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.