CAPITOL AT WASHINGTON, The. After the national capital had been located on the Potomac in 1789, Washington and Maj. P. C. L'Enfant selected sites for the public buildings. On the first map (1791), the ((Con gress House is situated as now, on a low hill commanding the best view in Washington, with 12 broad streets radiating from it, so that it closes the vista of every main avenue. On the decision of a board of three commissioners, with Washington and Jefferson, the plans of the capi tol and the President's house were given out in 1792 to public competition, for a prize of $500 or a medal of that value, at the winner's option. For the President's house James Hoban's plans were accepted at once, and he was made super intendent of its erection. For the capitol none were satisfactory, but the three foremost com petitors were given another trial, and one, Stephen Hallet, a French artist living in Phila delphia, was employed at a salary and indem nity to revise his plans under the commission ers' criticism. But later in the year Dr. William Thornton of Tortola Island, W. I., submitted plans whose ((grandeur, simplicity, beauty and convenience forced the committee to accept them. They were too grand for the commis sioners' ideas of national needs or resources at the time, however, and specified too costly materials. Thornton wished marble and mahogany and the best of construction, and un der a bitter assault from several of his re jected competitors, headed by Hallet, whom the commissioners had joined with Thornton in a revising board, he was forced to reduce its scale and material greatly. Their suggested modifica tions of his general plan were, however, disap proved. These plans were for what is now the central portion of the capitol.
Work was begun about 1 August. The corner-stone was laid 18 September in the southeast corner of the old north wing, now the Supreme Court section, with imposing cere monies, Masonic rites and procession, and a barbecue. Hoban was made superintendent, and Hallet his assistant; but Hoban gave his whole time to the White House, as the Presi dent's house came to be called, and Hallet was the real manager. He proceeded to change Thornton's plans and specifications at will, was repeatedly censured for it and at last ordered to stop it. He resigned, but refused to give up the drawings; the commissioners at last secured them and discharged him, 15 Nov. 1794. Thorn ton, now one of the commissioners of the Dis trict of Columbia, was asked by Washington to obliterate Hallet's changes as injurious, and did so. Hoban now acted as superintendent until George Hadfield, an English architect, was en gaged to succeed Hallet, on Jonathan Trum bull's recommendation of him as a modest man and good artist. He outdid Hallet; spent his whole energy in fighting Thornton and Hoban (who always worked in harmony), and after re peated resignations and reconsiderations, was discharged for practical incompetence 10 May 1798. Hoban again took charge. On 17 Nov.
1800 the second session of the sixth Congress met in the north wine of the building. Much of this early construction was of wood or poor material. This was on account of haste, the local interests being very urgent for the com ing of the government to that seat. A few years later more durable material was substi tuted. The commissionership was abolished May 1802, and Thornton and Hoban ceased direct superintendence, though often called in consultation. At this time the north wing was complete, the foundation of the central rotunda and dome in place and the basement story of the south wing partly done. These are still as Thornton planned them.
On 6 March 1803 Jefferson appointed Benja min H. Latrobe (q.v.) esurveyor of public buildings.* He at once began, like the others, to besiege the President with the bitterest as saults on Thornton's designs, and when the for mer declined to interfere, appealed to Congress. Thornton, however, now in charge of the patent office, though he defended himself with energy, made no further attempt to prevent the altera tion of his plans, and Latrobe made many serious changes, some of them since judged harmful to beauty and utility. Thus, the Repre sentatives' hall was changed from a graceful ellipse to a square with semi-circular ends; a bad echo gave trouble for many years, caused by the changes. The number and size of entrances to the rotunda were curtailed, the splendid open staircases, cut down and placed in obscurity, were difficult for strangers to find; and the grand semi-circular western portico was abol ished. The principal entrance was also changed from the west front, facing the White House, to the eastern side. Latrobe was constantly in hot water with both Jefferson and Congress, and published apamphlet against them in 1806; but till 1811 had pretty much his own way. When the War of 1812 broke out, the capitol consisted of the north and south wings, connected by a corridor of rough boards over the central foun dations. On 24 Aug. 1814 the British burnt it as far as possible, piling the furniture and plat forms in the rooms with rocket stuff and ignit ing them; the interior was dreadfully damaged, but the outside walls remained, also the inside brickwork and some stone. A strong movement arose for removing the capital elsewhere; but the same considerations prevailed against it as later. In fear of such a result, however, the local interests formed the "Capitol Hotel Com pany," and erected a building for government occupancy till the repairs on the capitol were finished. It was occupied, 1815-19, and was afterward known as the "Old Capitol," and used in the Civil War as a military prison. In the reconstruction the House wing was entirely altered.