S68
C it ie s .
Tl N I T E D S T A T E S.
Tiber creek, may be. conveyed .to the Prefidents houfe.- Th^ fource
elevated about « 0 feet a b o v e . M|H EI
"The perpendicular height,of Aground .on which the.Capatpl | U | | l
5 yfffeet above the level ef the tide » .Tiber creek9 the water W i f
cJet may therefore be cOmfeyed to the .Capitol, and after, fe t in g
that part of the city may he deftined,to other .ufeftf puüpofes. L A
i £ The Eaftern branch is oooo&the fafeft and ^ J“ “
bours in America, being fufficiently deep for the lar^ft’fhiRsT#^ out
four miles above its mouth, while the .ehanndl lies clofe t i g g É g W
adjoining thé city, and affords a large and convenient harbour. |The
piomak! although only navigable '
diftance from its banks next tojhe city,
above the junaion of the rivers,) will nevqrthgiefs afford ac&ious
fummer harbour; » an immenfe number of.fhips may J^e Athe
great channel öpf ofite helow, the city. | H H |
S « The fituatioa of this metropolis fa upon the U W K
diftant from the northern aad; foutheru^atre^s .of
nearly fo from the Atlantic and
and in the midft of a commercial territory B M B i l and
^commanding *he moft extenfive internal -tefeurces^f.any^nfefn«.
It has.tberefore-many advantages to recommend
. for the permanent feat, of the general government > H
be fpeedily built, and otherwife improved by the publie-tóed ey
terpje of .the People of. the United.States, and
may be expected to grow up with a degree of rapidity hitherto unpaia-
Jeled in the annals of cities. i .
a The plan of this city appears to contain fotne important impio.i
• meats upon that of the beft planned .cities in the world comb.mog m
a remarkable degree convenience, regnlanty, elegance c f w W »
a free circulation of air. The pofltions for the different f f i g W E
and for the feveral fquares, and areas of different fhap.qs, as they |
laid down, were-fir-fit determined on the moft advantageous gi°u"
commanding the moft éxtenfive -profpetts, .and from theirJmation i
ceptible of fuch improvements as either,ufe or ornament » « f f f r
require The Capitol will be fituated on a moft jequnc. r , . beaut.i furol1m emmiann‘dM
c h a p . îiî;; c i v i l g e o g r a p h y . ■ ssg
commanding a complete view of every part of the city, and of a con»-- Cinfes.
fiderable part of the'country around. The Prefident’s houfe will ftand
on a rifing-ground, poffeffing a delightful Water profpeâ, together with
a commanding view-of the Capitol, and of the moft material parts of the
city.;“' Lines of avenues of direâ communication have ftéen tleVifed',. to
conn@«ft the moft diftant and, important . objets! Thefe ifanfverfe
avenues or diagonal ftreets are laid out on thé mû ft advantage ohs ground
lor proipe£t and •convenidnee1;.; and are calculated not only toiptèduce*
a variety of charming profpeifts; btft greatly to' faêffliiïe thé
catioft throughout the city. ' North and fdiith lines,, inlerlkkd by
othA'running due eaft and weft, make the diftrtbution of the city,., into
ftreets, Squares, & g., and thole lines have been lb combined ass,to meet/
at certain given points with the divergent aveftües^*fó a^ :t& föhn“on' tffd
fpacesijirji determined thé different fquares or 'areas.h-Th'd -grind aVei
nues, and &çh.i:r^tSLas lead immediately to publie places, are from ïgd *
lötife -feet wide, -and may be conveniently- divided into 'footways, a
’ walk planted with tree's on éach fide, and a paved way lor cirtriagfe^
The ;©thdr ftreets are from 90 to 110 feet wide.
' In order to execute this plan, Mr. EHicott drew a ihèndiörial, line,
by*ecMial ©bfervation,- which paffes through the.aréa imèndédfbr the
Capital.)« This line he croffed by another, running dué eaft and weft
white,^tpaiffes through thé* fame àtea. Tfaëfe foéè'Werè .acthÿàMy'ÿfidâ-
fared, and made the bafes on which the whole plan, was^èkdctrted. Hfe
rah all tfe^lineèhy a trainfit inftrmttent, and detfeTmiried the acute angles
by a&nal meafurement, leaving nothing to the hncertainty Of the com-i
pafs.”1 .
Mr. Weld ©bferves a great defexft in the plan, the wànf o f a: grand and
extenfive quay, the fliores1 being Crowded with fmail wooden wharfs
and wærehoufess but thefe aie only jtdrnfjWa iy ,' and n ^ ^ l^ e d i f i c l<■
is to be permitted except in brick or ftone. . In the Capitol the iïktiprial1"
councils are to affemble ; and fo grand is the plan, that the expenee is
eftrmated at a .million of dollars, Of 2-ïÿ,(S§c> pötïnd'é- ■
.banks o f .the Patomak !
tree-flâne, harder than that of Portland ; and at no-gréai diftance are
M b é I
VOL. II. WM?
found