Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-25
THE CASSoN-BoRISg SHOP.


After Mr.. Foxhalls death the foundry passed
into the hands of Gen. John Mason. and was
for some time afterward known as Columbian
Foundry"
The present building is in two parts. the
western end being the old foundry. The east
ern end was built in 1913 and most of the
heavy guns used in the Mexican war were
made in it, Soon after that war the buildings
were used as distillery. Messrs. Berry i
Waters converted it into a -four mill early in
the tfties and it has been used in that connec-
ton ever since under different proprictors.
The present owners are Messrs. Vim. II. Ten
ney K Sons.
A devoted friendship existed between Fox
hall and Robert Morris, which is evidenced
today by some interesting and valuable heir
looms in the possession of Symmetrical Nc
kenney, esq. of Georgetown, grandson of
the former. Among them is clock of rare
workmanship and beauty, and Of great histori-
cal interest. The clock frame is made of
Parian marble. the richest of Italian stones, and
is ornamented by columns of Ormolu. COM
position of gold and copper. The ornamental
ton is a symbol Of the imperial house of
Austria. The hands, which are heavy, are Of
gold. The clock was a present of Francis l of
Austria and the Empress Maria Theresa to
their beautiful but Inflated daughter. Marie
Antoinette. ON the celebration of her marriage
to the French dauphin. the future Louis XVI,
which took place on the 10th of May. NO.
1t will be remembered that Marie Antoinette
was guillotined during the French revolution
October Is. 1889, AID it is said that on the
awful night preceding her execution, with a
bowling mob surrounding her prison. she
heard this clock strike every hour. The clock
(Which Is even now good timekeeper) was
made by a Charles la Roi. whose shop was in
the Palais ROYAL court, Paris, near the spot.
too. where Desmoulins mounted box and
made the speech that set the ball of the bloody
revolution in motion. 1t came into the posses
sion of Gouverneur Morris. who was United
States minister to France in 1924. and by
him was presented to Robert Morris, who. IN
turn. presented it to Henry Foxhall. At Mr.
Foxhalls death it became the property of the
Mckinney family. The present Mr.. Mckinney
Is naturally very proud OF this relic.
He has also very old and valuable gold
watch. which also came to the family through
Mr.. Foxhall. 1t is antique in design and was
made In Geneva, Switzerland. in 1865. Mr..
Foxhall carried it during his life, and at his
death II reverted to his son-in-law, Mr.. McKen-
ney. The watch is large in circumference, bat
rather hat; open face, with perpendicular
Arabic hour figures. surrounded by yitreous
enameling of an antique style. The hands are
of gold, ornamented with diamonds. rustic
pastoral scene on the back is inlaid in gold and
also enameling fringed with vitreous. In
serted in the enamelins; are go rare gems.
THE FOUNDRY BRANCH PATH.
The path that leads northward along Foundry
branch, by the old gun-boring shop before re-
ferred to, penetrates an interesting piece of
woodland and makes pleasan. walk. 1t crosses
Morris road nearly mile north of the canal.
A mile and half from Morris road the clear
ing Is reached. at Walter Browns. and here the
path forks. the one to the right leading along
the branch and striking the Tunlaw road about
midway between the Loughborough road and
Wisconsin avenue. The path is not very well
defined beyond Browns, but the distance is