHIO RAILROAD STATION] - -While the centennial exercises were in progress the American Institute -of Architects, in session in Washington, discussed the subject of the -development of parks and the placing of public buildings; the tentative -ideas of a number of the leading architects, sculptors, and landscape -architects of the country were heard; and as a result the Institute -appointed a committee on legislation. Consultations between that -committee and the Senate Committee on the District of Columbia were -followed by the order of the Senate for the preparation and submission -of a general plan for the development of the entire park system of the -District of Columbia. - -[Illustration: MODEL OF WASHINGTON SHOWING CONDITIONS IN 1901] - -[Illustration: MODEL OF THE FUTURE WASHINGTON, PLAN OF 1901] - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON, FROM ARLINGTON, PLAN OF 1901] - -Thus, Hon. James McMillan, of Michigan, chairman of the Senate -Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following -resolution, which was adopted by the United States Senate on March 8, -1901: - - _Resolved_, That the Committee on the District of Columbia be, and - it is hereby, directed to consider the subject and report to the - Senate plans for the development and improvement of the entire park - system of the District of Columbia. For the purpose of preparing such - plans the committee may sit during the recess of Congress and may - secure the services of such experts as may be necessary for a proper - consideration of the subject. The expenses of such investigation - shall be paid from the contingent fund of the Senate. - -[Illustration: OLD PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD STATION] - -On March 19, 1901, the subcommittee of the District Committee having -the matter in charge met the representatives of the American Institute -of Architects and agreed to their proposition that Daniel H. Burnham, -architect, and Frederick Law Olmsted, jr., landscape architect, be -selected as experts, with power to add to their number. These gentlemen -accepted, and subsequently invited Charles F. McKim, architect, and -Augustus Saint-Gaudens, sculptor, to act with them in the preparation -of plans. The services of men who had won the very highest places in -their several professions had thus been secured. - -[Illustration: THE MALL, SHOWING RAILROAD TRACKS CROSSING IT] - -[Illustration: THE MALL INUNDATED] - -The nature and scope of the work having been outlined to the -commission, they entered upon their task, but not without hesitation -and misgivings. The problem was both difficult and complex. Much had -to be done; much, also, had to be undone. Also the aid and advice of -the commission was sought immediately in relation to buildings and -memorials under consideration, and thus the importance and usefulness -of the commission were enhanced. - -The commission, in order to make a closer study of the practice of -landscape architecture as applied to parks and public buildings, made -a brief trip to Europe, visiting Rome, Venice, Vienna, Budapest, -Paris, London, and their suburbs. Attention was directed principally -to ascertaining what arrangement of park areas best adapts them to the -uses of the people and what are the elements that give pleasure from -generation to generation, and even from century to century. The many -and striking results of this study were given in the Park Commission -Report, including plans and illustrations. The Committee on the -District of Columbia submitted the report to the Senate on January 15, -1902. It was adopted and ordered to be printed as Senate Report No. -166, Fifty-seventh Congress, first session. - - -McMILLAN PARK COMMISSION - -The members of the McMillan Park Commission were: - -DANIEL H. BURNHAM, architect, of Chicago. He became head of the firm -of Burnham & Root, one of the first great architectural firms of the -country, and later of D. H. Burnham & Co. Designer of many buildings, -among them the Railway Exchange and Marshall Field’s retail store in -Chicago, and the Wanamaker stores in New York and Philadelphia; in -1893 he became chief architect and director of works of the World’s -Columbian Exposition. Mr. Burnham was instrumental in securing the -adoption of a scheme of construction which placed that exhibition in -the very front rank of international exhibitions, and by the display of -rare executive ability he brought about and maintained the effective -cooperation of the architects and artists, who then and there gave to -American art both a new direction and a tremendous impetus. In 1901 he -became chairman of the McMillan Park Commission for beautifying the -National Capital; in 1908 he built the Union Station at Washington; in -1910 he became a member of the National Commission of Fine Arts and -its first chairman. He also laid out plans for Chicago, Cleveland, and -Manila. He died in 1912 while on a trip abroad. - -CHARLES F. MCKIM, architect, of New York City, studied architecture -at Harvard University and at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. He -organized the firm of McKim, Mead & White, architects, of New York -City, who for half a century have led the architectural profession in -the design of classical buildings, such as the Boston Public Library, -Harvard University buildings, the Columbia University Library, the -Morgan Library, the Rhode Island Capitol, the Pennsylvania Railroad -Station in New York City, the restoration of the White House, and are -the architects of the Arlington Memorial Bridge. Mr. McKim, as a member -of the McMillan Park Commission, designed the Mall plan, and also made -a sketch for the Lincoln Memorial. Mr. McKim was president of the -American Institute of Architects in 1902 and 1903, and was instrumental -in the purchase of the Octagon House as the headquarters of the -American Institute of Architects. In 1903 he was awarded the royal gold -medal given by King Edward VII for the promotion of architecture. Mr. -McKim was a champion of good architecture and keenly interested in the -development of the National Capital. He deplored the appearance of the -State, War, and Navy Building, and said he would find pleasure during -leisure hours in raking off the columns--a work that is contemplated -in the remodeling of the building as the State Department Building. He -died in 1909. - -[Illustration] - -AUGUSTUS SAINT-GAUDENS, sculptor, born in Dublin, Ireland, on March 1, -1848, came to the United States in infancy and learned the trade of -a cameo cutter. He studied drawing at the Cooper Institute in 1861, -and in 1865 and 1866 was a student of the National Academy of Design. -From 1867 to 1870 he studied at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. -Mr. Saint-Gaudens was the greatest American sculptor, and, indeed, one -of the greatest of all time. His great works of art are numerous and -inspiring. Among them are The Puritan; the statue of Abraham Lincoln, -Chicago; the Farragut, the Peter Cooper, and the Sherman Victory -monuments in New York; the Shaw Memorial in Boston; the Amor Caritas -at the Luxembourg Gallery in Paris; and the celebrated Adams Memorial -in Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington. He also designed a $20 gold piece. -As a member of the McMillan Park Commission he wrote that part of the -report pertaining to Arlington National Cemetery and advised in the -matter of location of the Grant Memorial at the head of the Mall. He -died in 1907. - -FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED, landscape architect, from the time that he -became a member of the McMillan Park Commission of 1901 has given -uninterrupted service in the development of the National Capital. He -was one of the original members of the National Commission of Fine -Arts, appointed in 1910, and served as landscape architect member until -1918. From 1924 he served as landscape architect member of the National -Capital Park and Planning Commission. Mr. Olmsted was president of the -American Society of Landscape Architects and from its organization in -1907 a member of the National Conference on City Planning. - -His father laid out Central Park, New York City, about 1858 (2,300 men -were employed on it in September of that year), and in 1872 he prepared -the landscape plan for the United States Capitol Grounds as they have -existed since then. Mr. Olmsted and his firm have in more recent years -laid out the Metropolitan Park System of Boston, the Vanderbilt Estate -in North Carolina, the Baltimore Park System, and Redondo Beach, Los -Angeles County, Calif. The smaller park areas which Mr. Olmsted has -designed are too numerous to mention. - -CHARLES MOORE has devoted fully 50 years to the development of the -National Capital, and is a former chairman of the National Commission -of Fine Arts. Mr. Moore was for many years clerk to the Senate -Committee on the District of Columbia, rendering most valuable service -to the committee, of which Senator McMillan was chairman, as well as to -the National Capital. The reports on the elimination of grade crossings -in the District of Columbia and on the charitable institutions of the -District of Columbia, as well as the Park Commission Report of 1901, -are memorable documents of that period which were largely prepared by -him. His influence has always been strong with Members of Congress -in favor of the development of the District of Columbia upon a noble -scale. His appointment as one of the original members of the National -Commission of Fine Arts was a fitting recognition not only of past -services but of his preeminent qualifications to pass upon subjects -relating to the beautification of the National Capital. He was chairman -from 1915 to 1937. Mr. Moore also helped prepare the plan of Chicago. -He is the author of a number of books, among them being Under Three -Flags, the Life of Daniel H. Burnham, the Life of Charles F. McKim, the -Family Life of George Washington, Washington Past and Present; and has -contributed also innumerable articles to magazines in the course of the -years. - - -PLANS OF THE McMILLAN PARK COMMISSION - -The plans prepared by the McMillan Park Commission and submitted, with -its report, to the Senate, constituted the first and most notable -proposal for grouping of public buildings ever put forward in the -United States. The outlying sections of the District of Columbia -were studied in relation to a system of parks, both large and small -areas being indicated; the most convenient and the most picturesque -connections between the various parks were mapped; the individual -treatment which each important park should undergo was recommended; an -extension of the park system to Great Falls and to Mount Vernon was -discussed. Primarily, however, the development of the Mall received -detailed and elaborate treatment, and the location of new public -buildings, whether legislative, executive, or municipal in character, -was arranged according to a rational system of grouping; and those -memorials which mark distinct epochs in our national history were -brought into harmonious relation with the general scheme of development. - -As a result of this study, the desirability of making every -considerable undertaking within the District of Columbia a part of -a general plan was made evident, so that each undertaking should -contribute its part to enhancing the value of the whole; and no -undertaking would be allowed to invade, to mutilate, or to mar the -symmetry, simplicity, and dignity of the one great composition designed -to comprehend the entire area. - -In working out the plans the park commission found it necessary to have -prepared two models, one showing the existing disturbed conditions in -the section from the Library of Congress westward to the Potomac, and -the other showing the arrangement proposed. These models, constructed -with the utmost attention to the details of topography by George C. -Curtis, were accurate maps of the section they so graphically depicted, -and served as guides in carrying the plans to completion. To present -in graphic fashion particular features of the plans, the accurate -architectural drawings were rendered in color by leading artists, and -by means of these pictures a clear and distinct idea of the completed -work was obtained. - -One of the greatest obstacles to a restoration of the Mall as provided -for in the L’Enfant plan was the fact that since 1872 the Mall had been -occupied by railroad tracks, the board of aldermen and the board of -common council having on March 20, 1871, granted the Mall site to the -Baltimore Potomac Railroad Co., later the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., -which action was confirmed by act of Congress May 21, 1872. The Mall -was then no better than a common pasture. The railroad had taken the -place of the canal, which it paralleled, and held the right to use the -property by a title good in law and in equity; also by virtue of an -act of Congress adopted in 1890 the railroad space had been enlarged, -in consideration of the surrender of street trackage and the proposed -elevation of the tracks within the city of Washington. - -It so happened that the chairman of the commission, Mr. Burnham, was -the architect of the new Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Pittsburgh, -and he had also drawn for the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. the preliminary -plans for the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Station in Washington. After -consultation, Mr. Burnham proposed to the president of the Pennsylvania -Railroad Co. that the station be built on the south side of the Mall -and the adjoining lands; and, while the matter received serious -consideration, no action was taken. It was during the stay of the -commission in London that President Cassatt announced to Mr. Burnham -his willingness to consider the question, not of moving the Baltimore -& Potomac Railroad Station to the south side of the Mall but of -withdrawing altogether from that region and uniting with the Baltimore -& Ohio Railroad Co. in the erection of a union station on the site -established by legislation for the new depot of that road, provided -suitable legislation be secured to make compensation for the increased -expense such a change would involve, and provided, also, that the -approaches to the new site be made worthy of the building the railroads -proposed to erect. - -Subsequent examination convinced the commission that from an esthetic -standpoint there were insuperable objections to the depot site provided -by law; the chief objection being that were the station to front on C -Street a train shed 800 feet long would be thrown across Massachusetts -Avenue, one of the great thoroughfares of the city. Not only would the -vista be blocked by a commercial building, but also the street would -be carried underneath this enormous structure in a tunnel so long as -to cause the avenue to be avoided by traffic. The commission thereupon -proposed a site fronting on Massachusetts Avenue, and that was the -one adopted for the Union Station. The plans called for a station 8 -feet and 8 inches longer than the Capitol, the building to be of white -marble, the façade Roman in style of architecture, and the construction -and arrangements so planned as to make this station superior to any -structure ever erected for railway purposes. Facing the Capitol, and -yet not too near that building, the new station was designed to front -upon a plaza 600 feet in width and 1,200 feet in length, where bodies -of troops or large organizations could be formed during inaugural times -or on other like occasions. Thus located and so constructed, the Union -Station makes a great and impressive gateway to Washington. - -In considering the views of the commission, and in reaching his -decision, the president of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. looked at the -matter from the standpoint of an American citizen, saying in substance -that he appreciated the fact that if Congress intended to make of the -Mall what the founders of the city intended it to be, no railroad -should be allowed to cross it, and that he was willing to vacate the -space provided the matter could be arranged without sacrificing the -interests of the stockholders of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. This -conditional consent on the part of the railroad, which was later agreed -to by Congress, removed the one great obstacle to the preparation of -adequate plans for the improvement of the city. Lesser obstacles, -such as the lack of surveys of the oldest parks in the District and -the difficulties of getting together the widely scattered data, were -surmounted. On the other hand, the work was much lightened by the -excellent topographical maps of the District outside of the city -prepared by the Coast and Geodetic Survey. - -[Illustration: TREATMENT FOR AREA WEST OF THE CAPITOL, PLAN OF 1901] - - -THE CAPITOL GROUP - -Naturally the plan of 1901 began at the Capitol. It was recommended -that the chief legislative building of the Nation be surrounded by -structures dependent on or supplementary to legislative work. The -Library of Congress had been completed in 1897. The enjoyment and -satisfaction taken in the Library by the thousands of persons from -all parts of the country who visit it daily is an indication of the -manner in which the American people regard the upbuilding of their -Capital. Since the Library Building was designed we have learned -lessons of subordination in grouping (as shown in the Senate and House -Office Buildings and in the Union Station), and also of restraint in -decoration; but the Library contains individual work of the leading -painters and sculptors of its era. - -[Illustration: UNION SQUARE, PLAN OF 1901] - -The idea of office buildings for the Members of the Senate and the -House of Representatives was in mind when the plan was being made, and -therefore the areas these buildings would naturally occupy were marked. -The three buildings were designed and constructed in such manner as to -make them an integral part of the Capitol group. Simple, elegant, and -dignified, the Senate and House of Representatives Office Buildings -carry on the great tradition established by Washington and Jefferson -in the selection of the Thornton design for the original building, and -persistently maintained by President Fillmore in the extension of the -Capitol by Thomas U. Walter. - -By common consent the remaining space facing the Capitol on the east -was assigned to a building for the Supreme Court of the United States, -which since the removal of the seat of government to the District of -Columbia in 1800 occupied the same building with the Congress. - -On the south below the House of Representatives Office Buildings the -frontage is occupied by nondescript buildings, all undignified and -unsightly. The obvious use of this land is building sites and house -gardens to balance Union Station Plaza on the north. This also is a -project for the future. - - -THE HEAD OF THE MALL - -The area directly west of the Capitol grounds was marked on the -L’Enfant map as an open plaza, affording an approach to that building -similar to the one on the east. Owing to the slow development of -Washington the west front underwent various vicissitudes. The Baltimore -& Ohio Railroad Co. tracks once were located about on a line with the -Peace and Garfield Monuments. The Botanic Garden area was reclaimed -from an alder swamp, and the James Creek Canal wound its way through -it. A quarter of a century ago the House passed a bill for the removal -of the Botanic Garden fence, with the view of giving the public access -to that park in the same manner that other parks are open. - -The plan of 1901 aimed to restore this area to its intended uses as a -broad thoroughfare so enriched with parterres as to form an organic -connection between the Capitol Grounds and the Mall. Anticipating the -improvement of this square, named Union Square, as outlined in the -plan, Congress located therein the memorial to General Grant, the base -of which was designed to be used as a reviewing stand, and later a site -in the same area was designated for the monument to General Meade. The -Grant Memorial was completed a number of years ago, the Meade Monument -is also in place, and the Botanic Garden has been relocated south of -Maryland Avenue, near the Capitol. The new plan for Union Square as -carried out, was made by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1935. - - -DEVELOPMENT OF THE MALL - -That section of the Mall between Third and Four-and-a-half Streets -has been laid out and planted with elms in accordance with the plan -of 1901, and Congress has provided for putting in the roadways. The -temporary buildings in the Mall were so located that upon removal the -roadways will be in accordance with the Mall plan, and as fast as -the buildings are razed the planting of trees can be made. The space -between Four-and-a-half and Sixth Streets was so improved and restored -during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1921. - -Congress has authorized the occupation of the north side of the Mall -between Third and Seventh Streets (former site of the Pennsylvania -Station) by the National Gallery of Art, designed by John Russell Pope. -Plans for the building approved by the Commission of Fine Arts are -classical in style of architecture. - -Auditoriums, both large and small, designed for the uses of -conventions, inaugural exercises, and meetings of patriotic societies -are among the prime necessities of Washington. Such gathering places -would meet governmental and semipublic needs and be advantageous to the -growth of American feeling. - -[Illustration: MALL AND MONUMENT GARDENS, PLAN OF 1901] - -The space between Third and Seventh Streets, on the south side of the -Mall is being considered for the Smithsonian Gallery of Art, authorized -by Congress, to house the collections of works of art that have been -given to the Nation. The planting and roadways continuous with those -already in place on the Mall can then be put in. - -The new National Museum Building was the first structure to be located -and erected according to the plan of 1901, having been aligned in -conformity to the new Mall axis. On the south side of the Mall the -new Freer Gallery also conforms to the revised axis. This gallery is -a constituent portion of the National Gallery of Art. It represents -one of the largest gifts ever made by an individual to the Government. -Although comparatively small in extent, both the building itself and -the collections now being arranged within it represent the very highest -standards of art. Moreover, the Freer Gallery is a type of the small, -adequately housed, and well-endowed gallery which doubtless will be -established from time to time by private individuals and given to -the Nation to be administered by the Smithsonian Institution for the -instruction and gratification of the people. - -The section of the Mall between Twelfth and Fourteenth Streets is -occupied by the Department of Agriculture. The location of the two -wings of the building designed to accommodate the administrative -offices of the department precipitated a contest, on the result of -which depended the fate of the plan of 1901. It was due to the firm -stand taken by President Roosevelt and Secretary of War Taft that the -location was made in accordance with the plan. That crisis having been -met satisfactorily, the future of the Mall scheme was assured, and -since then the plan for park connection between the Capitol and the -White House has become an established fact. - -While L’Enfant had planned a driveway through the center of the Mall, -the Mall Plan of 1901 consists of an expanse of undulating green park, -a mile in length and 300 feet wide, extending from the Capitol to the -Monument. This central green space is bordered by park roads, flanked -by four rows of American elms, under the shade of which are walks and -resting places. Back of these rows of trees are other roads furnishing -access to public buildings like the National Museum, the Department of -Agriculture Building, the Freer Gallery, and the National Gallery of -Art, which have been located according to the plan. - - -RESTORING THE MALL AXIS - -According to the L’Enfant plan the Monument to George Washington was to -be located at the point where a line drawn due west from the center of -the Capitol would intersect a line drawn due south from the center of -the White House. On these axial relations the Mall composition depended -for its effect. The builders of the Washington Monument, despairing of -securing adequate foundations in the lowlands at the intersection of -the main and the cross axes, located the Monument without regard to -points fixed in the plan. Feeling the absolute necessity of restoring -these relationships, the Park Commission boldly determined to create -a new main axis by drawing a line from the Capitol Dome through the -Washington Monument and prolonging it to the shore of the Potomac, -where they proposed, on the then unimproved lands dredged from the -river to form Potomac Park, a site for a new memorial. Here they placed -the long-contemplated memorial to Abraham Lincoln. This they did with -full comprehension of the fact that by common consent Lincoln is the -one man in the history of this Nation worthy to stand with Washington -in the great central composition. - -[Illustration: PLAN OF THE MALL] - -The original intersection had been marked by Thomas Jefferson by a -small monument known as the Jefferson Pier. In the McMillan Park -Commission plan of 1901 this pier is indicated by a circular pool. That -commission, as has been said, restored the cross axis of the Mall, -and from the Mall plan of 1901 by actual measurement the Washington -Monument is 371.6 feet east of the north and south axis of the White -House, and 123.17 feet south of the Capitol axis. - - -EXTENDING THE MALL AXIS TO THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL - -While this location of the Lincoln Memorial commended itself to men -like Theodore Roosevelt, John Hay, Elihu Root, and William H. Taft, -it was opposed by many others, who had regard to the immediate future -and who did not consider either the historical significance of the -situation or the prospective development of Potomac Park, then far from -the more populous parts of the city and thus seemingly isolated and -remote. The struggle over this location, and indeed over any memorial -of an ideal character, was long and bitter. Nor was it ended during -the lifetime of Mr. McKim and Mr. Saint-Gaudens. Happily, however, -the result was determined in accordance with the commission plan, and -to-day no other site seems possible. This was a distinct victory for -the plan, virtually insuring the realization of the large scheme as -laid out in 1901. - -The Park Commission wrote as follows: - - From the Monument garden westward a canal 3,600 feet long and 200 - feet wide, with central arms and bordered by stretches of green - walled with trees, leads to a concourse raised to the height of the - Monument platform. Seen from the Monument this canal, similar in - character to the canals at Versailles and Fontainebleau in France - and Hampton Court in England, introduces into the formal landscape - an element of repose and great beauty. At the head of the canal a - great rond-point, placed on the main axis of the Capitol and the - Monument, becomes a gate of approach to the park system of the - District of Columbia. Centering upon it as a great point of reunion - are the drives leading southeast to Potomac Park and northwest by - the Riverside Drive to the Rock Creek system of parks. From this - elevation of 40 feet the Memorial Bridge leads across the Potomac - directly to the base of the hill crowned by the mansion house of - Arlington. - -[Illustration: SITE OF THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL, 1901] - - Crowning the rond-point, as the Arc de Triomphe crowns the Place de - l’Etoile at Paris, should stand a memorial erected to the memory - of that one man in our history as a nation who is worthy to stand - with George Washington--Abraham Lincoln. Whatever may be the exact - form selected for the memorial to Lincoln, in form it should possess - the quality of universality, and also it should have a character - essentially distinct from that of any other monument either now - existing in the District or hereafter to be erected. The type which - the commission has in mind is a great portico of Doric columns rising - from an unbroken stylobate. - -The foregoing recommendations were among the fundamentals of the plan -of 1901. Ten years were required to embody them in legislation. To-day -the Lincoln Memorial and the Arlington Memorial Bridge are completed -along the general lines suggested. - -[Illustration: THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL, MEMORIAL BRIDGE, AND RIVERSIDE -DRIVE, PLAN OF 1901] - -There are many other features of the McMillan plan that the report of -1901 describes to which attention is called in the subsequent pages -of this volume; thus there is the Rock Creek Parkway, the Anacostia -Park development, the Fort Drive, the parkway along the Palisades of -the Potomac to Great Falls, and the Mount Vernon Highway. The plans -for these projects required authorization by Congress and time to make -necessary land purchases; but at the present time there is indication -that they will be completed in the near future. The day has come when -the Greater Washington, or the metropolitan area of Washington, is -being brought into the scheme of development of the National Capital. - -The plan of 1901 reasserted the authority of the original plan of -L’Enfant, extended to meet the needs of the Nation after a century of -growth in power, wealth, and dignity, and also marked the path for -future development. - -[Illustration: THE FUTURE WASHINGTON] - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -NATIONAL COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS - - -Immediately after abolishing the Council of Fine Arts President Taft -undertook to interest Congress in the establishment of a permanent -Commission of Fine Arts. A bill was accordingly presented in the United -States Senate by Hon. Elihu Root. In the House of Representatives the -bill was sponsored by Hon. Samuel W. McCall. Various amendments were -made to the measure in both the Senate and House of Representatives and -it was finally adopted by the act approved May 17, 1910, as follows: - - _Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the - United States of America in Congress assembled_, That a permanent - Commission of Fine Arts is hereby created to be composed of seven - well-qualified judges of the fine arts, who shall be appointed by the - President, and shall serve for a period of four years each, and until - their successors are appointed and qualified. The President shall - have authority to fill all vacancies. It shall be the duty of such - Commission to advise upon the location of statues, fountains, and - monuments in the public squares, streets, and parks in the District - of Columbia, and upon the selection of models for statues, fountains, - and monuments, erected under the authority of the United States - and upon the selection of artists for the execution of the same. - It shall be the duty of the officers charged by law to determine - such questions in each case to call for such advice. The foregoing - provisions of this act shall not apply to the Capitol Building of - the United States and the building of the Library of Congress. The - Commission shall also advise generally upon questions of art when - required to do so by the President, or by any committee of either - House of Congress. Said Commission shall have a secretary and such - other assistance as the Commission may authorize, and the members of - the Commission shall each be paid actual expenses in going to and - returning from Washington to attend the meetings of said Commission - and while attending the same. - - Sec. 2. That to meet the expenses made necessary by this act an - expenditure of not exceeding $10,000 a year is hereby authorized. - -The duties of the Commission of Fine Arts have been enlarged since then -from time to time by Executive orders. Congress has also stipulated -in many recent enactments that the plans for certain designated -buildings, monuments, etc., must be approved by the Commission before -they can be accepted by the Government. The act of May 16, 1930, -gives the Commission control over certain portions of the District of -Columbia in the matter of private buildings, under what is known as the -Shipstead-Luce Act. Reports are published periodically. - -The duties of the Commission, therefore, now embrace not only advising -upon the location of statues, fountains, and monuments in the public -squares, streets, and parks in the District of Columbia, etc., but in -fact all questions involving matters of art with which the Federal -Government is concerned. - -[Illustration: CAPITOL GROUNDS AND UNION STATION PLAZA, 1917] - -[Illustration: THE MALL, 1930] - -The Commission has been in existence 29 years, during which time -many great artists of this country have served as its members. The -membership comprises three architects, a sculptor, a painter, a -landscape architect, and a lay member. Congress permits the Commission -to hold meetings, including committee meetings, both in and outside -of the District of Columbia, thus enabling it to give attention to -works of art in any part of the country in which the Government is -interested. A meeting of the Commission is usually held in Washington -each month, where the public-buildings program and other great projects -under way for the development of the National Capital are requiring its -particular attention. - -In the work of the Commission of Fine Arts we see the splendid results -achieved through the collaboration of architects, sculptors, painters, -and landscape architects. The Commission exists primarily to serve -the Congress and its committees, the President, and the heads of the -Government Departments. There are exceptional cases when the Commission -of Fine Arts is called upon to advise with reference to fine arts -projects submitted by individuals. The Commission aims to maintain -standards of taste. The members themselves are prominent in their -respective professions and are “well-qualified judges of the fine arts.” - -Prior to the establishment of the Commission of Fine Arts it was the -practice of Congress when legislation was enacted providing for a -public building, a monument, or other work of art to authorize the -appointment of a committee to advise it concerning the specific fine -arts project. Such a committee was as a rule composed of laymen, -unqualified to give advice on matters of art. Thereupon money was -appropriated to meet the expenses of a jury of award, in addition -to those of the committee; and when the project was completed, the -committee disbanded, leaving Congress without a recognized body to whom -matters pertaining to the fine arts could be referred, and requiring a -repetition of the appointment of a new committee for procuring some new -work of art desired by Congress. It was just such a situation as this -that existed in 1910 when Senator Root was a member of the Committee on -the Library. In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission of -Fine Arts at the twenty-fifth anniversary of its establishment in May -1935, Senator Root stated: - - Sometime about the early spring of 1910 some Senator had introduced - in the Senate a resolution providing for the purchase by the - Government of a number of paintings that nobody wanted to buy and - under the rule that resolution was referred to the Committee on the - Library. The responsibility for protecting the Government against a - waste of money was thus thrown upon the Committee. - - A little discussion developed the fact that all the members of - the Committee had an uncomfortable feeling that the pictures were - probably worthless and no such purchase ought to be made but that no - member of the Committee felt any such confidence in his own knowledge - and judgment about such things as to feel like making a report to - the Senate based on his opinion, and maintaining that opinion on - the floor. We all felt that the Committee ought to have some way of - getting an expert opinion to guide it in making its report. - - In the discussion we recalled Theodore Roosevelt’s appointment of - a Fine Arts Council, which fell to the ground because it had no - legal standing, and we recalled also the advantage received from the - report of park development of the informal commission selected by - the McMillan Committee, and we finally determined to ask Congress to - provide for the appointment of a fine arts commission which would - meet the need that our Committee was then experiencing and a similar - need which was liable to occur in a multitude of cases under which - Government officers had to pass on questions of art without being - really competent to perform such a duty. * * * I drafted a very brief - statute * * * and a little informal explanation of the need which the - Committee felt for expert assistance in the performing of its duties - carried the bill through. - - And so, without creation of any power of legal compulsion, there - was brought to the service of the Government the authority of - competent opinion upon questions of art arising in the course of - administration, and widespread and habitual deference to such an - opinion has saved the Government and the community from God knows how - many atrocities. - -From the time of its establishment, the Commission has been consulted -about every detail of the progress of the Plan of Washington, and also -about many works of art for which the Government makes appropriations. -This includes also works of art which our Government, as a result of -congressional enactment, presents to the governments and the peoples of -other countries to express our friendship and good will, or erects for -the use of our diplomatic corps abroad, or to perpetuate the memory of -our soldiers’ deeds of daring and courage. Good examples are the statue -of Leif Ericsson to Iceland, the statue of Henry Clay to Venezuela, -the American Embassy Building in Japan, and the World War Memorials in -Europe. - -In creating the National Capital Park and Planning Commission by act -of April 30, 1926, Congress provided that purchases of lands made -thereunder shall have the advice of the Commission of Fine Arts. -During the years all proposed purchases have been approved. The two -Commissions have acted harmoniously in the work of developing the -District of Columbia according to carefully devised plans for parks, -playgrounds, and highways. - -The first project that came before the Commission of Fine Arts, in -1910, was the Lincoln Memorial. The memorial during a period of 12 -years had the continual attention of this Commission, and since its -dedication on May 30, 1922, it has been recognized as one of the great -memorials of the world. In the past 15 years the row of beautiful white -marble buildings near the Lincoln Memorial have been built, as also the -new Department buildings on Constitution Avenue. These are a part of -the great public buildings program that is in progress in the National -Capital. - -[Illustration: THE CENTRAL COMPOSITION OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL] - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -ZONING OF THE CAPITAL - - -Our first President, by proclamation of October 17, 1791 (illustrated -on page 21), established a height restriction of 40 feet on buildings -in the new Capital. Although not a regulation by zones, it might have -been the beginning of a zoning policy if the growth of the Capital had -been foreseen. However, the restriction was suspended under President -Monroe in 1822, and it was not until 1910 that a comprehensive height -regulation became effective. The act of 1910 established height limits, -depending upon the width of adjacent streets. - -The first zoning ordinance for an American city was adopted by New York -City in 1916. The World War held the problem of zoning our cities in -abeyance. Washington was zoned by the act of 1920. Since then fully -1,500 towns and cities throughout the United States, ranging from -5,000 to 6,000,000 (New York City) in population, have adopted zoning -ordinances. - -Zoning not only controls the use and development of land but also -regulates the height and bulk of buildings, the open spaces which -must be provided for light and ventilation, and the density and -distribution of population. It is a legislative function under the -police power. The usual procedure in establishing zoning control in -our cities has been to pass an ordinance under the authority of the -State Zoning Enabling Act, dividing the city into use, height, and -area districts, throughout each of which the governing regulations are -the same. Separate districts are provided for residence, business, and -industry. Thus business and industry are excluded from the residence -districts. There may or may not be separate districts provided for -light and heavy industry, or for local business and general business. -The residence district is usually subdivided according to types of -dwellings into areas for single-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, -multiple-family dwellings, or apartment houses. Multiple-family -dwellings are usually excluded from the single-family areas. This -practice has received the hearty approval of home owners. Undeveloped -land in suburban sections is usually placed in the residence district -and restricted to single-family use. If conditions warrant, and there -is no opposition from the owners, it may later be rezoned for more -profitable multiple-family or business use. - - -ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS ABSENT - -The zoning ordinance has not attempted to regulate buildings, except as -to height and size, nor set any standard of architectural fitness to -the surroundings. If it had attempted any such thing, it could never -have become a law. Only in recent years have citizens begun to think -that attractiveness may add a cash value to houses, or that insistence -on beauty is becoming in a democracy. - -The Shipstead-Luce Act, adopted May 16, 1930, gives the Commission of -Fine Arts a limited control over private buildings in the District -of Columbia and provides that private buildings facing important -Government buildings and parks, in areas specified in the act, must -harmonize in appearance with the latter. Although not affecting the -Zoning Act, it is, like the height law of 1910, part of the zoning -restrictions. - -The provisions of the Zoning Act of 1938 do not apply to Federal public -buildings. - - However, the location, height, bulk, number of stories, and size of - Federal public buildings and the provision for open space in and - around the same, will be subject to the approval of the National - Capital Park and Planning Commission. - -Approximately one-half of the area of the Capital is under Government -control and one-half is open to private development. That private -development should proceed in harmony with the plans of the local -and Federal Governments was acceptable as an ideal, and a determined -effort was made in 1918 to introduce zoning into Washington. In that -year and the year following congressional committees, the District -Commissioners, and others formulated plans, and a zoning bill became a -law effective August 30, 1920. After a period of 18 years, during which -several important changes in the law had suggested themselves, Congress -adopted a new Zoning Act, which was approved by the President on June -20, 1938 (Public, No. 684, 75th Congress). - -The act provides that the regulations heretofore adopted by the Zoning -Commission under the authority of the act of March 1, 1920, including -official maps, shall be deemed to have been made and adopted and in -force under this present act. The act empowers the Zoning Commission -“to regulate the location, height, bulk, number of stories, and size -of buildings and other structures, the percentage of lot which may -be occupied, the sizes of yards, courts, and other open spaces, the -density of population, and the uses of buildings, structures, and land -for trade, industry, residence, recreation, public activities, or other -purposes * * *.” - -Many people do not understand the importance and necessity of a zoning -law in a city; they think it deprives them of private rights. Yet -without a good zoning law living conditions in cities of the present -day become chaotic. Section 2 of the act of June 20, 1938, sets forth -the purpose of the zoning regulations and also points out the benefits -to be derived from zoning, as follows: - - Such regulations shall be made in accordance with a comprehensive - plan and designed to lessen congestion in the street, to secure - safety from fire, panic, and other dangers, to promote health and - the general welfare, to provide adequate light and air, to prevent - the undue concentration of population and the overcrowding of land, - and to promote such distribution of population and of the uses - of land as would tend to create conditions favorable to health, - safety, transportation, prosperity, protection of property, civic - activity, and recreational, educational, and cultural opportunities, - and as would tend to further economy and efficiency in the supply - of public services. Such regulations shall be made with reasonable - consideration, among other things, of the character of the respective - districts and their suitability for the uses provided in the - regulations, and with a view to encouraging stability of districts - and of land values therein. - -The Zoning Commission may from time to time amend the regulations -and the maps, but before doing so a public hearing must be held, and -at least 30 days’ notice of the time and place of the hearing must -be published at least once in a daily newspaper in the District of -Columbia, giving full information concerning the proposed amendment. -A favorable vote of not less than a full majority of the members is -necessary for the adoption of an amendment. - -The Zoning Commission consists of five members, namely, the three -Commissioners of the District of Columbia, the Director of the National -Park Service, and the Architect of the Capitol. - -The act of 1938 provides for a Zoning Advisory Council, to which -suggested amendments to the regulations are submitted for consideration -and recommendation. The act also provides for a Board of Zoning -Adjustment, which shall have the power to hear and decide appeals where -it is alleged a hardship will be imposed by carrying out and enforcing -any regulation adopted under the Zoning Act, and to hear and decide on -complaints regarding zoning, as also requests for special exceptions -or map interpretations. In exercising its powers, “the Board of -Adjustments may, in conformity with the provisions of this act, reverse -or affirm, wholly or partly, or may modify the order, requirement, -decision, determination, or refusal appealed from or may make such -order as may be necessary to carry out its decision or authorization, -and to that end shall have all the powers of the officer or body from -whom the appeal is taken.” The concurring vote of not less than a full -majority of the members of the Board is necessary for any decision or -order. - - -HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS RESTRICTED BY THE CAPITOL DOME - -The preeminence of the Dome of the Capitol has dominated the height -of both public and private buildings. The 110-foot-height limit is -found in a small section of the center of the downtown business -district. On streets 110 feet wide in the 110-foot-height district, -130 feet is allowed under set-back provisions, and this maximum height -cannot be exceeded by buildings (except spires, penthouses, or other -excrescences) erected under the zoning regulations. Before 1929 but few -buildings exceeded this height. The act of 1910 limited the height of -buildings to front or abut Union Station Plaza to 80 feet. - -[Illustration: REGIONAL PLAN OF WASHINGTON AND ENVIRONS] - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -THE NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION - - -A new period in the development of the city may be said to date from -1901 with the filing of the report of the McMillan Park Commission, -for since that time there has been a constant increase in the interest -taken by the public. The outstanding dates recording the progress -of this increased interest are 1910, 1912, 1920, and 1924. The Fine -Arts Commission was established in 1910. A new beginning of control -of private property was made in 1910 after many years’ lapse of the -original restrictions imposed by President Washington. This new -beginning consisted in control of the height of buildings, the passage -of a height law, and was followed in 1920 by a comprehensive zoning law. - -In 1924 the lack of provision of public parks and the failure to -carry out the proposals of the plan of 1901, in so far as park areas -were concerned, led to the formation of the National Capital Park -Commission, with authority to purchase lands for park purposes. The -organization of the Commission was the result of combined efforts of -many nation-wide organizations. - -The new Commission soon found that an intelligent choice of park -lands could not be made without knowledge of the interrelation of -parks, highways, zoning, public buildings, and other elements of city -and regional planning. The authority of the Commission was therefore -increased in 1926, and its membership enlarged. The new National -Capital Park and Planning Commission was charged-- - - with the duty of preparing, developing, and maintaining a - comprehensive, consistent, and coordinated plan for the National - Capital and environs (an area of some 1,539 square miles, lying - roughly within 20 miles of the White House, and involving the - cooperation of 2 States, 4 counties, 2 cities, and numerous - incorporated places), which plan shall include recommendations to the - proper executive authorities as to traffic and transportation; plats - and subdivisions; highways, parks, and parkways; school and library - sites; playgrounds, drainage, sewerage, and water supply; housing, - building, and zoning regulations; public and private buildings; - bridges and water fronts; commerce and industry; and other proper - elements of city and regional planning. - -The largest single factor in determining the extent and character of -the development of the National Capital will be the extent, character, -and wisdom of the permanent investments by the public in public areas -and improvements. This Commission has, therefore, considered as of -primary importance the proper location and extent of public lands, -whether used for streets, parks, public buildings, or other public -services; and the timely acquisition and development of these areas for -their particular purposes. - -[Illustration: VIEW FROM THE DOME OF THE CAPITOL, LOOKING EAST] - -[Illustration: VIEW OF THE DOME OF THE CAPITOL, LOOKING SOUTH] - -Since the areas needed for public use can not be chosen without regard -to the use and extent of private developments, it follows that some -control over the use of private property--as by zoning--is an essential -part of city or regional planning. - -When city planning is mentioned most people think first of streets. In -this field the commission has been active in three ways--first, in an -effort to make the streets fit the land and to follow along the hills -and valleys instead of across them; second, in establishing a major -thoroughfare system guiding the development of the main highways within -the District of Columbia and extending the principles of the original -L’Enfant plan to the limits of the District; and third, in securing -public support of a regional highway system which will provide more -adequately for traffic both into the city and between suburban areas. - -With the first of these aims in view many changes in the highway -plan of the District have been made in cooperation with the District -officials. These changes were advantageous to preserve natural -topography, to fit the streets to property lines, to save trees, -to provide drainage, or for like reasons. Several important street -openings and widenings have been undertaken in accordance with the -commission’s major thoroughfare plan, such as New York Avenue beyond -the limits of the L’Enfant plan, the opening of a new Louisiana -Avenue from the Union Station to Pennsylvania Avenue at Union Square, -straightening of Michigan Avenue, and extension of Sixteenth Street -to the District line. The plan which follows the recommendations of -the commission has been recognized by the District officials in the -adoption of a 5-year highway program. - -Several new regional highway projects are now complete or going forward -in accordance with the regional plan. The Mount Vernon Memorial Highway -and the Lee Boulevard establish new standards in highway design. The -extension of Rhode Island and Massachusetts Avenues fits the plan. The -Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission has adopted -practically all of the suggestions made by the Commission for the -Maryland area as part of the Maryland master plan. - -Where parks are concerned the Commission has a special responsibility. -The plans for parks both in the District of Columbia and out of it have -received the indorsement of Congress in the Capper-Cramton Act. - -For the District the Commission is now acquiring parks of three -types: (1) A parkway (the Fort Drive) around the city, 28 miles long -and connecting the sites of the Civil War forts on the second row of -hills; (2) a system of recreation centers and playgrounds distributed -throughout the area in association with the schools and so far as -possible providing a play area within a quarter of a mile of every -child; (3) preservation of stream valleys and correction of the -boundaries of Rock Creek Park. - -The principal physical feature of the region is the Potomac River, -so it is natural that the corresponding feature of the park system -is along the river banks. Below Washington, where the broad lakelike -scenery exists, parkways are under construction or contemplated on -the Virginia side to Mount Vernon and on the Maryland shore to Fort -Washington. Above Washington a park is projected to preserve the -natural scenery of the Palisades, rapids, woodlands, and Great Falls -of the Potomac, together with the Patowmack Canal, built by George -Washington, and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal on the Maryland side of the -river. - -The Commission has taken an active part in the effort to have the -public buildings of Washington grouped and arranged not only for the -convenience and beauty of the result but also that they may fit into -the future plans for streets, highways, and parks, and thus promote -the orderly development of the city and region. When the first -important step in the public-buildings program was taken in 1926 the -Commission urged the purchase of all of the land necessary for a plan -of the group as a whole instead of undertaking individual building -projects as separate units in the scheme. The problems of parking and -transit facilities in relation to the public-buildings groups have -caused the Commission great concern, and efforts have been made to -secure the cooperation of the architects in charge of the building -program in order to solve these problems. In all of its activities -concerning the public-buildings program the Commission has been guided -by the principles announced by the plan of 1901, under which Federal -buildings will be concentrated along the axis of the Mall and about the -White House. The Commission has given favorable consideration to an -enlargement of this program by which semipublic buildings and possibly -State buildings might be located along East Capitol Street in order to -help the balance between the northwest and the eastern portions of the -city of Washington. - -In the same way the Commission advises the appropriate authorities on -matters of zoning and control of use of private property. Zoning has -now been adopted not only in the District but also in the Maryland -suburban area and in Arlington County and Fairfax County, Va. Also -Alexandria has prepared a zoning plan. It is hoped that in the not -distant future other portions of the Maryland and Virginia areas may -be added to this list. In matters relating to zoning in the District, -the Commission has contributed statistical data and expert opinion, and -was particularly active in the segregation of single-family houses from -2-family and community groups. - -In brief, it is the function of the Commission to revive, review, and -revise the efforts of past generations toward a “great and effective -city for the seat of our Government” and to keep that ideal constantly -before the public, to the end that each separate undertaking by the -countless public and private agencies concerned may be coordinated and -related to produce a result in which future generations may take pride. - -[Illustration: FORT DRIVE CONNECTING THE CIVIL WAR FORTS ENCIRCLING -WASHINGTON] - - -EAST CAPITOL STREET--EXTENDING THE MALL AXIS EASTWARD - -Some one has said “the beauty of Washington is its trees.” No one -who has seen the thousands of trees in Washington and in the country -adjacent to the city can deny this. There is no national capital in -the world that has more beautiful trees than Washington. Those seen on -East Capitol Street are typical of the large massive trees throughout -the city. Thousands of them were planted during the Presidency of -General Grant, and it has been the policy of the District of Columbia -government to plant trees along streets opened for residential sections. - -[Illustration: EAST CAPITOL STREET] - -The climate of Washington, which is semitropical, permits the growth -of trees found both in the North and the South. Thus there are oak, -walnut, maple, and cedar trees amidst magnolias, Japanese cherry trees, -and the mountain laurel, to mention only a few. Congress has authorized -the establishment of a national arboretum in the National Capital, -which will comprise at least 500 acres and will be a most interesting -place for the planting of many varieties of trees and the study of -them. A plan to widen East Capitol Street and build a stadium on the -axis of the street in Anacostia Park is being made by the National -Capital Park and Planning Commission. - - -THE FORT DRIVE - -The citizens’ movement to connect by a boulevard a considerable part of -the Civil War defenses of Washington was incorporated in the plan of -1901. These old defenses, occupying strategic positions, are capable of -being converted into small parks of high excellence and availability, -and a connecting boulevard will have an added historic interest. -Of these so-called forts a number are already in possession of the -Government. Among those that have been purchased is Fort Stevens, -near the Army Medical Center, where during General Early’s raid, on -July 12, 1864, President Lincoln was under fire until ordered to the -rear by the officer in command. The Fort Drive is being developed -by the National Capital Park and Planning Commission. There will be -a continuous parkway of suitable width connecting the sites of the -following old forts: Fort Greble, Fort Carroll, Battery Ricketts, Fort -Stanton, Fort Wagner, Fort Baker, Fort Davis (United States owned), -Fort Dupont (United States owned), Fort Shaplin, A Battery, Fort Mahan, -Fort Bunker Hill, Fort Totten, Fort Slocum, Fort Stevens (United States -owned), Fort De Russye, Fort Bayard, Battery Kemble, Battery Vermont -(United States owned), and Battery Parrott. There is another Civil -War fortification in the Arlington National Cemetery, called Fort -McPherson, which is being preserved for its historic character. From it -a commanding view of the cemetery and of the river is obtained. - -[Illustration: PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE WATER FRONT] - - -WASHINGTON CHANNEL AND THE WATER FRONT - -The water front of Washington is to be similar to the magnificent water -fronts of large cities of Europe. The plan provides for a quay, with -space for commercial piers, warehouses, steamboat offices, commercial -houses, boathouses, and recreational piers. There will be a beautiful -boulevard drive along “Water Street” which will connect with Anacostia -Park, also adequate street-railway accommodations. Washington has 18 -miles of water front, and this will be a most interesting part of it. - -It is proposed to replace all existing structures on the water front at -“Water Street,” with the exception of the Municipal Fish Wharf, with -modern buildings. Head houses and transit sheds are to be of brick and -tile, with slate roofs and of a modified colonial architecture. A total -of six wharves is projected for immediate construction and a portion of -the frontage available is to be reserved for future additions. Yacht -basins and small-boat anchorage are included in the plan. The plan has -been prepared by the United States Engineer Office, with the idea that -Washington is not primarily an industrial city, nor will it ever be, so -that railroad connections with the piers and slips were omitted. Such -industrial developments as might require ship-to-rail transfers can be -accommodated in other locations. Buzzards Point is to be developed for -maritime commercial uses. - -Under the improvement program “Water Street” is to be made a 160-foot -boulevard, with separate lanes for traffic, street cars, and trucks, -and marginal and central landscaping. The old 4-line street-car lanes -on a portion of the street have been removed. To permit of direct -connection with East Potomac Park and the Highway Bridge, a bridge -is to be built just below the railroad crossing at the head of the -Washington Channel. Water Street is now Maine Avenue. - -[Illustration: GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL PARKWAY] - -The cost of the entire project is estimated at $3,691,600. The report -was submitted by the Secretary of War to the Speaker of the House of -Representatives on November 26, 1929, and then was referred to the -Committee on Rivers and Harbors. The project is now under development. - -[Illustration: FISH MARKET ALONG THE WATER FRONT] - - -GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL PARKWAY - -The George Washington Memorial Parkway, designed by the National -Capital Park and Planning Commission, was authorized by the -Capper-Cramton Act, approved May 29, 1930, and carrying with it an -authorization of $33,500,000 for the development of a comprehensive -park, parkway, and playground area in the District of Columbia and the -surrounding regions of Maryland and Virginia. This parkway is designed -“to include the public control of both banks of the river between -Mount Vernon and Great Falls on the Virginia side and between Fort -Washington and Great Falls on the Maryland side, with the exception of -areas at Alexandria and in Washington which are reserved for commercial -development.” - -This is a project in which both residents of the District of -Columbia and of the States of Maryland and Virginia may take equal -pride--namely, to preserve Great Falls and the banks of the Potomac, -so that the Potomac River, as it flows through the National Capital, -may flow through a continuous park from Great Falls to Mount Vernon. -Washington is to be envied in having so near to it such beautiful -scenery as the Palisades of the Potomac and Great Falls, which are said -to be “the finest specimens of nature in this part of the country.” -Already, along the Palisades of the Potomac, quarries have been -established and beautiful timber is being converted into lumber and -firewood. These invasions will in time destroy natural beauties that -can not be restored. - -[Illustration: GREAT FALLS OF THE POTOMAC] - - -THE MOUNT VERNON HIGHWAY ROUTE - -THE MOUNT VERNON HIGHWAY TRAVERSES HISTORIC TERRITORY - -The route traverses a territory full of historic associations and -reminiscent of the days of Washington. About halfway between Washington -and Alexandria it passes close to the site of Abingdon, the home -of John Parke Custis, Mrs. Washington’s son. Here Nellie Custis, -Washington’s adopted daughter, was born. A beautiful view of the river -and a panorama of Washington and the north shore is seen from this -point. Also here the Potomac is being dredged, making new land for -Washington National Airport, to be the finest in the United States. -Work will be completed in 1941. - -[Illustration: MOUNT VERNON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY, NORTH OF LITTLE HUNTING -CREEK] - -Passing on to Alexandria the route enters the city by Washington Street -and passes directly by Christ Church, where the Washington pew may -still be seen. - -Alexandria was Washington’s own town. It was his market place, his post -office, and his voting place. It was the meeting place of the lodge of -Masons to which he belonged, and the lodge hall is now the repository -of a great many articles and paintings associated with him. The trowel, -square, and plumb bob used in laying the corner stone of the Capitol -may be seen here, as also the Bible used in the Masonic lodge of which -Washington was a member. Among many other things of historical interest -is a portrait of George Washington painted by W. Williams for the lodge. - -There is scarcely a foot of ground in Alexandria that Washington did -not tread. The old quarters of the volunteer fire company to which -he belonged still stand. In Gadsby’s Inn, now the City Hotel, he -recruited the first company of provincial troops authorized by Governor -Dinwiddie, and with which he fought the Battle of Great Meadows. - -[Illustration: MOUNT VERNON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY] - -In the ballroom of Gadsby’s Inn in 1798 was held the first celebration -of Washington’s birthday. From the steps of the same building he gave -his last military command to the Alexandria Light Infantry Blues; and -here, also, in November, 1799, less than 30 days before his death, he -cast his last vote. - -At the Carlyle House, still standing, he received his appointment as an -officer in the British Army on General Braddock’s staff; and in this -house also, at the Convention of the Five Governors assembled to confer -with General Braddock, the first suggestion of colonial taxation was -made--a step which ultimately led to the revolt of the Colonies. - -A short side trip from Washington Street down King Street takes the -traveler to the George Washington National Masonic Memorial, which has -been erected at the western outskirts of the town on Shooters Hill. It -is 333 feet high, and was designed by Harvey W. Corbett, architect. - -Returning to Washington Street and proceeding southward the traveler -passes the Confederate Monument, and soon reaches the southern limits -of the town and passing within a stone’s throw of the first corner -stone of the District of Columbia, still standing on Jones Point. - -Leaving Alexandria the route crosses Hunting Creek to Fort Hunt, thence -to the entrance gates of Mount Vernon. - - -FEATURES OF THE HIGHWAY DESCRIBED - -The making of surveys, preparation of plans, and supervision of -construction have all been done by the Bureau of Public Roads of -the United States Department of Agriculture, and Gilmore D. Clarke, -Consulting Landscape Architect. - -[Illustration: MOUNT VERNON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY--BRIDGE OVER BOUNDARY -CHANNEL] - -The location selected for the highway required the construction -of fills across approximately 2³⁄₄ miles of open water, which was -accomplished by pumping gravel and sand from the Potomac River. - -The highway throughout its entire length, with the exception of the -section through Alexandria, has been designed to provide for a free -flow of traffic over a surface with a minimum width of 40 feet, and -where there is any volume of cross traffic it passes either under or -over the highway. - -Except through the city of Alexandria, the highway follows closely the -shore of the Potomac River for the greater portion of the distance. -This situation affords beautiful vistas of Washington and the Potomac -River, which, in combination with the landscaping and development of -the project itself, make this highway a fitting tribute to the memory -of George Washington. - -[Illustration: CHRIST CHURCH, ALEXANDRIA, VA.] - -Below Alexandria the highway has been widened at points of outstanding -beauty, so that motorists can stop for a few minutes to enjoy the view. - -The bridges in general are of reinforced-concrete arches, faced with -native stone laid in random bond. Special attention has been given to -harmonizing their lines with the general plan of development. - -[Illustration: MOUNT VERNON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY--UNDERPASS AT HIGHWAY -BRIDGE] - -The intersection of the memorial highway with U. S. Highway No. 1 near -the beginning of the project has been so designed that a large volume -of traffic can flow from one highway to the other without crossing the -center line of either route. - -A large parking area at Mount Vernon that will accommodate the -thousands of visitors to this national shrine has been provided, and a -concession building of colonial design has been erected to provide for -their comfort. - -[Illustration: MOUNT VERNON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY--BRIDGE OVER HUNTING CREEK] - - -MOUNT VERNON - -Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington the greater part of his -life, is situated along the historic Potomac, 14.7 miles south of the -city of Washington, which he was instrumental in founding, though -referring to it as the Federal City. - -[Illustration: GEORGE WASHINGTON - -FROM THE HOUDON BUST, MODELED FROM LIFE AT MOUNT VERNON IN 1785] - -The history of Mount Vernon goes back to the time of Capt. John -Smith, who explored the regions of the Potomac River in 1608. Some 40 -years later Scotch and Irish emigrants settled along the banks of the -Potomac, both on the Virginia and Maryland sides. In 1674 a tract of -5,000 acres, 15 miles south of Washington on the Virginia side of the -river, was granted by Lord Culpeper to John Washington and Nicholas -Spencer. Half of this tract was inherited by the half-brother of George -Washington, Lawrence Washington. Mount Vernon was built in 1743 by -Lawrence Washington, who named it after Admiral Vernon, under whom he -served. It occupies a most picturesque spot on high ground overlooking -the river, which it faces. - -The mansion is well built. Its foundations are of stone and brick. The -framework is of oak and the sheathing of pine wood. Also much copper -was used in its construction. On the main floor is a central hall, a -music room, a family dining room, a sitting room, and parlor; also a -library and a banquet room, which were added by George Washington. On -the second floor is the room in which Washington died; also, among -several others, the Lafayette room. There are six bedrooms on the third -floor. The house is 96 feet long and 30 feet wide, with a portico 25 -feet high; the height of the building to the cupola is about 50 feet. -Beautiful gardens are near by. - -In 1752 Lawrence Washington died. Augustine Washington had provided -that in the case of Lawrence’s death without heirs Mount Vernon should -pass to George, and this provision Lawrence incorporated in his own -will. To his widow he left a life interest in the property, with a -reversion to his infant daughter, Sarah, who, as it happened, survived -her father only a few weeks. Thus there was only the widow’s life -interest to be considered. Anne Fairfax Washington lived until 1761, -and at her death George Washington became the proprietor of Mount -Vernon. The mansion was then enlarged for its new mistress, Martha -Dandridge Custis, whom he had married in 1759. - -During Washington’s years of public life he longed for the day when -he could be at home at Mount Vernon with his beloved Martha and the -family. It was undoubtedly one of the very best-managed estates in the -Colonies, and Washington himself was regarded one of the richest men. -The main entrance to Mount Vernon was from the west, which gateway was -flanked by two porters’ lodges. The large portico on the east side -of the mansion was used for outdoor gatherings and entertainment of -visitors. Among the many guests entertained at Mount Vernon was the -distinguished young French patriot, General Lafayette. On the main -floor in a glass case hangs a key to the Bastille, sent by Lafayette to -Washington in 1790, with the message: “That the principles of America -opened the Bastille is not to be doubted, therefore the key comes to -the right place.” - -Washington was called from Mount Vernon to serve his country on -three most noteworthy occasions, and each time after an interval of -several years: In 1775, when he was made Commander in Chief of the -Continental Army; in 1787, when he became president of the convention -in Philadelphia that framed the Federal Constitution; and in 1789, when -he became first President of the United States of America. - -[Illustration: _Courtesy of Army Air Corps._ - -MOUNT VERNON] - -[Illustration: MOUNT VERNON] - -Washington died at Mount Vernon on December 14, 1799. Martha Washington -lived there during the remainder of her lifetime. On her death in -1802 the property was inherited by her nephew, Bushrod Washington, an -Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Thereafter the estate suffered -for need of repairs. In 1858 the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of -the Union was organized. The association purchased the property for -$200,000 and to-day own and control Mount Vernon, including about 400 -acres of the old estate. - -[Illustration: TOMB OF WASHINGTON] - -Mount Vernon each day is the place of pilgrimage of hundreds of -American and foreign visitors, who go there by motor or steamboat to -visit the mansion and see the many historical articles of interest that -once belonged to George Washington and his family and are now there on -exhibition, but more particularly do they go to Mount Vernon to pay -homage at the Washington tomb, which is near the mansion. Here also -Lafayette came on his second visit to the United States during 1824-25, -after an interval of almost 40 years. - -The number of visitors at Mount Vernon for the year ended December 31, -1938, was 633,514. - - -WAKEFIELD, THE BIRTHPLACE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON - -After more than a century and a half of neglect, a group of patriotic -persons have within recent years taken steps to restore Wakefield, -the birthplace of George Washington, situated about 50 miles south of -Mount Vernon, along the Potomac, amidst beautiful landscapes between -Popes Creek and Bridges Creek. The Government erected a monument at the -site in 1895 to mark the birthplace and provided a watchman to care -for the grounds. Until within the past few years the little Government -reservation of 11 acres, acquired in 1882, was inaccessible because the -Government dock was washed away and the road leading into Wakefield -from the main highway was almost impassable. The State of Virginia -recently completed a sand and gravel road to the place. The new road, -about 2 miles in length, intersects the George Washington Highway from -Fredericksburg, between Oak Grove and Potomac Mills. The Wakefield -National Memorial Association (Inc.) has been organized to purchase the -lands at Wakefield and thus save them from threatened encroachments of -hunting and fishing clubs, which are now securing valuable sites along -the Potomac River. Thus the association is doing for Wakefield what -the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union accomplished for the -preservation of Mount Vernon. - -[Illustration: WAKEFIELD, AT POPES CREEK, WESTMORELAND COUNTY, VA.] - -Congress early in 1930 appropriated $50,000 toward erecting a colonial -house, typical of the Virginia houses at the time of George Washington. -Bricks for the house were made from the clay at Wakefield. The -construction work was carried out under the supervision of the National -Park Service of the Department of the Interior, which has jurisdiction -over the maintenance of Wakefield since the project of restoration was -completed. John D. Rockefeller, jr., gave $115,000 for the purchase of -267 acres, and the association purchased approximately 100 additional -acres. The association raised about $200,000. - -[Illustration: MAP SHOWING WASHINGTON AND WAKEFIELD] - -[Illustration: WAKEFIELD--WASHINGTON FAMILY BURYING GROUND] - -The money, aside from the amounts spent to buy land, was expended -in erecting a house that is as nearly a replica of the original -birth house as could be planned on the basis of available data, in -restoring the gardens, and in protecting the ancient graveyard where -lie the remains of 31 members of the Washington family, including his -great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and brother, and to build a -resthouse at the site. The original house was built between 1717 and -1720, and was burned Christmas, 1780. From pieces of china found in -the ruins the celebrated Lenox china, showing the Washington coat of -arms, has been reproduced and made available to the public by the -Wakefield National Memorial Association. In the work of restoration the -association was led by its president, the late Mrs. Harry Lee Rust, of -Washington, D. C., who was a native of Westmoreland County, Va., and -spent her childhood days in the vicinity of the Washington estate. She -was a most indefatigable worker toward the realization of this project. - -Wakefield was dedicated on February 11, 1932, the birthday of George -Washington (old style), which month marked the beginning of the George -Washington bicentennial celebration. Wakefield is known to-day as the -George Washington Birthplace National Monument. - -[Illustration: THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND APPROACHES] - -[Illustration: THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL] - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL - -THE ARLINGTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE - - -THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL - -At the west end of the Mall is the Lincoln Memorial. The site was -fixed by the McMillan Park Commission in 1901, which extended the Mall -area of the original L’Enfant plan west three-fourths of a mile to the -Potomac River. The site and surrounding area is known as Potomac Park. -The reclaimed land, about 640 acres, comprises West Potomac Park and -East Potomac Park (the island park). - -Congress provided for the construction of the memorial to Abraham -Lincoln by an act approved February 9, 1911, following the centennial -year of the birth of Lincoln. The corner stone was laid February 12, -1915. The memorial is built of Colorado marble and cost $2,940,000. -It was dedicated May 30, 1922. Lincoln died in 1865, so that it was -57 years later that this memorial to him in the National Capital was -built. Henry Bacon, who died February 16, 1924, was the architect. - -Very nearly 300,000 persons visited the Lincoln Memorial in the year -1923, and more than 1,000,000 in 1930. At present the daily average -of visitors is 3,000. It is a shrine in which those who love God and -country can find inspiration and repose. - -The following is part of a technical description by the architect: - - From the beginning of my study I believed that this memorial to - Abraham Lincoln should be composed of four features--a statue of the - man, a memorial of his Gettysburg speech, a memorial of his second - inaugural address, and a symbol of the Union of the United States, - which he stated it was his paramount object to save--and which he - did save. Each feature should be related to the other by means of - its design and position, and each should be so arranged that it - becomes an integral part of the whole, in order to attain a unity and - simplicity in the appearance of the monument. - - Surrounding the walls inclosing these memorials of the man is planned - a colonnade forming a symbol of the Union, each column representing - a State--36 in all--for each State existing at the time of Lincoln’s - death, and on the walls appearing above the colonnade, and supported - at intervals by eagles, are 48 memorial festoons, one for each State - existing at the present time. - - The colonnade is 188 feet long and 118 feet wide, the columns being - 44 feet high and 7 feet 8 inches in diameter at their base. The - outside of the Memorial Hall is 84 feet wide and 156 feet long; the - total height of the structure above the finished grade at the base of - the terrace is 99 feet. The steps are 132 feet wide, leading to the - entrance, which is flanked by tripods, each 11 feet high. - - The central hall, where the statue stands, is 60 feet wide, 70 feet - long, and 60 feet high. The interior columns are of the Ionic order - and are 50 feet high. - -[Illustration: STATUE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN AS SEEN THROUGH THE COLUMNS] - - -THE STATUE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN - -The statue of Abraham Lincoln, in the center of the Lincoln Memorial, -is by Daniel Chester French. - -It represents Abraham Lincoln as the great war President, with mental -and physical strength and confidence in his ability to bring the Nation -safely through the great conflict. - -President Lincoln is seated in a great armchair 12¹⁄₂ feet high, over -the back of which a flag has been draped. The figure of Lincoln is 19 -feet high from the top of his head to the sole of his boot. The head -measures 3 feet in height. The boot is 3¹⁄₂ feet long, and from the -boot to the kneecap the distance is 8 feet. The pedestal, which is -18 feet 2 inches wide and 19 feet deep, rests on a marble platform -34¹⁄₂ feet wide and 28 feet deep. The statue weighs 150 tons; with its -pedestal and base it rises to a height of 30 feet; and without the -pedestal it is 21 feet in height. - -The statue is of Georgia marble, was cut by Piccirilli Bros., -marble-cutters, of New York City, and four years were required for its -completion. The pedestal and base are of Tennessee marble. - -Over the head of Lincoln is the inscription-- - - IN THIS TEMPLE - AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE - FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION - THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN - IS ENSHRINED FOREVER - -The interior is lighted through translucent panels of marble and by -the great front opening. Recently a special system of lighting was -installed. - - -DECORATIONS - -The two decorations by Jules Guerin representing Emancipation and -Reunion are painted on canvas. Each canvas weighs 600 pounds and is 60 -feet long and 18 feet wide. The figures, of which there are 46 in the -two panels, are 8¹⁄₂ feet high and were painted by the artist without -assistance. Almost as many models as figures were used. The head of -Mr. Bacon, the architect, appears in the decoration on the north wall, -being the fourth figure in the group at the left of the angel. - -The decorations are absolutely weatherproof, the paint being mixed with -white wax and kerosene. The wax hardens but does not allow the paint to -crack. Chemically it is similar to the wax, still pliable, which was -found in the tombs of the Kings of Egypt. The decorations are affixed -to the wall with a mixture of white lead and Venetian varnish. - -[Illustration: THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING BASIN] - - -THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND SURROUNDING AREA - -The Lincoln Memorial, while it terminates the Mall composition, has -a position similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, in that from it -radiate drives and parkways in all directions--the Rock Creek Parkway -to the north; westward across the Memorial Bridge to the Arlington -National Cemetery, connecting also with the Mount Vernon Highway, the -Lee Highway, and the George Washington Memorial Parkway; southward to -East Potomac Park; and eastward along the Mall to the Capitol. The -whole area is a remarkable achievement in city planning and shows what -can be done with reclaimed land, for 20 to 25 years ago all the land -surrounding the Lincoln Memorial was swampy. - -The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Basin is 2,000 feet long and 160 feet -wide. It has an average depth of about 3¹⁄₂ feet and reflects the -entire Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. It is lined with -trees and walks that will ultimately extend to the Capitol. The beauty -of the future Mall treatment between the Capitol and the Washington -Monument is indicated by the development between the Washington -Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. - -The water gate is a part of the great Lincoln Memorial composition. It -consists of granite steps 206 feet wide at the top and 230 feet wide at -the bottom. - -Constitution Avenue will be the great “Memorial Boulevard” from the -Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, and thence to Arlington National -Cemetery. - -Immediately to the south of the reflecting basin on the north and south -axis is the marble band stand erected as the District of Columbia World -War Memorial. - - -THE ARLINGTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE - -The Arlington Memorial Bridge was built under the supervision of -the Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission, of which the President is -chairman. The Commission of Fine Arts was consulted and advised as to -the plans. - -The project of building the Arlington Memorial Bridge has been -before Congress since 1884. Previous to that time Daniel Webster, in -an address on July 4, 1851, at the laying of the corner stone for -enlarging the United States Capitol, referred to it as follows: - - Before us is the broad and beautiful river, separating two of the - original thirteen States, which a late President, a man of determined - purpose and inflexible will, but patriotic heart, desired to span - with arches of ever-enduring granite, symbolical of the firmly - established union of the North and the South. That President was - General Jackson. - -[Illustration: ARLINGTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE, ARCHITECTS’ DESIGN] - -The need of a bridge direct to Arlington National Cemetery was most -urgently felt on Armistice Day, November 11, 1921, when the remains -of the Unknown Soldier were entombed. Led by President Harding -and officials of this Government and of many foreign countries, -thousands of people who made the trip to Arlington did so under most -difficult circumstances, because of the crowded traffic conditions. -The Commission of Fine Arts was in session at the time, and at once -recommended to Congress the preparation of plans for an Arlington -Memorial Bridge, with an initial appropriation of $25,000. Congress -responded quickly and made the appropriation available for expenditure -by the Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission, by act approved June -12, 1922. On April 22, 1924, the commission submitted to Congress a -comprehensive report on the subject and a set of approved plans that -contemplated an expenditure of $14,750,000 for the project. Congress -adopted the report and plans and has made the necessary funds available -for the construction work as fast as the project developed. The -architects of the bridge are McKim, Mead & White, of New York City, who -are noted for the many great and beautiful classical structures they -have built throughout the United States, as the Boston Public Library, -the library at Columbia University, the Pennsylvania Railroad Station -in New York City, and the McKinley Memorial at Niles, Ohio. This firm -also had charge of the building of additions to the White House during -the administration of President Roosevelt. - -[Illustration: EAGLE SURMOUNTING PYLONS] - -[Illustration: BISON HEAD] - -The bridge extends from the Lincoln Memorial to Columbia Island, has a -length of 2,138 feet, and is 90 feet wide, the width of Fifth Avenue in -New York City. The bridge has been built as low as possible, consistent -with good proportions, in order not to interfere with the view of the -Lincoln Memorial from Columbia Island. There are 6 lanes on the bridge, -each 10 feet wide, and 2 sidewalks, each 15 feet wide. The balustrade -is 4 feet high. Suitable lighting is also provided. - -[Illustration: _Courtesy of Horydczak_ - -ARLINGTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE] - -The bridge has 9 segmental arches of 166-foot span at the ends of the -bridge and spreading gradually to 184 feet at the center. The terminal -arches rise to a point 28 feet above average water height, increasing -gradually to 35 feet in the central arch. The piers are 32 feet wide -and are firmly embedded in rock 35 feet below water. The superstructure -is built of North Carolina granite. - -[Illustration: EAGLE AND FASCES] - -At the entrance to the bridge at the Lincoln Memorial there will be two -large sculptural groups, each 16 feet high. The pylons at the Columbia -Island end of the bridge, which are 35 feet high, are surmounted by -eagles 8 feet high, each cut out of a solid block of granite, according -to the design of C. Paul Jennewein, sculptor. - -At the sides of the bridge appear large sculptured disks, each 12 feet -in diameter, and at the keystone of the arches there are buffalo heads -6 feet in height. These were also designed by Mr. Jennewein. - -The two sculptural groups at the entrance to the bridge will be -symbolic of War. They were designed by Leo Friedlander, sculptor. At -the entrance to the Rock Creek Parkway there will be two sculptural -groups symbolic of Peace and the arts of Peace, designed by James E. -Fraser, sculptor. There will be appropriate inscriptions carved on the -bridge. - -[Illustration: COLUMBIA ISLAND PLAZA AND MEMORIAL AVENUE TO ARLINGTON -NATIONAL CEMETERY] - -[Illustration: THE ARLINGTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE DEVELOPMENT, LOOKING -TOWARDS THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL] - -At the center of the bridge is a drawspan, each leaf of which has -a length of 92 feet, the height of an 8-story building. One minute -is required for opening and closing the drawspan, which is operated -by electricity. Each leaf weighs 6,000 tons. It is in itself an -interesting achievement in bridge engineering. - -From Columbia Island westward there is the boundary channel bridge. -From there to the Arlington National Cemetery is a memorial parkway -240 feet wide, 2,200 feet in length, lighted, lined with planting, and -providing space at intervals for memorials. - -At Arlington National Cemetery there is a large memorial entrance, from -which walks and driveways lead to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at -the Memorial Amphitheater and to Arlington House. - -[Illustration: PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF GREATER ARLINGTON] - -Not only was the Arlington Memorial Bridge built in a period of 7 -years, but one of the finest compositions in city planning has been -carried out in connection with it. In addition to the treatment on -Columbia Island Plaza and the approach to Arlington National Cemetery, -there is also the great plaza at the approach to the bridge at the -Lincoln Memorial, a sea wall for the Riverside Drive leading to it, and -the water gate--steps of granite 215 feet wide--nearby. - -The bridge was dedicated and opened for travel in 1932. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -THE PARKS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - - -The park system of the National Capital is under the jurisdiction of -the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. - -Since 1871 in many ways, particularly municipal affairs, the National -Capital has been in the lead among American cities. Having begun with -a logical and well-thought-out plan for the original city, the new -Federal City was provided with an ample system of public reservations -and parks. - -However, in the early days of the city there was so much unoccupied -land that it was hard to believe there would ever be any necessity -for parks and open spaces developed and maintained at public expense. -For three-quarters of a century Washington was so spread out within -the borders of the original plan that the street rights-of-way and -public grounds reserved by the L’Enfant plan seemed to be entirely -out of scale with the needs of the city and were looked upon by some -as a burden rather than as a benefit. It was not until the increase -in population, which has continued steadily since the Civil War, and -the congestion of the streets in recent years with automobiles and a -great volume of traffic, that the building lots have been occupied with -structures and the full width of the streets needed for traffic, so -that the public reservations have become the only refuge for the play -of children and the recreation of older people. - -It is, therefore, easy to understand the lack of appreciation of the -city park system during the first half of the nineteenth century. A -few far-sighted individuals only realized the necessity for preserving -these reservations until they would be needed as breathing spaces in a -thickly settled city, and they had to wage a persistent and hard-fought -campaign through the years against those who constantly wanted to sell -off the public reservations for building development of some kind or -other, or to have the Government itself use them for buildings. In the -two or three cases in which the latter was done we now have reason -to regret it; in a few cases in which the reservations were sold -the Government is now having to buy them back at considerable cost. -It was not a matter of little importance which led President Thomas -Jefferson to exclaim: “How I wish that I possessed the power of a -despot.” The company at the table stared at a declaration so opposed -to his disposition and principles. “Yes,” continued he, in reply to -their inquiring looks, “I wish I was a despot, that I might save the -noble, the beautiful trees that are daily falling sacrifices to the -cupidity of their owners, or the necessity of the poor.” “And have -you not authority to save those on the public grounds?” asked one of -the company. “No,” answered Mr. Jefferson, “only an armed guard could -save them. The unnecessary felling of a tree, perhaps the growth of -centuries, seems to me a crime little short of murder; it pains me to -an unspeakable degree.” - -[Illustration: NEW HAMPSHIRE AVENUE, NORTHWEST] - -The same desire to cut down trees in order to make room for more -concrete and masonry persists to this day and can only be controlled -by constant vigilance. The importance of open spaces and city parks, -developed into beauty spots by the art of the landscape architect, -should be evident to all. - -As a matter of fact, perhaps the most unusual and original feature -of the L’Enfant plan was the idea of building the city about two -coordinate axes of parks--one a park system nearly a third of a mile -wide, leading from the Capitol westward to the Potomac River, and -the other the same width, leading from the White House south to the -river, with the Washington Monument at their intersection. This was an -innovation and a departure from the usual development of a city about -a commercial street--a main street or a market street. Provision was -made in the plan for such a great commercial street on the diagonal -of the triangle, the avenue joining the Capitol with the White House, -and named Pennsylvania Avenue, for the State in which the Federal -Government had up to then spent the greater part of its life. - -Much of the Mall leading westward from the Capitol was unfortunately -taken up by the estuary of Tiber Creek, which overflowed at high tide. -It was the intention of Major L’Enfant and his urgent recommendation -that this creek be confined to a canal which he proposed to construct -along the northern part of the proposed park. This canal would not -only afford water transportation for heavy and bulky materials to and -from the business part of the city but at the same time would be a -water feature of the proposed park. Unfortunately, while the canal was -built, Tiber Creek was not entirely confined to it, and its estuary -was allowed to continue to overflow the Mall area and thus delay its -development. - -When the Washington Monument was located, instead of being placed -at the exact intersection of the two park axes, it was placed on a -natural hill near by which was safely above tide level. The idea of an -avenue from the Capitol to the Washington Monument seems to have been -abandoned for many years, and when the Smithsonian Institution was -built in the Mall the plan made by A. J. Downing was adopted for the -entire Mall, superseding that of L’Enfant. These were the days when the -so-called naturalistic park development was in vogue, and everything -had to be consciously picturesque. No road or path could be straight, -and no regularity in planting or plan was tolerated. The L’Enfant plan -was again disregarded in laying out the Department of Agriculture -grounds in 1867. With the avenue of the Mall out of the picture, there -was no reason apparent to those in authority for refusing permission -to the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. to run its tracks across the Mall and -build its passenger station in the Mall itself, at Sixth Street. - -It was this station, however, which brought about the restudy of the -plan of Washington and the return to the Mall development in accordance -with L’Enfant’s principles, for Col. Theodore A. Bingham, then in -charge of Public Buildings and Grounds, on hearing that legislation was -about to be passed authorizing the railroad to build a viaduct across -the Mall to this station, and realizing that this expensive structure -would probably make the carrying out of L’Enfant’s plan impossible, -got the plan out of the files and started a campaign to prevent the -legislation from passing and to rehabilitate the authority of the -L’Enfant plan. He was fortunate in finding those among his superiors -who appreciated the situation, and in securing the very wise and -effective help of Senator McMillan and of the American Institute of -Architects. - -Indeed, the interest in the National Capital, excited in this way -and more or less focused upon it by the centenary of its occupation -as the seat of the Federal Government, resulted in the McMillan Park -Commission of 1901 and its very valuable recommendations for the -development and beautification of the National Capital. In recent years -the development of the Mall in accordance with the plan of 1901 has -been authorized by Congress and is being carried on step by step as it -becomes possible in connection with the public-buildings program. - -The smaller reservations and parks suffered neglect equally, as -was to be expected. In making his plan L’Enfant had located public -reservations at various important street and avenue intersections. -Where more than two streets crossed at one point, a circle or square to -take up and distribute the traffic among the various streets was almost -necessary, or at least would be necessary to-day, and it is fortunate -that what L’Enfant did for appearance should now be proving to have -real utilitarian value. His own ideas about the purpose and function of -these squares are expressed in his report, as follows: - - The center of each Square will admit of Statues, Columns, Obelisks, - or any other ornament such as the different States may choose to - erect: to perpetuate not only the memory of such individuals whose - counsels or Military achievements were conspicuous in giving liberty - and independence to this Country; but also those whose usefulness - hath rendered them worthy of general imitation, to invite the youth - of succeeding generations to tread in the paths of those sages, or - heroes whom their country has thought proper to celebrate. - - The situation of these Squares is such that they are the most - advantageously and reciprocally seen from each other and as equally - distributed over the whole City district, and connected by spacious - avenues round the grand Federal Improvements and as contiguous to - them, and at the same time as equally distant from each other, as - circumstances would admit. The Settlements round those Squares must - soon become connected. - - This mode of taking possession of and improving the whole district at - first must leave to posterity a grand idea of the patriotic interest - which prompted it. - -While Lafayette Park, in front of and north of the White House, was -graded as early as 1826, it was not planted and really developed as -a park for some time after that. In 1853 the Clark Mills statue of -Jackson was placed in it as its central feature. - -Similarly, the equestrian statue of Washington brought about the -improvement of Washington Circle at the westerly end of Pennsylvania -Avenue. Garfield Park, now one of the most beautiful parks in the -city, was graded and to some extent improved in 1838, in connection -with its use as a nursery for trees to ornament the public grounds and -Pennsylvania Avenue. - -A botanic garden, which had been talked about from the very first, -and was finally brought to a head by the necessity for providing for -the botanic collection of the Smithsonian Institution, was gradually -established at the east end of the Mall between First and Third -Streets. It did not become a really important feature of public benefit -to the city until 1852, when it was placed in the hands of William -R. Smith, who had had experience in Kew Gardens in England and made -sufficient progress for the Botanic Garden to be described in 1859 “as -a pleasant place to visit, with gravel walks, bordered with box, rare -plants, and trees.” - -How little these parks were needed then to give the requisite touch of -nature in urban surroundings and to what extent the National Capital -still retained its character of a few scattered settlements in the -midst of farm land is shown by the fact that the one or two which had -been improved had to be fenced in to protect their young trees and -shrubs against the cattle, goats, and sheep that roamed the streets. -As late as 1870 the danger to pedestrians from the domestic animals -allowed at large was the subject of protest in formal speeches in -Congress. During the Civil War many of the public reservations were -used for camps, hospitals, and drill grounds, which use naturally did -not help their appearance. - -While the parks and reservations not used by the Federal Government -remained relatively unimproved and in the condition of unsightly -village commons, the grounds around the public buildings of the -Federal Government were given a little more attention and were -gradually improved. The north grounds of the White House were fixed -up in Jefferson’s administration and rearranged from time to time -subsequently, but so little importance was attached to appearances that -the south grounds of the White House remained unimproved through the -first half of the century. It was not until after the Civil War that -real importance was attached to the beautification of the grounds and -the systematic planting of trees in the streets. The public buildings -and grounds were turned over to the Chief of Engineers in 1867, and -since that time have received a great deal more attention than ever -before. In 1898 the municipal parks were transferred from the city -government to the Chief of Engineers and have been systematically -improved since. - -With the street trees and the improved city parks scattered about the -central part of the city, Washington has acquired a characteristic -appearance of its own and offers the charm and amenities which other -American cities were not wise enough to provide for themselves. - -As the city grew outside of the original plan, a few projects for large -and extensive parks were adopted. The beautiful Rock Creek Valley -was purchased for a park and for the Zoological Garden under the act -approved September 27, 1890; and provision was made by the act approved -August 2, 1882, for the filling in of the Potomac tidal flats. This -latter project has developed nearly 1,000 acres of reclaimed park land -extensively used for recreation of all kinds. It also extended the axis -of the Mall about three-fourths of a mile beyond what was originally -planned, thus affording a suitable terminal in the site for the Lincoln -Memorial. - -In 1893 the evils of new, rapidly growing subdivisions outside the -limits of the L’Enfant plan--laid out without any regard to the -latter--were sufficiently recognized to bring about the passage -of legislation for making a highway or street plan of the entire -District of Columbia. This law was further amended in 1898 and -resulted in a street layout followed ever since, with modifications -from time to time. But this, being a street plan, made no provision -for the extension of the system of city parks into the new territory, -nor for merging the newly authorized major park projects with the -street system. Hence one of the major duties with which the McMillan -Commission was charged in 1901 was the design of appropriate parks -outside of the L’Enfant plan. - -The high talents and national reputation of the members of this -commission insured that their recommendations for the beautification -and development of the Capital would really be a new, grand, basic -plan. After mature study, in the light of the finest examples the world -had produced, this commission reinstated the authority of the L’Enfant -plan and carried it to its logical conclusions in new territory. This -action reflected credit not only on the genius of L’Enfant but also on -the commission itself, which had the wisdom to recognize the supreme -merit of the original plan and the good sense, and modesty, to build -upon it. - -However, the 1901 commission’s plan never received general legislative -sanction, and approval of some of its individual major projects was -obtained only after great effort and much urging by the executive -authorities and some far-sighted Members of the Congress. First, the -railroads arranged for a Union Station (1903), and the Pennsylvania -Railroad Co. removed its tracks and station from the Mall, so that -to-day the traveler by rail enters the city through a great monumental -portal and finds himself in sight of the Capitol. In 1913 the Rock -Creek and Potomac Parkway was authorized, to connect the Rock Creek -Valley with the Potomac Park system. In 1911 the Lincoln Memorial and -the development of the Mall between it and the Washington Monument -were provided for. A law approved in 1901 provided for construction -of the General Grant Memorial at the east end of the Mall at the base -of Capitol Hill, while a memorial to Gen. George G. Meade, located in -relation to the Grant Memorial, was subsequently (1926) accepted from -the State of Pennsylvania. In 1924 the Arlington Memorial Bridge was -approved. - -[Illustration: PARK AREAS ACQUIRED TO JULY 1, 1938] - -In 1910 the National Commission of Fine Arts was set up to-- - - advise upon the location of statues, fountains, and monuments in the - public squares, streets, and parks in the District of Columbia, and - upon the selection of models for statues, fountains, and monuments - erected under the authority of the United States and upon the - selection of the artists for the execution of the same. - -This commission, which has numbered in its membership the greatest -architects and artists of the country, has helped greatly not only in -raising the standard of the public works of art but also in securing -the adoption of important parts of the 1901 plan. - -With the general paving of streets, the filling of vacant lots with -houses, and the increasing automobile traffic, it became necessary -to provide safe play places for children and necessary recreation -facilities for adults. In response to this demand, a system of -playgrounds was adopted and a playgrounds department set up in 1911. - -While all these projects were good and necessary, they failed to keep -pace with the needs of the rapidly growing city. Intrusted to different -executive authorities, these efforts could not be properly coordinated, -and occasionally were designed without the fullest consideration of -other projects affected by them. The proposed system of playgrounds was -not extended as intended, and even if it had been would have proved -inadequate. Lands recommended for park use in 1901 were built on with -expensive improvements and put to private or commercial uses. - -The progress made in the quarter century 1901 to 1926 was so -unsatisfactory that a Park and Planning Commission was established -(1924, amended 1926)-- - - to develop a comprehensive, consistent, and coordinated plan for - the National Capital and its environs in the States of Maryland and - Virginia, to preserve the flow of water in Rock Creek, to prevent - pollution of Rock Creek and the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, to - preserve forests and natural scenery in and about Washington, and to - provide for the comprehensive, systematic, and continuous development - of park, parkway, and playground systems of the National Capital and - its environs * * *. - -Besides its city-planning work, this commission recommended a complete -system of city parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers, as well as a -system of regional parks. - -The main new city park feature is a circumferential parkway joining -the old Civil War forts built to defend the city against attack, -but now too near urban development to be of any military efficacy. -But the sites of the forts themselves, besides the interest of the -remains of the military works, are excellently suited for local -parks, and because of their commanding positions afford many unique -and magnificent views, while the drive joining them, besides giving -opportunity for an unusually picturesque pleasure drive, will provide -very much-needed cross connections of great traffic value between the -radial streets entering the city. - -There is to be a series of neighborhood recreation centers from 10 to -20 acres in size for each residential community, with playgrounds for -small children interspersed at intervals of about half a mile. The -recreation system is to comprise fields for major sports and swimming -pools and constitutes a reasonable effort to meet the policy that -“every child shall have a place to play.” - -The regional park system contemplates the acquisition of the shores -of the Potomac from Mount Vernon to and including Great Falls as -a memorial park in memory of George Washington. This will include -an area of unique historical and scenic value of such picturesque -attractiveness as can not be found in such close proximity to any other -great city, and a possible natural playground within reach of millions -of the city dwellers of the Atlantic seaboard. - -The new memorial highway to Mount Vernon is an important element of -this project, which was completed in 1932. In the north end of the -project, near Great Falls, are the remains of the Old Potomack Canal, -of which George Washington himself supervised the construction, while -on the Maryland shore is the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, formally -initiated by President John Quincy Adams in 1828, and a most perfect -example of the type of canal which brought about the development of our -country in the first half of the nineteenth century. Its quiet waters -and overgrown towpath and banks have unusual charm and afford a most -charming and interesting contrast with the torrential river below in -its rugged canyon. - -As a natural terminal on the Maryland bank of the river, nearly -opposite Mount Vernon, is picturesque old Fort Washington designed by -Major L’Enfant after the War of 1812, and one of the best-preserved -forts of this type in the South Atlantic States. From its parapet -one can enjoy one of the best views of the Capital City L’Enfant so -gloriously and successfully planned. - -The regional park system also proposes the extension of Rock Creek -Park into Maryland and various other similar connections with projects -in the District of Columbia. Perhaps the most important is the -opportunity for a parkway, like the Bronx Parkway, between Washington -and Baltimore, following up the Anacostia Valley, Northwest Branch, and -Indian Creek. - -The recommendations of the National Capital Park and Planning -Commission as to parks were given legislative sanction by the act -approved May 29, 1930, and are being carried out as fast as funds -are made available. The opportunities here for a nearly ideal park -and playground system are so unusual that the entire country must -be interested in seeing their early completion. Other cities can -have monumental buildings, but no other large city can still have at -reasonable cost the park and recreational facilities essential to the -amenities of life and the raising of a new generation under conditions -assuring, for poor and rich alike, a sound mind in a sound body. - -[Illustration: LAFAYETTE PARK, SHOWING STATUE OF GEN. ANDREW JACKSON] - - -LAFAYETTE PARK - -The L’Enfant plan shows the ground now known as Lafayette Park, or -Lafayette Square, comprising about 7 acres, to have been a part of the -President’s Park, extending on the north side from H Street southward -to the Monument Grounds, between Fifteenth and Seventeenth Streets. -Similarly, the subsequent Ellicott plan and the Dermott plan make -provision for such a spacious park to surround the President’s House. -These plans show no street dividing Lafayette Park from the White House -Grounds. - -When L’Enfant prepared his plan this was a neglected area, a common -without trees. A race course was laid out, in 1797, on the west side of -the grounds, extending westward to Twentieth Street. Huts for workmen -who helped build the President’s House were erected on the grounds, and -when these were removed a market was established there. This was later -relocated farther to the center of the town, on Pennsylvania Avenue, -between Seventh and Ninth Streets. Thomas Jefferson first undertook -really to improve the grounds and marked the east and west limits as -they are to-day, called Madison Place and Jackson Place, respectively. - -Until 1816 the only important building that had been erected adjacent -to Lafayette Park was St. John’s Church. Then, in 1818, the Dolly -Madison House was built, and in 1819 the Decatur House. From then on -and for more than 50 years following Lafayette Park became the center -of social life in Washington. Nearly every house surrounding it became -noted for its historical associations. However, the park seems to have -been neglected the greater part of this period. In 1840 there was an -ordinary fence around it. - -Just when this park area took the name of Lafayette Park is not -definitely known. As has been said, originally this area was a part -of the President’s Park, and D. B. Warden, in his volume entitled -“Description of the District of Columbia,” published in 1816, refers -to it as such by saying, in connection with rates of fare for hackney -carriages-- - - From the President’s Square to Greenleaf’s Point, and also to Hamburg - Wharf, or to the western limits of the city, the rate is but 25 - cents, and half the distance one-half that sum. - -In his voluminous history of Lafayette Square, Gist Blair states-- - - Its name has come from the people and arose after this visit of - Lafayette to the city in 1824. - -[Illustration: THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL] - -Again, speaking of the many social events held in Washington during -this visit of Lafayette, Mr. Blair says: - - Socially, the season of 1824-25 was the most brilliant Washington had - seen, so it is natural to understand how everyone at this time may - have started to call this square Lafayette Square. - -In the office of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, -there is a map dated 1852, on which Lafayette Park is shown to be -separated from the White House Grounds. The first printed report of the -Commissioner of Public Buildings, on file in that office, is of the -year 1857. In that report there is a reference to Lafayette Square with -an account of certain work being done there in that year. - -During more than a quarter of a century past the grounds have been -properly maintained as a park. To-day there are five notable monuments -in Lafayette Park; namely, the Jackson, Lafayette, Rochambeau, Von -Steuben, and the Kosciuszko. - - -POTOMAC PARKS - -It is of interest to note from the L’Enfant plan of 1791 the absence -of land in the area known to-day as West and East Potomac Parks. -Seventy-five years ago the area had developed into a marshy region, -which became so malarial as to affect seriously the health of residents -of the city. In 1901 the McMillan Park Commission decided to extend -the axis of the Mall westward three-fourths of a mile, and as a result -one of the greatest and most remarkable developments in city planning -has been accomplished, for at that time, in connection with the park -improvement project, the location of the Lincoln Memorial and the -Arlington Memorial Bridge was determined upon in plan, together with -the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway development. The dredging of these -swampy regions by the United States Engineer Office resulted in the -creation of West Potomac Park, comprising 394 acres. - -East Potomac Park is located along the Potomac River not far from the -Lincoln Memorial and has developed during the past few years into the -most prominent recreational park of the city. The golf course, field -house, and picnic groves are features of the park. It is one of the -three great island parks of the world and comprises 327 acres of land -reclaimed from the Potomac River, with a water front of 3⁵⁄₈ miles. The -park is bounded by a motor drive, which is lined with Japanese cherry -trees. A canal to cross the park, connecting Washington Channel with -the Potomac River, is in plan. - - -JAPANESE CHERRY TREES - -The Japanese cherry trees along the Tidal Basin and the Potomac Park -Driveway attract thousands of visitors to Washington during the cherry -blossom season, which is early in April of each year. They are the gift -of the city of Tokyo to the National Capital. Upon arrival the first -consignment of 2,000 trees was found to be infected by fungous diseases -and insect pests, and thereupon they were destroyed. In the winter -of 1911-12 the city of Tokyo renewed the gift, and in March, 1912, a -consignment of 3,020 trees arrived in Washington. These were examined -by experts of the Department of Agriculture and pronounced healthy -specimens. - -[Illustration: MERIDIAN HILL PARK--UPPER GARDEN] - -[Illustration: MERIDIAN HILL PARK--LOWER GARDEN] - -Arrangements were made immediately for planting them. Mrs. William -Howard Taft planted the first tree and Viscountess Chinda the second -early in April. When the news was received in Japan that the trees had -been successfully planted, the following message from Mayor Ozaki, of -Tokyo, was received: - - It will remain to the citizens of Tokyo a pleasing memory as well as - civic pride that their small offering will be permitted to contribute - to the advancement of the beautiful Capital of the great Republic - which they all admire. - -The cherry trees of Washington are almost entirely of the flowering -species, of the single and double blossom varieties; the former, -planted at the edge of the Tidal Basin, appear first. There they are -near, also, to the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, -and with their tinted blossoms present a charming vista. The -double-flowering variety in East Potomac Park appears about two weeks -later. - - -MERIDIAN HILL PARK - -Meridian Hill Park is located between Fifteenth and Sixteenth and W -and Euclid Streets NW. It comprises about 12 acres. The design for -improving the park has been completed and approved and a large-scale -model of the southern portion prepared for special study in carrying -out the details. - -In design Meridian Hill Park is similar to an Italian garden, -containing an upper and a lower garden, and as a formal garden of its -kind there is no other like it in the United States. The upper garden -extends from Euclid Street about 900 feet south on a practically level -stretch of mall to the grand terrace, which forms the cross axis of -the park. Concert groves and promenades, with niches for statues and -monuments in the hemlock hedge, are features of the upper garden. This -part of the park has been for the most part completed. - -From the terrace a commanding view of the city is obtained. Immediately -to the south is a cascade, descending to a pool in the lower garden. -East of the pool there is a statue of President Buchanan, erected by -authority of Congress as the gift of Harriet Lane Johnston to the -United States. In the lower garden there is also a great exedra, -forming the main point from which to view the cascades. Along the sides -of the lower garden are walks amidst planting, leading to the upper -garden. The main entrance to Meridian Hill Park is on Sixteenth Street. -A tablet here suggests the name given to the park. It bears this -inscription: - - THE STONE MARKING THE WASHINGTON MERIDIAN WAS FORMERLY LOCATED - 52 FEET 9 INCHES WEST OF THIS TABLET, WHICH WAS PRESENTED BY THE - ARMY AND NAVY CHAPTER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, - 1804-1923. - -[Illustration: MAP OF ROCK CREEK PARK] - -On the grand terrace is a copy of the famous Dubois statue of Jeanne -d’Arc, given by the Société des Femmes de France à New York to the -National Capital. There is also a statue of Dante in the lower garden, -the gift of Chevalier Carlo Barsotti, editor of a leading Italian -newspaper of New York City. An armillary sphere is in the great exedra -of the lower garden. - -While a million dollars could not buy the land occupied by Meridian -Hill Park, it is of interest to know that for the 110 acres, which -extended from what is now Florida Avenue to Columbia Road and east of -Sixteenth Street, Commodore Porter paid $13,000 in 1816. - - -ROCK CREEK PARK - -One of the largest and most beautiful natural parks in the world -is Rock Creek Park, extending from the William Howard Taft Bridge -northward to the boundary line of the District of Columbia, and -comprising 1,632 acres. Congress authorized the creation of the park -in 1890, with an appropriation of $10,000. Adjacent to the park is the -National Zoological Park. - -[Illustration: JOAQUIN MILLER CABIN IN ROCK CREEK PARK] - -[Illustration: PLAN OF ANACOSTIA PARK] - - -ANACOSTIA PARK - -The plan for the development of this project provides for the -reclamation of what are known as the Anacostia Flats, along the -Anacostia River, on the east side of the District of Columbia, into -Anacostia Park, of 1,100 acres. The distance from the point near the -War College to the District line is about 6 miles. The park will be one -of the largest and most beautiful waterside parks in this country. The -breaking of ground for the park took place August 2, 1923. - -As has been related, more than three centuries ago, or in the summer -of 1608, Capt. John Smith, in an exploration of the tributaries of -the Chesapeake Bay, landed on these very banks. He found a tribe of -peaceful Indians, the Nacotchtant (Anacostans), numbering some 80 men, -kind and well disposed, who did their best to content Captain Smith and -his fellow explorers. These Indians no doubt made their home in this -neighborhood on account of the abundance of game. - -One of the largest water-lily gardens, the Shaw Lily Gardens, is -situated opposite Mount Hamilton, on the east side of the Anacostia -River. It is thought these ultimately will become part of the Anacostia -Park. The Anacostia is also a popular place for fishing, and it is -expected fish ponds will be established there later. - -A large stadium and playground at the end of East Capitol Street, -adjoining Anacostia Park, is proposed. The National Arboretum will be -adjacent to it from Mount Hamilton eastward. - - -NATIONAL ARBORETUM - -The movement to establish a National Arboretum was first definitely -proposed by Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, in his report -for the fiscal year 1899-- - - One in which can be brought together for study all the trees that - will grow in Washington, D. C., * * * furnishing complete material - for the investigations of the Department of Agriculture, and so - managed as to be a perennial means of botanical education. - -In 1918 the Commission of Fine Arts, at the request of the House -Committee on the Library, made a study of the problem of the location -of a proposed botanical garden and arboretum. After an elaborate -study, conducted with the help of the Department of Agriculture, the -commission recommended the purchase of Mount Hamilton and adjacent -land, and Hickey Hill, together with the lands between those heights -and the Anacostia marshes, in northeast Washington. The report of the -commission encountered opposition, but its logic has prevailed. - -[Illustration: MAP OF NATIONAL ARBORETUM PREPARED BY THE NATIONAL -COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS] - -The act providing for the establishment of the National Arboretum, -approved March 4, 1927, is one of the few measures that survived the -filibuster in the Senate on the closing day of that session, because of -the untiring efforts of Senator Charles L. McNary, of Oregon, chairman -of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. Hon. Robert -Luce, chairman of the Committee on the Library, handled the bill in -the House of Representatives. The sum of $300,000 was authorized by -the act for the National Arboretum, and this amount was subsequently -appropriated. The act provided also for the appointment by the -Secretary of Agriculture of an advisory council in relation to the plan -and development of the National Arboretum. To serve on this council the -Secretary of Agriculture appointed the following persons: - -Frederic A. Delano, Washington, D. C., member of the Board of Regents, -Smithsonian Institution. - -Henry S. Graves, New Haven, Conn., dean of the School of Forestry, Yale -University; fellow of the Society of American Foresters; and formerly -president of the American Forestry Association. - -Harlan P. Kelsey, Salem, Mass., member and former president of the -American Association of Nurserymen. - -John C. Merriam, Washington, D. C., president of the Carnegie -Institution of Washington; member of the National Academy of Sciences -and of the National Research Council. - -Mrs. Frank B. Noyes, Washington, D. C., chairman of the District of -Columbia committee of the Garden Club of America. - -Frederick Law Olmsted, Brookline, Mass., member and former president of -the American Society of Landscape Architects. - -Mrs. Harold I. Pratt, Glen Cove, Long Island, N. Y., secretary of the -Garden Club of America. - -Robert Pyle, West Grove, Pa., president of the American Horticultural -Society and a director of the Society of American Florists and -Ornamental Horticulturists. - -Vernon Kellogg, permanent secretary of the National Research Council. - -It is proposed to purchase about 500 acres, 400 of which, including -Mount Hamilton and adjacent portions of Anacostia Park, have already -been secured. Thirty-two distinct varieties of soils suited to the -growth of trees and plants have been found in this area. - -Due to mild climatic conditions in Washington, at the gateway of the -South, where there is neither the extreme cold of the North nor the -extreme heat of the South, many varieties of trees and plants of -both North and South will grow, making it one of the most favorable -localities in the United States for the establishment of a National -Arboretum. Many countries which have established an arboretum in their -capital cities have provided not only an attractive place of public -interest but also the source of millions of dollars in revenue. - -[Illustration: THE CAPITOL UPON ITS RESTORATION, 1827] - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -ARCHITECTURE OF EARLY DAYS - - -THE CAPITOL - -[Illustration: DESIGN OF THE CAPITOL, BY THORNTON, 1800] - -When the seat of government was moved from Philadelphia to Washington -in the year 1800 there had been erected for the purposes of the -Government a small rectangular building, familiarly known to-day as -the Supreme Court section of the Capitol, and in this building were -housed the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, -the courts of the District of Columbia, and the library, now known as -the Library of Congress. South of this building was a large vacant -space, practically the extension of East Capitol Street. Through this -area people from the western and eastern parts of the city passed to -and fro. Conveniently located in that section now occupied by the -central portion were two wells, which for many years furnished water -to citizens residing in that vicinity, for the Capitol Grounds were -then occupied by residences. South of this vacant space were the -foundations of another building, equal in area and intended to compare -in cubic contents with the portion already erected and occupied. For -some time after the inauguration of President Jefferson but little was -done toward the erection of the southern building, now known as the -Statuary Hall section, except that the foundation walls progressed -slowly, and within the area of these walls there was built a 1-story -elliptical-shaped building of brick construction, known to the people -of that period as “The Oven,” designed for the accommodation of the -House of Representatives and occupied until 1807, when the Hall of the -House of Representatives was completed. In 1800 there were 32 Senators -and 106 Members of the House. - -[Illustration: THE CAPITOL, FROM PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, 1830] - -[Illustration: CAPITOL, FROM THE WEST, SHOWING THE TRIPOLI COLUMN] - -Thomas Jefferson sought the assistance of the best talent of the -country to complete the Capitol, and on March 6, 1803, appointed -Benjamin H. Latrobe, whose fame as an architect had caused his -services to be in such great demand in several cities that he could -not immediately take up his residence in Washington. But he arranged -to assume the duties of Architect of the Capitol by personal visits to -the city and made a thorough study of the plans for the Capitol. The -plans for the Hall of the House of Representatives as developed by Mr. -Latrobe required sculptural decoration, and this was made the subject -of an interesting letter on March 6, 1805, addressed to Philip Mazzei, -an Italian physician, asking for assistance in selecting a sculptor: - - By direction of the President of the United States I take the liberty - to apply to you for your assistance in procuring for us the services - of a good sculptor in the erection of the public buildings in this - city, especially the Capitol. - -[Illustration: SENATE CHAMBER, 1830] - -[Illustration: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHAMBER, 1830] - -[Illustration: EARLY VIEW OF THE WHITE HOUSE] - - The Capitol was begun at a time when the country was entirely - destitute of artists, and even of good workmen in the branches of - architecture, upon which the superiority of public over private - buildings depends. The north wing, therefore, which is carried up, - although the exterior is remarkably well finished as to the masonry, - is not a good building. For two or three years after the removal of - Congress to this city the public works were entirely discontinued. In - the year 1803, however, they were resumed, and under the patronage - of the President and the annual appropriations by Congress the south - wing of the Capitol has been begun and carried on. It is now so - far advanced as to make it necessary that we should have as early - as possible the assistance of a good sculptor of architectural - decorations * * *. - -The principal sculpture required was 24 Corinthian capitals, 2 feet -4 inches in diameter at their feet and open enriched entablatures of -147 feet (both English measure) in length. Also five panels (tavole) -enriched with foliage and an eagle of colossal size in the frieze, the -distance between the tips of the extended wings to be 12 feet 6 inches. -As to material, yellowish sandstone of fine grain was to be used. - -[Illustration: PLAN, IN BLACK, SHOWING PART FIRST OCCUPIED BY CONGRESS, -1800] - -The later history of the Capitol will be found on page 219. - - -THE WHITE HOUSE - -The most definite description of the White House as it existed during -its earlier days is to be found in American Scenery, published in -London in 1840 and edited by Nathaniel Parker Willis, who writes as -follows: - - The residence of the Chief Magistrate of the United States resembles - the country seat of an English nobleman in its architecture and size; - but it is to be regretted that the parallel ceases when we come to - the grounds. By itself it is a commodious and creditable building, - serving its purpose without too much state for a republican country, - yet likely, as long as the country exists without primogeniture and - rank, to be sufficiently superior to all other dwelling houses to - mark it as the residence of the Nation’s chief. - -[Illustration: VIEW SHOWING TERRACE ON SOUTH SIDE OF THE WHITE HOUSE, -1827] - - The President’s House stands near the center of an area of some 20 - acres, occupying a very advantageous elevation, open to the view - of the Potomac and about 44 feet above high water, and possessing - from its balcony one of the loveliest prospects in our country--the - junction of the two branches of the Potomac which border the District - and the swelling and varied shores beyond of the States of Maryland - and Virginia. The building is 170 feet front and 86 deep and is built - of white freestone, with Ionic pilasters, comprehending two lofty - stories, with a stone balustrade. The north front is ornamented - with a portico sustained by four Ionic columns, with three columns - of projection, the outer intercolumniation affording a shelter for - carriages to drive under. The garden front on the river is varied - by what is called a rusticated basement story, in the Ionic style, - and by a semicircular projecting colonnade of six columns, with two - spacious and airy flights of steps leading to a balustrade on the - level of the principal story. - - The interior of the President’s House is well disposed and possesses - one superb reception room and two oval drawing-rooms (one in each - story) of very beautiful proportions. The other rooms are not - remarkable, and there is an inequality in the furniture of the - whole house (owing to the unwillingness and piecemeal manner with - which Congress votes any moneys for its decoration) which destroys - its effect as a comfortable dwelling. The oval rooms are carpeted - with Gobelin tapestry, worked with the national emblems, and are - altogether in a more consistent style than the other parts of the - house. It is to be hoped that Congress will not always consider the - furniture of the President’s House as the scapegoat of all sumptuary - and aristocratic sins, and that we shall soon be able to introduce - strangers not only to a comfortable and well-appointed, but to a - properly served and nicely kept, Presidential Mansion. - -The White House as it is at present is described on page 261. - - -OCTAGON HOUSE - -Octagon House is a beautiful example of early American architecture. -It is situated at the corner of Eighteenth Street and New York Avenue -NW., two blocks west of the White House, and was built in the year 1800 -by Col. John Tayloe from designs by the Architect of the United States -Capitol, Dr. William Thornton. It is said President Washington himself -selected the site for his friend. - -The building is a fine, octagonal brick structure, Georgian in design, -with a central circular hall and a noteworthy staircase. The materials -used in its construction, including beautiful sculptured mantels, were -brought from England. Gardens surrounded it, and the old brick stables -and smokehouse still close the vista from the stair landing. - -The house was the center of official and social life as the home of -the Tayloe family. It achieved particular distinction when used as the -Executive Mansion by President Madison for more than a year after the -burning of the White House by the British in 1814. - -The building was later used at various times as a Government office -building. The Government Hydrographic Office, with its drafting rooms, -was located there, and the building was also used for storage. During -the 139 years it appears to have suffered little from damage and -deterioration. - -[Illustration: OCTAGON HOUSE] - -The Octagon House became the home of the American Institute of -Architects on January 1, 1899, through the particular efforts of -Charles F. McKim, Cass Gilbert, and Frank Miles Day, former presidents -of the institute, and complete ownership of the property was acquired -in the year 1902. - -One of its present treasures is the table on which the treaty of Ghent -was signed by President Madison. - - -DOLLY MADISON HOUSE - -The Dolly Madison House, at the corner of H Street and Madison Place -NW., adjacent to Lafayette Square, was built by Dolly Madison’s -brother-in-law in 1818. - -[Illustration: DOLLY MADISON HOUSE] - -After the death of President Madison in 1833 Mrs. Madison returned to -Washington and resided in the house until her death in 1849. In her -day it was a little gray residence, but a place where she presided as -a charming hostess for many years. The purchase by Congress of the -Madison Papers for $30,000 made it possible for her to live there. Born -in the year 1768, she became intimately acquainted with many who took -part in the Revolutionary War, and through her long life linked her -generation with that of the present day. - -Among the men and women of importance who were frequent visitors in her -home, who exerted an influence to strengthen the seat of government and -became noted characters in American history, were Mr. and Mrs. John -Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Mrs. Alexander Hamilton, Mrs. -Stephen Decatur, Mrs. William Thornton, Mrs. Tobias Lear, and Gen. John -Peter Van Ness. - -During the Civil War the house was occupied by Gen. George B. -McClellan, at that time in command of the Army of the Potomac, and -about the year 1885 the house was purchased by the Cosmos Club, which -now occupies it. - - -DECATUR HOUSE - -The Decatur House, located at the corner of H Street and Jackson Place -NW., was designed by Benjamin Latrobe and built about 1819 by Commodore -Stephen Decatur, it is said, from Barbary pirates’ prize money. - -[Illustration: DECATUR HOUSE] - -Scarcely had the house been completed and through the trophies of the -naval hero made a place of great interest when, on March 22, 1820, -Decatur was mortally wounded in a duel with Commodore James Barron -which took place at Bladensburg, Md. Decatur died in his home that -night and was buried at Kalorama, a prominent estate in those days in -northwest Washington. - -Thereupon Henry Clay, who was then a Member of the House of -Representatives and subsequently Secretary of State in the Cabinet of -John Quincy Adams, occupied the Decatur House. After the Civil War the -house was bought by Gen. Edward H. Beale, a friend of General Grant. It -was inherited by Truxton Beale, who resided there many years. - - -OTHER HISTORICAL HOUSES - -Other houses adjacent to Lafayette Square and the White House grounds -which became historically important were: - -The Cameron House, adjacent to the Dolly Madison House, was built in -1828 by Benjamin Ogle Tayloe. Later it was altered somewhat to suit the -fine taste of Mrs. Cameron, wife of James Donald Cameron, who served -as a Senator from the State of Pennsylvania from 1877 to 1897. The -Cameron House to-day is occupied by the Cosmos Club, which, as has been -stated, also occupies the Dolly Madison House. The beautiful gardens -surrounding it are a source of much pleasure. - -The Van Ness Mansion formerly stood on the site now occupied by the Pan -American Building, near Seventeenth Street and Constitution Avenue. - -[Illustration: VAN NESS MANSION] - -The Rodgers House was occupied by Secretary of State Seward at the -time he and his son were nearly fatally stabbed on the night President -Lincoln was assassinated. In 1895 the house was torn down to make way -for an opera house, called the Lafayette Square Opera House, and later -the Belasco Theater. - -John Hay, Secretary of State under Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt, -lived at Sixteenth and H Streets. - -The home of George Bancroft was at No. 1623 H Street. Here he completed -his History of the United States. - -[Illustration: LOCK OF THE OLD CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL, GEORGETOWN] - -The historian Henry Adams, grandson of President John Quincy Adams, -lived at 1605 H Street. - -Lord Ashburton lived in the large square house next to the old -Arlington Hotel, at H Street and Vermont Avenue. Charles Sumner also -lived near by. - -The Corcoran House stood at the corner of H Street and Connecticut -Avenue, where now stands the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. -In that house Daniel Webster lived while Secretary of State under -Presidents William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor. - -The original Corcoran Gallery of Art Building stands at the corner of -Pennsylvania Avenue and Seventeenth Street. - -No. 22 Jackson Place, now the home of the Women’s City Club, was the -house of President Polk’s Secretary of War, William L. Marcy. The house -was occupied by President and Mrs. Roosevelt for a few months while the -White House was being restored in 1901. - - -GEORGETOWN - -Georgetown was laid out pursuant to an act of the Province of Maryland -dated June 8, 1751, passed in response to a petition of a number of -inhabitants, who stated that “there was a convenient place for a town -on the Potomac River above the mouth of Rock Creek,” and recommended -that 60 acres be there laid out for a town. The town was never -incorporated as a city, but was commonly called the city of Georgetown -as a consequence of the casual reference to it by that title in -numerous acts of Congress. - -The general supposition is that Georgetown was so named in honor of -George II, then the reigning sovereign of Great Britain, but it is -also contended that it was named as a compliment to George Gordon and -George Beall, the owners of the 60-acre tract, and from whom the site -was obtained. The town was subsequently surveyed and divided into 80 -lots. On December 25, 1789, the town was incorporated by an act of the -General Assembly of Maryland, with a mayor, recorder, aldermen, and -common council. The first mayor was appointed for a term of one year, -to commence January 1, 1790. - -The streets in the part of Georgetown laid out under the act of June -8, 1751, were acquired by the public in practically the same manner in -which the title to the original streets of the city of Washington was -derived. - -Georgetown was enlarged by numerous additions, until, as calculated by -the surveyor of the District of Columbia, it embraced about 543 acres. -Its charter was revoked by the act of Congress of February 21, 1871, -by which its name was retained as a topographical designation until -its consolidation with Washington by the act of February 11, 1895, -which stated it “shall be known as and shall constitute a part of the -city of Washington.” By this act the Commissioners of the District of -Columbia were authorized to change the names of the streets and avenues -of Georgetown to conform to those of Washington as far as practicable. -At the time of the consolidation the population of Georgetown was about -15,000. - -[Illustration: OLD AQUEDUCT BRIDGE] - -[Illustration: FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE] - -Soon after its establishment Georgetown became a prominent port, and -one of the interesting places there to-day is the old customhouse. A -number of mills, the ruins of which can still be seen, were there. -It is said that flour shipped in colonial times from Georgetown to -Europe was so good that consignees did not think it necessary to open -the barrels for inspection. Tobacco and corn were the two other chief -exports. Georgetown University was established in 1789, the year George -Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the Republic. The -Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, 182 miles long, commenced in 1828, had its -beginning in Georgetown. It cost $13,000,000. Georgetown’s exports in -1792 amounted to $348,539. Much coal was also shipped to Alexandria for -towns on the Atlantic coast. - -Georgetown also became noted for the many fine houses which were built -there, such as Tudor Place, Woodley, the Oaks, Montrose, the Bowie -Mansion, and Bellevue, later known as the Rittenhouse Mansion. In the -early days, while houses in the new Federal City were being built, many -Members of Congress preferred to travel the dusty road from the Capitol -to Georgetown because of the suitable residences there in which they -could live. - -Among the mansions near Georgetown, to be mentioned here, is Arlington -Mansion (described fully on page 309), built in 1802 by George -Washington Parke Custis, the adopted son of President Washington. The -original Arlington estate comprised 6,000 acres. The design of the -portico of the house resembles that of the Temple of Theseus at Athens, -which stands to-day one of the best-preserved buildings of antiquity. -Mr. Custis lived there till his death in 1857. He entertained Lafayette -at Arlington during his visit to the United States in 1824. - - -FRANCIS SCOTT KEY MANSION - -The Francis Scott Key Mansion, at Georgetown, stands remodeled as a -store building on old Bridge Street, now M Street, one-half block from -the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Originally it was a 3-story “colonial” -brick building, which stood there as such until about the year 1917, -when the Francis Scott Key Bridge was built to replace the old Aqueduct -Bridge. - -Entering the front door at the left of the building, there was a -spacious hall extending through the entire house. At the right of the -hall were two large parlors. In the basement was the dining room, -kitchen, and “cold room,” a room bricked up and used as a refrigerator -and pantry. In the second story were two large bedrooms and a large -hall. The third story contained four bedrooms. The window frames were -small, 4 by 6 inches, supported in heavy sashes, as was the custom in -building such houses. - -In the rear of the house was a beautiful garden, which sloped -gracefully to the river. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was later built -through it. This area is now occupied by factories, warehouses, and -store buildings. - -[Illustration: FRANCIS SCOTT KEY HOUSE] - -Mr. Key, an attorney and poet, lived here with his family many years, -and resided here at the time of the bombardment of Fort McHenry. Near -by was his law office, a little brick building. - -[Illustration: HOUSE OF THE EARLY DAYS IN GEORGETOWN ON OLD BRIDGE (M) -STREET] - -In 1814, while the British fleet was in Chesapeake Bay, Mr. Key -attempted to secure the release of his friend Dr. William Beane, of -Marlboro, Md., who had been captured. He was held on shipboard during -the shelling of Fort McHenry on the night of September 13. Key’s -anxiety became intense. With the first approach of dawn Mr. Key turned -his eyes in the direction of the fort and its flag, but darkness had -given place to a heavy fog. Finally, through a vista in the smoke -and vapor he could dimly see the flag of his country. Overjoyed and -inspired by the sight, he composed The Star-Spangled Banner. This is -now our national anthem by an act of Congress approved March 3, 1931, -as follows: - - _Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the - United States of America in Congress assembled_, That the composition - consisting of words and music known as The Star-Spangled Banner is - designated the national anthem of the United States of America. - -The historic flag that flew over Fort McHenry is on exhibition at the -Historical Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. - - -TUDOR PLACE - -[Illustration: TUDOR PLACE, THIRTY-FIRST AND Q STREETS] - -Tudor Place, located at Thirty-first and Q Streets NW., is one of the -fine examples of the architecture of the early days of the Republic -in Washington. It was designed by Dr. William Thornton, Architect of -the Capitol, and built about 1805 by Thomas Peter, who was one of the -original landowners of the District of Columbia. Mr. Peter married -Martha Parke Custis, Mrs. Washington’s granddaughter. Tudor Place is -still the residence of lineal descendants of Martha Washington and -contains many heirlooms of the family. General Lafayette and other -distinguished visitors were entertained here. - -[Illustration: ROCK CREEK CHURCH] - -Tudor Place to-day is well preserved, and its gardens give it added -beauty. - -[Illustration: TUDOR PLACE, SHOWING GARDENS ON THE EAST SIDE] - - -ROCK CREEK CHURCH (ST. PAUL’S) IN ROCK CREEK CEMETERY - -Rock Creek Church is to the north of the Soldiers’ Home. The original -building was erected by the people of the Eastern Branch and Rock Creek -in 1719 in what was then St. Paul’s Parish, and was for many years the -oldest parish church in the District of Columbia. It was rebuilt in -1775 and remodeled in 1868. It burned on April 6, 1921, but was again -rebuilt. - -In 1726 the separation of this parish from St. John’s (Georgetown) -marked a religious era in the future National Capital. Of the seven men -appointed to establish the town of Georgetown, five were officers of -this parish. - -In the cemetery surrounding the church is the famous Adams Memorial by -Saint-Gaudens. - - -CHRIST CHURCH - -Although Washington had been planned as a city in 1791, it did not -become the actual seat of government until 1800. It was necessary, -therefore, for those desiring a Protestant Episcopal Church in -Washington to apply to the Maryland Assembly. This application was -made and an act passed to form a new parish to be known as Washington -Parish. - -On May 25, 1795, a meeting was held, and the parish of Christ Church, -Washington Parish, was incorporated and vestrymen elected. At this -meeting Rev. George Ralph was appointed the first rector. - -The first services were held in an old building, originally used as a -tobacco barn, located on New Jersey Avenue near D Street SE. - -[Illustration: OLD TOBACCO BARN] - -On May 6, 1806, two offers of sites for a new church were made. The -one by William Prout--the present site--was accepted, and in 1807 the -present building was erected. Three free pews were set aside--one for -the use of the President of the United States; one for Mr. Prout, the -donor of the land; and the third for the rector. The church stands on G -Street, near Seventh SE. - -For many years each incoming President was notified that a pew had -been reserved for his use. During their terms of office Presidents -Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe worshiped in Christ Church. During -all these years the fame of the church has grown, from its antiquity -as the mother church of the Capital and from its spiritual work and -ministrations. - -A history of the parish would not be complete without some notice of -its burying ground (illustrated on page 44). - -[Illustration: CHRIST CHURCH] - -On March 30, 1812, Henry Ingle deeded to Christ Church vestry a square -of ground known as square 1115, and the name of Washington Parish -Burial Ground was given it. On May 30, 1849, the vestry changed it -to Washington Cemetery. Yet in popular nomenclature it is known -as Congressional Cemetery. Title can be traced back to its early -connection with the National Legislature. - -On April 15, 1816, the vestry assigned 100 sites for the interment of -deceased Members of Congress. On December 15, 1823, 300 more sites -were donated for the same purpose. Congress afterwards bought more -sites and erected small freestone cenotaphs, which form a conspicuous -feature, made sundry appropriations for improvements, and began to add -its name to the cemetery. Many Congressmen and Government officials -are buried there, including Tobias Lear, private secretary and friend -of George Washington, who died in 1816; Dr. William Thornton, who drew -the original plans of the Capitol, and died March 28, 1828; George -Hadfield, an assistant architect of the Capitol; George Clinton, -of New York, and Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts, Vice Presidents -of the United States. The cemetery, located at Eighteenth Street -and Pennsylvania Avenue SE., is adjacent to the Anacostia River and -comprises 30 acres. - - -ST. JOHN’S CHURCH - -St. John’s Church, sometimes called the President’s Church, while -not the oldest in the city, has a history which is unique. Probably -no other church of any denomination in the United States has had -throughout its history such a distinguished roster of communicants as -has St. John’s, located at Sixteenth and H Streets NW. - -The title, the “President’s Church,” was derived in this way: In 1816, -before the church was consecrated or any pews sold, a committee from -the vestry was instructed to make the offer of a pew to President -Madison. He accepted and thereafter occupied pew No. 28 even more -frequently than his pew in Christ Church. The custom of preserving a -pew for the President has been continued, and a number have regularly -worshiped there. - -Situated in the heart of official Washington, for a century it has been -the place of worship of Presidents, Cabinet officers, distinguished -soldiers and diplomats, and leaders in the professional life of the -city. In the year 1812 there were two Episcopal churches within -the present city limits--Christ Church, Navy Yard, and St. John’s, -Georgetown. There was need for a third, caused by the fact that the -White House and departmental buildings were erected at a point almost -midway between these two. Washington in those days undoubtedly seemed -a city of magnificent distances. So, on April 6, 1812, a committee was -appointed by the vestry of the mother parish of Christ Church to meet -the situation. Then came the War of 1812, when both the city and the -public buildings suffered, and it was not until September 14, 1815, -that the corner stone of St. John’s, Washington, was laid. - -[Illustration: ST. JOHN’S CHURCH] - -Jonathan Elliott, in his history of the District published in 1831, -said of St. John’s Church: - - It was built of brick, covered with rough stucco, in the form of a - Grecian cross; but being too small for its congregation, in 1820 it - was enlarged by lengthening its western arm, to the form of a Latin - cross; and a portico and tower were also added. - -[Illustration: EARLY VIEW OF ST. JOHN’S CHURCH] - -The most notable changes were made in 1863, when a sanctuary was -added, the interior remodeled, and many fine additions put in place. -Since that time there have been few changes of importance save in the -interior decorations and sanctuary beautification. The eye can not -glance in any direction without seeing some memorial. Over the altar -is a brass cross, commemorating President Arthur. In the west wall is -a window commemorating Presidents Madison, Monroe, and Van Buren. A -window in the east wall commemorates Presidents Tyler, Harrison, and -Taylor. Over the south gallery is a memorial window to Gen. Winfield -Scott. The atmosphere of the old church is vibrant of memories. But -St. John’s is far from being entirely a church of memories. It has -made possible several undertakings of institutional character in the -diocese. - - -THE COURTS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - -The District of Columbia Courthouse is situated in Judiciary Square, -along Indiana Avenue, facing south, with John Marshall Place -immediately in front of it, leading down a slope of 30 feet to -Pennsylvania Avenue. It is the old city hall, now used for the Supreme -Court of the District of Columbia, and is one of the oldest buildings -in the city. Designed by the English architect, George Hadfield, the -corner stone was laid August 22, 1820. The building is 250 feet long, -47 feet high, and 166 feet deep. Each of the wings is 50 feet wide. Its -style resembles the classical type of architecture which received an -impetus during the period from 1830 to 1840, when the Patent Office, -the old Post Office, and the Department of the Treasury Buildings were -erected. It was remodeled by the Architect of the Capitol, and in 1920, -a century after the corner stone was laid, was officially rededicated -as the United States Courthouse. It will be at the head of the new -municipal center which has been authorized by Congress to occupy four -squares, two on each side of John Marshall Place. - -The District of Columbia as the seat of the Federal Government of the -United States of America was without a court from 1791 until February -9, 1801. In the latter year the Circuit Court of the District of -Columbia was organized under the provisions of the act of Congress -providing a judiciary for the said District. From 1790 until the year -1801 all litigation arising within the District was disposed of by the -Maryland courts, at Annapolis. - -The first session of the circuit court was held in Market Square, -Alexandria, situated in the territory ceded by Virginia. The first -session on the Maryland side was held in Washington on March 23, 1801, -in the old brick Capitol, occupying a room adjoining the Senate Chamber -which had been assigned to the Supreme Court of the United States. The -circuit court was rather nomadic, occupying a number of sites before -the city hall was finally built in 1820 as its permanent home. It was -in the Capitol at the time of the War of 1812 and was removed to “Mr. -Carroll’s house” near the Capitol. After the war the court returned to -the Capitol and sat continuously until 1819. After passing through many -heartbreaking annoyances, the court finally settled in the building -erected for municipal affairs and for the local courts, located in what -is now known as Judiciary Square. - -As time progressed the judicial system expanded, the local government -underwent radical changes, and the edifice erected to house a dual -tenancy was acquired by the United States and assigned to the circuit -court as a permanent home. It remained there until the court was -abolished by Congress on March 3, 1863. - -When President Lincoln entered the White House just before the rupture -between the North and South, he was not satisfied with the personnel of -the circuit court. He prevailed upon Congress to abolish the circuit -court and provide for its successor--history hints this was a political -move--and also that the President be supported by a judicial system -upon which he could rely for complete loyalty to his administration. -He believed that at least two of the justices were in sympathy with -the South and would use means to embarrass his administration. The -thought in his mind was that more satisfaction could be derived by -the abolition of the court and the enactment of a new judicial system -entirely friendly to his ideas of personal liberty and justice than -through the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. - -[Illustration: DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SUPREME COURT BUILDING, BY GEORGE -HADFIELD.] - -Congress complied with President Lincoln’s wishes, and on March 3, -1863, created the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, giving -him the appointment of the new justices and the clerk. This court was -to have all the jurisdiction of its predecessor--which by statute and -decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States had greater powers -than any of the United States circuit courts--not only a court of local -jurisdiction, but also a court of admiralty, equity between residents -and nonresidents, common-law jurisdiction, and the right of mandamus -and common-law certiorari over all Government officials, with an -appellate branch to be composed of three of the five justices to review -the decisions of its special terms. - -On May 4, 1863, the court organized and promulgated rules of practice. -From that date until February 9, 1893, it held its appellate -jurisdiction. The members of the bar previous to that date had -interceded with Congress for a separate court of appeals in order to -circumvent any comment against the supreme court owing to the close -association of its justices sitting as an appellate tribunal to review -the decisions of their brothers holding the special terms. This was -accomplished. On February 9,1893, the court of appeals was created. It -is now composed of five justices, as against three provided for in the -organic act. - -With its probate court--district court, embracing admiralty, -condemnation of adulterated articles under the pure-food act; the -widening of streets, and the condemnation of alleys and privately -owned property for carrying out the enlargement and beautification of -Washington; its purely local jurisdiction to settle disputes in equity -and law; the jurisdiction over Government officials and inferior courts -of the District--it is taxed to the limit of human endeavor to keep up -with the tide of modern requirements and hold all who come within its -jurisdiction to an orderly and legal course of conduct. Its opinions -have always received wide notice and are continually quoted in State -and Federal courts. - -Many noted cases have been disposed of, as disclosed by its records. -President Grant was sued for damages for false arrest of an individual. -When the case was tried the verdict of the jury was in favor of the -President. The trial of Charles J. Guiteau for the assassination of -President Garfield was held here, and after a long-drawn-out and stormy -session covering many weeks the assassin was convicted. The famous -oil-scandal cases against Doheny and Sinclair, involving the bribery of -Albert B. Fall, a former Secretary of the Interior, were tried by this -court. Many other cases of note could be mentioned, but space will not -permit. - -Under the various acts of Congress, the number of justices has -gradually increased until at the present time the destiny of this court -is in the control of ten justices. The bench as constituted to-day -is composed of a chief justice, the Hon. Alfred A. Wheat, and the -following associate justices, the Hon. Jennings Bailey, the Hon. Peyton -Gordon, the Hon. Jesse Corcoran Adkins, the Hon. Oscar R. Luhring, the -Hon. Joseph W. Cox, the Hon. James M. Proctor, the Hon. F. Dickinson -Letts, the Hon. Daniel W. O’Donoghue, and the Hon. Bolitha J. Laws. - -The orphans’ court in the District of Columbia, as constituted by the -act of 1801, continued until 1870, when its functions were transferred -to one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia -holding a special term for probate business; the register of wills is -also clerk of the probate court. - -Justice-of-the-peace courts continued until 1912, when they were -superseded by the present municipal court, with a jurisdiction in debt -and landlord and tenant cases, replevin and tort actions not exceeding -$1,000, and the right of litigants to apply to the court of appeals for -a writ of error if they feel aggrieved. - -A police court, divided into two branches--municipal and Federal--with -appeal to the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, is presided -over by judges. - - -OLD LAND OFFICE BUILDING - -One of the interesting historic landmarks in the National Capital is -the old Land Office Building at Seventh and Eighth and E and F Streets -NW., where it occupies an entire square. It was designed by Robert -Mills in 1830 and constructed of marble from New York and Maryland -under the supervision of Thomas U. Walter, Architect of the Capitol, at -a cost exceeding $2,000,000. It was built during that decade when the -Patent Office and the Department of the Treasury Buildings, similar in -their classical type of architecture, were authorized by Congress and -placed under way during the administration of President Jackson. - -This building was erected as the first permanent building for the Post -Office Department and of the city post office. - -Here, in 1844, the first telegraph office in the United States and of -the world was opened and operated by S. F. B. Morse, the site being -marked by a bronze plaque in the wall on the east side of the building. - -The first attempt to determine longitude by telegraph also was made in -this building in 1846. Earlier in the century a building stood here -in which the first theatrical performance in the National Capital -was given. The site, too, was at one time considered for the Botanic -Garden. Until 1880 this section was the residential district of the -city. - -During the World War the building was occupied by Gen. Enoch Crowder, -in charge of the National Selective Draft Board. On his return from -France, General Pershing made it his headquarters. Since his retirement -the building has been occupied in part by the United States Tariff -Commission. - - -OLD PATENT OFFICE BUILDING - -[Illustration: DR. WILLIAM THORNTON] - -The original two buildings burned, whereupon Congress authorized the -erection of a new Patent Office Building according to the designs of -Robert Mills, architect. The present building was begun in 1837 and -completed in 1867. Doctor Thornton was the first Commissioner. It -occupies two squares, at Seventh and Ninth and F and G Streets NW., -at the site where L’Enfant had indicated in his plan there should be -a great national church. It is a monumental marble building, Doric in -its style of architecture, and with its large pediments and columns--in -design and size like those of the Parthenon--creates the impression -of simple dignity and beauty that is eternal. Models of American -inventions to the number of 200,000 were kept in this building until -the new National Museum was built. The Patent Office has been moved -into the new Department of Commerce Building. It is one of the large -bureaus of the Department of Commerce. - - -THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT - -On August 7, 1783, the year that witnessed the treaty of peace at -Paris, Congress ordered-- - - That an equestrian statue of General Washington be erected at the - place where Congress shall be established, * * * in honor of George - Washington, the illustrious Commander in Chief of the Armies of the - United States of America during the War which vindicated and secured - their liberty, sovereignty, and independence. - -[Illustration: OLD PATENT OFFICE BUILDING, NOW CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION -BUILDING] - -But no action was taken to carry out this legislation. The monument -was to have been executed by Ceracchi, a Roman sculptor, and paid for -by contributions of individuals. As has been mentioned, a site for -it was marked on the L’Enfant map of the city of Washington at the -intersection on the Mall of the axis of the Capitol and the White House. - -As President, by his wise administration of the affairs of the new -Republic, General Washington so added to his fame and so won the -gratitude of his countrymen that on his death a select joint committee -of both Houses of Congress was appointed to consider a suitable manner -of paying honor to his memory. Thus, on December 23, 1799, on motion -of John Marshall in the House of Representatives, it was resolved by -Congress-- - - That a marble monument be erected by the United States in the - Capitol, at the city of Washington, and that the family of General - Washington be requested to permit his body to be deposited under it; - and that the monument be so designed as to commemorate the great - events of his military and political life. - -It was then proposed to make an area in front of the Capitol available -for the monument, and an appropriation of $100,000 was proposed to -carry the resolution into effect. Instead of an equestrian statue, by -the terms of this resolution the monument was to take the form of a -“mausoleum of American granite and marble, in pyramidal form, 100 feet -square at the base and of a proportionate height.” - -On January 1, 1801, the House of Representatives passed a bill -appropriating $200,000 for the monument. The Senate, however, did not -concur in this act, due, it is thought, to political questions that -absorbed the attention of Congress and the people until the War of 1812. - -In 1816 the General Assembly of Virginia endeavored to secure the -consent of Judge Bushrod Washington, then proprietor of Mount Vernon, -to have the remains of President Washington removed to Richmond, there -to be marked by a fitting monument to his memory. - -When this came to the attention of Congress a select joint committee -was appointed which recommended that a tomb should be prepared in the -foundations of the Capitol for the remains of George Washington and -that a monument should be erected to his memory. But this plan failed, -because Judge Bushrod Washington declined to consent to the removal of -the body of George Washington from the vault at Mount Vernon, where -it had been placed in accordance with Washington’s express wish. -Nevertheless, a vault appears to have been prepared beneath the center -of the Dome and Rotunda of the Capitol and beneath the floor of the -crypt. - -[Illustration: PLAN OF THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT, BY ROBERT MILLS] - -In 1833 a group of public-spirited citizens organized the Washington -National Monument Society, for the purpose of erecting “a great -National Monument to the memory of Washington at the seat of the -Federal Government.” The first meeting was held on September 26, 1833, -in the city hall, now the District of Columbia Supreme Court Building. -Chief Justice John Marshall, then 78 years of age, was chosen the -first president of the society. The population of the United States -had grown from 3,329,214 in 1790 to 12,866,020 in 1830, with 28 States -in the Union at that time. In 1835 the president of the society, John -Marshall, died and was succeeded in the office by ex-President James -Madison, who took steps to inaugurate a national campaign to secure -contributions through agents appointed to collect funds. Upon the death -of Mr. Madison the society amended its constitution so that thereafter -the President of the United States should be ex officio its president. -The first to so occupy the office was Andrew Jackson. - -The progress of the society was at first slow, and in 1836 only about -$28,000 had been collected. In 1836 advertisements were published by -order of the society inviting designs from American artists, but no -limitation was placed upon the form of the design. It was determined -by the society, and so recommended, that any plans submitted should -“harmoniously blend durability, simplicity, and grandeur.” The -estimated cost for the proposed monument was not less than $1,000,000. -A great many designs were submitted, but the one selected among the -number was that of Robert Mills, a well-known and eminent architect -of that period. This plan was published. It is the design of an -obelisk 500 feet high and 70 feet at the base, rising from a circular -colonnaded building 100 feet high and 250 feet in diameter, surrounded -by 30 columns of massive proportions, being 12 feet in diameter and 45 -feet high. There was to be an equestrian group over the portal. The -interior was designed to be “a spacious gallery and rotunda,” which -was to be a national pantheon, adorned by statues of the Colonial -Fathers, paintings commemorative of battle scenes of the Revolution, -and a colossal statue of George Washington. The feature of the pantheon -surrounding the shaft was never formally adopted by the society as a -part of the Monument. Its first purpose was to secure the necessary -funds for the shaft. - -By December 10, 1838, the funds of the society had reached $30,779.84, -and the following year a restriction of a contribution to the sum of -$1 appears to have been removed. In 1846 the society, through its ex -officio president, James K. Polk, made another appeal, stating the -society wished to proceed with the erection of the Washington Monument, -and it was hoped legislation would be enacted at the following session -of Congress to provide a location for it. By a resolution adopted -February 29, 1847, the United States consuls abroad were also invited -to solicit subscriptions “for the erection of a suitable National -Monument to the memory of Washington from American citizens, seamen, -and others of liberal patriotic feelings.” In that year the fund was -increased to $70,000. Congress thereupon, in January, 1848, granted -authority for the erection of the Washington Monument on public -reservation No. 3, on the plan of the city of Washington, containing -upward of 30 acres, where the Monument now stands, near the Potomac -River, west of the Capitol and south of the President’s house. As has -been related, the actual location of the Monument was fixed at a point -more east and south of the position indicated in the plan of L’Enfant, -because it was somewhat more elevated ground and regarded more secure -for the foundation. The original intersection had been marked by -Thomas Jefferson by a small monument, known as the Jefferson pier. In -the McMillan Park Commission plan of 1901 the site of this pier is -indicated for a circular pool. - -[Illustration: THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT UNDER CONSTRUCTION, 1872] - -On July 4, 1848, under a bright sky, in the presence of the President -and Vice President of the United States, Senators and Representatives -in Congress, heads of the executive departments and other officers of -the Government, the judiciary, representatives of foreign governments, -military organizations, associations of many descriptions, delegations -from the States and Territories and from several Indian tribes, the -corner stone was laid. Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, Speaker of the House of -Representatives, delivered the oration. Three distinguished persons of -George Washington’s time were present on this notable occasion: Mrs. -Dolly Madison; Mrs. Alexander Hamilton, widow of the first Secretary -of the Treasury; and George Washington Parke Custis, the adopted son of -George Washington. - -The corner stone laid, the society began operations to lay foundations -and to raise the shaft. Every precaution was taken to test the -understrata where the foundations were laid. At a depth of 20 feet -a solid bed of gravel was reached; the strata were found to be very -compact, requiring a pick to break them up. - -By January, 1853, the Monument was 126 feet high, and in about six -years from the date of the laying of the corner stone it had reached -the height of 152 feet. During this period the society continued most -actively at work in the raising of funds to carry the Monument forward. -In 1854, however, an act occurred at the Monument which created much -indignation and public discussion through the country. A block of -marble, which had originally stood in the Temple of Concord at Rome, -and which had been sent by the Pope to be set in the wall of the -Monument, was stolen, and no trace of it was ever found. At the time -contributions of stones from societies, municipalities, and the several -States were being encouraged, so the Pope’s stone was not an unusual -gift. The disappearance of the stone angered and estranged a large body -of citizens and discouraged the collection of public contributions, -so that all construction work ceased. By 1854, $230,000 had been -spent on the structure, and funds for it were now exhausted. In 1859 -Congress passed an act incorporating the Washington National Monument -Society for the purpose of completing the Monument. In 1869 Senator Nye -introduced a bill to insure completion of the Monument, and several -like bills were introduced during the next few years. On February -22, 1873, a committee of the House of Representatives recommended an -appropriation of $200,000. It was estimated that $700,000 would be -required to finish the shaft, constructing also a suitable base, and -that the work would be completed by July 4, 1876, the one hundredth -anniversary of American independence. This gave the needed impetus to -the completion of the project. - -Vigorous campaigns for funds were conducted in the States, and campaign -meetings were held in several large cities. In June, 1876, the society -published a further appeal, signed by its officers. President Grant was -ex officio president of the society at the time. On August 2, 1876, -Senator John Sherman offered a concurrent resolution in the Senate -that the Monument to commemorate the achievements of George Washington -in behalf of the Republic be completed during the centennial year. -A bill appropriating $200,000 for the project was approved by the -President that day. At the same time a special board of officers was -detailed from the Corps of Engineers to investigate and report on the -sufficiency of the foundations. - -[Illustration: UNCOMPLETED WASHINGTON MONUMENT AS IT APPEARED FROM 1852 -TO 1878] - -The board appointed in 1876 reported that the foundations were not -sufficient, and the first work undertaken by the Government consisted -in underpinning the structure. This was accomplished under the -direction of Lieut. Col. Thomas Lincoln Casey, afterwards Chief of -Engineers, United States Army, who was the engineer in charge of -construction of the State, War, and Navy Building at the time, and -later of the Congressional Library Building. Colonel Casey was assisted -by Capt. George W. Davis, United States Infantry, later major general, -who was afterwards relieved by Bernard R. Green, C. E. The work of -excavating beneath the Monument was commenced January 28, 1879, and the -new foundation was finished May 29, 1880. Colonel Casey stated in his -report: - - The project or design of the work is an obelisk 550 feet in height, - faced with white marble and backed with dressed granite rock. Of this - structure 156 feet is already finished. - - The base of the Monument is 55 feet square, the top will be 34 feet 6 - inches square, and it will be crowned with a pyramidion, or roof, 50 - feet in height. - - The proportions of the parts of this obelisk are in exact accordance - with the classic proportions of parts of this style of architecture, - as determined after careful research by Hon. George P. Marsh, - American minister at Rome. - - The shaft as proportioned, both in dimensions and weight, will be - entirely stable as against winds that could exert a pressure of 100 - pounds or more per square foot upon any face of the structure. - - The project includes the preparation of the foundation so as to - enable it to carry this structure. This preparation or strengthening - consists in making the existing foundation wider and deeper, in order - to distribute the weight over a greater area, and in bringing upon - each square foot of the earth pressed no greater weight than it is - known to be able to sustain. - -The mass of concrete beneath the old foundation is 126 feet 6 inches -square, 13 feet 6 inches in depth, and extends 18 feet within the outer -edge of the old foundation and 23 feet 3 inches beyond this line. In -placing this work, 70 per cent of the area of the earth upon which the -Monument was standing was removed. - -The second part of the strengthening of the foundation consisted in -constructing a continuous buttress beneath the shaft and extending -out upon the concrete slab, so as to distribute the pressure over the -foundation. In this operation sections of the rubble masonry were -removed and replaced with concrete. As compared with the original -bulk of the old foundation, 51 per cent of its contents was removed -and 48 per cent of the area of the base of the shaft undermined. The -new foundation rests on a bearing surface 126 feet 6 inches square, -or 16,002 square feet, as compared with 6,400 square feet for the old -foundation. - -The entire work of underpinning was accomplished without causing the -slightest crack or the least opening in any joint of that portion of -the Monument already constructed, which, including the foundation, was -80 feet square at its base. The new foundation rests upon a bed of fine -sand 2 feet in thickness, below which is a bed of bowlders and gravel. -Borings were made in this deposit for a depth of 18 feet without -passing through it. Thus, as completed, the new foundation covers two -and a half times as much area and extends 13¹⁄₂ feet deeper than the -old one, being 36 feet 10 inches in depth. The bottom of the work is -only 2 feet above the level of high tide in the Potomac. No settlement -has occurred to date. - -[Illustration: THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT AS SEEN FROM THE MALL GROUNDS] - -Work was resumed on the shaft in 1880. The first 13 courses--26 -feet--were faced with white marble from Massachusetts. The remainder -is Maryland white marble similar to that used in the lower section. -The new work was backed with dressed New England granite to the -452-foot elevation, above which the walls are entirely of marble, of -through-and-through blocks, and from the 470-foot level, where the -ribs of the pyramidion begin, the courses are secured to each other -by mortise and tenon joints cut in the builds and beds of the stone. -During the working season of 1880, 26 feet were added to the shaft; -in 1881 there were added 74 feet; in 1882, 90 feet; in 1883, 70 feet; -in 1884, 90 feet. These additions brought the walls of the shaft to a -height of 500 feet on August 9, 1884. The pyramidion topping the shaft -is supported on 12 marble ribs, which spring from the interior faces of -the walls of the well, beginning at the 470-foot level. The covering -slabs are 7 inches in thickness and are supported upon projections or -spurs on the marble ribs. The pyramidion has a vertical height of 55 -feet 5¹⁄₈ inches and consists of 262 separate stones. The weight of -the pyramidion is 300 tons. The capstone, which weighs 3,300 pounds, -was set in place on December 6, 1884. Over it is a small pyramid of -pure aluminum 5.6 inches at its base, 8.9 inches high, and weighs 100 -ounces, the largest piece of this metal ever cast in any country to -that time. The following inscriptions appear on the four faces of the -aluminum capstone: - - JOINT COMMISSION AT SETTING OF CAPSTONE: - CHESTER A. ARTHUR, M. E. BELL, EDWARD CLARK, JOHN NEWTON, - ACT OF AUGUST 2, 1876. - - CORNER STONE LAID ON BED OF FOUNDATION JULY 4, 1848. - FIRST STONE AT HEIGHT OF 152 FEET LAID AUGUST 7, 1880. - CAPSTONE SET DECEMBER 6, 1884. - - CHIEF ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT, COL. THOMAS LINCOLN CASEY, CORPS OF - ENGINEERS. - ASSISTANTS: GEORGE W. DAVIS, CAPTAIN FOURTEENTH INFANTRY; - BERNARD GREEN, CIVIL ENGINEER; MASTER MECHANIC, P. H. MCLAUGHLIN. - - LAUS DEO. - -The entire height has been made slightly greater than ten times the -breadth of the base, producing an obelisk that for grace and delicacy -of outline is not excelled by any of the larger Egyptian monoliths, -while in dignity and grandeur it surpasses any that can be mentioned. -The Monument tapers one-fourth of an inch to the foot, being 15 feet -thick at the base and 18 inches thick at the top of the shaft. When the -capstone was set in place a salute was fired by artillery stationed -near the base, while the national flag was unfurled to the breeze in -the rigging far above. The cost of the Monument was $1,300,000. To -the criticism that the obelisks of old were monoliths, the reply was -made that this Monument to Washington will not be less significant -or stately because of being made up of many separate stones, for our -country has been proud to give examples of both political and material -structures which owe their strength to union; and this Monument -embodies the idea of our national motto, E Pluribus Unum. - -[Illustration: THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT] - -With a view of having the States of the Union properly represented -in the Monument the society extended an invitation for each State to -furnish for insertion in the interior walls a block of marble or other -durable stone--a production of its soil--of the following dimensions: -4 feet long, 2 feet high, and with a bed of from 12 to 18 inches, the -name of the State to be cut thereon in large letters, and if desirable -to the donor, the State’s coat of arms also. Later, this invitation to -contribute memorial blocks of stone was extended to embrace such a gift -from a foreign government. In response to these invitations many rich -and durable blocks of stone were received which now adorn the interior -walls of the shaft (in 1929 the memorial stones numbered 187) from all -parts of the world, including one from the Parthenon at Athens, the -ruins of ancient Carthage, and the tomb of Napoleon at St. Helena. -These memorial stones begin at a height of 30 feet and end at 290 feet. - -Great preparations were made for dedication of the Monument. This -took place on February 21, 1885, with Hon. John Sherman, chairman of -the commission, presiding. Several descendants and relatives of the -Washington family were present. The orator of the day was again the -Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, who as Speaker of the House of Representatives -had delivered the oration at the laying of the corner stone July 4, -1848. His oration on this occasion was read, as illness prevented him -from being present. Among those in Washington to-day who witnessed -the dedication is Hon. William Tyler Page, then serving as a page in -the House; later becoming Clerk of the House of Representatives and -executive secretary of the George Washington Bicentennial Commission. -Thus when we are reminded of the three friends of George Washington -who were present at the corner-stone laying of the Washington Monument -we must indeed admit that we even of this day are not far removed from -him and his times, and that our Republic is still young, though greater -achievements have been wrought in the past 100 years than in the -previous 1,000 years of the world’s history. - -The efforts of the Washington National Monument Society had at last -been realized, and the American people beheld the consummation of their -desire--a great monument erected at the seat of the Federal Government -to the name and memory of George Washington. - -The interior is lighted by electricity, affording an opportunity to see -the memorial stones. Ascent is made by means of an elevator and an iron -stairway, supported by 8 vertical iron columns--4 columns terminating -at a height of 500 feet and 4 within the roof at 517 feet--which -sustain the elevator machinery above. The iron stairway consists of -short flights, strung along the north and south sides of the wall, -connecting with iron platforms 4 feet 8 inches wide (to a height of -150 feet) and 7 feet 10³⁄₄ inches wide, 20 feet apart on a side, and -extending along the east and west walls. There are 50 flights and 900 -steps. From these steps and platforms the inscriptions may be read. - -In 1926 a new elevator was installed. It is of the electrically -driven, gearless, single wrap, traction type, with a speed of 500 feet -per minute and a lifting capacity of 6,000 pounds, exclusive of the -weight of the car and cables. It is equipped with a micro-leveling -device, which insures exact leveling of the car at landings and -also makes possible the operation of the elevator at slow speed in -case of failure of the main motor, thus eliminating the danger of -stalling the car between landings. It accommodates 30 persons and -makes 12 trips per hour. There are 8 windows at a height of 504 feet -above ground--2 windows in each of the 4 faces of the pyramidion--4 -feet above the 500-foot landing. These windows measure 18 inches -by 3 feet on three sides, and on the east side 2 feet by 3 feet. -Looking to the east from the windows one sees the stately Capitol; -to the north, across the President’s Park, the beautiful mansion of -the Chief Magistrate; to the northeast, the Soldiers’ Home; to the -northwest, the great residential section, the Naval Observatory, and -the Washington Cathedral; to the west the beautiful Potomac River, -as it winds its way for miles past the city, and Arlington National -Cemetery, the Nation’s most sacred resting place for those who served -in defense of their country; and as we follow the Potomac southward -there is Alexandria, 6 miles beyond, and in the faint distance Mount -Vernon, where is the tomb of the immortal Washington. And on that lofty -height, the greatest single piece of masonry in the world, we think -also of other high structures--the Empire State Building, with 86 -stories, 1,248 feet; Chrysler Building, 68 stories, 1,046 feet; Bank -of Manhattan, 65 stories, 838 feet; Woolworth Tower 60 stories, 792 -feet; Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, 700 feet; The New York Life -Insurance Building, 610 feet, at the site of the former famous Madison -Square Garden; Singer Tower, 612 feet; spires of Cologne Cathedral, 524 -feet; spire of Old St. Paul’s, London, 508 feet; Pyramids of Cheops, -480 feet; Book Tower, Detroit, 472 feet; Victoria Tower, Westminster, -325 feet; Statue of Liberty, 317 feet; Bennington Battle Monument, -306 feet; the Capitol, 287 feet; Bunker Hill Monument at Boston, 221 -feet. In 1890 Daniel H. Burnham completed the Masonic Temple, in -Chicago, “the tallest building in the world,” 21 stories high, among -the first of all-steel construction. In New York City the caisson for -high-building foundation work was first adopted in the Manhattan Life -Insurance Building, near Exchange Place on Broadway, in 1894. Built on -a foundation of bedrock 55 feet below the surface, the structure of 18 -stories was built 350 feet in height from the sidewalk. - -The masonry constructed by the Government is the best known to the -engineering art, and the weight is so distributed that, subject to a -wind pressure of 100 pounds per square foot on any face, corresponding -to a wind velocity of 145 miles per hour, the Monument would have a -large factor of safety against overturning. The entire weight is 81,120 -tons. The weight of the foundations is 36,912 tons, and there is a -maximum pressure on the underlying soil of 9 tons per square foot. - -In the morning the Monument catches the first rays of the sun. In -stormy weather the top stands like a mountain peak, immovable, as -seen amidst clouds. So, indeed, does the great and noble Washington -overtower all of his contemporaries of the Revolutionary War and -the formative period of this Republic. The Washington Monument -has been fittingly described as typifying the character of George -Washington--lofty in its grandeur, plain in its simplicity, and white -in its purity. The following is a quotation from the oration of Speaker -Winthrop delivered at the laying of the corner stone on July 4, 1848: - - Lay the corner stone of a monument which shall adequately bespeak - the gratitude of the whole American people to the illustrious Father - of his Country. Build it to the skies; you can not outreach the - loftiness of his principles! Found it upon the massive and eternal - rock; you can not make it more enduring than his fame. Construct it - of peerless Parian marble; you can not make it purer than his life. - Exhaust upon it the rules and principles of ancient and modern art; - you can not make it more proportionate than his character. - - -SOLDIERS’ HOME - -In the United States the founding of a soldiers’ home dates from March -3, 1851, when an act of Congress was passed and approved “to found a -military asylum for the relief and support of invalid and disabled -soldiers of the Army of the United States.” For years before this, -however, the principal officers of the Army, particularly Maj. Gen. -Winfield Scott, had given the subject attention and had made special -efforts to procure the needed legislation. In February, 1848, General -Scott transmitted to the Secretary of War a draft for $100,000 as part -of the tribute levied by him on the City of Mexico for the benefit of -the Army, and he expressed the hope that it might be allowed to go to -the credit of an Army asylum. - -This home for the Regular Army was established in the District of -Columbia in 1851-52. It is located about 3 miles due north from the -Capitol. The original purchase of land was 256 acres. Additional tracts -added since the original purchase make a total of 500³⁄₄ acres. - -[Illustration: UNITED STATES SOLDIERS’ HOME] - -The south part of the main building is named for Gen. Winfield Scott, -the founder of the home; the addition on the north for Gen. William -T. Sherman. Constructed of white marble; it was commenced in 1852 -and completed in 1891; is of Norman Gothic design, 251¹⁄₂ feet long -by 158¹⁄₂ feet wide, and has a clock tower; it will accommodate 370 -members and contains a library and billiard hall. - -The old homestead building near to and west of the Scott Building -is named after Gen. Robert Anderson, of Fort Sumter renown, to -commemorate the fact of his early advocacy of and great interest in -the establishment of the home. It was the home of the first members -and has frequently been used as the summer residence of the President. -President Buchanan occupied it in 1856-1860, President Lincoln in -1861-1864, President Hayes in 1877-1880, and President Arthur in -1882-1884. President Garfield thought of occupying it in the summer of -1881. - -The eastern building--especially for members--was the first erected -and is called the King Building, after Surg. B. King, for 13 years the -attending surgeon and secretary and treasurer of the home. - -The brick quarters northwest of the Sherman Building, erected in 1883, -is called the Sheridan Building, in honor of Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, -who was the president of the board of commissioners when the building -was erected. - -More recently built structures are the Grant Building, completed in -1911, of white marble, accommodating 272 members and containing the -hall of the general mess, mess kitchen, and cold storage. - -Stanley Hall, named for a former governor of the home, was completed in -1897, and is the general amusement hall, seating about 700 persons. - -A neat chapel, built of red stone, was completed in 1871. Religious -worship--Protestant and Roman Catholic--is regularly observed. - -A well-designed hospital was completed in 1876 and is known as the -Barnes Building. The Forwood Building and the La Garde Building have -since been added. The maximum capacity of the present hospital is 500 -beds. It is not only for the sick, but is an infirmary for the aged and -helpless members. - -The home maintains a library of 20,385 volumes, with newspapers and -magazines, which are added to yearly as funds will permit. - -A portion of the spacious grounds is cultivated for the benefit of the -home; but the largest part is woodland, and through it all, taking -advantage of its topography, nearly 10 miles of graded macadamized -roads have been constructed, winding through groves of selected trees -of native and foreign varieties and over the open ground, commanding -fine views of the city, the Potomac River, and the surrounding country -for miles. The park is open to the public. - -Soldiers of 20 years’ service, and men, whether pensioners or not, who -disabled by wounds or disease in the service and in the line of duty -and have been honorably discharged from the Army are admitted to the -home. - -[Illustration: CABIN JOHN BRIDGE] - - -CABIN JOHN BRIDGE - -Erected about 1860 by Gen. Montgomery G. Meigs, this bridge spans Cabin -John Run, about 7 miles northwest of Washington. It is a part of the -aqueduct system, and the arch spanning the stream is 220 feet across -at the base and 105 feet in height. The entire length of the bridge is -584 feet. The thickness of the bridge above the arch is 14¹⁄₂ feet, and -it is 20 feet in width. Until a few years ago it was the largest stone -arch in the world. - - -FORD’S THEATER - -Ford’s Theater Building, in which President Lincoln was assassinated -while attending a performance on the night of April 14, 1865, is on the -east side of Tenth Street between E and F Streets NW. - -The building was originally a Baptist Church and used as such for more -than 15 years. It was used as a theater less than three years--from -1862 to 1865--and never as such after the night of the assassination. -Taken over immediately by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, it was -made over into a 3-story building for use of the War Department and -was so used for many years. Now it is a Government building, housing -in part a portion of the Oldroyd collection from the Lincoln museum. -On April 9, 1893, while repairs were being made, the three floors -collapsed, killing 22 clerks and injuring 68. - -The residence of Harry C. Ford, who was manager of the theater for his -father, John T. Ford, stood adjacent to the theater on the right. - - -LINCOLN MUSEUM AND THE OLDROYD COLLECTION OF LINCOLNIANA - -Across the street from Ford’s Theater stands a red brick house (No. 516 -Tenth Street NW.) to which President Lincoln, after being shot about -10.30 o’clock on the night of April 14, 1865, was carried and where, -after an interval of 9 hours, he died at 22 minutes after 7 o’clock the -following morning without regaining consciousness. - -The room to which the martyred President was brought is a little front -one on the main floor. In size and simplicity it was a room like that -of the log cabin in Kentucky in which the great man was born. As a man -of the people, though they had elevated him to the highest position -the Nation could bestow on any of its citizens, he died amidst simple -surroundings as one of them. - -The house was purchased by the United States Government in 1897 for -$30,000; the Oldroyd Lincoln Memorial Collection was purchased for -$50,000 and taken over by the Government September 1, 1926. It is now -under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, and is visited by -many thousands each year. - -[Illustration: _Courtesy of Leet Brothers_ - -FORD’S THEATER] - -[Illustration: THE HOUSE IN WHICH PRESIDENT LINCOLN DIED] - -Mr. Oldroyd gathered in the course of 50 years upward of 3,000 articles -pertaining to the martyred President. These can be seen by visitors -to the house. The room in which Abraham Lincoln died has been kept as -nearly as possible as it was when Lincoln passed away and when Stanton -said, “Now he belongs to the ages.” - -The following are some of the articles that can be seen: Wreaths -that lay upon the casket in Washington and at the final burial in -Springfield, Ill., and a rose taken from his bosom just before the -casket was closed--faded, but hermetically sealed in a small glass -case, it still appears a rose. There is also in the house furniture -used by Mrs. Lincoln in Springfield, including her cookstove; the plain -office desk and chair Abraham Lincoln used while practicing law with -William H. Herndon; a plain black and white shawl that he wore in place -of an overcoat, as men did in those days; the last bit of writing he -did; the Bible his mother, Nancy Hanks, gave to him before she died, -when he was not yet 9 years of age, and from which he was taught to -read; the desk upon which much of the Emancipation Proclamation was -written; also many documents, prints, and books describing his life. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -PUBLIC AND SEMIPUBLIC BUILDINGS - - -THE CAPITOL - -The site for the Capitol, or the Federal House, as selected by -L’Enfant, is on what was then known as Jenkin’s Hill, 88 feet above the -level of the Potomac River. - -The northwest cornerstone of the main building was laid on September -18, 1793, by President Washington with Masonic ceremonies. The building -is of Virginia sandstone from quarries on Aquia Creek. - -The north wing was finished in 1800 and the south wing in 1811. A -wooden passageway connected them. Congress convened there for the first -time at the second session of the Sixth Congress, which began November -17, 1800, and ended March 3, 1801. - -The original designs were prepared by Dr. William Thornton, and the -work was done under the direction of Stephen H. Hallet, James Hoban, -and George Hadfield. Benjamin H. Latrobe was the architect. Washington -and Jefferson favored the classical type of architecture for the -building, and it was adopted. - -On August 24, 1814, the interior of both wings was destroyed by fire -set by the British. Many books of the small Library of Congress housed -in the building at that time were burned, whereupon Congress purchased -the library of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. The damage to the -Capitol was immediately repaired. - -In 1818 the central portion of the building was commenced under the -architectural superintendence of Charles Bulfinch, architect, of -Boston. The original building was finally completed in 1827. Its cost, -including the grading of the grounds, alterations, and repairs, up to -1827, was $2,433,844.13. - -Because of the growth of the Republic, after half a century it became -necessary to build a Senate Chamber on the north and a House of -Representatives Chamber on the south. The cornerstone of the extensions -to the Capitol which increased it to its present size was laid on -July 4, 1851, by President Fillmore. Daniel Webster was the orator of -the day. This work was prosecuted under the direction of Thomas U. -Walter, Architect of the Capitol until 1865, when he resigned, and was -completed under the supervision of Edward Clark. The House extension -was first occupied for legislative purposes December 16, 1857, and the -Senate extension January 4, 1859. - -The white marble used in the walls is from Massachusetts and that in -the columns from Maryland. - -[Illustration: _Courtesy of Commercial Photo Co._ - -THE CAPITOL] - -The entire length of the building from north to south is 751 feet 4 -inches and its greatest dimension from east to west is 350 feet. The -area covered by the building is 3¹⁄₂ acres. - -The Dome of the original central building was constructed of wood, -covered with copper. The present structure of cast iron was commenced -in 1856, and completed in 1865. The entire weight of iron used is -8,909,200 pounds. - -The Dome is crowned by the bronze Statue of Freedom, 19 feet 6 inches -high and weighing 14,985 pounds. It was modeled by the sculptor Thomas -Crawford. The height of the Dome above the base line of the east front -is 287 feet 5 inches. The height from the top of the balustrade of the -building is 217 feet 11 inches. The greatest diameter at the base is -135 feet 5 inches. - -The Rotunda is 97 feet 6 inches in diameter, and its height from -the floor to the top of the canopy is 180 feet 3 inches. The canopy -overhanging the Dome, portraying the Apotheosis of Washington, was -painted by Brumidi. - -The Rotunda frieze, 65 feet above the floor, making a circle 300 feet -in length around the walls, illustrates important periods in American -history. - -Paintings in the Rotunda are as follows: - - The Landing of Columbus on San Salvador, October 12, 1492, by - Vanderlyn. - - The Discovery of the Mississippi by De Soto, 1541, by W. H. Powell. - - The Baptism of Pocahontas, Jamestown, Va., 1613, by John G. Chapman. - - The Embarkation of the Pilgrims from Delft-Haven, July 22, 1620, by - Robert W. Weir. - - The Signing of the Declaration of Independence, Philadelphia, July 4, - 1776, by John Trumbull. - - The Surrender of Burgoyne, Saratoga, October 17, 1777, by John - Trumbull. - - The Surrender of Cornwallis, Yorktown, Va., October 19, 1781, by John - Trumbull. - - The Resignation of General Washington, December 23, 1783, by John - Trumbull. - -The Senate Chamber is 113 feet 3 inches in length by 80 feet 3 inches -in width and 36 feet in height. The galleries will accommodate 682 -persons. The House of Representatives Chamber is 139 feet in length -by 93 feet in width and 36 feet in height. In 1800 the Chambers were -lighted by lamps and tallow candles, and the 142 Representatives -were seated in chairs. To-day there are 435 Members of the House -of Representatives, in addition to 2 Delegates and 2 Resident -Commissioners, who are seated on benches, which are arranged in a -semicircle like those of the theater of Dionysius. To-day the Capitol -is lighted by electricity and equipped with a modern ventilating system. - -The room later occupied by the Supreme Court of the United States was -the Senate Chamber until 1859. Previous to that time the court occupied -the room immediately beneath, now used as a law library. - -Beautiful paintings by Brumidi, Trumbull, and others adorn the Capitol, -and many statues, gift of the States, may be seen in Statuary Hall, -set apart as such in 1864, being formerly the House of Representatives -Chamber. - -[Illustration: THE CAPITOL AT NIGHT] - -[Illustration: STATUE OF FREEDOM] - -Massive bronze doors by Rogers, depicting scenes from the life of -Christopher Columbus, are at the main entrance, the east, and open from -the portico to the Rotunda. They call to mind the Ghiberti doors in -Florence. - -There are 24 columns of Maryland sandstone, 30 feet high, in the -central portico. Statues by Greenough and Persico flank the steps. - -The Capitol is to-day the most significant building in this country. -Its assessed value in 1930 for building and grounds was $45,000,000. - -On the east portico of the Capitol newly elected Presidents of the -United States take the oath of office. - - -STATUE OF FREEDOM - -As has been stated, the Statue of Freedom surmounting the Dome of the -Capitol is the work of one of America’s great artists, Thomas Crawford. -The modeling was done in Rome, and at the time of his death, in 1857, -he was endeavoring to secure the necessary funds for the casting of -it at the Royal Foundry at Munich. On April 19, 1858, the plaster -model was shipped from Leghorn, Italy, and after a perilous voyage to -New York it arrived in Washington in April, 1859. At that time work -on completion of the Capitol was proceeding under the supervision of -Thomas U. Walter, architect. - -On May 24, 1860, the Secretary of War, in a statement concerning the -casting of the statue stated that-- - - it will be cast by Clark Mills and he will be paid for his services - and for the rent of his foundry [at Mills Avenue toward Bladensburg, - where the Andrew Jackson equestrian was cast in 1853] and necessary - expenses at the rate of $400 per month and that the material, fuel, - labor, etc., will be paid for by the Government. - -This arrangement had been entered into and the work had progressed to -quite an extent, when Captain Meigs, who had returned to duty at the -Capitol, issued a formal statement of the existence of war, on May -15, 1861, suspending work on the Capitol extension and the new Dome. -But subsequently, even though the existence of war between the States -handicapped the Government, the necessary arrangements for completing -the Dome and for casting the statue were made. The statue was hoisted -in place on the Dome amid a salute of 35 guns on December 2, 1863. - -The original model of the statue may be seen to-day in the rotunda of -the Museum of History Building of the Smithsonian Institution. - - -BRONZE DOORS OF THE CAPITOL - -These bronze doors, the central and most elaborate of the Capitol, -were modeled by Randolph Rogers at Rome in 1858, and cast at the Royal -Bavarian Foundry in Munich by Ferdinand von Muller, director, at a cost -of $17,000. Each of the doors is 19 feet high and 5 feet wide. They are -surmounted by a semicircular transom-panel or lunette representing the -landing of Columbus in the New World on October 12, 1492. The casing -border is a decorative scheme composed of anchors, rudders, and armor; -four figures in low relief typify Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. At -the top of the casing arch is a bust of Columbus. - -[Illustration: BRONZE DOORS AT MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE CAPITOL, BY ROGERS] - -Each of the doors is separated into four panels, portraying scenes in -alto-relief from life of Columbus. - -The lowest panel on the left-hand door pictures Columbus before the -Council of Salamanca. Then follows his departure from the Convent of La -Rabida for the Spanish Court. The next is the audience before Ferdinand -and Isabella, and the last the sailing from Palos on the first voyage. - -The top panel on the right-hand door represents the first encounter -with the Indians. The next the triumphal entry into Barcelona. Then -follows Columbus in chains, and the last depicts the death of the -discoverer. - -The borders of the separate doors each contain eight figures -representing prominent personages of the fifteenth century who played -important parts in the events connected with the discovery of America. - - -BRONZE DOORS OF THE SENATE WING - -The bronze doors of the Senate wing were designed by Thomas Crawford, -sculptor, though the actual work of executing the plaster models was -done by William H. Rinehart. They represent Crawford’s last work as a -sculptor. It was first contemplated that one of the doors should be -cast at the Royal Bavarian Foundry in Munich and that the other door -should be cast in this country. The death of Thomas Crawford in 1857 -and the subsequent occurrence of the Civil War caused many of the plans -to be changed. The doors, the first of that kind in America, were -finally cast in 1868 at Chicopee, Mass., by James T. Ames, and the -expense, $50,000, was far greater than was anticipated at the time when -it was planned to have the work done in this country. They weigh 14,000 -pounds. The sculptor, Rinehart, received about $9,000. - -Each of the doors consists of three panels and a medallion picturing -events of the Revolutionary War. - -The upper panel of the right-hand door contains a representation of -the death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, -1775; the center panel shows General Washington rebuking Gen. Charles -Lee at the Battle of Monmouth, N. J., on June 28, 1778; the lower panel -pictures the storming of a redoubt at Yorktown, Va., led by Alexander -Hamilton, on October 14, 1781; the medallion at the bottom represents a -conflict between a Hessian soldier and a New Jersey farmer. - -The medallion at the bottom of the left-hand door represents Peace -and Agriculture. Above is a panel showing General Washington passing -underneath an arch of flowers at Trenton, N. J., while on his way to -New York City to be inaugurated as the first President of the United -States; the middle panel represents Washington taking the oath of -office as President, which was administered by Chancellor Livingston -on April 30, 1789--the United States Supreme Court had not as yet been -organized, so that the oath could not be administered by the Chief -Justice. The top panel represents President Washington laying the -corner stone of the Capitol on September 18, 1793. - -[Illustration: BRONZE DOORS AT THE SENATE WING, BY CRAWFORD] - - -BRONZE DOORS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WING - -The bronze doors of the House of Representatives resemble in general -outline and arrangement the bronze doors of the Senate. Each door -consists of three panels and a medallion picturing events in American -history. The design is that of Thomas Crawford, sculptor, but the -modeling and completion was that of William H. Rinehart. The models -after being transported to this country remained for a long time in -storage and were finally cast by M. H. Mosman, at Chicopee, Mass., who -had succeeded to or continued the business organization of James T. -Ames, by whom the Senate doors were cast. - -The doors were installed in the autumn of 1905, the cost to the -Government being $45,000. - -The upper panel of the left-hand door portrays the Massacre of Wyoming, -July 17, 1778; the center panel the Battle of Lexington, April 19, -1775; the lower panel presentation of flag to Gen. William Moultrie for -his defense of Sullivans Island, Charleston Harbor, June 28, 1776; and -the medallion at the bottom shows the death of General Montgomery in -the attack on Quebec, December 31, 1775. - -The upper panel of the right-hand door depicts the reading of the -Declaration of Independence; the center panel the signing of the Paris -treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain, September -3, 1783; the lower panel Washington’s farewell to his officers at New -York, December 4, 1783; and the medallion at the bottom contains a -seated figure of Franklin in his study. - - -THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES - -Congress is one of the three coordinate branches of the United States -Government. It is the legislative branch and consists of a Senate, -to which the Members, two from each State, are elected for a term of -six years; and the House of Representatives, to which the Members -are elected for a term of two years. The membership is based on the -population of the United States, and in January, 1939, numbered 435 -Members. The apportionment is made among the several States in the -ratio that the whole number of persons in each State bears to the total -population of the country. States arrange for their own congressional -districts after the number of Members of the House of Representatives -from each State has been determined upon. There are in the House, also, -2 Territorial Delegates--1 each from Alaska and Hawaii--and 2 Resident -Commissioners--1 from the Commonwealth of the Philippines and 1 from -Puerto Rico. They have the right to debate but not to vote. - -[Illustration: BRONZE DOORS AT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WING, BY -CRAWFORD] - -[Illustration: SENATE CHAMBER] - -[Illustration: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHAMBER] - -The Constitution provides that Congress shall assemble on January 3 of -each year (20th amendment); and each Congress usually consists of two -sessions. - -[Illustration: SENATE OFFICE BUILDING] - -The powers of Congress are set forth in Article I, section 8 of the -Constitution, which is divided into 18 clauses. The power to raise -revenue originates in the House of Representatives, which carries -the burden in providing necessary appropriations; the Senate has the -power of confirming or rejecting appointments made by the President -and to ratify treaties. Measures are originated in the form of bills -or resolutions, which are thereupon referred to committees for report -before being introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives. - -The age requirement for eligibility as a Member of the House of -Representatives is 25 years, and for the Senate 30 years; each person -must have been a citizen of the United States for seven years and a -citizen of the State from which elected. - -Members of Congress are by the Constitution granted exemption from -arrest under certain conditions while attending the sessions of their -respective Houses and in going to and returning from such sessions, -“and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be -questioned in any other place.” - -The proceedings and debates in Congress are published in the -Congressional Record, which is printed daily at the Government Printing -Office with such rapidity that even though a session of Congress may -continue until late in the night a copy of the Record is at hand for -each Member the following morning. - -[Illustration: OLD HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OFFICE BUILDING] - -[Illustration: NEW HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OFFICE BUILDING] - -A bill or resolution, to become a law, must be passed by both the -House of Representatives and the Senate and approved by the President. -If there are points of disagreement in the Senate or House of -Representatives in the enactment of legislation, each body appoints -conferees to settle the points in dispute. The President has the -power to veto a bill, but the measure can become law if reconsidered -and passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives by -a two-thirds majority. Occasionally the President makes use of the -“pocket veto”; that is, if the bill was passed within 10 days (Sundays -excepted) of the adjournment of Congress, the President may retain -(pocket) the bill, which is thus killed at the end of the session -without the interposition of a direct veto, and without risking the -chances of its passage over the veto. If the President does not -interpose the ordinary veto, a bill becomes law at the expiration of 10 -days. - -[Illustration: UNION STATION] - -The President is given authority by the Constitution to convene either -or both Houses of Congress in extraordinary session. - - -SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OFFICE BUILDINGS - -The Senate and House Office Buildings, the former flanking the Capitol -to the north and the latter to the south, were designed by Carrere & -Hastings, architects, and are in the classical style of architecture. -A new House Office Building, designed by the Allied Architects, Inc., -of Washington, has recently been completed, and also the East Wing of -the Senate Office Building, designed by Wyeth & Sullivan, architects of -Washington. Each Senator is provided with offices of from two to three -rooms, and likewise each Representative, excepting a few whose offices -are in the Capitol. - - -UNION STATION - -In the design of the station much thought was given to the -architectural features. Since Greece and Rome have furnished -architectural inspiration for so many of the public buildings of -Washington, a freely interpreted classic may be considered as the -recognized architecture of these structures; and as the new station was -to be the monumental gateway to the National Capital, it seemed fitting -that the architectural motives should be drawn from the triumphal -arches of Rome. They inspired Mr. Burnham to design the Union Station -as he did. Construction work was begun in August, 1902, the terminal -opened October 27, 1907, and was completed in April, 1908. - -Some of the elements entering into the design of the terminal were -unique. In most cities the probable future growth and nature of -the traffic plays an important part in the planning of a passenger -terminal. Washington has very little suburban traffic; and as it will -never become a commercial center, the question of providing for future -growth was of minor importance. The main problem was how to care for -and provide against abnormal conditions, which arise at least once -every four years. The handling of inauguration crowds had always been -a heavy expense to the railroads, because they had to provide such -elaborate temporary facilities. On the other hand, to provide adequate -permanent facilities meant a large expenditure, with the attendant -heavy carrying charges. On account of the dilapidated condition of the -passenger facilities owned by the companies, and the urgent need of -larger and better terminals, a union terminal seemed to show advantages -over the separate stations provided for in the acts of 1901. - -[Illustration: _Courtesy of Commercial Photo Co._ - -UNION STATION--CONCOURSE] - -The layout embraces every feature and facility involved in the -construction of a first-class terminal, including a depot building -planned and constructed after the most modern lines, and containing -every feature for the convenience, comfort, and pleasure of the -traveling public; the most complete and up-to-date facilities for -conducting the business of a large railroad station; a main power -plant for furnishing power of every kind required for the successful -operation of the station and yards; a large and completely equipped -express terminal for caring for the express business handled by the -companies; a modern commodious roundhouse and shop layout for caring -for repairs to equipment; the most complete interlocking layout and -intercommunication system ever constructed; one of the most complete -passenger-equipment yards ever built; and a track system covering yards -and main tracks within the passenger-terminal zone aggregating about 60 -miles of single track. - -The station building proper is 626 feet 10 inches long and 210 feet 9 -inches wide, exclusive of the space taken up by the columns in front of -the central pavilion or main portico. The front and ends are made up of -groups of semicircular arches characteristic of Roman architecture. The -main portico or central pavilion consists of 3 arches, each 29 feet 6 -inches wide and 48 feet 9 inches high. Flanking it on either side are 7 -arches, each 12 feet 4 inches wide and 24 feet 8 inches high, while the -end pavilions are composed of arches 22 feet wide and 38 feet 6 inches -high. - -The west end is made up of 5 arches 19 feet 2 inches wide and 37 feet -7 inches high, and 1 arch 12 feet 4 inches wide and 24 feet 8 inches -high. The former are used as exits for carriages from the carriage -porch, the latter to carry out the open portico treatment across the -front. At the east end leading to the open portico are 2 windows with -arch treatment, and there are 5 arches 12 feet 6 inches wide and 24 -feet 8 inches high, 1 arch 22 feet wide and 38 feet 6 inches high, -leading to a carriage pavilion. - -The east pavilion leads to a suite of rooms for the use of the -President and the guests of the Nation, the west pavilion to the -carriage porch at the west end of the ticket lobby. The central and end -pavilions are connected by a portico or loggia from 14 feet 6 inches to -16 feet 6 inches wide, the portico and pavilions forming a continuous -covered porch the entire length of the structure, and affording -protection from the elements. The east and west wings of the building -are 69 feet 7¹⁄₂ inches above the floor level, and the domes over the -carriage entrances are 78 feet 3¹⁄₂ inches above the same point. The -dome over the main waiting room is 122 feet 10 inches high. - -[Illustration: UNION STATION--WAITING ROOM] - -The concourse in the rear of the main building is 760 feet long and 130 -feet wide, exceeding by nearly nine feet the length of the Capitol. It -is covered by a segmental arched ceiling 45 feet high in the center and -22 feet at the springing line above the main floor. About 40 per cent -of the ceiling area is of glass, the remainder is artistically coffered -ornamental plaster. The concourse is divided by the usual train fence -into two sections, that on the station side being 83 feet and that on -the track side 47 feet wide. - -There are 32 tracks leading to the station--20 on the level of the -waiting rooms and 12 depressed below the street level a distance of 20 -feet. Two tubes of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. and Southern Railway -Co., each 16 feet wide, run from the station south along First Street -between the Library of Congress and the Capitol for about a mile. -At the Fountain of Neptune the tunnel is 40 feet below the surface. -Approximately 285 trains enter and leave the railway station each day; -the daily number of passengers is approximately 30,000. - -The general waiting room has a clear width of 120 feet, is 219 -feet long, exclusive of the colonnades, and is covered by a Roman -barrel-vaulted ceiling, its highest point, exclusive of coffers, -being 96 feet above the floor level. The decorations are sunken -panels patterned after the baths of Diocletian. It is lighted by a -semicircular window 72¹⁄₂ feet in diameter at the east end, by three -semicircular windows in the south side and five on the north side, each -27¹⁄₂ feet in diameter, and by the glass roof over the ticket lobby at -the west end. Imperial Rome at her greatest did not possess a hall of -such proportions. - -The Union Station is built of Vermont white granite. In the -construction of this massive building Mr. Burnham set a standard for -civic improvement for the construction of railroad terminals in this -country. - -The complete architectural treatment of the front elevation of the -station includes six stone statues and four eagles, the former over -the central pavilion, and the latter over the carriage entrances at -the east and west ends. This statuary is placed in front of the great -friezes over the main entrance arches and over the carriage archways -and, with the inscriptions in the panels between, have been made a -special architectural feature. - -Before the adoption of the scheme a number of suggestions for the -subjects of the statues and inscriptions were secured, ranging from -the explorers and discoverers of this country to the various inventors -who have had most to do with the development of transportation. The -general architectural treatment of the building, however, was such -as to preclude the usual portrait statues. To make them take their -place as part of the architecture required that they be limited to -allegorical draped figures, forming simple, massive silhouettes against -the vast frieze. In the development of the complete scheme, embracing -the subjects for the statuary, with appropriate inscriptions in the -intervening panels, the late Charles W. Eliot, former president of -Harvard University, was consulted. The result is an appropriate and -adequate treatment of the decorative frieze over the doorway of the -vestibule to the Capital of the Nation. - -The general decorative features of the main entrance to the building -consist of six massive stone columns, two on each side and one in front -of each pier supporting the main arches. Upon pedestals on the tops -of these columns the granite statues, about 18 feet high, are placed, -those on the west side of the entrance representing Prometheus and -Thales, typifying Fire and Electricity, those on the east side Ceres -and Archimedes, typifying Agriculture and Mechanics, while Freedom and -Imagination are depicted by the central figures. Those on the west -side represent two of the great forces connected with the operation of -railroads, while those on the east owe much of their development and -wealth to the railroads. The central figures typify the atmosphere of -freedom in which the inventive imagination has been able to accomplish -such great results. The columns flanking the carriage entrances are -surmounted by stone eagles about 8 feet high. - -The following inscriptions are cut in the granite panels over the main -entrance: - - _West_ (_Prometheus and Thales_) - - FIRE--GREATEST OF DISCOVERIES - ENABLING MAN TO LIVE IN VARIOUS CLIMATES - USE MANY FOODS--AND COMPEL - THE FORCES OF NATURE TO DO HIS WORK - - ELECTRICITY--CARRIER OF LIGHT AND POWER - DEVOURER OF TIME AND SPACE--BEARER - OF HUMAN SPEECH OVER LAND AND SEA - GREAT SERVANT OF MAN--ITSELF UNKNOWN - - THOU HAST PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET - - _Central_ (_Freedom and Imagination_) - - SWEETENER OF HUT AND OF HALL - BRINGER OF LIFE OUT OF NAUGHT - FREEDOM O FAIREST OF ALL - THE DAUGHTERS OF TIME AND THOUGHT - - MAN’S IMAGINATION HAS CONCEIVED ALL - NUMBERS AND LETTERS--ALL TOOLS, VESSELS - AND SHELTERS--EVERY ART AND TRADE--ALL - PHILOSOPHY AND POETRY--AND ALL POLITIES - - THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE - - _East_ (_Ceres and Archimedes_) - - THE FARM--BEST HOME OF THE FAMILY--MAIN - SOURCE OF NATIONAL WEALTH--FOUNDATION OF - CIVILIZED SOCIETY--THE NATURAL PROVIDENCE - - THE OLD MECHANIC ARTS--CONTROLLING NEW - FORCES--BUILD NEW HIGHWAYS FOR GOODS - AND MEN--OVERRIDE THE OCEAN--AND MAKE - THE VERY ETHER CARRY HUMAN THOUGHT - - THE DESERT SHALL REJOICE AND BLOSSOM - AS THE ROSE - -In the panels over the entrances to the carriage porch and state -apartment the following inscriptions are cut: - - _Carriage Porch_ (_south elevation_) - - HE THAT WOULD BRING HOME THE - WEALTH OF THE INDIES MUST CARRY - THE WEALTH OF THE INDIES WITH HIM - SO IT IS IN TRAVELLING--A MAN - MUST CARRY KNOWLEDGE WITH HIM - IF HE WOULD BRING HOME KNOWLEDGE - - _State Apartment_ (_south elevation_) - - LET ALL THE ENDS THOU AIMEST AT BE - THY COUNTRY’S, THY GOD’S, AND TRUTH’S, - BE NOBLE, AND THE NOBLENESS THAT - LIES IN OTHER MEN--SLEEPING BUT - NEVER DEAD--WILL RISE IN MAJESTY - TO MEET THINE OWN - - _State Apartment_ (_east elevation_) - - WELCOME THE COMING - SPEED THE PARTING GUEST - - VIRTUE ALONE IS SWEET SOCIETY - IT KEEPS THE KEY TO ALL - HEROIC HEARTS AND OPENS YOU - A WELCOME IN THEM ALL - -The decorations immediately in front of and along the sides of the east -and west entrances consist of stone balustrades upon which at proper -intervals are ornamental lamp posts. - -Immediately in front of the main entrance to the Union Station there -are three ornamental iron flagstaffs 110 feet in height, the ornamental -base and decorative portions of which are in bronze. These were -designed by D. H. Burnham & Co., architects of the Union Station. - -Since the completion of the Union Station in 1908 there have also been -placed on the Plaza the Columbus Memorial Fountain in front of the main -entrance, and two large fountains, one on each side of the memorial. - -All stone used in the decoration of the Plaza, except that in the bowls -of the fountains, is Vermont white granite, from the same quarry as -that used in the station building. The fountain bowls are of Maine -green granite. The upper bowls are 13 feet in diameter and cut from -a single piece of stone; the lower bowls are 22 feet 6 inches in -diameter, the rims being made from eight separate pieces of granite. -The bottoms of these bowls are of reinforced concrete and are lined -with sheet lead. - - -WASHINGTON CITY POST OFFICE - -The Washington City Post Office moved into its present quarters on -September 5, 1914. The building faces on Massachusetts Avenue and -extends from North Capitol Street to First Street NE. - -At the time of occupancy it was considered the model post office -for the rest of the country, being provided with the most modern -mail-handling equipment that human ingenuity could devise. There are -conveyor belts through a tunnel under the streets for bringing the -enormous amount of Government mail from the Government Printing Office -directly into the post office, where it is made up for dispatch to -trains; other belts for conveying mail from one section of the office -to another; bucket lifts for raising mail from a lower to a higher -floor; gravity chutes to send mail from an upper to a lower level; -miniature trolley systems to carry smaller amounts of mail, or even -single important letters, from one section of the workroom floor to -another; and other devices to save footsteps of the employees and -conserve their time. - -The building is three stories above the ground level and two stories -below. The two upper floors and one of the lower ones are given over to -Post Office Department activities, such as the Postal Savings Division, -the Division of Stamps, the Division of Equipment and Supplies, and -others. The building is so constructed that the maximum of natural -daylight is permitted to enter. It has no heating plant of its own, -being supplied with heat from the plant located at First and E Streets -SE. that supplies the Capitol, Senate and House Office Buildings, and -the Government Printing Office. The necessary pipes are brought into -the building through underground tunnels. - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON CITY POST OFFICE] - -There are approximately 6 acres of floor space available for the -Washington Post Office. This additional space was secured by a new -addition. It was thought at the time the post office moved into its new -quarters that the floor space provided would be ample to take care of -all increases in the volume of mail for a period of 50 years. In a few -years the office far outgrew this space, and Congress appropriated for -an addition to the building about equal in size to the original one. -The construction of this addition cost $4,000,000. - -The original building cost $3,028,000, and the general style of the -architecture is that of the monumental work of Roman times and was -designed by Peirce Anderson, architect, to harmonize with the Union -Station, which adjoins, and to which it is connected by a covered -bridge, over which mail to and from the trains is trucked. - -The main exterior motive consists of an Ionic colonnade flanked by -corner pavilions treated with round arches, inclosed in a strong frame -of columns and pilasters and surmounted by solid attics carrying -inscriptions as follows: - - MESSENGER OF SYMPATHY AND LOVE - SERVANT OF PARTED FRIENDS - CONSOLER OF THE LONELY - BOND OF THE SCATTERED FAMILY - ENLARGER OF THE COMMON LIFE - - CARRIER OF NEWS AND KNOWLEDGE - INSTRUMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY - PROMOTER OF MUTUAL ACQUAINTANCE - OF PEACE AND OF GOOD WILL - AMONG MEN AND NATIONS - -Many visitors to Washington will stop and read these inscriptions -and, being interested in the authorship thereof, will make inquiry -concerning it. Research shows that the originals were prepared by Dr. -Charles W. Eliot, at that time president of Harvard University, but -that some slight changes were made in the text by the late President -Wilson to the extent of the alteration of some three or four words. It -is this revision that appears on the building. - -The material of the exterior of the building is Vermont white granite -and is the same as that used in the construction of the Union Station. -The general treatment of the main lobby, which is 250 feet in length, -is that of a high cella, 30 feet wide and 53 feet high, and surrounded -by an order of pilasters in Tavernelle marble. The adjoining vestibules -are ornamented by 24 monolithic columns of gray-green granite from -New Hampshire. These columns are 2 feet and 4 inches in diameter and -20 feet in height. The floor is of Tennessee marble, laid in patterns -of pinks and grays. The main lobby ceiling has an elaborate coffered -design inspired from the best period of the Italian Renaissance. - -[Illustration: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS] - -The gross receipts of the Washington Post Office have increased from -$1,792,917 in 1914 to nearly $7,000,000 in 1938. - -In order to make postal facilities as easily accessible as possible, -there are located throughout the city 31 classified and 41 contract -stations. - -To properly transport mail from the main office to the various -stations, electric-line terminals, steamboat wharves, and aviation -fields, and to make collections from the street letter boxes and -deliver parcel-post packages, the office operates a fleet of fully 100 -Government-owned automobile trucks. - -Designed by Graham Anderson, Probst & White and built of white Vermont -granite, the addition was completed in 1937 and it doubled the size of -the city post office. - - -LIBRARY OF CONGRESS - -The Library of Congress, the world’s largest and most elaborate -building devoted wholly to library uses, occupies two city squares east -of and facing the Capitol Grounds, also an addition recently completed. - -The architecture is of the Italian Renaissance order, from plans made -by J. J. Smithmeyer and Paul Pelz, and modified by Edward P. Casey. The -exterior walls are of New Hampshire granite. Fifty masters of painting -and sculpture worked together to make it a treasure house of the best -contemporary American art, fit to shelter one of the greatest libraries -of the world. Army engineers superintended its construction. - -Begun in 1886, completed in 1897, the building measures 340 feet -by 470 feet and covers about 3¹⁄₂ acres. Its cost to date has been -$7,868,951. The addition was designed by Pierson & Wilson, architects -of Washington, and built of Georgia marble. - -In front of the Library is a bronze fountain by Hinton Perry, sculptor, -representing the Court of Neptune. - -The grand stair hall of the entrance pavilion is of Italian white -marble, is particularly beautiful at night, when visitors delight to -see it. It leads to the great rotunda, which is the reading room. To -the right are the library rooms of Senators and Representatives and -the periodical room. To the left are the rooms for the blind and the -conservatory of music. - -On the second floor at the head of the staircase is Elihu Vedder’s -famous mosaic, Minerva. On this floor also are on exhibition the -original Declaration of Independence, the original Constitution of the -United States, and the Gutenberg Bible. To the right is the prints -division, now called the division of fine arts, and to the left the -manuscripts division. - -[Illustration: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS--GRAND STAIRCASE] - -The reading room contains the card-index catalogue of the books in -the Library, will accommodate 1,000 readers at a time, and is free to -any reader over 16 years of age. The alcoves are devoted to books on -particular subjects. - -The reading room is under the dome, which is 100 feet in diameter -and 195 feet high to the lantern. In the lantern of the dome is a -female figure indicating Human Understanding, and on the collar -surrounding the lantern, 150 feet in circumference, is the Evolution -of Civilization, symbolic of the 12 nations and epochs which have -contributed to the world’s advance--both great works of art by Edwin -Howland Blashfield. The dome is beautifully decorated, and the series -of statues in bronze by famous American sculptors at intervals on the -balustrade encircling the rotunda make the scene impressive. - -The pillars in the rotunda are 40 feet high, the windows 32 feet wide. - -There are 16 bronze statues surrounding the railing of the gallery -under the dome, representing leaders in great fields of learning, as -follows: - - _Religion_: Moses the great lawgiver, holding the Tables of the Law, - given at Mount Sinai, by Charles Henry Niehaus; St. Paul, with sword - and scroll, by John Donoghue. - - _Commerce_: Christopher Columbus, by Paul Bartlett; Robert Fulton, - holding a model of his first steamboat, Clermont, by Lewis Potter. - - _History_: Herodotus, the “Father of History,” by Daniel Chester - French; Edward Gibbon, author of the Decline and Fall of the Roman - Empire, by C. H. Niehaus. - - _Art_: Michelangelo, by Paul Bartlett; Beethoven, by Theodor Bauer. - - _Philosophy_: Plato, by John J. Boyle; Francis Bacon, by John J. - Boyle. - - _Poetry_: Homer, by Augustus Saint-Gaudens; Shakespeare, by Frederick - W. MacMonnies. - - _Law_: Solon, by F. Wellington Ruckstuhl; James Kent, by George E. - Bissell. - - _Science_: Newton, by Cyrus E. Dallin; Joseph Henry, by Herbert Adams. - -Numerous paintings, mosaics, and inscriptions adorn the interior walls. -The dark Tennessee, the red Numidia, and the shades of yellow Sienna -marble give the room a rich color effect. - -When the collection of a million books was moved from the crowded -Capitol it was believed that the increase for the next hundred years -had been amply provided for; but before 15 years had passed it had been -found necessary to roof over one of the four great open courts (more -than a quarter of an acre in extent) and fill it with a 10-story steel -bookstack to hold 1,500,000 volumes. By 1927 another court had been -filled with a 14-story stack. Two years later four levels were added to -the first of these court stacks, making the two equal. - -To meet the great increase in the future, Congress appropriated for -the purchase of a square and a half of land to the eastward and the -construction of an annex building costing $9,300,000. To the annex will -be transferred the copyright office, card division, printery, and -bindery, but leaving room in it for eight or ten million volumes of -less active material, such, for example, as the 97,000 volumes of bound -newspapers. There are 20 acres of floor space in the new building. - -The Library’s resources for research are unsurpassed in the Western -Hemisphere; its service as a national library is unexcelled. The -printed book collection on June 30, 1938, totaled 5,591,000, surpassed -in numbers only by that of the Bibliothèque National in Paris, and -increasing at a greater rate than those in any other library. Last year -196,000 volumes were added. - -[Illustration: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ADDITION] - -Founded in 1800 by an act appropriating $5,000 for the purchase of -“books for the use of both Houses of Congress,” the Library continued, -down to the midpoint of its 139 years of history, to be no more than -its name implies--a collection for the use of the National Legislature. -By 1865 the Library had attained a growth of 82,000 volumes, which -was notable among American libraries neither in size nor in service -rendered. - -The collections include the library of Thomas Jefferson (6,760 volumes, -the nucleus of the present collections, purchased for $23,950 in 1815), -the Peter Force and the Toner collections of American history, the -Smithsonian Institution’s unequaled collection of the proceedings of -learned societies of the world, the Yudin collection of Russian books -(with later additions probably the largest outside of Russia), the -collection of John Boyd Thacher (fifteenth-century books, and books -on the French Revolution, early Americana, autographs of European -notables), the Schiff-Deinard collection of Hebrew literature, and -130,000 Chinese books, understood to be one of the largest and -best-organized collections outside the Orient. Most notable among -recent accessions is the Vollbehr collection of 3,000 fifteenth-century -books (incunabula), for whose purchase Congress appropriated $1,500,000 -in July, 1930. The gem of this group is the Gutenberg Bible, one of the -three extant perfect copies on vellum of the first great book printed -in Europe from movable type (A. D. 1450-1455). - -[Illustration: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS--READING ROOM] - -Manuscripts relating chiefly to American history are among the -Library’s greatest treasures. The reproducing by photography of -manuscript materials for American history in foreign archives and -libraries, which since 1927 has formed so significant a portion of the -division’s work, has added more than 2,000,000 pages to the resources -which students of that history can use in Washington without going to -Europe. - -Chief among originals beyond all price are the Declaration of -Independence, the Constitution of the United States--both added in -1921--the personal papers of President Washington, many Presidents, and -other statesmen. - -The Library is rich in music. This collection numbers over 1,194,000 -pieces and volumes, surpassed only in two or three European libraries. -An auditorium of 500 seats, given and richly endowed by Mrs. Elizabeth -Sprague Coolidge, provides free concerts and lectures. - -Other notable groups are 1,400,000 maps and views; 542,000 engravings -and other pictorial reproductions, including the splendid Pennell -collections; the law library (404,000 volumes). The social and -political sciences are represented by 890,500 volumes, language and -literature by 350,000, history by 420,000, and pure science by 265,500. - -The most recent important development in service is the division of -aeronautics, established through a benefaction of $140,000 from the -Daniel Guggenheim Fund for Aeronautics, now supplemented by an annual -congressional appropriation. - -Special facilities for serious research include some 50 individual -study rooms and (elsewhere) 125 special desks or tables. Interlibrary -loans for investigators whose work is likely to advance the boundaries -of knowledge are sent far and wide through the United States and some -abroad. - -There is a service for blind readers which last year loaned 42,000 -volumes in embossed type to some 3,000 readers in the United States. - -Printed catalogue cards, numbering 110,000,000, prepared by the Library -for its own catalogues, are sold at cost to some 6,300 other libraries, -effecting for the subscribers prodigious savings in their cataloguing -bills but yielding a revenue to the Treasury of $328,405. - -Until very recently Congress alone provided the funds to meet all the -Library’s expenses, excepting one gift of $20,000 received in 1904. -But in 1925 the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board was created by -Congress, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Librarian of Congress -being ex officio chairman and secretary of the board, respectively. -The act authorized the board to receive and invest funds for permanent -endowments, and the Librarian to receive gifts of money for immediate -disbursement. Already endowments aggregating about $2,000,000 and -gift funds of $1,415,000 for immediate expenditure have been received -and have yielded an income from 1925 to 1938 of $726,000. These new -resources add to the bibliographic apparatus and support a project -for developing an archive of American folk song. One endowment yields -$4,000 per year for the purchase of recent Hispanic literature and -employs a consultant to suggest items for purchase in this particular -field. - -[Illustration: THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND THE CONSTITUTION] - -Six consultants, men of professional rank and experience, are engaged -(without any administrative duties) in advising the maturer users of -the Library in their investigations. This unique service is to be found -nowhere else in libraries. - -Notable among gifts are those of John D. Rockefeller, jr.--one of -$450,000 for the acquisition in facsimile copies of source material for -American history existing in the archives of foreign countries, and -another of $250,000 for the development of a great union catalogue of -important books in other American libraries. - -The scheme of classification, covering 5,000 printed pages, has been -adopted in 80 large libraries in America and Europe. - -Herbert Putnam, the Librarian, took office on April 5, 1899. - -The Library staff, organized in 30 divisions, consists of 1,055 -persons, of whom 585 are doing library work proper; 136 handle the -copyright business, which since 1870 has been under direction of -the Librarian; 204 constitute the building force, which guards the -building day and night, keeps it in beautiful order, attends to -heating, lighting, and ventilating the 15 acres of floor space, vacuum -cleans--the year round--the 162 miles of books, and looks after the -countless other mechanical matters. The remainder (111 persons) are -printers and bookbinders engaged on Library work, but under the Public -Printer’s direction; 19 are engaged on special projects. - - -FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY - -When Henry C. Folger, of New York City, decided to build the library -his first thought was to have this monument to the glory of Shakespeare -designed in harmony with the architecture of Shakespeare’s time. -However, the library being in Washington, very near the Capitol, the -House of Representatives and Senate Office Buildings, and the Library -of Congress (to which group was added the Supreme Court Building), made -it appear somewhat dangerous to introduce Elizabethan architecture in -such a classical frame. - -After a conference with Dr. Paul Cret, architect, and Alexander B. -Trowbridge, consultant, Mr. Folger agreed with this view, and a white -marble structure of classic design was agreed upon. However, if the -façades of a building are part of the scenery, once the door is passed, -it is quite legitimate to harmonize the interiors with the collections -therein displayed. It was with this end in view that the general plan -was studied and adopted. - -[Illustration: FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY] - -The requirements of the donor necessitated a reading room as free as -possible from disturbance, and to find, for the benefit of the public, -a room where could be displayed some selected material--books, prints, -costumes, paintings, and works of art relating to Shakespeare. An -exhibition room and theater were laid out to form a somewhat separated -unit. The location of this reading room on the courtyard side away from -the street noise is also more favorable to study. Below the reading -room are two stories of stacks fully lighted by the courtyard. - -The exhibition hall and the reading room form the center of the plan. -The east wing is occupied by the lecture room-theater, which has its -own lobby, and can be used at night independently of the rest of the -building. The retiring rooms and dressing rooms are in the basement, -and stairs lead to the balcony. - -The west wing is occupied by the administration. On the main floor are -the founder’s rooms and the offices of the director, his assistants, -and clerks. On the second floor are the library staff workrooms and -five private study rooms for scholars. - -The over-all size of the building is 226 feet by 111 feet. It rises -to a height of 48 feet on a property 364 feet by 186 feet. Work was -started in November 1929. The façades were to harmonize in masses -and material with classic Washington. A quiet modern Georgia marble -façade, with silver grilles and balconies, was designed, using, -as principal decoration, a set of nine bas-reliefs illustrating -Shakespeare’s plays and some inscriptions emphasizing its purpose of -memorial to a great poet. - -[Illustration: EXHIBITION HALL--FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY] - -The sculptural theme is based on the following plays: Macbeth, Romeo -and Juliet, King Lear, Julius Caesar, Midsummer Night’s Dream, The -Merchant of Venice, Richard the Third, Hamlet, and Henry the Fourth. -Their execution was entrusted to John Gregory of New York. They are -placed so as to have more importance than the usual frieze--below each -window of the exhibition room, at the proper height for the passer-by, -and along a marble terrace raised 3 feet above the street level. - -[Illustration: SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION] - - -SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION - -The Smithsonian Institution was established by act of Congress in -1846, under the terms of the will of James Smithson, an Englishman, -who in 1826 bequeathed his fortune to the United States to found, -at Washington, under the name of the “Smithsonian Institution,” an -establishment for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.” -The Institution is legally an establishment, having as its members the -President of the United States, the Vice President, the Chief Justice, -and the President’s Cabinet. It is governed by a Board of Regents. The -Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution is its executive officer and -the director of its activities. The building was designed by James -Renwick, architect. - -The regents are empowered to accept gifts without action of Congress, -in furtherance of the purpose of the Institution, and to administer -trusts in accordance therewith. Throughout its history, the Smithsonian -Institution has conducted and encouraged important scientific -researches, explorations, and investigations, which have contributed -largely to the advancement of knowledge, and thereby accomplishing -the “increase of knowledge.” The “diffusion of knowledge” is carried -on through several series of publications based on its researches -and collections, through its museum and art gallery exhibits, and -through an extensive correspondence. The Smithsonian issues 13 series -of scientific publications which are distributed free to libraries, -learned societies, and educational institutions throughout the world. -It also maintains a library of 876,000 volumes, which consists mainly -of transactions of learned societies and scientific periodicals. - -The Institution has charge of the National Museum, the National Gallery -of Art, the National Collection of Fine Arts, the Freer Gallery of Art, -the International Exchange Service, the Bureau of American Ethnology, -the National Zoological Park, and the Astrophysical Observatory (with -several field stations). - -The United States National Museum is the depository of the national -collections. It is rich in the natural history, geology, paleontology, -archeology, and ethnology of America, and has large and important -collections illustrating American history, including military and naval -material, and also valuable series relating to arts and industries. -It is an educational and research museum and issues scientific -publications. Its aeronautical collection includes the airplane _The -Spirit of St. Louis_, deposited by Col. Charles A. Lindbergh in the -spring of 1928. - -The National Gallery of Art is a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution -created by joint resolution of Congress approved March 24, 1937, as -a result of the gift of Andrew W. Mellon to the Nation of his art -collection of masterpieces valued at $50,000,000 and $10,000,000 to -erect a building to house it. The above act accepting Mr. Mellon’s -gift provided that the art collections already in possession of the -Smithsonian Institution and therefore designated the National Gallery -of Art should thereafter be known as the National Collection of Fine -Arts. The National Gallery of Art is administered for the Smithsonian -Institution, in which title is vested, by a Board of Trustees. The -monumental marble building, designed by John Russell Pope, is now under -construction on the site on the north side of the Mall between Fourth -and Seventh Streets. (See p. 281 for illustration.) - -The Bureau of American Ethnology is engaged particularly in the -collection of information relating to the American Indians. The -National Zoological Park has an area of 175 acres and is located -adjacent to Rock Creek Park. Its collection comprises about 3,000 -animals. - - -GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE - -The Government Printing Office, in which the printing and bookbinding -for the various branches of the National Government is executed, is -located on North Capitol Street between G and H Streets NW. Covering -almost a city block with its eight-story, red-brick building, this -plant is the best-equipped and is reputed to be the largest printing -office of its kind in the world. - -Printing for the Government of the United States was first mentioned -during the initial session of Congress, in 1789, in the form of a -recommendation to that body that proposals be invited for “printing the -laws and other proceedings of Congress.” - -The first specific appropriation for public printing was passed in -1794, when an expenditure of $10,000 was authorized for “firewood, -stationery, and printing.” - -Between 1804 and 1814, Congress had no fixed policy in relation to -printing. A contract system by the lowest bidder was adopted. The plan -prevailed for 5 years but was very unsatisfactory, and Congress was -compelled to look for a better method. In December, 1818, both houses -passed a resolution appointing a joint committee to “consider and -report whether any further provisions of law are necessary to insure -dispatch, accuracy, and neatness in printing the documents of the two -Houses of Congress.” The inquiries by this committee led them to New -York and Philadelphia, where they studied printing costs and methods, -and upon returning to Washington they made a report declaring most -emphatically for the establishment of a national printing office as -the only means by which Congress could secure necessary printing at -reasonable costs. - -No definite action was taken on the report, with the result that for -the next forty-odd years the method of handling public printing was -constantly changing. Some years there was a “Printer to the Senate” -and a “Printer to the House,” both elected by a ballot of Congress, -and in other years there was a “Superintendent of Public Printing.” -Altogether it was expensive and impractical, and by act of Congress on -June 23, 1860, a national printing office was authorized. On February -19, 1861, $135,000 was appropriated, and with this money the printing -establishment of Joseph T. Crowell, located at H and North Capitol -Streets, Washington, D. C., was purchased, upon approval of the Joint -Committee on Printing. This building had been constructed in 1856 by -Cornelius Wendell, as a private office. The building at that time was -243 by 61¹⁄₂ feet, 4 stories high, but by subsequent appropriations up -to 1876 several additions were made to the original structure. - -[Illustration: THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE] - -The plant, as taken over in 1861, employed between 300 and 400 persons -and evidently was, for that period, very complete. It consisted of -a drying room, pressroom, wetting room, job room, folding room, -reading room, office, bindery, machine shop, boiler house, and -stable. Among some of the items of equipment were 1 timepiece, 5 -wrenches, one 40-horse engine, 104 pressboards, 2 wetting tubs, and -a large assortment of book and job type. The reading room had eight -armchairs, two pine desks, and one mahogany desk. The bindery had but -few machines, with only 2 ruling and 2 cutting machines, but the list -carried 10 pairs of shears, 4 bodkins, and other minor equipment. The -pressroom had 23 Adams presses and 3 cylinder presses. With the stable -came two horses, one wagon, and one carryall, and the boiler house had -one 60-horse boiler, 525 feet of fire hose, five buckets, etc. - -On March 23, 1861, President Lincoln appointed Hon. John Defrees, of -Indiana, as the Superintendent of Public Printing. He reported that -at once the cost of work decreased at least 15 percent from the old -contract prices. - -On March 3, 1873, the printing of the debates of Congress, then known -as the Congressional Globe and handled under private contract, was -taken over by the Government Printing Office and thereafter became the -Congressional Record. - -In 1876, Hon. A. M. Clapp, then Congressional Printer, was designated -the first Public Printer, at a yearly salary of $3,600. Composing rooms -employed 520 persons, pressroom 209, and bindery 591; in all, 1,361 -persons were on the roll. The total yearly pay roll was $786,493. It -cost $188,198 to print the Congressional Record in 1876, while binding -of all kinds cost $402,069, paper $298,251, and the total output of the -Office was charged at $1,617,469. The total purchase of machinery and -equipment in that year was only $342.50. - -In 1878 the building known as the Globe Vault was purchased from the -private owner, together with the bound and unbound volumes of the -Congressional Globe and all the stereotyped plates. The price paid was -$100,000. - -Fireproof extensions to the Government Printing Office were erected in -1879 and 1880. In 1882 the first fire escapes were installed, and force -pumps proved such an attraction to the public that the apparatus had to -be covered with canvas. Bows and arrows were also provided which would -enable life lines to be “shot” through the upper windows. - -By the act of January 12, 1895, the Office of the Superintendent of -Documents was established in the Government Printing Office. Previously -it was a part of the Interior Department. The principal functions of -the office were the preparation of the official catalogs and indexes of -the Government and distribution and sale of Government publications. - -The Office was placed under operation of the civil-service law August -1, 1895. In the same year the Annex Building, formerly used by the -Superintendent of Documents, was constructed, and in the following year -the Public Printer reported the total floor space of the entire Office -had increased to 8³⁄₄ acres. - -In 1898 Congress appropriated $190,000 for the purchase of ground -occupied by the present building. In 1899 the building was started. It -was completed about 4 years thereafter, at a cost of $2,430,000. - -In 1903 a small space in the Old Building was set aside as the “sick -room.” Its equipment consisted of a cot, blanket, and a small supply of -medicines contributed by the employees. This was the nucleus from which -developed the first emergency hospital in any Government establishment -and was the initial step toward scientific medical and surgical -service. In 1907 an emergency room was installed and an additional -physician and matron were assigned to that service. - -The first linotype machine and the first monotype keyboard -were installed in 1904. In 1912 electric trucks displaced the -horse-and-wagon delivery. In 1915 the Government Printing Office was an -exhibitor at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San -Francisco, Calif. - -Between 1921 and 1934 several innovations were made. A few of the -outstanding are as follows: The eighth floor was remodeled and raised -to provide room for the Cafeteria, Harding Hall, recreation rooms, -rest rooms, and large space for productive work. The Cafeteria serves -around 2,800 meals daily, and Harding Hall, seating 1,200, is devoted -to social activities of employees and may be quickly converted into a -ballroom, a motion-picture theater, or a forum. Recreational activities -include orchestra, baseball clubs, bowling alleys, dances, moving -pictures and lectures, annual excursions, and similar affairs. The -photo-engraving plant was also added as one of the new mechanical -departments and is also located on the eighth floor. A roof garden was -built, covering practically the entire building. The emergency hospital -was enlarged, and wards for men and women were provided, with beds, -toilets, and shower baths. - -Two hundred apprentices received training for occupational pursuits in -the various printing and bindery trades represented in the Office. - -A testing laboratory was established in the Office for the purpose -of standardizing all materials, supplies, and stock used in the -manufacture of printing. - -The boiler and generating rooms were abolished, and the purchase of -electric current and steam from the Capital Power Plant was started. - -Since 1934, under the direction of Public Printer A. E. Giegengack, -the Government Printing Office has continued to grow not only in size -but also in public esteem. Under his leadership, appropriations for -a much-needed building program were granted by Congress, and the -erection of a warehouse and an eight-story, red-brick addition to -the main Printing Office building was accomplished. The cost of this -building program, which included buildings, machinery and equipment, -furnishings, the expense of moving, and other incidentals, amounted to -$7,700,000. - -Among the many noteworthy improvements inaugurated for the betterment -of service to the Government, to the public, and to the 5,500 employees -of the Office, are the following: - -The establishment of a department of typography, through which there -are incorporated into Government printing the accepted improvements -in the field of typography; the standardization of a type-metal alloy -for all type-casting machines; the installation of a more efficient -cost-finding and pay-roll bookkeeping system; the reestablishment of -the Government Printing Office Apprentice School; and encouragement of -greater employee participation in all social, fraternal, and welfare -activities sponsored by the Office. - -Uncle Sam’s Book Shop sold 10 million copies from its list of 65,000 -publications in 1937. This department is called the Office of the -Superintendent of Documents, which is located in the Government -Printing Office building, and these Government publications, covering -almost every phase of human endeavor, are for sale to the public at a -reasonable price. - - -THE WHITE HOUSE - -The site of the White House, or the President’s House, was selected -by President Washington. It was part of the David Burnes farm, and at -the time it was chosen a cornfield extended one-half mile south to the -Potomac. - -The cornerstone of the President’s House was laid on October 13, 1792, -but not by George Washington, as the records show that he and his -family were in Philadelphia at the time. The design was made by James -Hoban, an architect of Dublin, Ireland, who won a $500 prize and a lot -for the best plan. In its exterior it somewhat resembles the palace of -the Duke of Leinster in Ireland. That, however, has Corinthian columns -over a rusticated base, showing the influence of the Renaissance in -England; and there are other distinctions in their classical motives. - -The White House was first occupied by President and Mrs. John Adams, -who moved in the latter part of November, 1800, the year Washington -became the seat of government. At the time it was very incomplete, -and much discomfort was experienced, particularly as to heating and -lighting. The East Room was used to dry the family wash. The White -House was not finished until 1826. Then and for many years following it -secured its water from springs a short distance to the northeast, in -the vicinity of what is now Franklin Square. - -[Illustration: THE WHITE HOUSE--NORTH SIDE] - -The President’s House, as it was then called, was considerably damaged -by fire by the British, who threatened the destruction of the city -in 1814. The building, except for the wings at each side, which were -used for offices and servants’ quarters, was restored by Hoban. Of -white sandstone, the building which became discolored by the fire was -thereupon painted white and has since been known as the White House. -It was first lighted by gas in 1848, and a system of heating and -ventilating was installed in 1853. - -The White House was remodeled during the administration of President -Roosevelt in 1902, when the Executive Office was taken out of the -building and placed in a temporary building to the west of the main -building. This was enlarged during the administration of President Taft -in 1909 to twice its former size. It was further remodeled in 1927 by -making the building fireproof and constructing a third story out of the -attic. - -In 1929 it was found necessary by President Hoover to use also the -basement for an office. In the same year the building was partially -burned, but has since been rebuilt. It is thought by some that in the -years to come the remodeled State Department Building will become the -permanent Executive Office Building, and the State Department will have -a new building on the west side of Lafayette Square. - -The White House has a length of 183 feet (east and west) and a width -of 85 feet; it is 58 feet high. The portico of Ionic columns forms a -porte-cochère and measures 40 feet by 59 feet (east and west), and is -50 feet high. - -The building contains many beautiful paintings and other works of art, -among them a Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington, called the -Lansdowne Stuart, which was saved by Dolly Madison by cutting the -picture from its frame when the White House was burned by the British -in 1814. It is now in the East Room, which is the great reception -room, 82 feet long (the width of the mansion), 40 feet wide, and 22 -feet high. From the ceiling hang three massive crystal chandeliers. In -addition to numerous paintings, large vases and other articles adorn -the room. - -Other interesting rooms are the State Dining Room, the scene of -brilliant State functions; the Blue Room--the President’s reception -room--the walls of which are covered with rich blue corded silk, with -window hangings of blue; the Red Room, the walls and window draperies -of which are of red velvet; and the Green Room, which has on the walls -green velvet. The wainscoting of the Green Room is of white enamel. - -Large and beautiful grounds bound the White House on the south. Here -the Marine Band plays every Saturday afternoon during the summer -months. Also it is here where the annual Easter egg rolling takes -place, always a great day for the boys and girls of Washington. The -area is called the White Lot because about 1850 a board fence that -later was painted white surrounded these grounds. - -[Illustration: DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUILDING AS IT WILL APPEAR WHEN -REMODELED] - -Originally the main entrance to the White House was on the south side, -while the portico on the opposite side was a garden where the family -spent their evenings. This is the arrangement observed to-day at -Arlington House and at Mount Vernon, and is an indication that in the -colonial days the back yards of homes were as nicely kept as were the -front yards. - - -DEPARTMENT OF STATE - -[Illustration: DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUILDING, 1801] - -In 1788 the Department of Foreign Affairs moved from Fraunce’s Tavern -to a house owned by Philip Livingston, on the west side of Broadway, -near the Battery, in New York City. Later it moved to another house on -the same street on the opposite side. The Capital having been again -located at Philadelphia, the department took up its abode first on -Market Street, then on the southeast corner of Arch and Sixth Streets, -then in North Alley, and finally at the northeast corner of Fifth and -Chestnut Streets, where it remained until it was moved to Washington, -except for an interval of three months--from August to November, -1798--when it occupied the statehouse at Trenton, N. J., the office -being moved from Philadelphia on account of an epidemic of yellow -fever. - -On July 27, 1789, the act establishing an executive department to be -called the Department of Foreign Affairs was approved; but the Sedgwick -Act, approved September 15, 1789, changed this title to the Department -of State and that of the principal officer to the Secretary of State. -A few days later John Jay, who was Secretary of Foreign Affairs under -the Confederation, was nominated to be Chief Justice of the Supreme -Court and Thomas Jefferson to be Secretary of State, and both were -commissioned on September 26. Jay accepted at once, but continued to -discharge the duties of Secretary of State for some months. Under -date of October 13 President Washington informed Jefferson of his -appointment, and added that Mr. Jay had been so obliging as to continue -his good offices. When this letter was written Jefferson had not -returned to America from his mission to France. Upon his arrival Jay -recommended to him favorably “the young gentlemen in the office.” -Jefferson formally entered upon the discharge of his duties on March -22, 1790. - -When the seat of government was established in the District of Columbia -in 1800 the archives and the seven employees of the Department of -State were crowded into the Treasury Office, a building of 30 rooms, -to the east of the White House. It was the only Government building -sufficiently completed to receive them. John Marshall was then -Secretary of State. On August 27, 1800, the Department of State was -removed to one of the Seven Buildings on Pennsylvania Avenue and -Nineteenth Street NW. - -It has been interesting to determine positively the name of this -historic group of buildings, because some confusion has arisen through -there being in 1800 two groups or rows of houses, near to one another, -one called the Six Buildings and the other the Seven Buildings. -Christian Hines, in his Early Recollections of Washington City (1866), -says, when giving a list of the few houses standing in the year 1800: - - One square between Pennsylvania Avenue and K and Twenty-first and - Twenty-second Streets, the Six Buildings, three stories high, - owners and occupants not recollected * * *. One square bounded by - Pennsylvania Avenue and I and Nineteenth and Twentieth Streets, 10 - houses--one 3-story frame, occupied by a Mr. Middleton; one 2-Story - frame, owned and occupied by William Waters, Esq., and the Seven - Buildings, brick, 3 stories high. - -Samuel C. Busey, in his Pictures of the City of Washington in the -Past (1898), refers to and confirms Hines’s statements as to these -two sets of buildings, and adds that in the Six Buildings was located -O’Neal’s famous hotel. All writers apparently agree that the first -home of the Department of State in Washington was in the house on the -northwest corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Nineteenth Street. This row -of buildings--Nos. 1901-1913 Pennsylvania Avenue--is still standing, -though it has undergone considerable change. - -From the early part of 1820 to November, 1866, the Department of State -was located at the corner of Fifteenth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue -NW., in what was known as the Executive Building. The picture shown -below was given to William McNeir, chief of the division of accounts -of that department, by Thomas Ridgate, who found it in the attic of -the old building. It will be noted from the picture, which shows the -Treasury Department Building columns at the extreme left, that it -was taken before the building was razed to make room for the north -wing of the present Treasury Department Building; the rest of the new -building had at that time been erected. Of this building Jonathan Eliot -states, in his Historical Sketches of the Ten Mile Square, describing -Washington in 1830: - - At the distance of about 200 yards, on the east of the President’s - house, are situated two buildings for the Department of State and of - the Treasury; and at the same distance on the west are two others for - the War and Navy Departments. These buildings are all of the same - dimensions and construction; they are 160 feet long and 55 feet wide, - of brick, two stories in height; they are divided in their length by - a broad passage, with rooms on each side, and a spacious staircase - in the center. The two most northerly buildings are ornamented with - an Ionic portico of six columns and pediment. The grounds about - these offices have been graduated and planted of late years, and the - shrubbery begins to present a pleasing appearance. - -[Illustration: EXECUTIVE BUILDING, 1820-1866] - -W. K. Force, in his Picture of Washington for 1850, said, speaking of -the northeast Executive Building: - - The first floor is occupied by the Fifth Auditor of the Treasury at - the east end, and the Second Comptroller of the Treasury at the west - end. On the second floor are the apartments of the Secretary of State - and his suite; also the library of the department, containing some - ten or twelve thousand volumes. - -John Quincy Adams was Secretary of State when the move to this new -home was made, and thereafter followed a long list of distinguished -Secretaries, the last to occupy this building being William H. Seward, -from 1861 to 1869. - -The north wing of the present Treasury Department Building bears on its -exterior wall on Fifteenth Street a tablet, erected April 30, 1929, -by the Kiwanis Club of Washington, in cooperation with the Committee -on Marking Points of Historic Interest, which contains the following -inscription: - - FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA WAS DEVELOPED AND - STRENGTHENED BY THE SIGNING OF THE WEBSTER-ASHBURTON TREATY, ON - AUGUST 9, 1842, IN THE OLD STATE DEPARTMENT BUILDING WHICH STOOD ON - THIS SITE. THIS TREATY ESTABLISHED THE NORTHEASTERN BOUNDARY BETWEEN - THE TWO COUNTRIES. - -On March 3, 1871, Congress appropriated half a million dollars to start -work on the State, War, and Navy Departments Building. The act provided: - - For the construction under the direction of the Secretary of State, - on the southern portion of the premises now occupied by the War and - Navy Departments, of a building which will form the south wing of a - building that, when completed, will be similar in ground plan and - dimensions to the Treasury Building and provide accommodations for - the State, War, and Navy Departments. - -The original plans were drawn by Thomas U. Walter, a noted Philadelphia -architect, who designed the Dome of the Capitol and the completed -Treasury Building, but A. B. Mullett, Supervising Architect of the -Treasury, undertook the work, and finally only the interior conformed -to the original plans. - -The building was erected in five different sections. The south wing -was commenced in 1871 and completed in time for the Department of -State to move in July 1, 1875. The east wing was commenced in 1872 -and completed seven years later, so that on April 16, 1879, the War -and Navy Departments moved into that wing. The old War Department -Building, which had occupied the site of the north wing of the present -building, was demolished in 1879, and the new building or north wing -was completed three years later, the War Department moving into it in -December, 1882. The west and center wings were the last to be erected, -work on them commencing March 31, 1883, and being completed January -31, 1888. For a long time each wing was necessarily separated by a -solid wall--and later by an iron grill, or gates in the corridors--but -finally these disappeared, and the beauty of the long corridors as they -now are appeared. The total cost of the whole building was slightly -more than $10,000,000, and appropriations therefor spread over a period -of 17 years. Separate permanent buildings for the War and the Navy -Departments are now to be erected, these two departments being housed -at present largely in temporary buildings. The Department of State -alone remains in the building. - -In 1910 a building for the Department of State was recommended for a -site along Fifteenth Street, south of Pennsylvania Avenue, where now -the Department of Commerce has been built. In 1917 it was recommended -that a Department of State Building be erected on the west side of -Lafayette Square. - -In the new Federal building program Congress has provided that the -present State, War, and Navy Building be remodeled to conform in -design to the Treasury Department Building, and to be known as the -Department of State Building. The building will thus properly balance -the White House. Congress made a fund of $3,000,000 available for this -work. The Secretary of the Treasury appointed Waddy Wood, architect -of Washington, to prepare the design, which has been approved by the -Commission of Fine Arts. However, the project has been held in abeyance. - -The Department of State was created as the first department of the -Government in 1789, in order to help the President in carrying on our -foreign relations. However, in the early years of our country the -Department of State not only had charge of foreign affairs, but, as -Thomas Jefferson, the first Secretary of State, once wrote, it also had -charge of all important matters of domestic government as well, except -matters of war and finance. In the early days the Secretary of State -even managed the mint. Until 1849 he had charge of the Patent Office, -until 1859 handled all copyright matters, and until 1850 the census -of the United States was taken under his direction. Before the Civil -War, United States judges, marshals, and attorneys all received their -instructions from the Department of State, but in 1870 a new Department -of Justice was established to take care of these matters, and little -by little much of the domestic work was taken from this department and -put under new departments, such as the Department of the Interior, the -Department of Labor, and the Department of Commerce. Therefore, to-day -the Department of State devotes most of its time to handling foreign -affairs, although it is still the custodian, or the keeper, of the -great seal, the official seal of the Government of the United States. -When Congress passes new laws the original copies are kept in this -department, and when there is any correspondence between the various -States of the Union and the Federal Government it is carried on through -the Department of State. - -The Secretary of State has a force of some 950 people in the department -in Washington, and about 3,800 people scattered over all the world in -the Foreign Service of the United States. The department in Washington -is divided into 35 divisions and offices, each with its special work -to perform. Six divisions have charge of matters pertaining to foreign -countries--South and Central America; the Far East, as China, Japan, -and Siam; the division of Western European affairs; Eastern European -affairs; a division of the Near East; and the Mexican division. - -One of the largest offices in the department is the passport division, -which issues passports to American citizens traveling in foreign -countries. Last year 134,737 Americans obtained passports so that they -might travel abroad, the fees for which amounted to nearly $1,500,000, -almost enough to pay the entire expenses of the Department of State. - -[Illustration: DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY BUILDING] - -When foreigners wish to come to this country they must first go to one -of our American consuls to obtain a visa or a permit. The immigration -of foreigners into this country is now restricted by law. Therefore our -consuls examine the foreigners abroad, so that they may know before -starting on their journey whether they will be allowed to remain in -this country. The visa division of the Department of State has charge -of that work. - -Whenever there are expositions or meetings of various kinds abroad, -and it is decided that the United States Government shall take part -in them, such participation has to be arranged through another of the -divisions of the Department of State. As many as 150 cables are sent -every day to all parts of the world, which are taken care of in the -department’s telegraph office. In many foreign countries our Government -is now buying and constructing its own buildings for our ambassadors -and consuls, and one of the offices in the department attends to these -matters. - -The Secretary of State is assisted in the direction of all these -officers and offices by an Under Secretary of State, four Assistant -Secretaries of State, and a legal adviser. The United States has an -ambassador or minister in 54 different countries of the world. There -are 314 foreign commercial cities where the United States has a consul -general, consul, vice consul, or consular agent, who, among other -duties, help steamship lines and great business establishments to -promote commerce with the United States. Our consuls protect and assist -the hundreds of American missionaries whose stations are in remote -foreign regions of the world. In addition to their many duties they -help thousands of visitors during trips abroad who seek advice. And -when an American is visiting in a foreign land, even though scenery and -ruins that recall civilizations of past ages give him pleasure, there -is nothing that gives him more joy than to see in such places the Stars -and Stripes waving over a United States consulate. - - -DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY - -The Department of the Treasury was created by act of Congress September -2, 1789. Robert Morris, of Pennsylvania, financier and statesman, -one of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, was the first -financial officer of the Government and was Superintendent of Finance -from 1781 to 1784. Upon the resignation of Morris the powers conferred -upon him by the Continental Congress were transferred to the Board -of the Treasury. This board served until Alexander Hamilton, of New -York, the first Secretary of the Treasury, assumed office. Hamilton -served from September 11, 1789, to January 31, 1795, thus serving under -President Washington. Since the formation of the Government there -have been 50 Secretaries of the Treasury; the present incumbent, Hon. -Henry Morgenthau, jr., of New York, assumed office January 1, 1934. The -Secretary of the Treasury, of course, has supervision over the finances -of the Government. The annual estimates, however, since 1921 have been -transmitted to Congress by the Director of the Budget for the President -of the United States. - -The first building of the Treasury Department situated at this location -east of the White House was a small wooden structure, called the -State and Treasury Departments Building. It was built at the time the -seat of government was established in the District of Columbia in -1800 and comprised 30 rooms. This original building was burned by the -British during the invasion of Washington in 1814. A second building -was erected. This was destroyed by fire in 1833. In 1836 Congress -authorized the erection of “a fireproof building of such dimensions -as may be required for the present and future accommodations.” Also -the material for the building was to be similar to that used for the -Capitol and the White House. The architect was Mr. Robert Mills, who -at the same time was designing the Patent Office Building and later -won the competition for the design of the Washington Monument. When it -came to the question of location of the new building, it is said that -President Andrew Jackson, becoming impatient at the delay, said “Here, -right here, is where I want the corner stone laid.” Thus the building -stands where it is to-day. In 1839 the department was installed in the -unfinished building. - -The Treasury Building consists of a 4-story rectangle around a large -central court; this court is divided by a corridor of offices. On the -west the building faces the beautiful White House Grounds, its north -side is on Pennsylvania Avenue, its east front runs along Fifteenth -Street, and its south side overlooks a half-mile stretch of park -leading down to the Potomac River. - -The building completed in 1842 included only the middle portion of -the present east wing and the central corridor and offices. The south -wing was completed in 1861, the west wing in 1864, and the north wing -in 1869. It is an imposing granite structure. In design it is pure -Grecian, furnishing what is claimed to be one of the finest examples -of this style of architecture in Washington, if not in the entire -country. There are great pediments on the north, south, and west sides. -Monolithic columns of the Ionic order adorning the façades are the -distinguishing feature of the building architecturally. There are 72 of -these columns, each 36 feet in height, 30 being set to form an unbroken -colonnade 341 feet long on the east front. Most of the granite used was -brought to Washington in sailing vessels from Maine. The building has -488 rooms and cost over $6,000,000. - -The department long ago outgrew the building. The personnel in -Washington now numbers more than 22,000, with some 26 main bureaus and -divisions. At present Department of the Treasury bureaus occupy, in -addition to the main building, 9 entire buildings and part of 6 other -buildings owned by the Government and 5 rented quarters. The Treasury -Annex is an imposing building, designed by Cass Gilbert, across -Pennsylvania Avenue on the north. Congress has authorized its extension -to H Street. - -The Department of the Treasury is the central agency through which the -Federal Government conducts its financial affairs. Generally speaking, -it receives and has custody of all funds paid to the Government and -disburses all moneys of the Government. At the head of the department -are the Secretary of the Treasury, the Under Secretary of the Treasury, -and three Assistant Secretaries of the Treasury, whose offices are all -located in the main building. - -The receipts of the Government come chiefly from internal-revenue -collections and customs duties. The Bureau of Internal Revenue -administers and enforces the internal-revenue laws and collects all -internal-revenue taxes. The personnel of this bureau has been brought -together and now occupies a beautiful new building recently completed -as part of the development along the Mall. Import duties or customs are -collected by the Bureau of Customs. - -Disbursements of Government funds can be made only on the authorization -of Congress. When any payment is authorized, a warrant signed by the -Secretary of the Treasury and countersigned by the Comptroller General -of the United States is drawn. Upon this authority payment is made. The -division of bookkeeping and warrants, under the general supervision of -the commissioner of accounts and deposits, keeps complete records of -all appropriation accounts as well as of public moneys covered into the -Treasury and of warrants authorizing disbursements. - -The Treasurer of the United States is charged with responsibility for -the actual receipt and disbursement of all public moneys that may be -deposited in the United States Treasury and in all other depositaries -authorized to receive deposits of Government funds for credit in the -account of the Treasurer of the United States. He has also many other -fiscal duties. - -The public-debt service handles the records and operations pertaining -to the issue and retirement of the public debt and the interest -payments thereon, under the supervision of the commissioner of the -public debt. - -The Bureau of the Mint manufactures the coin circulating medium of the -country. It maintains mints at Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver -for the coinage of money, as well as assay offices in New York and -elsewhere. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing at Washington engraves -and prints notes, bonds, securities, stamps, checks, etc. - -The Comptroller of the Currency is charged under the law with the -supervision of national banks. - -[Illustration: VIEW NORTHWEST FROM THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT] - - -OTHER IMPORTANT BUILDINGS - -Lack of space in this book makes it necessary merely to mention the -more important of the other monumental buildings in the National -Capital. Detailed information concerning them may be found in the -author’s Washington the National Capital and in other books on -Washington. They should be studied in connection with the buildings -described in this chapter. - -Attention is called first to the group of monumental semipublic -buildings, classical in design, on Seventeenth Street north of -Constitution Avenue and along that Avenue from Seventeenth Street west -to the Potomac River. It has been said that nowhere else in the world -is there such a fine group of marble buildings. - - -THE CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART - -This Gallery had its beginning in the year 1869. It ranks as one of -the great art galleries in the United States. The present building (at -New York Avenue and Seventeenth Street) was designed by Ernest Flagg, -architect, and completed in 1897. It is built of Georgia marble. It -houses rare masterpieces of painting and sculpture. - - -THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS - -Adjacent to the Corcoran Gallery on the south, the American National -Red Cross occupies three large buildings constructed of Vermont marble. -They were designed by Trowbridge & Livingston, architects, of New York -City. The Red Cross had its beginning during the Civil War. In 1905 the -organization was chartered by Congress along its present lines. There -are 5,500,000 adult members and 8,500,000 Junior members (as of June -30, 1938). - - -MEMORIAL CONTINENTAL HALL - -The next building to the south is the headquarters of the National -Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It faces -Seventeenth Street, was designed by Edward Pearce Casey, architect, -built of Vermont marble, and completed in 1905. The cornerstone was -laid April 19, 1904, the anniversary of the Battle of Lexington. On -that date the organization holds its convention in Washington each -year. It was founded October 11, 1890, and on February 1, 1938, -numbered 142,744 members, with about 2,500 chapters in all parts of the -United States. - - -CONSTITUTION HALL - -Another of the Society’s buildings, facing Eighteenth Street, in this -square, is the leading auditorium of the city. It was designed by John -Russell Pope, architect, built of Alabama limestone, and completed in -October, 1929. The auditorium seats 4,000 persons. On page 278 there is -a picture of the building. The mural decorations of the interior are by -J. Monroe Hewlett, architect. - - -THE PAN AMERICAN BUILDING - -This building, at the corner of Seventeenth Street and Constitution -Avenue, is considered by some to be the most beautiful in Washington. -It was designed by Albert C. Kelsey and Paul P. Cret, architects, in -the Spanish-classical style of architecture. It was built of Georgia -marble and was dedicated April 26, 1910. It is the headquarters of the -21 Republics of the Pan American Union. In it is the famous Hall of the -Americas. Andrew Carnegie contributed $850,000 toward the building, and -the United States Government contributed the 5-acre tract, on which -stood the Van Ness Mansion (1815) and the David Burnes cottage, which -stood there in the days of George Washington. - - -THE NEW DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUILDING - -Designed by Waddy B. Wood, architect, the new Department of the -Interior building occupies two squares between C and E and Eighteenth -and Nineteenth Streets. It is built of Indiana limestone and is the -largest air-conditioned office building in the world. - - -PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE BUILDING - -This building, designed by J. H. deSibour, architect, is classical in -design and built of white Georgia marble. It was completed in 1933. It -is four stories in height and houses the large and growing office of -the Surgeon General of the United States and his staff of assistants. -In its location on Constitution Avenue it forms a part of the frame for -the Lincoln Memorial. - - -FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD BUILDING - -Completed in 1937, this building forms the center of the group -of monumental marble buildings along Constitution Avenue west of -Seventeenth Street. The design, by Paul P. Cret, architect, is based -on classical motives. It is built of white Georgia marble. It is the -headquarters building for the Federal Reserve Board. In it is a large -mosaic map of the United States by Ezra Winter, mural painter, showing -the location of the 12 Federal Reserve branch banks in the different -sections of the country. - - -NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES - -This building, designed by Bertram G. Goodhue, architect, is -immediately east of the Federal Reserve Board building. It is classical -in design and built of white marble from Dover, N. Y. The building -was dedicated by President Coolidge in April, 1924. The interior is -decorated with paintings and decorations by Hildreth Meiere and Albert -Herter; the sculptural decorations are by Lee Lawrie. - - -AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHARMACY - -Immediately north of the Lincoln Memorial stands the American Institute -of Pharmacy. It was designed by John Russell Pope, architect, and built -of white Vermont marble. It is classical in its style of architecture, -and in its location west of the National Academy of Sciences completes -the group of buildings on Constitution Avenue that form a frame for the -Lincoln Memorial. The building is the headquarters of the druggists -in the United States. More than 14,000 druggists subscribed toward -the building fund. The Pharmacopoeia of the United States, under -which prescriptions and drugs are standardized, is supervised by the -Institute. - - -SCOTTISH RITE TEMPLE - -This building, at Sixteenth and P Streets NW., is the headquarters of -the Supreme Council of the Thirty-third Degree, of the Ancient and -Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the Southern Jurisdiction. -It is modeled after the tomb of Mausolus, at Halicarnassus, in Asia -Minor, which was regarded by the ancients as one of the Seven Wonders -of the World. Its 33 Ionic columns are 33 feet tall, suggesting the 33 -degrees of Masonry. On each side of the main entrance is a colossal -sphinx, symbolic of Divine Wisdom and Power, executed by A. A. Weinman, -sculptor. The building was designed by John Russell Pope, architect. - - -CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON - -At 16th and P Streets NW. is the Carnegie Institution of Washington. -The building was designed by Carrére and Hastings, and shows an -influence of the French classical style of architecture. - - -CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES - -Dedicated in 1925, this building, at Connecticut Avenue and H Streets -NW., is classical in its style of architecture and is adapted to modern -office requirements. It was designed by Cass Gilbert, architect. Fully -13,000 business men representing almost 200 cities of the United States -contributed toward the building. - - -NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY - -The National Geographic Society, organized in 1888, “for the increase -and diffusion of geographic knowledge,” is the largest educational and -scientific body in the world. - -In its 50 years the society has sponsored a series of notable -explorations, discoveries, and research activities of our times, and -it has developed its unique and beautifully illustrated National -Geographic Magazine as a means of disseminating geographic information -among its world-wide membership. - -[Illustration: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY] - -[Illustration: CONSTITUTION HALL] - -The society’s administrative and editorial offices, at Sixteenth and M -Streets NW., were enlarged by an addition which extends its handsome -and dignified headquarters along a 214-foot frontage. A commodious and -modern office building at Third Street and Randolph Place NE., is used -for mailing its magazine, maps, and communications to its world-wide -membership. - -In its editorial, research, technical, photographic, and clerical -departments, and in the publishing of the National Geographic Magazine, -the society now employs more than 800 persons. It is the largest -non-Government user of the National Capital’s post office facilities. - -The society’s members, numbering 1,150,000 (December, 1938), represent -every community of 100 or more persons in the United States, while its -foreign membership of 183,709 includes residents in every country, -colony, principality, and mandated area of the world which has any -semblance of a postal system. - -To each member goes monthly the National Geographic Magazine, which -has been called the foremost educational periodical in the world; each -member also receives every map and panoramic illustration as issued. -Thus the society has distributed among its more than a million member -homes some 20,000,000 wall maps, in color, in addition to the numerous -sketch maps which accompany articles in the magazine. - -The society’s weekly lectures, which are held in Constitution Hall, -have become a part of the intellectual life of the National Capital. -Since their inception more than 1,400 explorers, statesmen, and -world travelers of note have addressed the Washington meetings. Such -explorers as Rear Admiral Peary, Sir Francis Younghusband, Capt. Roald -Amundsen, Colonel Lindbergh, and Rear Admiral Byrd have related their -findings to the society’s members; also such noted travelers as the -late Viscount Bryce, former Ambassador Jusserand, the late William -Howard Taft, and Colonel Roosevelt, after his return from his African -game hunt and his Amazon expedition. - -When these lectures are of general interest they are reprinted and -illustrated in the magazine for the society’s entire membership. - -At its Sixteenth Street headquarters the society maintains a library of -up-to-date geographic information, comprising some 20,000 volumes, in -addition to maps, periodicals, and reports from foreign governments and -geographic societies. - -The leading universities of the city, such as Georgetown University, -founded 1789; George Washington University, founded 1821; Catholic -University, founded 1889; American University, founded 1893; Howard -University, founded 1867; Columbia Institution for the Deaf, founded -1857; and Trinity College, Brookland, founded 1897; also have their -monumental buildings. - -In the Triangle group are to be found: Department of Commerce Building, -York & Sawyer, architects; Department of Labor and Interstate Commerce -Commission Building, Arthur Brown, architect; Post Office Department -Building, Delano & Aldrich, architects; Department of Justice Building, -Zantzinger, Borie & Medary, architects; Internal Revenue Building, -Louis Simon, architect; National Archives Building, John Russell Pope, -architect; Federal Trade Commission (Apex) Building, Bennett, Parsons & -Frost, architects. - -[Illustration: THE TRIANGLE GROUP OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS ALONG -CONSTITUTION AVENUE] - -[Illustration: THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART] - -[Illustration: THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES BUILDING] - -[Illustration: THE MAKERS OF THE CONSTITUTION] - -[Illustration: THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE] - -Other buildings are: The Central Heating Plant (for heating 75 -buildings), Paul P. Cret, architect; Bureau of Engraving and Printing, -W. B. Olmstead, architect; Smithsonian Institution (begun in 1846), -James Renwick, architect; National Museum Building, Hornblower -& Marshall, architects; Freer Gallery of Art, Charles A. Platt, -architect; Department of Agriculture Building, Rankin, Kellogg & Crane, -architects; Department of Agriculture South Building, the Supervising -Architect; Naval Observatory; State, War, and Navy Building, A. B. -Mullett, supervising architect; Old Pension Office Building (General -Accounting Office); Army War College, McKim, Mead & White, architects; -Walter Reed Hospital; Naval Hospital; Public Library, Ackerman & Ross, -architects; United States Bureau of Standards; National Zoological Park -(large new buildings completed in 1937); National Gallery of Art (now -under construction), John Russell Pope, architect. - - -IMPORTANT BRIDGES OF WASHINGTON - -Arlington Memorial Bridge, McKim, Mead & White, architects; Calvert -Street Bridge, Paul P. Cret, architect; Francis Scott Key Bridge, -Nathan Wyeth, architect; Connecticut Avenue (Taft) Bridge, Edward P. -Casey, architect, lions by R. Hinton Perry; Q Street Bridge, Glenn -Brown and Bedford Brown, architects, A. Phimister Proctor, sculptor; -Klingle Ford Bridge, Connecticut Avenue, Paul P. Cret, architect; New -Chain Bridge, designed under supervision of Brig. Gen. Dan I. Sultan, -former Engineer Commissioner of the District of Columbia; John Philip -Sousa Bridge, Southeast, McKim, Mead & White, architects. - - -CATHEDRAL OF ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL - -(WASHINGTON CATHEDRAL) - -The cathedral is situated on Mount St. Alban, in the northwestern part -of the city, on a hill 400 feet in height, said to be the highest point -in the District of Columbia, giving a superb view over the National -Capital. - -The cathedral, also known as the National Cathedral, was designed by -George F. Bodley, of London, and Henry Vaughn, of Boston. It is a -typical fourteenth century Gothic edifice. The cornerstone was laid in -1907, and since then a large part of the cathedral has been completed. -Its ultimate cost, it is estimated, will be $20,000,000. The central -nave is about complete, the apse and north transept are finished as are -also several of the chapels, such as the Bethlehem Chapel, the Norman -Chapel, the Chapel of St. John, and the Chapel of St. Mary. There are -costly stones in the building from many parts of the world, including a -stone from Bethlehem, which formed the cornerstone. - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON CATHEDRAL] - -[Illustration: WASHINGTON CATHEDRAL] - -[Illustration: NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION] - -The building is constructed of limestone. The sculpture and beautifully -stained glass windows form the principal decorations. - -The total length of the building from the exterior of the apse at -the eastern end to the main entrance at the western end will be 534 -feet. The total spread of the transepts will be 215 feet, and each -of these arms of the cross will be 105 feet wide. The ground area of -the cathedral will be 71,000 square feet, and this will be ample to -provide standing room for 27,000 persons or seating space for 7,500. -The central tower will rise to a height of 262 feet and each of the two -western towers will be 195 feet high. The nave will have a span of 40 -feet and its height will be 95 feet. - -Within the cathedral are buried Woodrow Wilson, our World War -President; also Admiral George Dewey, General Nelson A. Miles, and -several bishops of the Episcopal Church. - -The grounds comprise 67 acres, and the carefully designed Bishop’s -Garden forms an interesting feature. The National Cathedral School for -Girls and for Boys and the College of Preachers are within the grounds. - - -NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION - -This cathedral has been designed in the Roman-Byzantine style of -architecture. It is located on Michigan Avenue, Brookland, in the -Catholic University grounds. The cornerstone for the church was laid -in 1920. It is estimated that the total cost will be $50,000,000. The -architects are Maginnis & Walsh, of Boston, and Professor Frederick V. -Murphy, architect, of Washington. - -The building as designed is cruciform in plan, with a triple apse, -at the focus of which is placed the central altar within a great -baldachin. The apse is of vast scale and, with the presbytery that -separates it from the transepts, will admit of important ceremonies. -The dome will be 250 feet high; the tall campanile, or bell tower, -330 feet high. The building is to take its place with such notable -memorials as Santa Maria Maggiore, of Rome, and Santa Maria del Fiore, -of Florence. It is to stand as a symbol of American Catholic devotion -to the Virgin Mary. The availability of the Byzantine tradition for the -rendering of this idea was readily perceived. The crypt, capable of -seating approximately 1,500 persons, has been completed. Here a most -interesting decorative scheme in terms of faïence has been introduced -to enrich the effect of the vaults. The central altar is of Algerian -onyx. The pavement is of Italian marble. The crypt is richly treated -with still other marbles and with mosaics. - - -NATIONAL CHURCHES IN WASHINGTON - -There is no city in the country that has so many representative -churches as the city of Washington, which is undoubtedly due to the -fact that this is the National Capital. The leading denominations of -the country, recognizing the importance of religion in the life of the -Nation, have erected or are raising funds for the erection of great -edifices, including memorial churches, fittingly to represent them at -the seat of government. - -In chapter XX attention has already been directed to the earliest -churches in Washington. - - -EMBASSIES AND LEGATIONS - -Among the notable buildings in the National Capital that have had -a distinguished place since the early days of the Republic are the -residences, embassies, and legations of the representatives from -foreign countries. At the present time there are 53, representing the -leading countries of the world. - -The legation and embassy buildings are held territory of the respective -countries to which they belong, and fly the flag of their respective -nations, excepting on state occasions, when they fly both their own -flag and that of the United States. - -L’Enfant, in his plan of the city, contemplated diplomatic buildings to -line the Mall. But as the Mall was delayed in its development for over -a century, the museum type of building has been erected on the Mall -and the diplomatic establishments located elsewhere. In later years -the suggestion was offered to locate them in the vicinity of the State -Department. - -At the present time the embassies and legations are located, for the -most part, in the residential section of northwest Washington. Quite -a number are on Sixteenth Street in the vicinity of Meridian Hill -Park. In more recent years several of the leading countries have built -new embassies on spacious grounds. In this Great Britain has taken -the lead, having built a large embassy on 4 acres of ground at 3100 -Massachusetts Avenue, near the Naval Observatory. Three blocks beyond, -the Norwegian Legation building has recently been completed. In recent -years the Imperial Japanese Government built a new embassy at 2514 -Massachusetts Avenue. The French Government recently purchased the home -of John Hays Hammond for its new embassy. - -A list of the countries having embassies and legations in Washington -(with the exception of Estonia, whose representative is located in New -York City) is as follows: - -[Illustration: BRITISH EMBASSY] - -[Illustration: ITALIAN EMBASSY] - - Albania: The Mayflower Hotel. - - Argentina: 1806 Corcoran Street. - - Belgium: 1777 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Bolivia: Fifteenth and K Streets. - - Brazil: 3007 Whitehaven Street. - - Bulgaria: 2881 Woodland Drive. - - Canada: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Chile: 2154 Florida Avenue. - - China: 2001 Nineteenth Street. - - Colombia: 1520 Twentieth Street. - - Costa Rica: 2128 Bancroft Place. - - Cuba: 2630 Sixteenth Street. - - Czechoslovakia: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Denmark: 1868 Columbia Road. - - Dominican Republic: 2633 Sixteenth Street. - - Ecuador: Barr Building. - - Egypt: 2301 Massachusetts Avenue. - - El Salvador: 2400 Sixteenth Street. - - Estonia: Rockefeller Plaza, New York City. - - Finland: 2416 Tracy Place. - - France, Chancery: 1601 V Street. - - Germany: 1439 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Great Britain: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Greece: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Guatemala: 1614 Eighteenth Street. - - Haiti: 5017 Sixteenth Street. - - Honduras: 2611 Woodley Place. - - Hungary: 1424 Sixteenth Street. - - Ireland: 2310 Tracy Place. - - Italy: 2700 Sixteenth Street. - - Japan: 2514 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Latvia: 1715 Twenty-second Street. - - Lithuania: 2622 Sixteenth Street. - - Mexico: 2829 Sixteenth Street. - - Netherlands: 1470 Euclid Street. - - Nicaragua: 1521 New Hampshire Avenue. - - Norway: 3401 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Panama: 1536 Eighteenth Street. - - Paraguay: Wardman Park Hotel. - - Peru: 1300 Sixteenth Street. - - Poland: 2640 Sixteenth Street. - - Portugal: Wardman Park Hotel. - - Rumania: 1601 Twenty-third Street. - - Siam: 2300 Kalorama Road. - - Spain: 2801 Sixteenth Street. - - Sweden: 2247 R Street. - - Switzerland: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Turkey: 1606 Twenty-third Street. - - Union of South Africa: 3101 Massachusetts Avenue. - - Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: 1125 Sixteenth Street. - - Uruguay: 1010 Vermont Avenue. - - Venezuela: 2400 Sixteenth Street. - - Yugoslavia: 1520 Sixteenth Street. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -THE PUBLIC-BUILDINGS PROGRAM - - -NEW BUILDINGS NECESSARY - -As a result of the World War, Government departments in Washington -became overcrowded, and from 30,000 to 40,000 employees were housed in -temporary buildings. This congested situation made a public-building -program one of urgent need. For 40 years no real department building -had been erected in Washington. The Department of Agriculture was in 47 -rented buildings. The Department of War and the Department of the Navy -were housed in many temporary war buildings. - -[Illustration: PLAN OF 1910 FOR DEVELOPING SOUTH SIDE OF PENNSYLVANIA -AVENUE] - - -PLANS AS DEVELOPED - -In 1910 plans were authorized for three department buildings--Justice, -Commerce and Labor, and State--to be built along Fifteenth Street, -between Pennsylvania Avenue and B Street NW., now Constitution Avenue, -and the land in this locality was bought by the Government, but the -building project was deferred. Again, in 1913, Congress took up the -question of a public-building program, and in 1917 a comprehensive -survey was made by the Public Buildings Commission of the needs of -the Government for additional buildings. At that time the area south -of Pennsylvania Avenue along Fifteenth Street to Constitution Avenue, -which in 1910 was proposed for three buildings, was designated for two -buildings. Then came the World War, during which the many temporary war -buildings were erected. President Coolidge in his message to Congress -on December 9, 1925, called attention to the great need for public -buildings and asked for an annual appropriation of $10,000,000. He -said: - -[Illustration: VIEW OF THE MALL FROM THE CAPITOL DOME, LOOKING WEST] - -[Illustration: VIEW OF THE MALL FROM THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT, LOOKING -EAST] - - No public buildings bill has been enacted since before the war. I - am not in favor of an act which would be characterized as a general - parceling out of favors and that usually bears a name lacking in good - repute. I am ready to approve an act similar in character to that - already passed by the House, providing a lump-sum appropriation to - be expended under the direction of the Treasury or any other proper - authority, over a term of years, with such annual appropriation as - the national finances could provide. - -The public buildings act was approved May 25, 1926. - -This marked the beginning of a public-buildings program in the National -Capital greater than any which had been undertaken by the United States -since the establishment of the seat of government along the banks of -the Potomac in 1790. - -Congress placed the public-buildings program in the hands of the -Secretary of the Treasury, both for Federal buildings in the States and -for the District of Columbia. To assist him in the plans for new public -buildings here in the National Capital the Secretary of the Treasury -appointed a board of architectural consultants. The Commission of Fine -Arts has been called upon regularly to advise in the development of the -plans for the new public buildings. - -Five years had not yet elapsed when the long pent-up needs for -buildings to accommodate public business finally burst their bonds in -the act of 1926. The preparations for the flood had been long in the -making--so long and so carefully considered, indeed, that the flood has -always been under control. There has been no haphazard planning. No -hasty or ill-considered work has been done. The harmonious development -of the National Capital has progressed in form that would have pleased -George Washington, and latterly with a speed and vigor that would have -gladdened his heart. - -In addition to the great public-buildings program and the Arlington -Memorial Bridge, Congress authorized during the past ten years many -other great projects for the development of the National Capital -which contribute to making Washington the greatest and most beautiful -national capital in the world. Among these are: The completion of the -Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington, the restoration of Arlington -Mansion, the Mount Vernon Highway, the George Washington Memorial -Parkway, the enlargement of the Capitol Grounds and development of -Union Station Plaza, development of the Mall, addition to the House -Office Building, addition to the Library of Congress, United States -Supreme Court Building, Government Printing Office extension, Social -Security Building, War Department Building, Navy Department Building, -new Naval Hospital, Municipal Center development, Walter Reed General -Hospital buildings, Botanic Garden and new conservatory near the -Capitol, and a National Arboretum. - -[Illustration: TREATMENT OF THE CAPITOL GROUNDS] - -[Illustration: PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE BETWEEN THE TREASURY AND THE -CAPITOL] - - -PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE - -Pennsylvania Avenue is the great historic avenue of the Nation, -particularly that portion between the legislative and executive -branches of the Government--the Capitol and the White House--extending -a distance of 1 mile. It was named by Congress at the time the plan -of Washington was under consideration, in compliment to the State of -Pennsylvania. In the time of Thomas Jefferson it was a dusty highway, -and to add beauty to it he planted quick-growing poplar trees. Being -about at sea level in elevation, it was the scene of rowboats in times -of flood as late as the year 1880. Several large department stores of -the city to-day had their beginning on the Avenue. The Evening Star has -been published there for about 89 years; its home, remodeled from time -to time, to-day is a large and beautiful building. - -Since the L’Enfant plan provided for giving Pennsylvania Avenue -a conspicuous place in the development of the National Capital, -Congress decided, by the public buildings act of May 25, 1926, that -the necessary land on the south side of the Avenue from the Capitol -to the Treasury should be purchased by the Government and monumental -buildings erected thereon. In the House of Representatives the bill -was sponsored by Congressman Richard N. Elliott. As Chairman of the -Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, he had a very prominent -part in furthering the legislation for the public buildings program of -the National Capital and also for the country at large. More public -buildings were authorized during the Sixty-ninth and Seventieth -Congresses (1925-1929) than in all the preceding Congresses. In the -United States Senate the public buildings program was sponsored by -Senator Bert N. Fernald and after his death in 1926 by Senator Henry W. -Keyes, Chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds of the -Senate. This is the Triangle Plan, which is now being carried out. In -due time it is expected also that the north side will be developed to -correspond to the south side. However, several buildings now there may -be considered as established for decades to come. - -Here at Pennsylvania Avenue, connecting the Capitol and the White -House, we are at the heart of the Nation. It is the Via Sacra of the -great Republic of the New World. - -On September 5, 1931, at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Archives -Building, at Pennsylvania Avenue and Seventh Street, Hon. Ferry K. -Heath, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, who was in immediate charge -of the public-buildings program, said: “The story of the traffic and -parades of this great Avenue would be an outline of the history of the -United States.” - -The act for enlarging the Capitol Grounds, and the municipal center -development on the north side of the Avenue, gives the Government -control from the Capitol to Sixth Street. - -[Illustration: UNION STATION AND PLAZA, LOOKING NORTH FROM THE DOME OF -THE CAPITOL] - - -TRIANGLE DEVELOPMENT - -Upon the adoption of the public buildings act of May 25, 1926, Hon. -Andrew W. Mellon, Secretary of the Treasury, took up with the Public -Buildings Commission, and the executive departments that were in -immediate need of new buildings, the project to place the building -program under way. Secretary Mellon authorized the preparation of a -tentative study for new public buildings, and after an interval of a -few months sketches were submitted to him for a series of buildings -monumental in character and intended for the most part for locations -south of Pennsylvania Avenue. The greater part of the Triangle -development has been completed. - - -ENLARGEMENT OF THE CAPITOL GROUNDS AND UNION STATION PLAZA DEVELOPMENT - -An important feature of the McMillan Park Commission plan of 1901 was -the creation of a series of “Congress Gardens” on the north side of the -Capitol. For many years this project was held in abeyance pending the -completion of the purchase of lands. The development necessitated the -purchase of 12 squares and laying out a plan for this long-neglected -area at the entrance to the city. The plan also provided for a new -avenue to extend from Union Station to Pennsylvania Avenue, and street -cars are routed accordingly. - -In addition to the landscape features, the plan, which was designed by -Bennett, Parsons & Frost, architects of Chicago, provided for a terrace -upon which is located a fountain and also a large basin, which reflects -the Dome of the Capitol. To harmonize with this plan, a new approach to -the northwest corner of the Senate Office Building has been built. - -The temporary war buildings and Government hotels, which stood on the -grounds a whole decade after the World War, have been removed, and the -work of developing the plan was carried forward as rapidly as possible -under the direction of David Lynn, Architect of the Capitol. - -Through this plan the United States Capitol is given the appropriate -landscape setting which, as the most important building in this -country, it should have. The plan joins the plan for the Mall, giving -the Capitol the open approach from the west and embellishing Union -Square at the head of the Mall. - - -UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT BUILDING - -The United States Supreme Court Building is in classic style, in -harmony with the architecture of the Capitol and adjacent buildings, -and is located in the square east of the Capitol, north of the Library -of Congress, and facing the United States Senate Chamber. - -The building, 385 feet from east to west and 305 feet from north to -south, has four open courtyards 64 feet square. The portico is of the -Corinthian order, and there is a low pilaster treatment around the -building. - -[Illustration: _Photograph by Commercial Photo Co._ - -THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT BUILDING] - -[Illustration: THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT CHAMBER - -FRIEZE BY A. A. WEINMAN, SCULPTOR] - -General designs were prepared, and then, to unify every part of the -design, a model was made which was publicly exhibited in the Rotunda of -the Capitol for a number of months. - -The Supreme Court Chamber is placed on the main axis of the plan. -It is characterized by appropriate simplicity and quiet dignity. -It is classical in style, 82 feet by 91 feet square in its extreme -dimensions, about 64 feet square inside the columns, and 45 feet high -from floor to ceiling. - -The second floor contains a law library and rooms for members of the -bar and conference rooms. - -The third floor contains a law library and reading room. The justices’ -rooms are on the first floor, convenient to the court room. - -A number of rooms for the use of lawyers are provided in the second -story. Two large conference rooms are provided on the main floor, and -on this floor also rooms are provided for the Attorney General, the -Solicitor General, the clerk of the Supreme Court, and the marshal. -Convenient rooms and special telephone booths have been provided for -the press. - -The appropriation for the building authorized by Congress was -$9,740,000. - -The building was designed by Cass Gilbert, architect, and the erection -was under the charge of the Supreme Court Building Commission, Chief -Justice Charles Evans Hughes, chairman. David Lynn, Architect of the -Capitol, a member of the commission, was the contracting officer. - - -HOMES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES - -The Supreme Court of the United States is the major tribunal of one -of three coordinate branches of the Government--the judicial. During -the 148 years of its existence the Supreme Court has sat in eight -different places, always in or near the Capitol or place of meeting -of the legislative body. Thus it met, first, in New York; second, in -Independence Hall, Philadelphia; third, in the basement of the Capitol, -where it was when the British burned the Capitol in 1814; fourth, while -the Capitol was being rebuilt the Supreme Court occupied the residence -of the clerk of the court; fifth, when the Capitol wings were built it -moved into its former chamber; sixth, when driven out by an explosion -and fire in 1898 it occupied the committee room of the Senate Committee -on the District of Columbia, of which Senator McMillan was chairman, -and also sat for a brief period in the Judiciary Committee Room. - -It then moved back into what was the old Senate Chamber until 1859 -which was designed by Benjamin Latrobe, after the model of a Greek -theater, a semicircular hall with a low-domed ceiling. It is historic. -Here Webster replied to Hayne; here Calhoun debated with Clay and -Webster; and in it the Electoral Commission sat which decided the -presidential contest between Hayes and Tilden in 1877. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - - -The first Government of the District of Columbia consisted of three -Commissioners appointed by the President of the United States. Then 21 -mayors served from 1802 to 1871. - -A Territorial form of government, consisting of a governor, a board of -public works, and a legislative assembly, was provided for by an act -of Congress of February 21, 1871. The legislative assembly consisted -of 11 members, called a council, and 22 other members, called a -house of delegates. The District also had a Delegate in the House of -Representatives of the United States. The governor and the board of -public works were appointed by the President of the United States, -and the legislative assembly was elected by the people. This form of -government lasted three years, until June 20, 1874, when Congress -provided that the District should be governed by three commissioners, -appointed by the President. This was known as the temporary form of -government and lasted until June 30, 1878. - -Thereupon the Congress, by an act approved June 11, 1878, created the -present form of government of the District of Columbia, to become -effective July 1, 1878. By this act the District was created a -municipal corporation with right to sue and be sued. - -The act provided for the appointment of three commissioners, two of -them to be selected by the President from persons residing in the -District of Columbia for a period of three years preceding their -appointment. The third member was to be an officer of the Engineer -Corps, United States Army, detailed by the President, and to be -known as the engineer commissioner. The appointments of the civilian -commissioners are for a period of three years, or until their -successors are appointed. The detail of the engineer commissioner is at -the pleasure of the President. This detail is usually about four years. - -While the District has a municipal form of government, Congress, by -various statutory enactments, has treated it as a branch of the United -States Government by including it in legislation applying to the -executive departments, such as the budget and accounting act, the act -classifying the salaries of Federal employees, and the act providing -for retirement of Federal employees. - -In the act of June 11, 1878, it was provided that the expenses of the -government of the District should be borne 50 per cent by the United -States Government and 50 per cent from the revenues of the District of -Columbia, raised by taxation. This method of financing remained in -force from 1878 until 1920. In that year the proportionate expense was -changed by Congress so that 60 per cent of the expenditures was raised -by taxation and 40 per cent was contributed by the Federal Government. -This provision continued in force until the year 1925, when Congress -determined on a lump-sum contribution of $9,000,000 annually, the -balance of the expenses to be raised by taxation; the amounts of money -appropriated have varied since then. - -The heads of the various departments make recommendations to the -commissioner in charge of their respective departments, and each -commissioner brings these recommendations to meetings of the board of -commissioners, which are held on Tuesday and Friday of each week. The -secretary to the board of commissioners records the action on these -recommendations and acts as executive officer of the board by issuing -orders and carrying on correspondence. - -Not all of the municipal duties are, however, vested in the board of -commissioners. The management of the public schools is vested in a -school board of nine members appointed by the justices of the Supreme -Court of the District of Columbia. The Public Library, with its -branches, is managed by a board of trustees appointed by the board of -commissioners. The penal, charitable, and correctional institutions are -managed by a board of public welfare appointed by the commissioners. -The public utilities are under a public-utilities commission, -consisting of two civilians, appointed by the President, and the -engineer commissioner, who is a member ex officio. The public parks -are under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior, which -is also in charge of public buildings and grounds. The water supply -is under an Army engineer officer, designated the district engineer, -but the distribution of the water is under the jurisdiction of the -commissioners. The zoning of private property as to height of building, -use of building, area of ground to be built upon, is handled by a -zoning commission, of which the three commissioners are members and, in -addition thereto, the Architect of the Capitol and the Director of the -National Park Service. - -The justices of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia and the -judges of the police, municipal, and juvenile courts are appointed by -the President, as is also the recorder of deeds. - -The National Capital Park and Planning Commission has been created by -Congress to advise the commissioners as to the planning of the city in -laying out new and changing old highways. This commission purchases -all land for parks and playgrounds. The land so purchased for parks -is placed under the Department of the Interior and the land for -playgrounds under the commissioners. - -All expenditures for municipal purposes, including the schools, parks, -water supply, land purchases, etc., are appropriated by Congress -annually, and are based upon estimates submitted by the heads of the -District government and the other officials hereinbefore named. - -These estimates are submitted by the Commissioners to the Director of -the Budget, a Federal official, and when approved are submitted by -the President to Congress, together with the estimates of the Federal -Government. Before submitting such estimates the Commissioners fix upon -a tax rate which they believe should not be exceeded. This tax rate is -such that, when applied to the taxable value of real, personal, and -intangible property in the District of Columbia, it will raise the -funds necessary to meet the estimates of the appropriations submitted -to the Director of the Budget. The present rate of taxation for real -and personal property is $1.75 per $100, based on full value. For -intangible personal property, such as money in bank, stocks and bonds, -etc., the rate is $5 per thousand. - -For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1938, the assessed value of land -in the District of Columbia was $480,473,718, and of improvements -$713,025,368, a total of $1,193,499,086. - -The assessed value of tangible personal property for the same year was -$81,566,107. The value of intangible personal property was $575,472,070. - -The budget estimate as submitted by the President to Congress each year -is reviewed by subcommittees of the Appropriations Committees of the -House and Senate, and the total amount of the Appropriation is fixed by -Congress and approved by the President. - -Under the provisions of the Constitution, all legislation affecting -the District of Columbia must be passed by Congress. The advice of the -Commissioners is usually sought before such legislation is enacted. - -What has been stated is but a brief outline of the government of the -District of Columbia. It can readily be seen that the District has a -dual status as a municipal corporation and as a branch of the Federal -Government. This situation has no parallel in any other city of the -United States. The District is also unique in having no bonded debt. -All of its expenses are borne from current revenues. - -The residents of the District of Columbia do not enjoy the privilege -and obligation of suffrage. On the question of whether the people -should be allowed to vote in national elections and in local elections -there is a division of opinion. - -[Illustration: ARLINGTON CEMETERY, ARLINGTON MANSION, AND FORT MYER] - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY - - -HISTORY OF ARLINGTON - -The land comprising the Arlington estate, 1,100 acres, was sold -by Gerard Alexander to John Parke Custis in December, 1778, for a -consideration of £11,000 Virginia currency. John Parke Custis never -lived at Arlington, and on his death in 1781 his son, George Washington -Parke Custis, inherited the Arlington estate. Mr. Custis lived at Mount -Vernon, however, until after the death of Martha Washington, which -occurred on May 22, 1802. He then took possession of the tract, changed -the name to Arlington, after an old family seat on the eastern shore of -Virginia. While he was building the mansion he lived in a small cottage -on the Potomac. The two wings were built first. The central portion -of the house, with its massive columns, is said to have been built -from plans drawn by George Hadfield, an English architect, who came to -this country with the intention of designing the new Capitol. The date -when the mansion was completed is uncertain, but Mrs. Robert E. Lee is -authority for the statement that it was completed just before the Civil -War. The family lived in the wings for many years. - -In 1804 Mr. Custis married Mary Lee Fitzhugh, daughter of William -Fitzhugh, of Chatham, at Alexandria, Va. To this union four children -were born, but only one, Mary Ann Randolph Custis (born October 1, -1808), lived. On June 30, 1831, she became the wife of Lieut. Robert E. -Lee. Upon the death of her father, in 1857, title to the estate passed -to Mrs. Lee. - -On May 24, 1861, Union troops occupied Arlington, and it soon became -an armed camp. Under an act of Congress passed June 17, 1862, certain -commissioners of the Government were appointed to levy and collect -taxes in Virginia and elsewhere; and if default in payment was made, -to sell the real estate upon which the taxes were levied. Prior to -January, 1864, the commissioners had adopted a rule by which payment of -taxes in the district where the Arlington property was located would -not be accepted unless tendered by the owner in person. Mrs. Lee could -not comply with this rule, so she sent a cousin, Mr. Fendall, to pay -the taxes. The money was refused, and he was informed that Mrs. Lee -must be present in person. - -On January 11, 1864, there was due only the sum of $92.07 on the 1,100 -acres of the Arlington estate, together with a 50 per cent penalty, -when the property was sold “according to law,” as stated in the tax -certificate. The United States acquired title to the property at public -auction by the payment of $26,000. - -[Illustration: ARLINGTON MANSION--RECEPTION HALL] - -Upon the death of Mrs. Lee, in 1873, her eldest son, George Washington -Custis Lee, according to the will of his grandfather, George Washington -Parke Custis, became entitled to the Arlington estate. He at once -took steps looking to the recovery of the property. After petitioning -Congress in vain, he began suit in ejectment in 1877 at Alexandria, -Va. In 1879 the United States Circuit Court for the Eastern District -of Virginia decided he was entitled to the estate and that the United -States did not have lawful title. The Department of Justice carried -the case to the United States Supreme Court, which decided that the -property belonged to Mr. Lee. The United States was thus faced with -the question of whether to disinter the remains of thousands of -soldiers and sailors and vacate the property, part of which had become -a military post, or purchase the same. However, Mr. Lee was willing -to sell Arlington for $150,000. On March 3, 1883, the Forty-seventh -Congress appropriated the necessary money, and on March 31 Mr. Lee -executed a deed which conveyed the title to the United States. The -deed was recorded at the Alexandria County Courthouse on the 14th -day of May, 1883, just 22 years, less 10 days, from the day, May 24, -1861, when General Scott’s soldiers crossed the Potomac River and took -possession. - -Mary Randolph, wife of David Meade Randolph, and a relative of the -Custis family, is the first person known to have been buried at -Arlington. In April, 1853, Mrs. Custis, wife of the owner of the -estate, George Washington Parke Custis, died and was laid to rest in a -little plot of ground beneath huge oaks not far from the mansion house. -The master of Arlington died on October 10, 1857, and was laid beside -his wife. To-day their graves may be seen, surmounted by simple marble -shafts, within an iron-fenced inclosure, where lilies-of-the-valley -cover the ground in profusion. The Quartermaster General’s Department -has recently erected a marker beside the grave of Mrs. Randolph, giving -a short history of her life. - - -ARLINGTON AS A NATIONAL CEMETERY - -Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs, Quartermaster Corps, United States Army, was -the first to suggest to President Lincoln that the estate be converted -into a military cemetery, and in 1864, by order of Secretary of War -Stanton, 200 acres were set apart and dedicated as a national cemetery -for the burial of Union soldiers and sailors. However, the first man to -be buried there was a Confederate soldier who died in the hospital May -13, 1864. - -There are buried in Arlington a small number of those who fought in the -Revolutionary War and some who were in the War of 1812. Their remains -were removed to Arlington from an abandoned cemetery in 1892. Thousands -of men who died in the Civil War are buried there, with veterans of the -Spanish-American War and the Philippine campaign, and now the veterans -of the World War are steadily being added to the number. - -[Illustration: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY--MEMORIAL AMPHITHEATER] - -In front of Arlington House is the tomb of Maj. Pierre Charles -L’Enfant, engineer, artist, and soldier, who, under the direction of -President Washington and Thomas Jefferson, designed the plans for the -city of Washington. - - -ARLINGTON MEMORIAL AMPHITHEATER - -On May 5, 1868, Gen. John A. Logan, commander in chief of the Grand -Army of the Republic, issued the following general order (No. 11): - - The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with - flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in - defense of their country, * * * posts and comrades will, in their own - way, arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as - circumstances may permit. - -There has been an annual observance of this ceremony in all the -national cemeteries of the country since this order was promulgated. - -For years a vine-covered pergola, erected by the Quartermaster’s -Department of the Army, was used for the Memorial Day exercises. When -it was found to be entirely inadequate to accommodate the increasing -number of people who attended the exercises, it was decided to erect -a suitable building which would serve not only as a memorial to our -soldiers and sailors but which would also provide an assembly place for -those attending such exercises as might be held in the cemetery grounds. - -Accordingly, the first steps toward this end were taken in 1903, when -the necessity for such a building and the appropriateness of its -erection were first suggested by the commander of the Department of the -Potomac, Grand Army of the Republic. Preliminary sketches and plans -were prepared in 1905 and presented to Congress by the Secretary of -the Treasury, but no action was taken until 1908, when the Arlington -Memorial Amphitheater Commission was created, and an appropriation -of $5,000 to secure and present more detailed plans for the proposed -memorial was made. No further action was taken by Congress for five -years, when, by the act of March 3, 1913, the construction of a -memorial amphitheater and chapel, in accordance with plans prepared -by Carrere & Hastings, architects, of New York City, was authorized. -Ground was broken March 1, 1915, the corner stone was laid October 13, -1915, and the memorial was dedicated May 15, 1920. - -[Illustration: THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER OF THE WORLD WAR] - -The main feature of the structure consists of an open-air amphitheater, -elliptical in plan, with a seating capacity of about 4,000 persons. -Its diameter, north and south axis, is 200 feet, and 152 feet on its -east and west axis. It has a height of approximately 30 feet. The -amphitheater is inclosed by a marble colonnade with entrances at the -ends of the principal axis. The main entrance is from the east, and -this section contains a reception hall and stage on the main floor, -a museum room or “Valhalla” on the second floor, and a chapel in -the basement. Under the floor of the colonnade, crypts are provided -for the burial of distinguished soldiers, sailors, and marines. The -amphitheater, erected at a cost of $825,000 is built of white marble -from Vermont. Inscriptions commemorate the great wars of the United -States. - -Immediately to the east of the main entrance is the Tomb of the Unknown -Soldier, which was completed by the War Department in accordance with -plans that provide also for a great approach to the tomb and the -amphitheater. - - -TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER - -At the time when the rites for the Unknown Soldier were solemnized, -on November 11, 1921, the time for preparation was so short that the -location of the tomb on the terrace in front of the amphitheater was -quickly decided upon. The casket was inclosed in what was designed -to be the base of a monument which was to be erected later. The -preliminary work was designed by Thomas Hastings, of the firm of -Carrere & Hastings, architects of the amphitheater. - -Five years later, on July 3, 1926, Congress authorized the Secretary of -War to secure by competition designs for a monument to cost $50,000, -and provided that the accepted design should be subject to the approval -of the Arlington Amphitheater Commission (the Secretaries of War -and of the Navy), the American Battle Monuments Commission, and the -Commission of Fine Arts. A competition was held, in which there were -39 competitors, 5 of whom were selected to enter the final stage. The -final award was made to Thomas Hudson Jones, sculptor, and Lorimer -Rich, architect, of New York City. - -The competitors generally based their designs on such a modification -of the terrace as would place the monument at the head of a flight -of steps, the approaches to which called for rearrangement of the -immediate foreground of the terrace. Congress accepted the winning -design, and a supplemental appropriation was made for carrying out the -design. The work of completing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was -in charge of the Quartermaster General of the Army. The cost of the -memorial, constructed of Colorado Yule marble, was $400,000. - -Within this marble sarcophagus rests the remains of the Unknown -Soldier, a hero of the World War. The Republic has bestowed upon him -its most cherished decoration for valor, the Congressional Medal of -Honor, and all the major nations associated with America in the Great -War have similarly honored his memory and the memory of the thousands -of his comrades who laid down their lives in that titanic struggle. - -[Illustration: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY--MAINE MONUMENT AND THE -MEMORIAL AMPHITHEATER] - -[Illustration: TOMB OF L’ENFANT] - -[Illustration: STATUE OF GEN. GEORGE WASHINGTON] - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -STATUES AND MONUMENTS[1] - - [1] A complete list of the statues and monuments will be found in the - Appendix, p. 347. - - -STATUE OF GEN. GEORGE WASHINGTON - -The most precious work of art in the United States is the life mask of -George Washington by the noted French sculptor, Jean Antoine Houdon, -who in 1785 was commissioned by the State of Virginia to execute a -marble statue of George Washington. Houdon crossed the ocean, setting -sail from Paris, France, on July 22 of that year for this purpose, in -company with Benjamin Franklin. For 10 days he was a guest of General -Washington at Mount Vernon, making studies and a cast. Having made his -models, Houdon returned to France, reaching home on January 4, 1786. -It took him two years to model and carve the statue, and the completed -work arrived at Richmond in 1788. Eight years later the statue was -installed in the rotunda of the State capitol, where it stands to-day. -The statue represents Washington in the uniform of a Revolutionary -officer; and, according to John Marshall, his intimate friend, this -three-quarter view corresponds more to the exact likeness of Washington -than any other portrait. A copy of this statue is in the Rotunda of the -Capitol, the gift of the State of Virginia to the Nation. The life mask -is at Mount Vernon. - - -TRIPOLI COLUMN - -This was the first and only monument that stood in Washington for a -period of 26 years. It was erected in memory of the heroes that fell -before Tripoli in 1804. It had been made at the expense of officers -of the Navy and was brought from Italy in the U. S. S. _Constitution_ -to the navy yard, where it was erected in 1808 under the direction of -Benjamin H. Latrobe, Architect of the Capitol. Afterwards, when in 1814 -the navy yard was burned by the British, it was placed at the west -side of the Capitol. During the reconstruction and enlargement of the -Capitol to its present size it was removed. - -In November, 1860, it was taken to the United States Naval Academy at -Annapolis, where it stands to-day. - -The chief motif of the monument is an artistically designed, simple -Doric column, surmounted by an eagle. It was procured through the -efforts of Admiral Porter, who commissioned a noted Italian sculptor of -the time, Micali, of Leghorn, to execute the monument. - -[Illustration: TRIPOLI COLUMN, AT ANNAPOLIS, MD.] - - -STATUE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON - -This statue is by Horatio Greenough, who, born in Boston in 1805, was -a noted American sculptor of the early days of the Republic. He was -the first American deliberately to choose sculpture as a profession -and to go abroad for serious study. He became absorbed with art as he -saw it in Italy, and those who have seen the massive Roman statuary -of the Farnese collection at Naples, in addition to the priceless -collections of statuary of classical times at Rome and Florence, can -make due allowance for the conception of the ponderous figure of George -Washington by Greenough when he was commissioned by Congress in 1832 -to execute the statue. He was at work on the statue for eight years, -during the period of the classical revival in this country, marked by -the construction of the Patent Office, the old Post Office, and the -Treasury Department Buildings. - -The statue is 12 feet high, and of Carrara marble. It cost $44,000. -After many perils by sea and land, it reached this city in 1843. At the -Capitol it was found that the doors were not large enough to permit its -passage, and they were temporarily widened to admit the statue, where -it was given a place in the Rotunda, but its immense weight was too -heavy for the floor, and it was transferred to the plaza in front of -and facing the Capitol. It remained there for over half a century, and -in 1908 was removed to the National Museum. - -This statue of Washington in Roman toga, seated in a curule chair, -was often ridiculed. One wrote that Washington was supposed to be -saying, as he pointed in two directions, “My body is at Mount Vernon, -my clothes are in the Patent Office.” Nevertheless, the statue had its -friends. In 1841 Edward Everett wrote of it, “I regard Greenough’s -Washington as one of the greatest works of sculpture of modern times.” -It is an art treasure of the past, and as such is rightly cherished -to-day. - - -STATUE OF GEN. ANDREW JACKSON - -This statue in Lafayette Square, north of the White House, is the -first equestrian statue cast in the United States. It is the work of -Clark Mills, sculptor, who, while he was in the South preparing to go -abroad, was persuaded to come to Washington and submit to Members of -Congress sketches of an equestrian statue. They were so highly pleased -with them that Mills was commissioned to produce the statue, and to do -this he built a foundry in northeast Washington at a place now called -Mills Avenue. The cost of the statue was $32,000. Congress appropriated -$20,000 and the Jackson Democratic Association of Washington the -balance. Congress also appropriated $8,000 for the pedestal. The -statue was unveiled January 8, 1853, the thirty-eighth anniversary of -Jackson’s victory at New Orleans. Stephen A. Douglas, then a United -States Senator, delivered the oration. - -[Illustration: STATUE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON] - -[Illustration: STATUE OF GEN. ANDREW JACKSON] - -[Illustration: THE ADAMS MEMORIAL] - -Repeated attempts have been made in the past 25 years to relocate the -statue, but without success. It has been suggested that it be placed at -the north steps of the Treasury Department Building. Some years ago the -suggestion was made to have the statue exchange places with the General -Washington Statue in Washington Circle. It met with strong objection. -To relocate the statue would require an act of Congress. However, the -statue is regarded a landmark in the city, and, as heretofore stated, -it is the first equestrian statue cast in the United States, having -thus added historic interest. - - -ADAMS MEMORIAL - -The Adams Memorial, a veiled female figure in bronze, by Saint-Gaudens, -in Rock Creek Cemetery, was erected in 1891. Under the carpet of pine -needles the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Adams are buried. There is no -inscription; not even a date on the architectural features, designed by -Stanford White. Thick planting of pines and shrubs completely secludes -the monument. Friends of the sculptor deplore the fact that this, his -masterpiece, has come to be known as the Statue of Grief, as such a -title is wholly at variance with the artist’s conception. It is, in -fact, a monument without a name, though the artist preferred the title, -“The Peace of God.” The sculptor endeavored to comprise in the figure -the thought of the philosophy of the ages--the great mystery of the -human race and of history--that being called man and his destiny. It -is a world-famous monument, and each year thousands of visitors to -the National Capital gladly travel the 4 miles directly north of the -Capitol to see it. - - -STATUE OF GENERAL LAFAYETTE - -The statue of General Lafayette is situated on the southeast corner of -Lafayette Square. It is a heroic bronze statue by Alexander Falguiere -and Antoine Mercie, noted French sculptors. The statue stands on a -marble pedestal, on the north side of which are two cherubs holding up -the inscription: - - BY THE CONGRESS IN COMMEMORATION OF THE SERVICES RENDERED BY - GENERAL LAFAYETTE AND HIS COMPATRIOTS DURING THE STRUGGLE FOR THE - INDEPENDENCE OF AMERICA - -Congress appropriated $50,000 for the statue and pedestal, and it was -completed in April, 1891. It is 45 feet high. On the east side are -two heroic French naval figures, Comte d’Estaing (north) and Comte de -Grasse (south), and an anchor. On the west side are two heroic French -Army officers who served during the Revolution, Comte de Rochambeau -(south) and Chevalier Duportail (north), and a mortar. On the south -side of the pedestal is a figure symbolizing America, lifting up a -sword to General Lafayette, with the inscription: - - TO GENERAL LAFAYETTE AND HIS COMPATRIOTS, 1777-1783 - -There were no ceremonies of dedication, but the statue is annually the -scene of ceremonies, including the presentation of a wreath by some -patriotic organization, such as the Sons of the American Revolution, on -Lafayette’s Birthday, September 6. - - -STATUE OF ALEXANDER R. SHEPHERD - -The statue standing in front of the District Building, at Fourteenth -Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW., was unveiled May 3, 1909. The cost -of its erection, $10,192.67, was defrayed by public subscription in the -city of Washington. - -The statue is the work of U. S. J. Dunbar, sculptor. It perpetuates -the memory of a man who in the face of great opposition accomplished -wonders for the National Capital. - -Mr. Shepherd, for the years 1873 and 1874, was Governor of the District -of Columbia, and previous to that had been vice president and executive -officer of the board of public works, which inaugurated a program -for municipal improvement that led to the transformation of the city -in that day, as has been heretofore described. Driven from the city, -he went to Mexico and accumulated a fortune, returning later to -Washington. His tomb is in Rock Creek Cemetery, not far from the famous -Adams Memorial. - - -STATUE OF HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW - -This bronze statue is situated at the intersection of Eighteenth Street -and Connecticut Avenue, at M Street NW., in one of the many triangular -reservations that are so numerous in Washington and which, in addition -to furnishing sites for monuments, help to make the city so attractive. -It was presented to the National Capital by the Longfellow Memorial -Association and unveiled May 15, 1909. Congress appropriated $4,000 for -the pedestal and furnished the site. The pedestal is of Milford pink -granite, polished. The statue is the work of William Couper, sculptor. -Longfellow, in academic gown, is seated. - - -STATUE OF JOHN WITHERSPOON - -This statue stands in front of the Church of the Covenant, on -Connecticut Avenue, near that of Longfellow. Congress provided the site -and pedestal at a cost of $4,000. It is the work of William Couper, -sculptor. It was presented to the United States by the Witherspoon -Memorial Association, and unveiled May 20, 1909. - -John Witherspoon was a Presbyterian clergyman, at one time president -of what is now Princeton University, and one of the signers of the -Declaration of Independence, the only clergyman among the signers of -that famous document. - -[Illustration: STATUE OF GENERAL LAFAYETTE] - -[Illustration: STATUE OF HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW] - -[Illustration: STATUE OF JOHN WITHERSPOON] - -[Illustration: GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC MEMORIAL] - -On the north side of the pedestal is a quotation from Witherspoon, made -during the War for Independence, as follows: - - FOR MY OWN PART, OF PROPERTY I HAVE SOME, OF REPUTATION MORE. THAT - REPUTATION IS STAKED, THAT PROPERTY IS PLEDGED ON THE ISSUE OF THIS - CONTEST, AND ALTHOUGH THESE GREY HAIRS MUST SOON DESCEND INTO THE - SEPULCHRE, I WOULD INFINITELY RATHER THAT THEY DESCEND THITHER BY THE - HAND OF THE EXECUTIONER THAN DESERT AT THIS CRISIS THE SACRED CAUSE - OF MY COUNTRY - - -MEMORIAL OF THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC TO DR. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN -STEPHENSON - -This memorial was presented to the United States by the Grand Army of -the Republic, in commemoration of Dr. Benjamin Franklin Stephenson, -organizer and founder of the Grand Army of the Republic, and stands -near Pennsylvania Avenue at Seventh Street NW. - -The monument is a solid granite shaft, in form a triangular pyramid. -The bronze figures represent three great principles. Fraternity, -symbolized by a soldier and a sailor, is on the west side. Over the -group is the inscription: - - 1861-1865 - -Underneath is a bronze medallion of Doctor Stephenson, also the badge -of the Grand Army of the Republic, obverse and reverse being shown, and -the inscription: - - GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC, ORGANIZED AT DECATUR, ILLINOIS, APRIL 6, - 1866, BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STEPHENSON, M. D. - -On the southeast side of the shaft is a female figure representing -Loyalty, holding a shield and drawn sword, and an inscription: - - WHO KNEW NO GLORY BUT HIS COUNTRY’S GOOD - -On the northeast side Charity is represented by a woman protecting a -child, with the inscription: - - THE GREATEST OF THESE IS CHARITY - -The monument cost $45,000, of which $10,000 was appropriated by -Congress for the pedestal, by act of March 4, 1907. It is the work of -J. Massey Rhind, sculptor. The monument was unveiled July 3, 1909, -during the administration of President Taft, who delivered an address -on the occasion. - - -STATUE OF GEN. CASIMIR PULASKI - -The Pulaski monument, completed in 1910, and dedicated May 11, 1910, -the same day as was the Kosciuszko monument, is an equestrian by -Kasimiriez Chodzinski, sculptor, and stands on Pennsylvania Avenue, -at Thirteenth Street NW. It cost $55,000, which was appropriated by -Congress. - -[Illustration: STATUE OF GENERAL CASIMIR PULASKI] - -The monument represents General Pulaski in his military uniform seated -on his horse “in action.” The pedestal, which is 9 feet high, is by -Albert R. Ross, architect. It rests on a large platform, measuring 20 -by 16 feet. The equestrian, with its pedestal, is one of the best in -the city. - - -ZERO MILESTONE - -The Zero Milestone takes the place of the itinerary column planned -by L’Enfant for a place 1 mile east of the Capitol, “from which all -distances of places through the continent were to be calculated.” That -column never was built. - -The Zero Milestone is immediately south of the White House grounds. -It is a block of granite 4 feet high with a bronze compass design -on top, and stands on the meridian of the District of Columbia. The -monument shows on the street side the designation Zero Milestone, -with the insignia of the Motor Transport Corps, U. S. Army. The -inscriptions on the other three sides show that it constitutes a point -from which distances may be measured on highways of the United States -radiating from Washington, and that it was the starting point of the -transcontinental motor-transport convoys over the Lincoln and the -Bankhead Highways in 1919 and 1920, respectively. The monument was -authorized by act of Congress approved June 5, 1920. It was designed by -Horace W. Peaslee, architect, of Washington. - - -DUPONT MEMORIAL - -The Dupont Memorial Fountain, at Dupont Circle, was designed by Daniel -Chester French, sculptor, and Henry Bacon, architect. The fountain was -dedicated on May 17, 1921, and cost $100,000. It replaces a portrait -statue of Admiral Dupont. The top bowl, in one piece, is 13 feet in -diameter. - -There are three figures on the supporting column of the fountain, -representing The Sea, The Wind, and The Stars. The picture used in this -book shows the figure typifying The Sea. The fountain is of Georgia -marble. - - -STATUE OF JEANNE D’ARC - -This statue, a copy of the celebrated Paul Dubois statue, one of the -masterpieces of modern art standing in front of Rheims Cathedral, is -situated on the grand terrace of Meridian Hill Park. - -The statue is not large, measuring in length 10 feet and in height 9 -feet. The pedestal is about 6 feet high. The casting was done under the -direction of the Ministère des Beaux Arts, in Paris. The pedestal was -designed by McKim, Mead & White, architects, of New York City. - -[Illustration: STATUE OF JEANNE D’ARC] - -[Illustration: DUPONT MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN] - -[Illustration: ZERO MILESTONE] - -[Illustration: STATUE OF DANTE] - -[Illustration: GEN. U. S. GRANT MEMORIAL] - -Congress authorized the erection of the statue on public grounds in the -National Capital, and the Commission of Fine Arts advised in the matter -of location and design of the pedestal. - -In May, 1916, the commission received a communication from Mme. Carlo -Polifeme, President Fondatrice, Le Lyceum Société des Femmes de France -à New York, to this effect: - - Le Lyceum Société des Femmes de France à New York, in a spirit - of patriotism, nurtured by exile, inspired with a deep sense of - the friendship that binds our two sister Republics, animated by a - sympathy born of closer and closer relations, “Le Lyceum” intends - to perpetuate these sentiments by erecting, in their new home, a - monument to Jeanne d’Arc, emblem of Patriotism, emblem of Love and - Peace. The statue of our French heroine will be built to the glory of - womanhood, dedicated by the women of France in New York to the women - of America, and offered to the city of Washington. - -The President and his excellency the French ambassador attended the -unveiling, which took place on January 6, 1922, the five hundred and -tenth anniversary of the birth of Jeanne d’Arc. - -The life of Jeanne d’Arc has been eulogized by the greatest of writers, -and to-day she is revered as one of the world’s great liberators. Her -spirit of patriotism and devotion has thrilled the ages. - - -STATUE OF DANTE - -The statue of Dante, standing in Meridian Hill Park, was given to the -National Capital by Chevalier Carlo Barsotti, editor of Il Progresso -Italo-Americano, in behalf of the Italians of the United States in -commemoration of the six hundredth anniversary of the death of Dante -Alighieri, and unveiled on December 1, 1921. It is in bronze, 12 feet -high, and is the work of Commendatore Ettore Ximenes, sculptor, of -Rome. The artist has represented Dante in the gown of a scholar and -crowned with a laurel wreath. - -The statue received an appropriate landscape setting upon the -completion of the lower garden of Meridian Hill Park. - - -GEN. U. S. GRANT MEMORIAL - -The Grant Memorial, situated at the head of the Mall, in Union Square, -near the Capitol, was authorized by Congress in 1901, at a cost of -$250,000, the largest expenditure for statuary ever made by this -Government. It is said to be the second largest equestrian statue in -the world, being exceeded only by the Victor Emmanuel in Rome, which is -less than one-half foot higher. - -The monument consists of a marble platform 252 feet in length and 69 -feet at its greatest width, with steps on each side. In the center is -a pedestal 22 feet 6 inches high, on the top of which is a monumental -bronze figure of General Grant on horseback watching a battle. The -horse is 17 feet 6 inches high, two and one-half times life-size; the -monument is nearly 40 feet high. The top of General Grant’s army hat is -65 feet above the platform. The weight of the statue is 10,500 pounds. - -[Illustration: GEN. U. S. GRANT MEMORIAL--CAVALRY GROUP] - -[Illustration: GEN. U. S. GRANT MEMORIAL--ARTILLERY GROUP] - -[Illustration: GEN. U. S. GRANT MEMORIAL] - -The infantry is represented by two bronze tablets at each side of the -pedestal. - -On the platform at the right a cavalry charge is in progress. There are -seven horses in the group. - -On the platform at the left a battery of artillery is going into -action. There are five horses and four soldiers in this group. - -In these groups the sculptor has given particular attention to -portraying the army equipment of the period. - -Four great bronze lions are at each corner of the main pedestal, -guarding the flag. For the inscription the memorial has the single word -“Grant.” - -The monument was cast by the Roman Bronze Works, of Brooklyn, N. -Y., and was dedicated April 27, 1922. Edward Pearce Casey was the -architect. The sculptor, Henry Merwin Shrady, died on April 12, a few -days before the dedication. The monument represents his most notable -work. - - -STATUE OF EDMUND BURKE - -The statue of the eloquent defender of the rights of the American -Colonies in the British Parliament is situated in a triangle at the -intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Eleventh Street NW. It is a -copy of the statue at Bristol, England, which city Burke represented -in Parliament. It was designed by the late Havard Thomas, and is -an excellent example of the work of one of the celebrated English -sculptors of recent times. The statue was given by Sir Charles Cheers -Wakefield, Bart., through the Sulgrave Institution. The pedestal was -designed by Horace W. Peaslee, architect, of Washington. The statue -was unveiled October 12, 1922, and accepted on the part of the United -States by the late Hon. John W. Weeks, Secretary of War. - - -STATUE OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON - -This statue in bronze, about 9 feet in height, is on the south steps of -the Treasury Department Building. James E. Fraser is the sculptor. The -pedestal is of pink Milford granite and was designed by Henry Bacon, -architect. - -If Alexander Hamilton, who was the first Secretary of the Treasury, -waited for more than a century to obtain representation in a capital -in part located through his sagacity and for the building of the -department his genius created, at least the result was well worth -the delay. By common consent the standing bronze figure of Hamilton, -dressed in a typical colonial costume, is notable for virility and -charm. It was unveiled May 17, 1923. - -[Illustration: STATUE OF EDMUND BURKE] - -[Illustration: STATUE OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON] - - - - -APPENDIX - - -STATUES AND MONUMENTS - - --------------------+-------------------+-------------+--------------- - Name and location | Sculptor and | Date | Cost - | architect | | - --------------------+-------------------+-------------+--------------- - | | | - Adams Memorial, Rock|Augustus |Erected 1891.|Gift of Henry - Creek Cemetery. |Saint-Gaudens. | |Adams, - | | |historian. - | | | - Bishop Francis |Augustus Lukeman, |Unveiled Oct.|Gift to city. - Asbury (equestrian),|sculptor. |15, 1924. | - 16th and Harvard | | | - Sts. | | | - | | | - Commodore John |John J. Boyle, |Unveiled May |Act of - Barry, Franklin |Sculptor. |16, 1914. |Congress, - Park. | | |$50,000. - | | | - William Jennings |Gutzon Borglum, |Unveiled May |Gift to city. - Bryan, Potomac Park.|Sculptor. |3, 1934. | - | | | - Buchanan Memorial, |H. Schuler, |Unveiled |Do. - Meridian Hill Park. |sculptor; William |June 26, | - |Gordon Beecher, |1930. | - |architect. | | - | | | - Edmund Burke, 12th |Havard Thomas, |Unveiled |Do. - St. and |sculptor; Horace W.|Oct. 12, | - Massachusetts Ave. |Peaslee, architect.|1922. | - | | | - Butt-Millet Memorial|Daniel C. French, |Erected 1913.|Do. - Fountain, south of |sculptor; | | - White House. |Thomas Hastings, | | - |architect. | | - | | | - Colonial Settlers |Delos Smith, |April 25, |Do. - Monument, Ellipse, |architect. |1936. | - facing 15th Street. | | | - | | | - Columbus Memorial |Lorado Taft, |Unveiled |Act of - Fountain, |sculptor; D. H. |June 8, 1912.|Congress, - Union Station. |Burnham & Co., | |$100,000. - |architects. | | - | | | - Cuban Urn, Potomac |From fragments |1928. |Gift to city - Park. |of Maine Memorial. | |by Cuba. - | | | - Louis J. M. |Jonathan S. |Unveiled Aug.|Gift to city. - Daguerre, |Hartley, sculptor. |15, 1890. | - Smithsonian grounds.| | | - | | | - Dante Alighieri, |C. Ettore Ximenes, |Unveiled Dec.|Do. - Meridian Hill Park. |sculptor. |1, 1921. | - | | | - Darlington Memorial |C. P. Jennewein, |1923. |Do. - Fountain, Judiciary |sculptor. | | - Square. | | | - | | | - Jane A. Delano |R. Tait McKenzie, |Unveiled Apr.|Gift of Nurses - Memorial, |sculptor. |26, 1934. |of the - Red Cross grounds. | | |Red Cross. - | | | - District of Columbia|Frederick H. |November 11, |Gift to city. - World War Memorial. |Brooke, H. W. |1931. | - |Peaslee, and Nathan| | - |Wyeth, associated. | | - | | | - Dupont Memorial |D. C. French, |Unveiled May |Do. - Fountain, |sculptor; Henry |17, 1921. | - Dupont Circle. |Bacon, architect. | | - | | | - John Ericsson, |James E. Fraser, |Unveiled May |Act of - Potomac Park. |sculptor. |29, 1926. |Congress, - | | |$35,000; part - | | |gift of - | | |Scandinavians. - | | | - Admiral David |Vinnie Ream Hoxie, |Unveiled Apr.|Act of - Farragut, Farragut |sculptor. |25, 1881. |Congress, - Square. | | |$20,000. - | | | - First Division |D. C. French, |Unveiled Oct.|Gift to city. - Memorial, |sculptor; Cass |4, 1924. | - President’s Park. |Gilbert, architect.| | - | | | - Fountain, Botanic |Auguste Bartholdi, |1876. |Brought from - Gardens. |sculptor. | |Centennial - | | |Exposition, - | | |Philadelphia. - | | | - Benjamin Franklin, |Jacques Jouvenal, |Erected Jan. |Gift to city. - 10th St. and |sculptor; after |17, 1889. | - Pennsylvania Ave. |Plassman. | | - | | | - Gallaudet Group, |Daniel Chester |Erected 1889.|Gift of the - Columbia Institute |French, sculptor. | |Deaf. - for Deaf Mutes. | | | - | | | - James A. Garfield, |J. Q. A. Ward, |Unveiled May |Congress, - First St. and |sculptor. |12, 1887. |$37,500; and in - Maryland Ave. | | |part gift. - | | | - James Cardinal |Leo Lentelli, |Erected 1932.|Gift to city. - Gibbons, 16th St. |sculptor; George | | - and Park Rd. |Koyl, architect. | | - | | | - Samuel Gompers and |Robert Aitken, |Dedicated |Do. - American Federation |sculptor. |Oct. 7, 1933.| - of Labor Memorial, | | | - 10th St. and | | | - Massachusetts Ave. | | | - | | | - General U. S. Grant |Henry M. Shrady, |Dedicated |Act of - Memorial, Union |sculptor; Edward P.|Apr. 27, |Congress, - Square. |Casey, architect. |1922. |$250,000. - | | | - Gen. Nathanael |H. K. Brown, |Erected 1877.|Act of - Greene (equestrian),|sculptor. | |Congress, - Maryland and | | |$50,000. - Massachusetts Aves. | | | - NE. | | | - | | | - Dr. Samuel Gross, |A. Stirling Calder,|Unveiled May |Gift to city. - Smithsonian grounds.|sculptor. |5, 1897. | - | | | - Grand Army of the |J. Massey Rhind, |Unveiled July|Gift to city, - Republic Memorial, |sculptor; Rankin, |3, 1909. |$35,000; Act of - 7th St. and |Kellogg & Crane, | |Congress, - Pennsylvania Ave. |architects. | |$10,000 for - | | |pedestal. - | | | - Hahnemann Memorial, |Charles Henry |Unveiled June|Gift to city. - Scott Circle. |Niehaus, sculptor. |21, 1900. | - | | | - Alexander Hamilton, |James E. Fraser, |Unveiled May |Do. - south steps of |sculptor; Henry |17, 1923. | - Treasury Building. |Bacon, architect. | | - | | | - Gen. Winfield S. |Henry J. Ellicott, |Unveiled May |Act of - Hancock |sculptor. |12, 1896. |Congress, - (equestrian), | | |$50,000. - between 7th and 8th | | | - Sts. on Pennsylvania| | | - Ave. | | | - | | | - Joseph Henry, |W. W. Story, |Unveiled Apr.|Act of - Smithsonian grounds.|sculptor. |19, 1882. |Congress, - | | |$15,000. - | | | - Gen. Andrew Jackson,|Clark Mills, |Unveiled Jan.|Act of - Lafayette Park |sculptor. |8, 1853. |Congress, - (first equestrian in| | |$32,000; part - U. S.). | | |gift. - | | | - Jeanne d’Arc. |Paul Dubois, |Unveiled Jan.|Gift to city. - |sculptor. |6, 1922. | - | | | - Thomas Jefferson |John R. Pope, |Under |Act of - Memorial, south of |architect. |construction.|Congress, - Tidal Basin. | | |$3,000,000. - | | | - Admiral John Paul |Charles H. Niehaus,|Unveiled Apr.|Act of - Jones, foot of 17th |sculptor; Thomas |17, 1912. |Congress, - St. |Hastings, | |$50,000. - |architect. | | - | | | - Gen. Thaddeus |Antoni Popiel, |Unveiled May |Gift to city. - Kosciuszko, |sculptor. |11, 1910. | - Lafayette Park. | | | - | | | - General Lafayette, |Alexandre Falguire |Erected 1891.|Act of - Lafayette Park. |and Antoine Mercie.| |Congress, - | | |$50,000. - | | | - L’Enfant Tomb, |Welles Bosworth, |Dedicated |Gift of - Arlington National |architect. |1909. |American - Cemetery. | | |Institute of - | | |Architects. - | | | - Abraham Lincoln, |Lott Flannery, |Unveiled Apr.|Gift to city. - Judiciary Square. |sculptor. |15, 1868. | - | | | - Lincoln the |Thomas Ball, |Unveiled Apr.|Gift of freed - Emancipator, Lincoln|sculptor. |14, 1876. |slaves to city. - Park. | | | - | | | - General John A. |Franklin Simmons, |Dedicated |Act of - Logan (equestrian), |sculptor. |Apr. 9, 1901.|Congress, - 13th St. and Rhode | | |$50,000; part - Island Ave. | | |gift. - | | | - Henry W. Longfellow,|William Couper, |Unveiled May |Gift to city; - Connecticut Ave. and|sculptor. |15, 1909. |pedestal by - M St. | | |Congress. - | | | - Martin Luther, |Replica of figure |Erected 1884.|$10,000. - facing Thomas |by Reitschel at | | - Circle. |Worms. | | - | | | - Chief Justice John |W. W. Story, |do. |Gift to city. - Marshall, Capitol |sculptor. | | - grounds. | | | - | | | - Gen. George B. |Frederick |Unveiled May |Act of - McClellan |MacMonnies, |2, 1907. |Congress, - (equestrian), |sculptor. | |$50,000. - Connecticut Ave. | | | - and Columbia Rd. | | | - | | | - McMillan Fountain |Herbert Adams, |Erected 1913.|Gift to city. - (Senator James), |sculptor; Charles | | - McMillan Park. |A. Platt, | | - |architect. | | - | | | - Gen. James B. |Louis T. Rebisso, |Dedicated |Act of - McPherson |sculptor. |Oct. 18, |Congress, - (equestrian), | |1876. |$25,000; part - McPherson Square. | | |gift to city. - | | | - Gen. George G. |Charles Grafly, |Dedicated |Gift to city by - Meade, Union Square.|sculptor; Simon & |Oct. 19, |State of - |Simon, architects. |1927. |Pennsylvania; - | | |(cost - | | |$400,000). - | | | - Navy and Marine |Begni del Piatta, |Erected 1935.|Gift to city; - Memorial, Columbia |sculptor; Harvey W.| |base by the - Island. |Corbett, architect.| |Government. - | | | - Francis G. Newlands |Edward W. Donn, |Dedicated |Gift to city. - Memorial Fountain, |Jr., architect. |Oct. 12, | - Chevy Chase Circle. | |1933. | - | | | - Nuns of the Civil |Jerome Connor, |Unveiled |Do. - War Monument, Rhode |sculptor. |Sept. 20, | - Island Ave. and M | |1924. | - St. | | | - | | | - Peace Monument, 1st |Franklin Simmons, |Dedicated |Act of - St. and Pennsylvania|sculptor; Edward |1877. |Congress, - Ave. |Clark, architect. | |$20,000; part - | | |gift to city. - | | | - Albert Pike, 3d St. |G. Trentanove, |Unveiled Oct.|Gift to city. - and Indiana Ave. |sculptor. |23, 1901. | - | | | - Gen. Casimir Pulaski|K. Chodzinski, |Dedicated May|Act of - (equestrian), 13th |sculptor; Albert R.|11, 1910. |Congress, - St. and Pennsylvania|Ross, architect. | |$55,000. - Ave. | | | - | | | - Gen. John A. |Joseph A. Bailey, |Erected 1874.|Act of - Rawlins, 18th St. |sculptor. | |Congress, - and New York Ave. | | |$13,000. - | | | - General Rochambeau, |F. Hamar, of Paris,|Unveiled May |Act of - Lafayette Park. |sculptor. |24, 1902. |Congress, - | | |$22,500. - | | | - Theodore Roosevelt |F. L. Olmsted, |Island |Gift to city. - Memorial, Theodore |landscape |(formerly |Act of May 21, - Roosevelt Island. |architect; John R. |Analostan) |1932. - |Pope, architect. |acquired | - | |1931. | - | | | - Benjamin Rush, Naval|Roland Hinton | |Gift to city. - Medical School. |Perry, sculptor. | | - | | | - Gen. San Martin |Replica of one by |Dedicated |Do. - (equestrian), |Dumont at Buenos |Oct. 28, | - Judiciary Square. |Aires. |1925. | - | | | - General Winfield |Henry K. Brown, |Erected 1874.|Act of - Scott (equestrian), |sculptor. | |Congress, - Scott Circle. | | |$77,000. - | | | - General Winfield |Launt Thompson, |Erected 1873.|Gift to city. - Scott, Soldiers’ |sculptor. | | - Home grounds. | | | - | | | - Second Division |John R. Pope, |Dedicated |Do. - Memorial, |architect; James E.|July 18, | - President’s Park, |Fraser, sculptor. |1936. | - facing Constitution | | | - Avenue. | | | - | | | - Serenity Statue, |Jose Clara, |Erected 1924.|Do. - Meridian Hill Park. |sculptor. | | - | | | - Alexander R. |U. S. J. Dunbar, |Unveiled May |Do. - Shepherd, 14th St. |sculptor. |3, 1909. | - and Pennsylvania | | | - Ave. | | | - | | | - Gen. Philip Sheridan|Gutzon Borglum, |Unveiled Nov.|Act of - (equestrian), |sculptor. |25, 1908. |Congress, - Sheridan Circle. | | |$50,000. - | | | - Gen. William T. |Carl Rohl Smith, |Unveiled Oct.|Part gift, - Sherman |sculptor, and |15, 1903. |$11,000; acts - (equestrian), south |several others. | |of Congress, - of Treasury | | |$120,000. - Building. | | | - | | | - Gen. George H. |J. Q. A. Ward, |Dedicated |Act of - Thomas (equestrian),|sculptor. |Nov. 19, |Congress, - Thomas Circle. | |1879. |$25,000; part - | | |gift to city. - | | | - Titanic Memorial, |Mrs. Harry Payne |Unveiled May |Gift to city. - foot of New |Whitney, sculptor; |26, 1931. | - Hampshire Ave. |Henry Bacon, | | - |architect. | | - | | | - General Von Steuben,|Albert Jaegers, |Unveiled Dec.|Act of - Lafayette Park. |sculptor. |7, 1910. |Congress, - | | |$50,000. - | | | - Gen. Artemas Ward, |Leonard Crunelle, |Dedicated |Gift to city. - Nebraska and |sculptor. |Nov. 3, 1938.| - Massachusetts Aves. | | | - | | | - Gen. George |Clark Mills, |Unveiled Feb.|Act of - Washington |sculptor. |22, 1860. |Congress, - (equestrian), | | |$50,000. - Washington Circle. | | | - | | | - Washington Monument.|Robert Mills, |Dedicated |Act of Congress - |architect. |Feb. 21, |and part gift - | |1885. |to city. - | | | - Daniel Webster, near|G. Trentanove, |Unveiled Jan.|Act of - Scott Circle. |sculptor. |18, 1900. |Congress, - | | |$4,000; part - | | |gift to city. - | | | - John Witherspoon, |Wm. Couper, |Unveiled May |Gift to city; - Connecticut Ave. at |sculptor. |20, 1909. |pedestal by - N St. | | |Congress. - | | | - Zero Milestone. |H. W. Peaslee, |Erected 1922.|Act of - |architect. | |Congress. - --------------------+-------------------+-------------+--------------- - - - BIBLIOGRAPHICAL LIST OF BOOKS ON WASHINGTON - THE NATIONAL CAPITAL - - HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION - - (_By courtesy of the Library of Congress_) - - - A History of the National Capital, by W. B. Bryan. - - A History of the United States Capitol, by Glenn Brown. - - Washington in the Past, by Dr. S. C. Busey. - - National Capital Centennial, 1900, compiled by William V. Cox. - - With Americans of Past and Present Days, by J. J. Jusserand. - - Historical Sketches of the Ten Miles Square, forming the District of - Columbia, by Jonathan Elliott, 1830. - - The Improvement of the Park System of the District of Columbia. (S. - Rept. No. 166, 57th Cong., 1st sess., 1902.) - - Park Improvement Papers, 1901. (S. Doc. No. 94, 56th Cong., 2d sess.) - - The Improvement of the District of Columbia; papers by the American - Institute of Architects, 1900. - - The Restoration of the White House. (S. Doc. No. 197, 57th Cong., 2d - sess., 1903.) - - The Reports of the National Commission of Fine Arts, Nos. 1 to 12, - inclusive. - - Daniel H. Burnham, Architect and Planner of Cities, by Charles Moore. - - Public Buildings Commission Reports. - - Reports of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission. - - Reports of the Columbia Historical Society. - - Centennial History of the City of Washington, D. C., by H. W. Crew. - - Washington, the City and the Seat of Government, by Charles H. A. - Forbes-Lindsay. - - The Capital of Our Country, by the National Geographic Society. - - Our Capital on the Potomac, by Helen Nicolay. - - Origin and Government of the District of Columbia, by William Tindall. - - Washington: Its Beginning, Its Growth, and Its Future, by William H. - Taft. Published by the National Geographic Society. - - Washington, Past and Present, by Charles Moore. - - Art and Artists of the Capitol, by Charles E. Fairman. (S. Doc. No. - 95, 69th Cong.) - - Your Washington and Mine, by Louise Payson Latimer. - - Walks About Washington, by Francis Ellington Leupp. - - Washington, Its Sights and Insights, by Mrs. Harriet E. Monroe. - - Early Days of Washington, by S. Somervell Mackall. - - Washington and Its Romance, by Thomas N. Page. - - Rand-McNally Guide to Washington and Environs. - - The Standard Guide to Washington, by Charles B. Reynolds. - - Rider’s Washington, by Arthur F. Rider. - - The Book of Washington, by Robert Shackleton. - - Washington, the National Capital, by H. P. Caemmerer. - - Pictures of the City of Washington in the Past, by Dr. Samuel C. - Busey. - - The First Forty Years of Washington Society, by Margaret Bayard Smith. - - The Story of the White House, by Esther Singleton. - - The Art Treasures of Washington, by Helen W. Henderson. - - Washington, the Capital City, and Its Part in the History of the - Nation. - - Development of the United States Capital. Addresses delivered in - the auditorium of the United States Chamber of Commerce Building, - Washington, D. C., April 25-26, 1929. (H. Doc. No. 35, 71st Cong.) - - Washington, City of Mighty Events, by David R. Barbee. - - Territorial Government of Washington, D. C., by Col. Ulysses S. Grant - III. - - L’Enfant and Washington, by Elizabeth S. Kite. - - Washington, Past and Present, by John C. Proctor. - - Washington, D. C., the Nation’s Capital, a book for young people, by - Frances M. Fox. - - Approaching Washington by Tidewater Potomac, by Paul Wilstach. - - Washington, D. C., Committee on Marking Points of Historic Interest, - 1929. (S. Doc. No. 228, 70th Cong., 2d sess.) - - Society in Washington, by DeBenneville R. Keim. - - Letters from a Senator’s Wife, by Mrs. Frances P. Keyes. - - Our National Government; or, Life and Scenes in our National Capital, - by Mrs. J. A. Logan. - - Picturesque Washington: Pen and Pencil Sketches of Its Scenery, - History, Traditions, Public and Social Life, by Joseph West Moore. - - The Washington Sketch Book, by Joseph B. Varnum. - - Washington: City and Capital. Federal Writers’ Project. Government - Printing Office, 1937. - - Records of the Columbia Historical Society. - - - - - PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, - CHIEF MAGISTRATES OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL - - - 1. GEORGE WASHINGTON, April 30, 1789, to March 3, 1797. - - 2. JOHN ADAMS, March 4, 1797, to March 3, 1801. - - 3. THOMAS JEFFERSON, March 4, 1801, to March 3, 1809. - - 4. JAMES MADISON, March 4, 1809, to March 3, 1817. - - 5. JAMES MONROE, March 4, 1817, to March 3, 1825. - - 6. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, March 4, 1825, to March 3, 1829. - - 7. ANDREW JACKSON, March 4, 1829, to March 3, 1837. - - 8. MARTIN VAN BUREN, March 4, 1837, to March 3, 1841. - - 9. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, March 4, 1841, to April 4, 1841. - - 10. JOHN TYLER, April 6, 1841, to March 3, 1845. - - 11. JAMES K. POLK, March 4, 1845, to March 3, 1849. - - 12. ZACHARY TAYLOR, March 5, 1849, to July 9, 1850. - - 13. MILLARD FILLMORE, July 10, 1850, to March 3, 1853. - - 14. FRANKLIN PIERCE, March 4, 1853, to March 3, 1857. - - 15. JAMES BUCHANAN, March 4, 1857, to March 3, 1861. - - 16. ABRAHAM LINCOLN, March 4, 1861, to April 15, 1865. - - 17. ANDREW JOHNSON, April 15, 1865, to March 3, 1869. - - 18. ULYSSES S. GRANT, March 4, 1869, to March 3, 1877. - - 19. RUTHERFORD B. HAYES, March 4, 1877, to March 3, 1881. - - 20. JAMES A. GARFIELD, March 4, 1881, to September 19, 1881. - - 21. CHESTER A. ARTHUR, September 20, 1881, to March 3, 1885. - - 22. GROVER CLEVELAND, March 4, 1885, to March 3, 1889. - - 23. BENJAMIN HARRISON, March 4, 1889, to March 3, 1893. - - 24. GROVER CLEVELAND, March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1897. - - 25. WILLIAM MCKINLEY, March 4, 1897, to September 14, 1901. - - 26. THEODORE ROOSEVELT, September 14, 1901, to March 3, 1909. - - 27. WILLIAM H. TAFT, March 4, 1909, to March 3, 1913. - - 28. WOODROW WILSON, March 4, 1913, to March 3, 1921. - - 29. WARREN G. HARDING, March 4, 1921, to August 2, 1923. - - 30. CALVIN COOLIDGE, August 3, 1923, to March 3, 1929. - - 31. HERBERT HOOVER, March 4, 1929, to March 3, 1933. - - 32. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, March 4, 1933- - - - - -QUOTATIONS FROM GREAT AMERICANS ON WASHINGTON, THE NATIONAL CAPITAL - - - “I most earnestly hope that in the National Capital a better - beginning will be made than anywhere else; and that can be made only - by utilizing to the fullest degree the thought and the disinterested - efforts of the architects, the artists, the men of art, who stand - foremost in their professions here in the United States and who ask - no other reward save the reward of feeling that they have done their - full part to make as beautiful as it should be the Capital City of - the Great Republic.” - - THEODORE ROOSEVELT. - - “If General Washington, at a time when his country was a little - hemmed-in nation, boasting but a single seaboard, with a population - of only five million, and with credit so bad that lot sales, - lotteries, and borrowing upon the personal security of individuals - had to be resorted to in order to finance the new capital, could look - to the future and understand that it was his duty to build for the - centuries to come and for a great nation, how much more should we do - so now?” - - WILLIAM H. TAFT. - - It is hereby ordered that whenever new structures are to be erected - in the District of Columbia under the direction of the Federal - Government which affect in any important way the appearance of the - city, or whenever questions involving matters of art and with which - the Federal Government is concerned are to be determined, final - action shall not be taken until such plans and questions have been - submitted to the Commission of Fine Arts, designated under the act of - Congress of May 17, 1910, for comment and advice. (Executive order of - November 28, 1913.) - - WOODROW WILSON. - - “We are embarking on an ambitious building program for the city - of Washington. The Memorial Bridge is under way with all that it - holds for use and beauty. New buildings are soon contemplated. This - program should represent the best that exists in the art and science - of architecture. Into these structures, which must be considered as - of a permanent nature, ought to go the aspirations of the nation, - its ideals, expressed in forms of beauty. If our country wishes to - compete with others, let it not be in the support of armaments but - in the making of a beautiful capital city. Let it express the soul - of America. Whenever an American is at the seat of his Government, - however traveled and cultured he may be, he ought to find a city of - stately proportions, symmetrically laid out and adorned with the best - that there is in architecture, which would arouse his imagination - and stir his patriotic pride. In the coming years Washington should - be not only the art center of our own country but the art center of - the world. Around it should center all that is best in science, in - learning, in letters, and in art. These are the results that justify - the creation of those national resources with which we have been - favored.” - - CALVIN COOLIDGE. - - “This is more than the making of a beautiful city. Washington is - not only the Nation’s Capital, it is the symbol of America. By its - dignity and architectural inspiration we stimulate pride in our - country, we encourage that elevation of thought and character which - comes from great architecture.” - - HERBERT HOOVER. - - “In the Capital an example should be set for the country as a whole - in the matter of planning. Our national monuments will attract - seekers of the ideal in art. More and more it will become the - tendency to establish the headquarters of societies of literature and - art in Washington and to make bequests of collections to the National - Capital. Already there is a definite project to establish here in - Washington a national gallery of painting. Thus the Capital may be - foreseen as an art center responding to the desire of visitors from - all over the world and satisfying that demand. The public buildings, - as finally located and constructed, should place Washington in the - forefront of the architecturally beautiful cities of the world.” - - ANDREW W. MELLON. - - “The people of America are beginning to see that it is not necessary - to be commonplace in order to have common sense * * *. They wish for - themselves in the public buildings of municipalities and of States - and Nation to have the best results of time and the best attainments - of genius. What the people desire, their representatives in State - legislature, in municipal body, and in the Congress of the United - States desire for them. The art of our fathers, the art of our - private citizens, is to be the art of our people and of our whole - people.” - - ELIHU ROOT. - - “A city planned on such a noble scale as Washington is rare in the - world. It is almost unique. One hundred years of use has demonstrated - its merit. The plan of its founders should be maintained as the basis - for future development.” - - CASS GILBERT. - - -A TRIBUTE FROM VISCOUNT BRYCE - - “In these circumstances may not the city of Washington feel that - its mission in life is to be the embodiment of the majesty and the - stateliness of the whole Nation, representing all that is finest - in American conception, all that is largest and most luminous in - American thought; embodying: the Nation’s ideal of what the Capital - of such a Nation should be * * * the highest aspirations as to - external dignity and beauty that a great people can form for that - which is the center and national focus of their life.” - - - - -INDEX - - - Abingdon, site of, 117. - - Ackerman & Ross, architects, 284. - - Adams Memorial, 187, 325. - - Adams, President John, 40. - - Adams, President John Quincy, 45, 176, 268. - - Agriculture, Department of, 89, 145, 284. - - Alexandria, Va., 8, 37, 117. - - Allied Architects, Inc., of Washington, 235. - - American Battle Monuments Commission, 315. - - American Institute of Architects, 73, 81, 146. - - American Institute of Pharmacy, 277. - - American University, 279. - - Anacostia Park, 10, 161. - - Arboretum, National, 161, 296. - - Architecture, classical order of, 86, 165, 171, 196, 235, 261. - - Archives Building, National, 284. - - Arlington Mansion, 182, 309. - - Arlington Memorial Amphitheater, 313. - - Arlington Memorial Bridge, 93, 135, 284, 296. - - Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission, 135. - - Arlington National Cemetery, 82, 142, 309, 311. - - Army War College, 284. - - Art in the United States, influence on: - Centennial Celebration of 1876, 65. - World’s Columbian Exposition, 1893, 65. - - - Bacon, Henry, Architect, 131, 333, 343. - - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co., 45. - - Bancroft, George, 177. - - Barsotti, Chevalier Carolo, gift of, 339. - - Bennett, Parsons & Frost, architects, 284. - - Bingham, Theodore A., Superintendent Public Buildings and Grounds, - 146. - - Blair, Gist, 153, 155. - - Blashfield, Edwin Howland, mural painter, 247. - - Blodgett Hotel, 43. - - Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 65. - - Botanical Society of Washington, 11. - - Botanic Garden, 296. - - Brown, Arthur, architect, 284. - - Brown, Glenn and Bedford, architects, 284. - - Boundary Stones, District of Columbia, 19. - - Bryce, Viscount, 279, 358. - - Budget, Director of the, 307. - - Building Regulations of President Washington, 21, 101, 105. - - Bulfinch, Charles, Architect of the Capitol, 219. - - Burke, Edmund, statue of, 343. - - Burnes, David, 15. - - Burnham, Daniel H., 77, 80, 210, 235. - - Burnham & Co., D. H., 80, 235, 241. - - - Cabin John Bridge, 215. - - Calvert Street Bridge, 284. - - Capitol, the: - Bronze doors of, 224. - Description of, an early, 165. - Description of, a later, 219. - Enlargement of, 49, 219. - Group, 85. - House of Representatives wing of, bronze doors of the, 228. - Paintings in Rotunda of, 221. - Senate wing of, bronze doors of the, 226. - - Capitol Grounds and Union Station Plaza, development, 296, 301. - - Capitol Prison, old, 43. - - Capper-Cramton Act, the, 108, 151. - - Carnegie, Andrew, 276. - - Carnegie Institution of Washington, 277. - - Carrere & Hastings, architects, 235, 277, 313. - - Carrollsburgh, 37. - - Casey, Edward Pearce, architect, 245, 275, 284, 343. - - Casey, Thomas Lincoln, 205. - - Cassatt, Alexander J., president Pennsylvania Railroad Co., 84. - - Catholic University of America, 279. - - Centennial Celebration, influence on Art, 65. - - Central Heating Plant for Public Buildings, 284. - - Chain Bridge, 284. - - Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, 277. - - Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Co., 45, 109, 182, 183. - - Chicago, 65. - - Chief of Engineers, 147. - - Chodzinski, Kasimiriez, sculptor, 331. - - Christ Church, Alexandria, Va., 117. - - Christ Church, Washington, 187, 190. - - Churches in Washington, National, 289. - - Clarke, Gilmore D., 119. - - Clay, Henry, 99, 176. - - Columbia Institution for the Deaf, 279. - - Columbia Island, 137, 142. - - Columbus Monument, 241. - - Commerce Building, Department of, 279. - - Committee on the Library, 98, 161. - - Congress of the United States, 228. - - Congressional Cemetery, 190. - - Congressional Record, 232. - - Connogochegue River, 7. - - Constitution Avenue, 135, 293. - - Constitution Hall, 275. - - Constitution of the United States: - Provision for Federal District, in, 4. - In Library of Congress, 247. - - Continental Congress, the: - Cities occupied by, 1. - Inconvenienced by moving, 2. - - Coolidge, President Calvin, 276, 296. - - Coolidge, Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague, 250. - - Council of Fine Arts, 95, 99. - - Corbett, Harvey W., architect, 119. - - Corcoran Gallery of Art, 65, 179, 275. - - Corcoran House, 179. - - Couper, William, sculptor, 326. - - Courts of the District of Columbia, 193. - - Crawford, Thomas, sculptor, 224, 226. - - Cret, Paul P., architect, 252, 276, 284. - - Custis, George Washington Parke, 182, 203, 309. - - - Dante, statue of, 159, 339. - - D’Arc, Jeanne, statue of, 159, 333. - - Daughters of the American Revolution, National Society of the, 275. - - Decatur House, 176. - - Declaration of Independence, 9. - In Library of Congress, 245. - - Delano, Frederic A., 163. - - Delano & Aldrich, architects, 284. - - Dermott, James R., plan of, 32. - - District of Columbia, the: - Act establishing, 7 - Agreement for purchase of land for-- - Terms of, 15; - Signers of, 16. - Board of Commissioners of, 7, 102, 305. - Government of the, 305. - Boundary stones of, 19. - Description of 1810-1815, 41. - Georgetown made part of, 179. - Government of the, 305. - Highway Plan of, 69. - One hundredth anniversary of removal of the seat of government to - the, 73. - Origin and form of government of, 305. - - District of Columbia Courthouse, 193. - - Douglas, Stephen A., 321. - - Downing, A. J., 145. - - Dubois, Paul, sculptor, 333. - - Dunbar, U. S. J., sculptor, 326. - - Dupont Memorial, 333. - - - Early, Gen. Jubal A., 57. - - Early settlements along the Potomac, 9. - - Eastern Branch, 7, 8, 13. - - East Capitol Street, extending the Mall axis eastward, 109, 111. - - East Potomac Park, 155. - - Eliot, Dr. Charles W., 240, 243. - - Ellicott, Andrew, 19, 28, 29. - - Ellicott Plan, 29. - - Elliott, Hon. Richard N., 299. - - Embassies and Legations, 289. - - Engraving and Printing, Bureau of, 273, 284. - - Expositions held in the United States, 68. - - - Federal City, the: - Movement to establish, 1. - Naming streets of, 20. - Original agreement for, 15. - Preliminary studies of, 25. - Site of, 13. - - Federal Hall, 5. - - Federal Reserve Board Building, 276. - - Federal Trade Commission Building, 284. - - Fernald, Senator Bert N., 299. - - Flagg, Ernest, architect, 275. - - Folger Shakespeare Library, 252. - - Ford’s Theater, 57, 215. - - Fort Drive, 108, 111. - - Fort Stevens, 57. - - Fort Washington, Md., 109, 151. - - Foundry Methodist Church, 45. - - Foxall, Henry, 45. - - Francis Scott Key Bridge, 284. - - Fraser, James E., sculptor, 139, 343. - - Freedom, statue of, 224. - - Freer Gallery of Art, 89, 256, 284. - - French, Daniel Chester, sculptor, 133, 333. - - Friedlander, Leo, sculptor, 139. - - - Garden Club of America, 163. - - Garfield Park, 147. - - General Accounting Office, 284. - - George Washington Bicentennial Celebration, 129. - - George Washington Birthplace National Monument, 129. - - George Washington Memorial Parkway, 115, 296. - - George Washington National Masonic Memorial, 119. - - George Washington University, 279. - - Georgetown, 40, 48, 179; - University, 279. - - Giegengack, A. E., Public Printer, 260. - - Gilbert, Cass, architect, 175, 273, 277, 304. - - Goodhue, Bertram Grosvenor, architect, 276. - - Government department building, first, 266, 272. - - Government of the United States, the: - Act for establishment of the temporary and permanent seat of, 7. - Amendment to act establishing, 8. - - Government Printing Office, 257-261. - - Grand Army of the Republic Memorial to Benjamin F. Stephenson, 331. - - Grant, Gen. U. S., Memorial 82, 87, 148, 339. - - Grant, President Ulysses S., 61, 203. - - Great Falls of the Potomac, 45, 109, 115. - - Greenough, Horatio, sculptor, 321. - - Gregory, John, sculptor, 254. - - Guerin, Jules, mural painter, 133. - - - Hadfield, George, architect, 190, 193, 219, 309. - - Hallet, Stephen H., 219. - - Hamburg, 37. - - Hamilton, Alexander: - Part taken in locating National Capital, 6. - Secretary of the Treasury, first, 271. - Statue of, 343. - - Hamilton, Mrs. Alexander, 203. - - Hamilton, Mount, 161. - - Harding, President Warren G., 135. - - Hay, John, 91, 177. - - Heath, Hon. Ferry K., 299. - - Height of Buildings, 103. - - Hewlett, J. Monroe, 275. - - Highway Plan of the District of Columbia, 69. - - Hoban, James, architect of the White House, 219, 261. - - Hoover, President Herbert, 263. - - Houdon, Jean Antoine, sculptor, 319. - - House of Representatives Office Building, new, 235, 296. - - Howard University, 279. - - Hughes, Charles Evans, Chief Justice of the United States, 304. - - - Independence Hall, 3. - - Indian Tribes in and about the District of Columbia, 10. - - Interior Department, 127, 143, 276, 306. - - Internal Revenue, Bureau of, Building, 284. - - Interstate Commerce Commission Building, 279. - - - Jackson, President Andrew: - Suggests location of Arlington Memorial Bridge, 135. - Department of the Treasury Building, selects site for, 272. - Statue of, 321. - - James Creek, 37. - - Japanese Cherry Trees, 155. - - Jeanne d’Arc statue, 333. - - Jefferson Pier, 91, 202. - - Jefferson, President Thomas: - Architect of the Capitol, appoints, 40, 167. - Improves Pennsylvania Avenue, 40. - Influence on architecture, 68, 86. - Library of, purchase of, 219, 248. - National Capital, the-- - Alternate plan of, for, 15. - Founding of, in, part of, 6. - L’Enfant’s plans for, in directing, part of, 25. - Pennsylvania Avenue, in the time of, 40, 299. - Pew of, in Christ Church, 188. - Secretary of State, 266. - Streets in, for naming, plan of, 20. - Suggests that L’Enfant study plans of Old World capitals, 24. - Trees, to preserve, desire of, 143. - Washington in days of, 37. - - Jennewein, C. Paul, sculptor, 139. - - John Marshall Place, 193. - - Johnson, President Andrew, 57. - - Johnston, Harriet Lane, 157. - - Jones Point, cornerstone of the District of Columbia at, 19. - - Jones, Thomas Hudson, sculptor, 315. - - Justice, Department of, Building, 284. - - - Key, Francis Scott, Mansion, 42, 182. - - Keyes, Senator Henry W., 299. - - King Map, 33. - - Klingle Ford Bridge, 284. - - - Labor Department Building, 279. - - Lafayette, General: - Entertained at-- - Arlington, 182. - Tudor Place, 187. - Mount Vernon, visits, 123, 126. - Statue of, 325. - Washington, visits, 45. - - Lafayette Park, 147, 153. - - Land Office Building, old, 196. - - Landscape Architects, American Society of, 82. - - Latrobe, Benjamin H., Architect of the Capitol, 40, 167, 219, 304, - 319. - - Lawrie, Lee, sculptor, 276. - - Lear, Tobias, burial place of, 190. - - Legations, Embassies and, 289. - - L’Enfant, Pierre Charles: - Accompanies President Washington and Commissioners to view site for - Federal City, 20. - Biography of, 23. - Designs Fort Washington, 151. - Plan of-- - Apparently forgotten, 49, 145. - Basis of Plan of 1901, 83, 89. - Description of, 25, 32, 93, 146. - Influence on parks and highways, 108, 145, 147. - Methods and features of, 25. - Preserved in Library of Congress, 29. - Tomb of, in Arlington, 313. - - Library of Congress, 245, 296. - - Lincoln Memorial, the: - Description of, 131. - Decorations in, 133. - On main axis with Capitol and Washington Monument, 91. - Statue of Abraham Lincoln, in, 133. - - Lincoln Memorial and surrounding area, 135. - - Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Basin, 135. - - Lincoln Museum, 215. - - Lincoln, President Abraham: - Assassination of, 215. - Fort Stevens, under fire at, 57. - Funeral of, 57. - Washington in the time of, 53, 147. - - Little Falls of the Potomac, 45. - - Logan, Gen. John A., 313. - - Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, statue of, 326. - - Luce, Robert, Congressman, 163. - - Lynn, David, Architect of the Capitol, 301, 304. - - - McCall, Congressman Samuel W., 95. - - McClellan, Gen. George B., 176. - - McKim, Mead & White, architects, 137, 284, 333. - - McKim, Charles F., architect, 77, 80, 81, 91. - - McKinley, President William, 177. - - McMillan, Senator James, 77, 146, 304. - - McMillan Park Commission: - Members of, 77. - Plans of-- - Discussed, 28, 73, 83, 105, 146. - Important feature of, 301. - Influence on parks, 150. - Mall developed, according to, 109. - - McNary, Senator Charles L., 163. - - Madison, Mrs. Dolly, 43, 175, 203, 263. - - Madison, Dolly, House, 153, 175. - - Madison, President James, 43, 173, 175, 188, 201. - - Maginnis & Walsh, architects, 288. - - Mall, the: - Development of, 87, 145, 296. - Extension of, 91, 155. - Head of, 87. - Restoring axis of, 89. - - Marshall, John: - George Washington, monument to, author of resolution for erecting a, - 199. - Chief Justice, President Washington Monument Society, 201. - Secretary of State, 266. - Statue of Washington, comment on, 319. - - Maryland Legislature, offer of, 2. - - Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, 108. - - Mayors of Washington, 305. - - Meade, Gen. George G.: - Grand Review in 1865, participates in, 57. - Memorial to, 87, 150. - - Meigs, Gen. Montgomery C., 215, 224, 311. - - Mellon, Andrew, W., 256, 301. - - Meridian Hill Park, 157. - - Merriam, John C., 163. - - Metropolitan Museum in New York, 65. - - Mills, Clark, sculptor, 224, 321. - - Mills, Robert, architect, 196, 197, 201, 272. - - Mint, the, Bureau of, 273. - - Monroe, President James, Washington in time of, 45, 101, 188. - - Moore, Charles, former chairman, National Commission of Fine Arts, 82. - - Morris, Robert, 35, 271. - - Morse, S. F. B., first telegraph office of, 196. - - Mount Pleasant, 57. - - Mount Vernon, 121. - - Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, 108, 117, 296. - - Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union, 126. - - Mullett, A. B., architect, 268, 284. - - Municipal Center, the, 296. - - Municipal Fish Wharf, 113. - - Murphy, Frederick V., architect, 288. - - - National Academy of Sciences, 276. - - National Capital, the, development of, 13, 105. - - National Capital Park and Planning Commission, 51, 69, 99, 102, 105, - 150, 306. - - National Cathedral School, 288. - - National churches in Washington, 289. - - National Commission of Fine Arts, 95, 99, 102, 105, 150, 161, 296, - 315. - - National Conference on City Planning, 82. - - National Gallery of Art, 89, 256, 284. - - National Geographic Society, 277. - - National Museum, 89, 256, 284. - - National Park Service, 127, 143, 218. - - National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 288. - - National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 275. - - Naval Academy, 319. - - Naval Hospital, 284, 296. - - Naval Observatory, 284. - - Navy Department Building, 296. - - Noyes, Mrs. Frank B., 163. - - - Octagon House, 81, 173. - - Oldroyd Collection of Lincolniana, 215. - - Olmsted, Frederick Law, jr., landscape architect, 82, 87, 163. - - - Page, William Tyler, 209. - - Palisades of the Potomac, 93. - - Pan American Union, 276. - - Park system of the National Capital, 143, 306. - - Partridge, William T., study of L’Enfant plan by, 25. - - Patent Office, 42, 48, 197. - - Peaslee, Horace W., architect, 333, 343. - - Pennsylvania Avenue, 37, 145, 299. - - Pennsylvania Railroad Co., 84. - - Pension Office Building, old, 284. - - Perry, Hinton R., sculptor, 284. - - Piccirilli Brothers, marble cutters, 133. - - Platt, Charles A., architect, 284. - - Polk, President James K., 51. - - Pope, John Russell, architect, 257, 275, 277, 284. - - Porter, Commodore, owner of Meridian Hill Park site, 159. - - Post Office Department Building, 48, 284. - - Potomac Parks, 131, 155. - - Presidents of the United States, list of, 355. - - Proctor, A. Phimister, sculptor, 284. - - Public Buildings Act of 1926, 296, 299, 301. - - Public Buildings Commission, 293, 301. - - Public Buildings Program, 293. - - Public Health Service Building, 276. - - Public Library, 284. - - Pulaski, Gen. Casimir, statue of, 331. - - Putnam, Herbert, Librarian of Congress, 252. - - - Q Street Bridge, 284. - - Quotations from great Americans on the National Capital, 357. - - - Railroad into the District, first, 48. - - Rankin, Kellogg & Crane, architects, 284. - - Red Cross, American National, 275. - - Renwick, James, architect, 256, 284. - - Rhind, J. Massey, sculptor, 331. - - Rich, Lorimer, architect, 315. - - Rinehart, William H., sculptor, 226, 228. - - Riverside Drive, 93, 142. - - Rock Creek Cemetery, 187, 325. - - Rock Creek Church, 187. - - Rock Creek Park, 148, 159. - - Rock Creek Parkway, 93, 148. - - Rockefeller, John D., 129. - - Rodgers House, 177. - - Rogers, Randolph, 224. - - Roosevelt, President Theodore, 89, 91, 179, 279. - - Root, Elihu, 91, 95, 98. - - Ross, Albert R., architect, 333. - - Rust, Mrs. Harry Lee, 129. - - - Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, 77, 81, 91, 325. - - Scottish Rite Temple, 277. - - Senate and House of Representatives Office Buildings, 235. - - Seven Buildings, the, 266. - - Shaw Lily Gardens, 161. - - Shepherd, Alexander R.: - District of Columbia, Governor of, 61. - Statue of, 326. - - Sherman, Hon. John, 203, 209. - - Shipstead-Luce Act, 95, 102. - - Shrady, Henry Merwin, sculptor, 343. - - Simon, Louis, architect, 284. - - Six Buildings, the, 39, 266. - - Smith, Capt. John, 9, 13. - - Smithsonian Institution, 256, 284. - - Social Security Building, 296. - - Société des Femmes de France à New York, 159, 339. - - Soldiers’ Home, 211. - - Sousa Bridge, John Philip, 284. - - St. John’s Church, 153, 190, 192. - - Standards, Bureau of, 284. - - Star, Evening, 51, 299. - - Star-Spangled Banner, national anthem: - Act of Congress designating, 185. - Original, in National Museum, 185. - - State, Department of, 81, 265. - - State, War, and Navy Building, 61, 81, 268, 284. - - State Zoning Enabling Act, 101. - - Statues and Monuments in Washington, list of, 347. - - Street cars, Introduction in Washington of, 57. - - Sultan, Brig. Gen. Dan. I., 284. - - Supreme Court Chamber, 304. - - Supreme Court Building Commission, 304. - - Surveyor’s Office, District of Columbia, 33, 69. - - Suter’s Tavern, 19. - - - Taft, President William Howard, 91, 263, 279, 331. - - Taft, Mrs. William Howard, 157. - - Taft, William Howard, Bridge, 159, 284. - - Thomas, Havard, sculptor, 343. - - Thornton, Dr. William, 42, 173, 185, 190, 197, 219. - - Tiber Creek, 37. - - Tobacco barn, old (original Christ Church), 188. - - Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, 296, 315. - - Town House site, 32. - - Treasury, Department of the, 48, 267, 271. - - Trees of Washington, 63, 111. - - Triangle development, 301. - - Trinity College, 279. - - Tripoli Column, 319. - - Trowbridge, Alexander B., 252. - - Trowbridge & Livingston, architects, 275. - - Tudor Place, 182, 185. - - - Union Army, the, Grand Review of, 57. - - Union Square, 87. - - Union Station, 84, 235-241. - - Union Station, Plaza of, 103, 301. - - United States Botanic Garden, 296. - - United States Engineer Office, 113. - - United States Naval Academy, 319. - - United States Supreme Court Building, 296, 301. - - Unknown Soldier, the: - Burial of, 135. - Tomb of, 142, 296, 315. - - - Van Ness Mansion, 177, 276. - - Vedder, Elihu, painter, 245. - - Virginia: - Offer of Legislature of, 6. - Part of District of Columbia receded to, 51. - - - Wakefield National Memorial Association, 127, 129. - - Wakefield, Va.: - Ancestors of Washington settle at, 10. - Birthplace of George Washington, 127. - - Walter Reed General Hospital, 284, 296. - - Walter, Thomas U., 86, 219, 224, 268. - - War Department Building, 296. - - Ward, John Quincy Adams, sculptor, 5. - - Warden, David Baillie, 41. - - Washington: - Early, 35. - 1810-1815, 41. - 1816-1839, 45. - 1840-1859, 49. - 1860-1870, 53. - Improvements made in, during administration of President Grant, 61. - Metropolitan area of, 105. - - Washington, Col. John, 10. - - Washington, Judge Bushrod, 126. - - Washington, President George: - Appoints Commissioners of the District of Columbia, 13. - Arrives at Suter’s Tavern, Georgetown, 19. - Birthplace of, 127. - Capitol, cornerstone of, lays, 219, 228. - Confers with Commissioners of the District of Columbia, 20. - Federal City, site for, authorized to select, 7, 8. - Home of, 121. - Inauguration of, 5. - L’Enfant, high regard of, for, 24. - Potomac Canal, constructs, 4, 151. - Statues of, 5, 319, 321. - Trowel used at laying of cornerstone of Capitol by, 117, 118. - - Washington Aqueduct, 57. - - Washington Cathedral, 284. - - Washington Channel and water front, 113. - - Washington City Post Office, 241. - - Washington Meridian, 159. - - Washington Monument, the: - Detailed description of, 197. - Laying cornerstone of, 49, 202. - - Washington National Airport, 117. - - Washington National Monument Society, 199, 209. - - Webster-Ashburton treaty, tablet commemorating, 268. - - Webster, Daniel: - Capitol extension, orator at laying of cornerstone of, 9, 219. - Describes General Jackson, 135. - Residence of, 179. - - White House, the: - Early description of, 41, 171, 173. - Later description of, 261. - - Weinman, A. A., sculptor, 277, 303. - - White, Stanford, architect, 325. - - Wilson, James, Secretary of Agriculture, 161. - - Wilson, President Woodrow, 243, 288. - - Winter, Ezra, painter, 276. - - Winthrop, Robert C., 202, 209. - - Witherspoon, John, statue of, 326. - - Wood, Waddy B., architect, 276. - - World’s Columbian Exposition, 65. - - World War, influence on Washington, 101, 293. - - World War Memorials in Europe, 99. - - Wyeth, Nathan C., architect, 284. - - Wyeth & Sullivan, architects, 235. - - - York & Sawyer, architects, 279. - - - Zantzinger, Borie & Medary, architects, 284. - - Zero Milestone, 333. - - Zoning of the Capital, 101, 108. - - Zoning Commission, 103 - - Zoological Park, National, 159, 256, 257, 284. - - - - -TRANSCRIPTIONS OF CHARTS AND MAPS - - -Page 14: - - SKETCH - OF - WASHINGTON IN EMBRYO, - Previous to its Survey by Major L’ENFANT. - Compiled from the rare historical researches - --of-- - D^{r}. JOSEPH M. TONER, - who by special favor has permitted the use of his labor and materials - for the publication of a grand historical map of this District - Compilers - E.F.M. FAEHTZ & F.W. PRATT. - 1874. - - _This sketch establishes the exact location - of Hamburgh and Carrollsburg and - approximated metes and bounds - of every estate then embraced - within the precincts granted - by the President. - In addition thereto the subsequent - avenues as well as several - other early improvements,_ - - -Page 17: - - MAP SHOWING THE ORIGINAL MILESTONES OR - BOUNDARY STONES OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - AND THEIR - APPROXIMATE LOCATION - FRED E WOODWARD - - -Page 21: - - TERMS AND CONDITIONS declared by the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES, - this seventeenth day of October, seventeen hundred and ninety-one, - for regulating the Materials and Manner of the Buildings and - Improvements on the LOTS in the CITY of WASHINGTON. - - 1st. That the outer and party-walls of all houses within the said - City shall be built of brick or stone. - - 2d. That all buildings on the streets shall be parallel thereto, and - may be advanced to the line |of th|e street, or withdrawn therefrom, - at the plea|sure| of the improver: But where any such build|ing is| - about to be erected, neither the foundation or party-wall shall be - begun without first applying to the person or persons appointed by - the Commissioners to superintend the buildings within the city, - who will ascertain the lines of the walls to correspond with these - regulations. - - 3d. The wall of no house to be higher than forty feet to the roof in - any part of the city; nor shall any be lower than thirty-five feet on - any of the avenues. - - 4th. That the Person or persons appointed by the Commissioners to - superintend the buildings may enter on the land of any person to set - out the foundation and regulate the walls to be built between party - and party, as to the breadth and thickness thereof. Which foundation - shall be laid equally upon the lands of the persons between whom - such party-walls are to be built, and shall be of the breadth and - thickness determined by such person proper; and the first builder - shall be reimbursed one moiety of the charge of such party-wall, - or so much thereof as the next builder shall have occasion to make - use of, before such |n|ext builder shall any ways use or break into - the wall--The charge or value thereof to be set by |t|he person or - persons so appointed by the Commissioners. - - 5th. As temporary conveniencies will be proper for lodging workmen - and securing materials for building, it is to be understood that - such may be erected with the approbation of the Commissioners: But - they may be removed or discontinued by the special order of the - Commissioners. - - 6th. The way into the squares being designed |in| a special manner - for the common use and convenience of the occupiers of the respective - squares--The property in the same is reserved to the public, so - that there may be an immediate interference on any abuse of the use - thereof by any individual, to the nuisance or obstruction of others. - The proprietors of the Lots adjoining the entrance into the squares, - on arching over the entrance, and fixing gates in the manner the - Commissioners shall approve, shall be intitled to divide the space - over the arching and build it up with the range of that line of the - square. - - 7th. No vaults shall be permitted under the streets, nor any - encroachments on the foot way above by steps, stoops, porches, cellar - doors, windows, ditches or leaning walls; nor shall there be any - projection over the street, other than the eves of the house, without - the consent of the Commissioners. - - 8th. These regulations are the terms and conditions under and upon - which conveyances are to be made, according to the deeds in trust of - the lands within the city. - - George Washington. - - TERMS of SALE of LOTS in the CITY of WASHINGTON, the Eighth Day of - _October_, 1792. - - All Lands purchased at this Sale, are to be subject to the Terms and - Conditions declared by the President, pursuant to the Deeds in Trust. - - The purchaser is immediately to pay one fourth part of the purchase - money; the residue is to be paid in three equal annual payments, - with yearly interest of six per cent. on the whole principal - unpaid: If any payment is not made at the day, the payments made - are to be forfeited, or the whole principal and interest unpaid - may be recovered on one suit and execution in the option of the - Commissioners. - - The purchaser is to be entitled to a conveyance, on the whole - purchase money and interest being paid, and not before. No bid under - Three Dollars to be received. - - -Page 27: - - PLAN - of the City intended for the - Permanent SEAT of the - Government of the UNITED STATES - Projected agreeable to the direction - of the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES - in pursuance of an ACT of CONGRESS posted the - sixteenth day of July, MDCCXC, - “establishing the Permanent Seat - on the bank of the Potowmac” - By Peter Charles L’Enfant. - - OBSERVATIONS explanatory of the PLAN. - - I. The positions for the different Grand Edifices and for the several - Grand Squares or Areas of different shapes as they are laid down were - first determined on the most advantageous ground commanding the most - extensive prospects, and the better susceptible of such improvements - as the various intents of the several objects may require. - - II. Lines or Avenues of direct communication have been devised as - connect the separate and most distinct objects with the principal, - and to preserve through the whole a reciprocity of sight at the same - time. Attention has been paid to the passing of those leading Avenues - over the most favorable ground for prospect and convenience. - - III. North and South lines, intersected by others running due East - and West, make the distribution of the City into Streets, Squares, - etc., and those lines have been so combined as to meet at certain - given points with those divergent Avenues so as to form on the spaces - “first determined” the different Squares or Areas, which are all - proportional in Magnitude to the number of Avenues leading to them. - - _Breadth of the Streets._ - - Every grand transverse Avenue and every principal divergent one, - such as the communication from the President’s house to the Congress - house, etc., are 160 feat in breadth and thus divided: - - 10 feet of pavement on each side 20 Feet - 30 feet of gravel walk planted with trees on each side 60 - 80 feet in the middle for carriage way 80 - --- 160 - The other streets are of the following dimensions, viz.: - Those leading to public buildings or markets 130 Feet - Others 110-90 - - In order to execute the above plan, Mr. Ellicott drew a true - Meridional line by celestial observation which passes through the - Area intended for the Congress house; this line he crossed by another - due East and West, which passes through the same Area. These lines - were accurately measured and made the bases on which the whole plan - was executed. He ran all the lines by a Transit Instrument and - determined the Acute Angles by actual measurement, and left nothing - to the uncertainty of the Compass. - - REFERENCES. - - A. The equestrian figure of George Washington, a Monument voted in - 1783 by the late Continental Congress. - - B. An historic Column, also intended for a Mile or itinerary Column, - from whose station (a mile from the Federal house), all distances of - places through the Continent are to be calculated. - - C. A Naval itinerary Column proposed to be erected to celebrate the - first rise of a Navy and to stand a ready Monument to consecrate its - progress and Achievements. - - D. This Church is intended for National purposes, such as public - prayer, thanksgivings, funeral Orations, etc., and assigned to the - special use of no particular Sect or denomination, but equally open - to all. It will be likewise a proper shelter for such monuments as - were voted by the late Continental Congress for those heroes who - fell in the cause of liberty and for such others as may hereafter be - decreed by the voice of a grateful Nation. - - E. Five grand fountains intended with a constant spout of water. N. - B. There are within the limits of the City about 25 good springs of - excellent water abundantly supplied in the driest season of the year. - - The Squares coloured yellow, being fifteen in number, are proposed to - be divided among the several States in the Union for each of them to - improve, or subscribe a sum additional to the value of the land for - that purpose, and the improvements round the Squares to be completed - in a limited time. - - The center of each Square will admit of Statues, Columns, obelisks, - or any other ornaments, such as the different States may choose to - erect, to perpetuate not only the memory of such individuals whose - Counsels or military achievements were conspicuous in giving liberty - and independence to this Country, but also those whose usefulness - hath rendered them worthy of general imitation; to invite the youth - of succeeding generations to tread in the paths of those Sages or - heroes whom their Country has thought proper to celebrate. - - The situation of these Squares is such that they are the most - advantageously and reciprocally seen from each other, and as equally - distributed over the whole City district, and connected by spacious - Avenues round the grand Federal improvements, and as contiguous to - them, and at the same time as equally distant from each other, as - circumstances would admit. The settlements round those Squares must - soon become connected. - - This mode of taking possession of, and improving the whole District - at first must leave to posterity a grand idea of the patriotic - interest which promoted it. - - Those figures coloured red, are intended for use of all religious - denominations, on which they are to erect places of worship, and - are proposed to be allotted to them in the manner as those coloured - yellow to the different States in the Union; but no burying grounds - will be admitted within the limits of the City, an appropriation - being intended for that purpose without. N. B. Then a number of - Squares or Areas unappropriated, and in situations proper for - Colleges and Academies, and of which every Society whose object is - national may be accommodated. Every house within the City will stand - square on the Streets, and every lot. even those on the divergent - Avenues, will run Square with their fronts, which on the most acute - angle will not measure less than 56 feet and many will be above 110 - feet. - - Pine Creek, whose water, if necessary, may supply the City, being - turned into James White’s branch. - - Perpendicular height of the } F. I. Pts. - source of Tiber Creek, } 236 7 ⁵⁄₈ - above the level of the } - tide in said Creek. } - - Perpendicular height of James White’s Spring, being part of Tiber - Creek, above the level of the tide in said Creek. - - This branch of the Tiber, is intended to be conveyed to the - President’s house. - - The water of this Creek is intended to be conveyed on the high - ground, where the Congress house stands, and after watering that - part of the city, its overplus will fall from under the base of that - Edifice, and in a Cascade of 20 feet in height, and 50 in breadth - into the reservoir below; thence to run in three fills through the - Garden into the grand Canal. - - The perpendicular height of the ground where the Congress house - stands, is above the tide of Tiber Creek, 78 feet. - - ° ′ - Lat. Congress House, 38.53.N. - Long. _0′. 0′._ - - References. - - F. Grand Cascade, formed of the Water from the sources of the Tiber. - - G. Public walk, being a square of 1,200 feet, through which carriages - may ascend to the upper Square of the Federal house. - - H. Grand Avenue, 400 feet in breadth, and about a mile in length, - bordered with gardens, ending in a slope from the houses on each - side. This avenue leads to the Monument A, and connects the Congress - Garden with the - - I. President’s park, and the - - K. Well improved field, being a part of the walk from the President’s - house, of about 1,800 feet in breadth, and ³⁄₄ of a mile in length. - Every lot, deep coloured red, with green plots, designates some of - the situations which command the most agreeable prospects, and which - are the best calculated for spacious houses and gardens, such as may - accommodate foreign Ministers, etc. - - L. Around this Square, and all along the - - M. Avenue from the two bridges to the Federal house, the pavement on - each side will pass under an Arched way, under whose cover Shops will - be most conveniently and agreeably situated. This street is 160 feet - in breadth, and a mile long. - - -Page 31: - - ° ′ - Lat. Capitol 38:53, N - Long 0: 0. - - OBSERVATIONS - explanatory of the - Plan. - - I. The positions for the different Edifices and for the several - Squares or Areas of different shapes, as they are laid down, were - first determined on the most advantageous ground, commanding the most - extensive prospects, and the better susceptible of such improvements, - as either use or ornament may hereafter call for. - - II. Lines or Avenues of direct communication have been devised to - connect the separate and most distant objects with the principal, - and to preserve through the whole a reciprocity of sight at the same - time. Attention has been paid to the passing of those leading Avenues - over the most favorable ground for prospect and convenience. - - III. North and South lines intersected by others running due East and - West, make the distribution of the City into Streets, Squares, &c.; - and those lines have been so combined as to meet at certain given - points with those divergent Avenues, so as to form on the Spaces - “first determined,” the different Squares or Areas. - - Perpendicular height of the source of } F. I. Pts. - Tiber Creek above the level of the } 236.7.⁵⁄₈ - tide in said Creek } - - This branch and that of the Tiber may be conveyed to the President’s - house. - - The water of this Creek may be conveyed on the high ground where the - Capitol stands, and after watering that part of the City, may be - destined to other useful purposes. - - The perpendicular height of the ground where the Capitol is to stand, - is above the tide of Tiber Creek 78 Feet. - - Perpendicular height of the West } F. I. Pts. - branch above the tide in } 115.7.²⁄₈ - Tiber Creek } - - _PLAN_ - of the CITY of - Washington - in the Territory of Columbia, - _ceded by the States of_ - VIRGINIA and MARYLAND - _to the_ - United States _OF_ America, - _and by them established as the - SEAT of their GOVERNMENT, - after the Year_ - MDCCC. - -Breadth of the Streets. - - The grand Avenues, and such Streets as lead immediately to public - places are from 130 to 160 feet wide, and may be conveniently divided - into foot ways, walks of trees, and a carriage way. The other streets - are from 90 to 110 feet wide. - - In order to execute this plan, Mr. Ellicott drew a true Meridional - line by celestial observation, which passes through the Area intended - for the Capitol; this line he crossed by another due East and West - which passes through the same Area. These lines were accurately - measured, and made the basis on which the whole plan was executed. He - ran all the lines by a Transit Instrument, and determined the Acute - Angles by actual measurement, and left nothing to the uncertainty of - the Compass. - - -Page 81: - - MAKE NO LITTLE PLANS; THEY HAVE NO MAGIC - TO STIR MEN’S BLOOD, AND PROBABLY THEMSELVES - WILL NOT BE REALIZED. MAKE BIG PLANS; AIM - HIGH IN HOPE AND WORK, REMEMBERING THAT A - NOBLE, LOGICAL DIAGRAM ONCE RECORDED WILL - NEVER DIE, BUT LONG AFTER WE ARE GONE WILL - BE A LIVING THING. ASSERTING ITSELF WITH EVER - GROWING INSISTENCY. REMEMBER THAT OUR - SONS AND GRANDSONS ARE GOING TO DO THINGS - THAT WOULD STAGGER US. LET YOUR WATCH- - WORD BE ORDER AND YOUR BEACON BEAUTY - - DANIEL H. BURNHAM - - -Page 100: - - WASHINGTON D.C. - THE MALL--CENTRAL AREA - STUDY FOR DEVELOPMENT--1937 - NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION - - -Page 104: - - VIRGINIA PROJECTS - SHOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH STUDIES OF - VIRGINIA-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK - AND PLANNING COMMISSION - ARLINGTON COUNTY ZONING COMMISSION - - MARYLAND PROJECTS - SHOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH STUDIES OF - MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK - AND PLANNING COMMISSION - WASHINGTON SUBURBAN SANITARY COMMISSION - - EXISTING PUBLIC PARKS - PROPOSED PUBLIC PARKS - PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS - PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS - CEMETERIES - PROPOSED AIRPORTS - GOLF & COUNTRY CLUBS - EXISTING PRINCIPAL HIGHWAYS - PROPOSED PRINCIPAL HIGHWAYS - EXISTING INTERMEDIATE HIGHWAYS - PROPOSED INTERMEDIATE HIGHWAYS - CITIES AND TOWNS - STATE LINE - COUNTY LINE - DISTRICT LINES - - -Page 110: - - - INDEX - - PROPOSED PARKWAY - EXISTING PARK LANDS - PROPOSED PARK ACQUISITION - EXISTING INSTITUTIONS, CEMETERIES ETC. - - PRELIMINARY PLAN - FORT DRIVE - PARKWAY CONNECTING THE CIVIL WAR FORTS ENCIRCLING THE CITY - WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION - LT. COL. U.S. GRANT 3^{RD} - EXECUTIVE AND DISBURSING OFFICER - MAJ. CAREY H. BROWN - ENGINEER - CHARLES W. ELLIOTT 2^{ND} - CITY PLANNER - FEBRUARY 1937 - - -Page 114: - - -LEGEND- - PARKS & PUBLIC GROUNDS - PROPOSED PARKS - PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS - PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS - PROPOSED PUBLIC GROUNDS - - -Page 149: - - PARK, PARKWAY & PLAYGROUND - PROJECTS - DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK & PLANNING COMMISSION - - -Page 158: - - ROCK CREEK PARK - WASHINGTON, D.C. - - SCALE IN FEET - - OFFICE OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC PARKS - LIEUT. COL. U.S. GRANT, 3^{RD}, DIRECTOR - - G.E. CLARK, ENGINEER IN CHARGE OF SURVEYS - G.S. ELLIOTT - CHIEF OF PARTY - - LEGEND - LEAVE CAR OR BUS LINES FOR PARK - MACADAM ROADS - DIRT STREETS OR ROADS - FOOT PATHS - SPRINGS OR FOUNTAINS - IMPROVED STREETS - BRIDLE PATHS - PICNIC GROVES - - REVISION 1933 - - -Page 171: - - Basement Plan - 1800 - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - - Inconsistencies and (factual or linguistic) errors in the text have - been retained, except as mentioned under Changes below. Carrere and - Carrére have not been changed to Carrère (the more common spelling). - Missing or wrong accents in French words have not been corrected. - Several proper and geographic names are spelled either in their - original or in anglicised spelling (or both) or in variations - thereof; these have not been standardised. The differences (in - wording and structure) between the Table of Contents, List of - Illustrations and the chapter and section titles and illustration - captions in the text have not been corrected either. - - Depending on the hard- and software used to read this text and their - settings, not all elements may display as intended. - - The quality of several of the maps and charts was insufficient to - display them fully legible and with all details visible, or to - transcribe the text in the chart or map. - - Page 14, note in lower left corner of map: the note in the source - document ends (unexpectedly) in ... several other early improvements, - - Page 27, 31: The (minor) differences between the texts in the charts - and those in the transcriptions as printed in the source document - have not been rectified. - - Page 146, quote from L’Enfant, and Page 27 (transcription from - chart): the minor differences between the quoted text and the map - have not been rectified. - - Page 201, By a resolution adopted February 29, 1847 ...: 1847 was not - a leap year. - - - Changes made - - Illustrations have been moved outside text paragraphs. - - Some obvious minor typographical, spelling and punctuation errors - have been corrected silently. - - Where relevant and possible notes, explanatory texts, legends, - etc. from illustrations have been transcribed separately; these - transcriptions may be found towards the end of the text. In these - transcriptions, most of the (sometimes elaborate) formatting has been - ignored. - - Page 42: It was erected by Mr. Blodget ... changed to It was erected - by Mr. Blodgett.... - - Page 252: Alexander B. Trowridge changed to Alexander B. Trowbridge. - - Page 284: Ackermann & Ross, architects changed to Ackerman & Ross, - architects; A. B. Mullet, supervising architect changed to A. B. - Mullett, supervising architect. - - Page 325: ... for the statute and pedestal ... changed to ... for the - statue and pedestal .... - - Page 349: Antion Popiel, sculptor changed to Antoni Popiel, sculptor - - Index: some names have been standardised with the spelling used in - the text. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MANUAL ON THE ORIGIN AND -DEVELOPMENT OF WASHINGTON *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ -concept and trademark. 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