50 COLUMBIAN INSTITUTE FOR THE 



[Tripoli] monument from its present situation [on the west terrace] 

 to the square east of the Capitol, but, on a suggestion of Mr. Wat- 

 mough, modified the motion to remove it to the botanic garden ; but 

 after some desultory discussion, the motion was rejected." This 

 monument remained on the west terrace of the Capitol until 1860, 

 when it was removed to Annapolis, Md. 



The "Act in addition to the act entitled 'An act making appropria- 

 tions, in part, for the support of the Government for the year 1836, 

 and for other purposes,' " approved July 4, 1836, contained the fol- 

 lowing provisions : 



" For extending the Capitol Square, and improving the grounds 

 within and adjacent to the same, as far west as the first street inter- 

 secting the Pennsylvania Avenue from the east, the sum of $25,000." 



" For conveying the surplus water of the Capitol to botanic garden, 

 making a basin, and purchasing a fountain of Hiram Powers, $5,000." 



In his report to Congress of December 21, 1836, the Commissioner 

 of Public Buildings, Maj. William Noland, stated that " The exten- 

 sion of the Capitol Square as far west as First street has engaged 

 much of my attention, and, though the work has been retarded for the 

 want of materials, the whole enclosure will be completed by the last 

 of March." And also, "A part of the materials have been purchased 

 for conveying the surplus water of the Capitol to the botanic garden, 

 making a basin, and purchasing a fountain of Hiram Powers; but 

 owing to the failure on the part of the contractor to comply with his 

 contract, the work will not be finished before the month of May." It 

 is doubtful from the wording both of the act and of the Commission- 

 er's report where the basin and fountain were intended to be placed, 

 though they seem clearly to have been associated with the garden. It 

 is certain, however, that the site of the garden was never embellished 

 by a fountain of Hiram Powers, and these improvements were evi- 

 dently designed for Capitol Square. 



The civil and diplomatic act for 1837 provided an additional ap- 

 propriation of $10,000 for the enlargement and improvement of the 

 Capitol grounds, in regard to which the Commissioner of Public 

 Buildings reported on December 15 of that year that: "The ex- 

 tending of Capitol square to First Street west has been completed, 

 so far as was contemplated by the appropriation of March last, with 

 the exception of a part of the center footway, which has been left 

 in an unfinished state for the want of materials, the contractor hav- 

 ing failed to send on the requisite supply of flagging." 



From a contemporary account published in 1837 or 1838, we learn 

 that a stone wall surmounted by an iron railing had been built 

 around Capitol Square, and a reservoir, with a jet d'eau, one of the 

 early projects of the Institute, had been introduced. The two broad 

 walks or approaches replacing Pennsylvania and Maryland Avenues 



