Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-03-18
THE MERIDIAN-ST0NE.
SET ON MERIDIAN HILL AS ORDERED
BY GEORGE WASHINGTON.
An ObeIisk of Freestone-The Meridian
stone on Its Travels-Lost Sight Of for
While-Serving a Hitchins-Post At
Last in Front of q school.

cabinet in tine later DAYS OF his adminiStra-
ton that the independence OF the United
States from all authority would not be COM
plete till we should cut loose from Greenwich
and establish our own meridian We can
readily suppose his profession as surveyor
made him the first 20 fix his mind on the CON
summation of this project, now that the loca-
ton OF our capital was established and Its
foundations laid. The place designated for
the setting up Of the meridian-stone was the
eminence Immediately in trout OF the door OF
the executive mansion Washington did not
live to see this survey made or the stone set
up, however, end it was left for jefferson to
perfect his plan.
The final report of the surveyor was filed
in the Office of tine secretary of state and ad-
dressed 10 the president of the United States
on the 18th Of October, 1904 There are eight
pages Of this ancient paper. quote one or
two sentences only: In running the meridian
line first ascertaine6 the place OF the star
in the tail of the constellation Crsa Minor, on
its greatest elongation, and then continuing
the vertical circle 10 the surface OF the ground
To the instrument, etc, etc, planted an
obelisk of fresstone two miles north Of the
presidents door, on the height The
apex is the true meridian, etc
Eight pages of this impressive report is
heavy reading, however, and / conclude
with the report by saying that the hne runs
directly through the White House 10 the sum-
NIT of Meridian hill, 10 a stone where line
from the center of the dome of the capitol in
tersects the meridian line This stone is still
standing, and Is within few rods Of the
Washington monument. 4 third and very
important stone, with many Signs and figures
cut on it, and standing still nearer 10 what
was then the front door of the White House
has been entirely lost But Of course the
meridian stone, the one set on Meridian hill,
as Washington had ordered, is the one Of
most importance, and the one which ! set out
10 write about
OUR MERIDIAN-sToNE on IFS TRAVELS.
Commodore Porter-I mean the elder COM
modore-when he left the sea settled down on
Meridian hull, with his mansion facing the
White House, and this meridian stone in his
very dooryard. Years swept on, and the
commodore's spacious mansion was left with
out master. | look out Of my back window
here in nv cabin as | write and see a tall and
lonely monument of gray sandstone. II is
battered and SCARED by thousand bullets.
But you can read the name and date dis
tinctly II was reared 10 the memory OF one
Of the commodore's family.
As the venerable mansion began 10 fall 10
decay in stranger hands all the city below
began to swell and reach out for room tc
grow. \ street came tearing through Mer-
idian hill. The great house was overthrow,
the ignorant and uRthinling contractors, not
knowing or caring at all about the import
ence of the nieridian-s;one, and perhaps be-
lieving it 10 BE- part of the mansion. und =
mined il, and tumblinS it among u mas ot
other stone, it was lost sight of entirely
The soldiers graves at Arlington heights
were in need of fences ami gate-pos.s Tons
Of these second hand stones found their placc
there in the course Of time, improve
ments were carried forward. Il Is lot c.r
tain. but there is some evidence that til
meridian stone at one time served rs Sa;c
post 10 the federal burying- ground on the Oft
Lee property across thc PotoIl1c. II tia, l.
So, Washington's meridian-stone was S1r.!;-
as a fence-post TO the grounds Of hiN fauil.
estates.
NOW BATTEREI, AND WORN oIT.
However, the moridit. - ,oGIl rot IS
here. Better fences aHI Is-s, y.e.c ifs,.l.-
for Arlington heights Bst tI- e.. ...-
ground of Alexandra was in NE! o., ,-.-te
protection The meridian stone W.ls T,'l! ] : Is.
a fat-boat and towe,i, along with tons ..
other stonos. down e. ''r---ci- ~. j.
rest here. l.. he ,oU., al t--t- O. ip-'-i .l.
of stones which colii not D. used mere '..-
towed back up the Potomac All lanied ass.
left in the goyernman. property yard, OF
Sixth street, near the bana Of the river.
About this Zine, AMI n5t E...y Nrt-s age
now, the architect % the c.,p.o,, wisely d,.
cided that the hfeous iron fyIy,s wLlch sur.
rounded the capitol sholI come down They
were taken to the property yard before d.
scribed. and there fell ia company with tho
battered AMI WORKOUT old meridian stone.
Washingtons meridian was iply n.sliis
100 years OIL AMI the latters AMI figures en-
It's four side= were growing .iin. but is trial
were not done The dis.r.cs e.,,ab,isiI.i a ~
form school for boys some four miles out
near the old dueling ground, and iron fence
and posts were in demand
The old iron fences that had kept guard at
the capitol were carted there Aud oncy
more our meridian stone was hsiuied away
along with tons Of others And Us II fat
would have IL So il was saved for sort OF
dismal post Of honor 1t was badly battered
and bruised The four corners were worn
away And 80 the stone butcher. not know
ing what his sacrilgeouc hand was about, cut
il into an octagon. Then 1t was painted
white \ STAPLE wa, fastened in the apex OF
our meridian stone that hal lift@, To the
north star and SET our MEASURE for Us from
Jeiferson's time. and what them II was ~
up as hitching post at the front door Of th'
reform school Of the District Of Columbia
And there il stands now Joaquin Miller II
lhic-gO Times