I cheerfully comply with your request for the means of laying before your readers a more complete and detailed explanation than that supplied by the report of the Secretary of the Interior, of the operations in progress on the ground east of the National Capitol. The need for it I presume to lie in the fact that, while much destruction is evident and a large force is at work, nothing is approaching completion, no improvement is found, and no intelligible plan can yet be recognized.

The place was originally a flat table, slightly inclined toward the west, where a straight street, crossing it from north to south, formed the only approach for carriages to the Capitol from any direction. East of this street there was a rectangular grass-plat bounded by straight walks; other trees appear to have been planted, at an early day, in imperfect rows alongside these walks, most of which died young. At various periods since then trees have been planted in and adjoining the first rows, some to take the place of those dying; some because of unwise haste to secure shade; some because they were of species newly arrived in the country and fashionable, and some with no intelligent purpose. A great number of rank upstarts were allowed to crowd and distort and starve the more permanent and valuable sort. The original thin soil had probably been worn out and washed away under colonial tobacco culture, and left little but a sterile and exceedingly stiff brick clay, over which street-sweepings from the old dirt roads of Washington, with some Tiber mud, have from time to time been laid. A careful forester’s survey made this Summer indicated that the trees must have been generally taken from the Woods, poorly lifted and poorly planted, and that their roots had rarely attempted to penetrate the clay but had sought food by running far and wide close to the surface. Three-fourths of them were in unsound condition, many [94] far gone with decay, and the foliage of nearly all began to wilt after lacking rain but two weeks. With two exceptions the largest and best stood near the east boundary, their roots breaking out on a bank eight feet in hight formed by the recent grading down of First-st., which bank barred both approach and vision toward the Capitol. Shrubs and flower beds were dropped about here and there, many of the shrubs being of late sick or dead, and the flower beds overgrown by grass and weeds.

The Old Park Swept Away.

This view has prevailed, and the old park has accordingly been swept away. Congress, at the close of its last session, having provided means for the purpose, the work began under contract on the 17th of August, since when there has been not yet quite time, with all the men who could be employed economically, to accomplish the grading, the amount of earth to be removed being about 150,000 cubic yards. Other operations seen in progress on ground where the grading is complete are the tillage and tempering of the newly exposed subsoil to the depth of two feet; the return to it of the old soil with additions to the depth of a foot; the taking up of the old sewer, drainage, water, and [95]

“General Plan for the Improvement of the U.S. Capitol Grounds”
Drawn by Thomas Wisedell during the fall of 1874 and presented to Congress in early 1875.

[96] gas pipes, and the laying of new and much better and more elaborate systems of each; the transplanting of some of the more thrifty of the old trees which have been preserved, to new places; and some laying of curb, gutters, gratings, and road and walk foundations, with a little pavement. These operations have seemed detached and purposeless because divided by those of grading, but the missing links are expected to be for the most part inserted before Winter stops work, when the plan will be more intelligible.

Subordination of the Grounds to the Building.

As the trees to be planted grow, the larger part of the road and walk space will be shaded, but the object of happy compositions of the foliage with the Capitol, and of pleasant views from important points of the Capitol is not to be sacrificed to the object of making its court-yard, in all its parts and in all seasons, a perfectly comfortable lounging place or exercise ground.

The same principle of subordination to the building will prevent the introduction in any part of the ground of local ornaments, whether in flowers, leaf-plants, or other objects simply curious or beautiful in themselves. Those matters only will be decorated which by their position and form carry out, repeat, and support the architectural design, nor will any decoration be such as to hold the eye of an observer when in a position to take a general view of the Capitol.

[97]

View of U.S. Capitol showing Parapet and curved bluestone seat on edge of Plaza on East grounds

The carriage-court will be bounded opposite the building by a walk or esplanade, laid with colored tile, and this will be separated from the broad turf spaces beyond it by a structure combining the purposes of a parapet or barrier, and a seat, so curved in plan, that unobstructed views of the Capitol may be obtained from it at various distances from 100 to 300 feet from the nearest point of its front, and at every practicable angle of vision. The parapet is to be formed of blue and red stone, and is to be also divided by piers, supporting bronze gas-posts. This work is under contract, and, if the weather is favorable, sections of it are expected to be complete before Congress meets.

I herewith present you a plan for the improvement of Niagara Square. In designing it, I have had in view the fact, that Niagara Square is the central feature of the plan of your city, and that broad streets approach and cross it from eight directions. It is first of all a place of thoroughfare, and, in my judgment, nothing should be done which will seriously injure its character in this respect. For this reason I cannot approve the suggestion which has been urged upon me, and which I understand has been favorably entertained by many, of appropriating the greater part of its limited area to a public garden.

[100]

Plan for Niagara Square, Buffalo, October 1874

Maintaining the present thoroughfares at their full breadth and on the same general plan as at present, eight triangles remain, the parts of which nearest the center of the Square are too narrow to be of any value. If they are reduced materially in depth the central space would be very large and need some effective decoration, neither breaking the view nor obliging travel to deviate abruptly or to an inconvenient distance from any of its present courses. For this purpose nothing would be better than a circular fountain basin at the center of the Square, provided convenience will allow it to be made large [101] enough to appear suitable to a situation of so much importance, and in which it must be seen without support from adjoining objects.

This idea has been adopted in the plan: The fountain basin being made one hundred feet in diameter and designed to require as moderate a cost for construction as possible; its circumference being a low coping and rail; its center a body of spray without expensive masonry and a large part of the effect to be obtained by a belt near the circumference, of water plants; the design being similar to that of the new fountain in Union Square, New York, but larger in scale. A wheel-way is then allowed around the fountain nowhere less than sixty feet in breadth.

The general plan of the remaining outer parts of the Square will be readily understood on examination of the drawing. The present trees of the Square so far as valuable are proposed to be utilized and others added so as to form effective groups which are to stand in turf plats. Seats are to be placed about and under the trees, the backs of which connected by railings will protect the turf and trees from injury.

My opinion has been asked as to several points under discussion in regard to a memorial of the late war.

There is a certain advantage to be gained by placing a memorial object in the midst of the city, rather than in its suburbs, which will fully justify the Commission in changing its original plan of assigning the Soldiers’ Place to the proposed monument, if it is desired by those who have the matter in charge. A suggestion as to the form of the Memorial has been presented in a drawing of an arch.

I think the design a very original and very noble one, and that it might be adopted with unusual confidence of an imposing and satisfactory result.

I should recommend that it be placed as indicated in the drawing on one side of the Square and so as to span one of the wheel-ways leading out of it. In this position it would be seen in its best aspect by all crossing the Square, and equally well from nearly all parts of it. Placed in the center, its principal front would be seen satisfactorily from only about a third part of the Square. There are several reasons why the position indicated on the north side of the Square, spanning Delaware street, is to be preferred to any other. The best light will then fall upon it; its inscriptions will therefore be more legible and its sculpture will have the best effect. The two spaces on which the largest number of visitors can stand on the Square, without disturbance by carriages, will be opposite to it, and at the best distance for viewing it comprehensively. The carriage-way is narrower than any other, and the arch could here be built at less cost. Its piers would stand, as shown, on ground at present intermediate between the wheel-way and the walks.

It is to be presumed that the private rights now held in the borders of Delaware street will at some time be extinguished, the trees and walks in them be arranged on an uniform system, and that it will in all respects be treated and used as a public promenade and approach road from the center of the city [102]

H. H. Richardson’s Proposed Civil War Memorial for Niagara Square, Buffalo, c. December 1874

I recommend that, in case the Memorial Association should be willing to adopt a design of the character of that under consideration and to undertake its construction, the Commission offer to assign the site indicated on the plan (aa) and to lay suitable and sufficient foundations for it.