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an enemy’s fleet. The situation is > also adeemed verys healthy, ‘and
several rivulets flow from the heighths to'-the city, so as to render
it easy to raise the water to any* part of an edifice : | there are
also many excellent springs for wells. With all this it - is said that
the town would have become ' very opulent, if the states : had resolved
to build the houses at the public expense, and then1 have
sold them at a reasonable-rate ; the town would in that, case have
been soon supplied-with inhabitants, and have thereby afforded a
Considerable revenue to be employed for the improvement of other
parts of the place, and for the erection 'of public buildings : but
unfortunately it was resolved to divide the land into different lots,
and sell them to the highest bidders. Speculators wb© possessed a
sufficiënt property, now secured to themselves'ithe largest, tracts of
land, in the mos£ eligible papts of the new planned city, nôCwifch
the intention of building, but to sell the ground * again at ah advanced
rate, and this went on in the 'same manner,; till- the pieee
of land became so extravagant^ that no person- who attentively
considered the matter could engagé in building houses here, with
the expectation of any reasonable interest for his.money. : '
The principal part of those who?were about tó become inhabitants
oflhiscity were shop-keepers, and other persons of small incomej who
could not apply their money in building houses in hope of future
profit, as even then there Was an uncertainty which part of the town
would be most enlarged, as every owner of a lot' tried, by 'public
advertisements, to discredit all the rest of the city but that which
belonged to himself, which only created in the people a'distrust iri
them all. The first great desire to'possess a house in the Federal
city began now gradually to lessen, and particularly1 so, since
Louisiana has become a member of the United States: the city of
Washingtbn' >bein-g nd-lodgef a central spot tö the territory of
thé Federal government, and perhaps is may befound móst convenient
in time to have their congress transferred to another place,
[ 20Ï J
thoxigh this city has already cost the public a good deal of'money.-
The plan1 for laying it out, on inspecting the place, merits much ap-
s probation : the. distribution of the streets is well chosen, and a num-
* beneficially for a freer circulation of
air in a laTge ei'tyywhieh is much wanted 1® the other toWns of the
• United States; but though the houses already built' arë esteemed
above seventeen hundred, yet their effect is lost, being1 scattered
about ih'fo’space' of about Tour miles and half in length, and two
miles and half widk Had théplan-of building the first part ^b'een
directed by the legislature, 1 andveommencèd with building houses
dearest'fbJ©ebig'eT0 urn, thé inhabitants would directly have enjoyed
all thé benefits and comforts of ;thkt town, and thus the1 city
of Washington Would have encreased in a regular form. The distance
from the presidèntVhouse to the Capitol is alsp considered a-s
too greats, befog a mile and half, and is expected will occasion in
future times many-inconveniences. •
The Capitei*kands on a high commanding ground, and will in
lime be a very extensive building,^erected of hewn stphe ^ bh^at
present it wears ratlier a gloomy aspect, which seems partly to arise
from thé narrowness, of the windows ; howevBe rs,Ê iat would | bIe MRkmft ÜOf'
to judge of the effect of a buildfog which is but half finish td •
- The! öavy^yató, an d the'atore-housesySeemed the most forward
buildings in the city, and therewfere«several frigates to> be.repaired».
But in this crisis* of a misunderstanding ©f the United States-with,
the principal maritime powers, I thought it wrong for a foreigner
to visit those, places,
The president, Mr. Jefferson, had left the city a few days before*
my arrival* fof ?hia; conn try settt ifo^irginia ;s however,. I went with
another gentleman to thet-president’s house: ir is built with, hewn
stone, standing on-a high -gpoahd, and is a, Very elegant building:
the apartments are large, well proportioned, and furnished with,
taste .The prospect when the-town is finished will be very fine- -
Dd.
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