Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-21
at night. No expense was spared to make them
perfect, and they were really beautiful. Every
| body in the city assembled to see the dis
| play, which lasted for probably two hours"

perfect, and they were really beautiful Every
play, which lasted for probably two hours"
WHAT MIR. A. s. H. WHITE REMEMBERS.
at was a hot, dusty day" said A. 8. n. White
one of the marshals in 1S4S, speaking to a
STAR reporter of the day when the corner stone
or the Washington monument was laid.
Crowds were strung along the Avenue as we
marched by; there was not much shade from
the 4th of July sun, and the dust from the mac
beautiful dispIay-one of the finest ever saw.
We were all merry and full of life. When we
came to the site of the monument there was an
immense crowd assembled, and we did not try
to get close up and hear what was going on.
Major Howle had tent pitched out on the
refreshments and had delightful time.
Healths were drunk to the occasion, and
George Gideon, who was one of the jolliest men
you ever saw. was never in better mood. and
he kept US all merry. When the formal cere-
mony was over and we left there, we had a cav
airy charge. Well never have those days
again. These two ceremonies will be as unlike
as two occasions can be. 1t was an act of en-
duty now. Yes, the city has changed. We
did have any gas then, no police and scarcely
watchman, and we all knew each other. l
knew everybody l met on the streets those
days; now don't know one out of a hundred
Near about Babcock lake there was an island
then,the one about which they had so much
sonian and about there was wild pasture.
Where the Smithsonian building now stands
belonged
cricket club that played there, and used to
shoot plover there too
HON. HoRATIo KINGS RECoLLECTIoNs
Hon. Horatio King a member of the Monu-
ment assocfs ton and resident of this city for
many years, when asked by STAR reporter
Tor his recollections of the events connected with
the laying of the cornerstone, said: II really
have no distinct recollection of anything very
remarkable at the laying of the cornerstone of
the monument. The day was flne and the
streets and windows along the line of march
were alive with spectators intent on witness
Ing the display; In the procession were the
ment, the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Temper
ance societies, Fire companies, children of the
Society and rand q, Inc ndnr
the command of the gray-ha1red veteran,
Gen. Quitman, then recently from the Mexican
all Observers Han ~ less noted were his lieu
tenants, Gen. Cadw:.lader and Col May, of the
dragons, whose Mexican fame and superb bear
Ing made him an object of special attention.
There was q vast crowd at the site of the monu-
ment, to hear Mr. Winthrop's grafton, and do
not remember ever to have seen an audience
more stirred by patriotic feeling, or more COM
pletely carried away by the eloQuence of
speaker than on this occasion. The Masonic
ceremonies were solemn and impressive, and
the Grand Master, Major Benjamin b. French,
probably never made a better address than he
presence of those venerable ladies, Mrs Madi-
son and the widow of Alexander Hamilton,
added not little to the interest of the celebra-
when President Polk held a brilliant reception
at the White House."
CAPTAIN BACON, OF THE ''BLUEs."
Gen. r +. Bacon Is now the only one living,
as far as known, who had command of q mill.
tary organization that marched In the process
sion at the time of the laying of the cornerstone
He was then captain of the National Blues,
afterwards the Grays. He recalls the fact that
anil tn ha niSfri tot fIo
ington Light Infantry, Capt Joseph B. Tate;
the Independent Grays, of Georgetown; and his
4 fSa f6nH had turned out with full ranks
visiting companies; that a number of them en-
camped in Judiciary square, one in Parrotts
the cadets, In Patent Office square. The mill
tary display, he says, was a very fine one; per-.
maps the best seen here up to that time.
THE SURVIVING MARsHALs
There were over seventy aids and assistant
marshals under Mr.. Bradley when the corner
stone was laid, and of this number the following
are now living: Benz. E. Green, j. 81. McBlair,
Lem. Towers, A. s. H. White, Frank Burch, A.
H. Clements, w. w. Davis, DIR. ]. E. Morgan, r.
Simms, ]. H. Semmes, James Scott, Reuben B.
Clarke, Fenwick Young, ]. w. Martin, T. w.
John Pettibone, r. Ray, Charles E. Ball and A.
E. L. Reese.
THE GERMAN DIVISION
Mr.. A. E. L. Reese was the marshal Of the Ger
man division, having charge of the German
societies, among them the German Benevolent
association, of this city. He states that consid-
ering the number Of Germans in the city, they
showed their patriotism by turning out well,
and there were perhaps 800 In line. He has
yet his badge saddle cloth, gloves &C., and used
them to-day as marshal. His society donated
$50 to the monument, but upon the advice of
Mr.. w. W. Dougherty, superintendent of the
work, they had memorial stone prepared and
1t was placed in the walls long ago. He remem-
bers that the day was a very fine one overhead
but there had been q rain, and 1t was little
sloppy under foot.
RECoLLECTToNs OF AN ODD FELLOW.
DR.. r. Finley Hunt, who was at the time the
cornerstone was laid quite a young man and an
active Odd Fellow, states that the Odd Fellows
of the District accepted an invitation to parade,
and the marshal for the order was Mr. W. F.
Bayley, at that time a leading stationer that
there were several banners in the line and the
show made was very fine one, all wearing APP
propriate regalia. There were at that time
about dozen Odd Fellows lodges in the Dis
trict.
CHIEF MARSHAL BRADLEYS RECoLLECTIONS.
MIR. Joseph n. Bradley, who served as the
chief marshal of the procession in 1s4S, re-
marked to STAR reporter that he is quite sure
the procession that day was the largest general
procession which had ever taken place here; and
he recalls the fact that the procession assembled
near the City Hall; that when the start was
made the various divisions were ready to fall in
their proper places and there no interrup-
ton on the line of march. ONLY once did any