The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-03-11

year, the arches themselves were used Fed
eral symbols at New Brunswick, n. j.
will quote all extract from the account Of
this given at the time:
"On the fourth OF July, 1889, there was an
elegant bower erected i'll front OF the White
HslITayern, in New Brunswick 1T was made
of pine and cedar bushes. The front of the
bower consisted of ELEvES HANDSOME ARCHTs
cmblematical OF the States whiCh had then ac-
cepted the new Constitution. The following
lines printed on cards, and put over the
arches OF the States they we're designed TO rep
resent"
The account then gives the lines on each
card over each State. but there is nothing in
them alluding to Keystone. 1t was still in
the quarry.
In the autumn Of this year. I7S9, Wash
ington made his Presidential visit to the
New England States. aud on his arrival at
Boston on the twenty fourth of October, a
triumphal arch eighteen feet high was erec-
ted in his honor. The structure had the
thirteen stars, thirteen roses ard other Fed
eral devices as represent tatiuns. but no key
stcne cast its shadow on Washington as he
passed beneath this arch. Upon its summit
tho figure of an eagle was perched.
l might multiply the enumeration Of his
toric incidents like the foregoing, to far
greater extent, but necessity does not require
IL, nor space aiiuliG anu IdStcu Win Ihc
reader to the citv nf Washington, where, for
the first time, tho Federal 41ych was designed
aud erected, and its keystone wrought It
is we'll known that it was during the closing
decade OF the last century, that this city Oh
the Potomac had is birth. bill was pass
cd on the 10th of July, 1890. by Congress
to locate the seat of the General Government
on that river. The city was planned and
laid out with many Federal features in its
design. There were its magnificent avenues
Pennsylvania. central, and those named
from each of the other States north and
south of it, somewhat in their geographical
position and there were public squares de-
signed for each Of the States. There were
but thirteen States when the city was found
ed. but as new ones have since been formed,
the plan of the city has been somewhat
modified. The wish Of Washington was
that it should he named, The Federal
City," but his wishes were oyerruled in honor
Of himself
The first corner stone to mark the boun-
dares Of the District was laid at its..south-
east corner, near Alexandria, with masonic
ceremonies. on the twenty-irst Of April,
1871, and on that occasion the Rev. DR..
Muir thus devotedly invoked Heaven:
"FrOm this stone may suPEEsTRucruRE
hrise, whose magniicence, who sc stability, un
tqudlCu uiluSIlO, sDail hStODlSn the HOriU, anu
invite even the savages of the wilderness 10
take shelter under its ROOF
The corner stone of the Capitol was also
laid with masonic ceremonies, by Warrington
on the 18th day of September. /. 93. and at
the close OF the ceremony, Joseph Clarke
who acted in behalf of the Grand Master of
hssons of Maryland on the occasion, in his
address. called the Federal City, the
Grand Mark. which was but a Masonic syn
onym Of Keystone. | regret cannot fix the
exact date Of the building Of the arch Of the
Bridge over Rock Creek. All authorities
say it was built of the stones left after the
walls of the Capitol or public buildings
were completed This would imply 1897
or 1898. | have before me copy of The
NeIc York 6fugdziHe, or Literary RepoSjto-
ry." of 1897. and in the Sept. No. Of that
Vol. p. sol, the following communication
Is published
BALTIMORE, Sept 2-Congress aud the
public must he highly gratifed by learning that
Washington CITY, the KkYsroNE as it may be
termed. OF the Union. will certainly be ready
in 1900. The Presidents House is almost
covered in' and the Capitol is nearly ready for
the roof
1t would seem from the above that this
bridge might have been built in 1897. 1t is
also curious, aid l think historically impor~
tant. that this writer calls the City Of Hash-
ington the "Ksystone," the same as Nh
Clarke had, 70 Masonic terms. designated it
at the laying OF the corner stone of the Cap
itol. 10 l793-thus showing that it was a
term Of cminence. applied to the city Of
Washington-the Federal citv-before acci
dent attached it to the State of PENNSYLVANIA,
There is one more point to consider, and
then will detan the reader no longer. 1t
Is this: Every arch which we have histOr-
ically given. showing Federal symbolism
:hus far, has been the mere arc Of circle rest
ing on its appropriate support. Of such an
aTch, the Keystone is not member or com
ponent part. 1t is 10 the Scgmentqyy arch
that tho keystone belongs. The arch Of the
bridge over Rock Creek-as | showed 10 nv
former article-was segmentary. and had
the initials Of the names Of the thirteen
States in its separate blocks, TINS symbol,
cally indyidualizing each block of the arch
with the name Cf one of tbs old thirteen
States. This arch, segmentary one of
thirteen parts, the keystone forming the
crowning one. symbolizing the Federal unity
Of the original States, is the true Federal
Arch, rs a whole representing one grand
fGea, and believe it q gTare if not a foolish,
or stupid error" TO claiyn that the Key
stone, or any other individual part of this
arch is. or ever was, designed 10 represent
John Mort0n's vote IN 1776, or any other
single act however neyitorious 1t is an
idea, n5si,J, and not ap item or an act that
IS syrnb boiaed in parts al The Federal srch
Individually and collectively. The geograph-
zeal position Of Pennsylvania in she arrange.
msnt Of the thirteen stones of this arch, Of
necessity placed her central; and it is a far
fetched supposition OF oar Philadelphia Edi-
Tor 10 suppose the architect who engraved
her initials or this Keystone, intended TO
hOIi1a 50 h. hn II -
shy individual act
therefore still folly believe. and think
history Till Justify my readers n believing,
ihat Pennsylvania acquired the name of the
"KeystOne State" at the bullGing of this
bridge sGsf that. vkeD the keystone Of its
Arch. with hsx Initials on III. Srss cast its
shadow On the waters oE Rock Cress below,