William Thornton Re-examined by Bob Arnebeck

The Doctor Examined, or Why William Thornton Did Not Design the Octagon House or the Capitol by Bob Arnebeck   Table of Contents Sir Archy, an engraving of Tayloe's most famous horse In mid-March 1797, the General left Philadelphia. By the way, once out of office the former president was universally called the General. He made his slow way home to Mount Vernon receiving the heartfelt plaudits of his countrymen. After acknowledging a volley from Captain Hoban's artillery militia at the unfinished Capitol, he dined at the Laws nearby. There he gave the commissioners the signed orders which needed only the trustees' endorsement to transfer ownership of the streets and public lots to the government. Commissioner Scott noticed that the documents did not have the seal of the United States, and the General sent them back to Philadelphia. There was no hurry. The trustees would decide that they could not sign until proprietors' suits were adjudicated. The General ro...

  The Doctor Examined, or Why William Thornton Did Not Design the Octagon House or the Capitol by Bob Arnebeck Table of Contents Chapter Seven: Thornton v. Hadfield 84. Hadfield's simplification of the 1793 Conference Plan In his October 27 letter to the board, the young Englishman exhibited some skill as a writer: "I find the building begun but do not find the necessary Plans to carry on a work of this importance, and I think there are defects that are not warrantable, in most of the branches that constitute the profession of an Architect, Stability - Economy - Convenience - Beauty...." He saw “material inconveniences in the apartments, deformity in Rooms, chimneys and windows placed without simmetry, and no oeconomy of space.”  After seeming to have been advised not to trash the whole project, in a second letter he assured the board that he would do his best to “adapt to the best of my abilitys those parts that are already executed, without alteration.” Then he ...