Every grand transverse Avenue and every principal divergent one, such as the communication from the President’s house to the Congress house, etc., are 160 feat in breadth and thus divided:
| 10 feet of pavement on each side | 20 | Feet |
| 30 feet of gravel walk planted with trees on each side | 60 | |
| 80 feet in the middle for carriage way | 80 | |
| 160 | ||
| The other streets are of the following dimensions, viz.: | ||
| Those leading to public buildings or markets | 130 | Feet |
| Others | 110-90 | |
In order to execute the above plan, Mr. Ellicott drew a true Meridional line by celestial observation which passes through the Area intended for the Congress house; this line he crossed by another due East and West, which passes through the same Area. These lines were accurately measured and made the bases on which the whole plan was executed. He ran all the lines by a Transit Instrument and determined the Acute Angles by actual measurement, and left nothing to the uncertainty of the Compass.
References.
| A. | The equestrian figure of George Washington, a Monument voted in 1783 by the late Continental Congress. |
| B. | An historic Column, also intended for a Mile or itinerary Column, from whose station (a mile from the Federal house), all distances of places through the Continent are to be calculated. |
| C. | A Naval itinerary Column proposed to be erected to celebrate the first rise of a Navy and to stand a ready Monument to consecrate its progress and Achievements. |
| D. | This Church is intended for National purposes, such as public prayer, thanksgivings, funeral Orations, etc., and assigned to the special use of no particular Sect or denomination, but equally open to all. It will be likewise a proper shelter for such monuments as were voted by the late Continental Congress for those heroes who fell in the cause of liberty and for such others as may hereafter be decreed by the voice of a grateful Nation. |
| E. | Five grand fountains intended with a constant spout of water. N. B. There are within the limits of the City about 25 good springs of excellent water abundantly supplied in the driest season of the year. |
The Squares coloured yellow, being fifteen in number, are proposed to be divided among the several States in the Union for each of them to improve, or subscribe a sum additional to the value of the land for that purpose, and the improvements round the Squares to be completed in a limited time.
The center of each Square will admit of Statues, Columns, obelisks, or any other ornaments, such as the different States may choose to erect, to perpetuate not only the memory of such individuals whose Counsels or military achievements were conspicuous in giving liberty and independence to this Country, but also those whose usefulness hath rendered them worthy of general imitation; to invite the youth of succeeding generations to tread in the paths of those Sages or heroes whom their Country has thought proper to celebrate.
The situation of these Squares is such that they are the most advantageously and reciprocally seen from each other, and as equally distributed over the whole City district, and connected by spacious Avenues round the grand Federal improvements, and as contiguous to them, and at the same time as equally distant from each other, as circumstances would admit. The settlements round those Squares must soon become connected.
This mode of taking possession of, and improving the whole District at first must leave to posterity a grand idea of the patriotic interest which promoted it.
Those figures coloured red, are intended for use of all religious denominations, on which they are to erect places of worship, and are proposed to be allotted to them in the manner as those coloured yellow to the different States in the Union; but no burying grounds will be admitted within the limits of the City, an appropriation being intended for that purpose without. N. B. Then a number of Squares or Areas unappropriated, and in situations proper for Colleges and Academies, and of which every Society whose object is national may be accommodated. Every house within the City will stand square on the Streets, and every lot. even those on the divergent Avenues, will run Square with their fronts, which on the most acute angle will not measure less than 56 feet and many will be above 110 feet.