The sun., 1893-09-21
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
WHEN THE CORNER STONE or TIE
CAPITOL WAS LAID.

The Centennial Anniversary of the
Event CeIebrated-Addrcs Dc-
liVered by President CIeye Innd and
Other NOtMbles.
Washington, Sept. 19.-The centennial
anniversary of the laying of the corner
stone of the capitol was celebrated sol
emily and impressiyely on the broad
plaza that stretches out from the west
front of the capitol yesterday afternoon.
One hundred years ago, to the day and
hour, Washington, the first president of
the republic, as grand master of the
Free and Accepted Order of Masons,
wearing an apron and sash woven by the
wife of Lafayette, laid the foundation
stone of the great marble pile that is now
the admiration of the world. The city
was then a village, it's broad, sweeping
avenues, magnificent buildings and bea,'-
tiful parks as yet unmarked upon the
map. Escorted by u small band OF pairI-
otic citizens and troop of soldiery,
Washington, accompanied by his cabinet
and many of the illustrious men of the
day, rode up the fOrest-crowned hill OH
which the capitol now stands to lay the
corner stone of that giant structure. Over
the same route yesterday President Cleye-
land was escorted by dashing cavalry,
marching infantry; blaring bands and Il
vast multitude of people to add his pres
ence and words to the celebration OF the
anniversary of the event. Not since the
second Inauguration of President Cleye-
land have the thOrOughfares of this city
been so thrOnged with people. as they
were yesterday. And not since then has
there been such display of civic and
military organizations as that of yester-
day. Long before the hour for the pa
rade'to start the inhabitants of Washing
ton and the thousands of visitors from far
and near began to assemble along the
sidewalks of the streets through which
it was to pass. They crowded the steps
and pOrticos of the public buildings; they
were TO be seen Oh the houSetops and
peering from hundreds of windows ia
private houses, and they watched anu
waited until the parade passed by, and
then there was an exodus from the streets
and houses and hOusetOps to the grounds
of the grand Old c;.ritol where the exer-
Cises We're held. And while the people
were gathering along the line of march
there was perfect pandemOnium Of
rartial bands lesCing the way for SOL
diers and sailors and civic organizations
to the rendezvous whence the parade
was to start. There was the steady
tramp of the infantry, the rattle and
clash of the cavalry and the rumbiing of
the cannon of the artillery, mingled
with the clang of the cable Car gong and
the shouts OF officers giving orders to
theil commands.
Everything seemed to he in a hopeless
tangle of confusion, and the thousands
of people who stood and sat watching
seemed to wonder if order could ever be
brought out of such chaos.
The parade started from the White
House, and here it was the multitude of
sightseeFs was the deepest. A Gordon
of police kept the crowd away from the
grounds and out of the way of the SOL
diers and civic bodies while they were
forming in line. Notwithstanding the
fears of many, order was at length re-
stored and the procession started from
the White House to the east front of
the capitol, over the same route taken
100 years ago, when George Washing
ton laid the corner stone of the capitol.
1t was from the White House along
Pennsylvania avenue to the capitol
glCUrds Gen. Ordway, the chief mar
shall and his staff, with q squadron of
United States CQyAlry acting as an es-
cert for President Cleveland, in car
fl2gc, Rd the way, and IS the chief ex-
ecrnve's carriage passed. through the
streets the crowd of watchers honored
him with loud huZZas. Then, in carri-
ages, follow ed the O10tpr of the day,
William Writ Henry of Virginia, the gov
er. trS of the various states, Chairman
+&WH neo Gpldl or and the specially in
lited guests, Troop A, of the district
national guard, bringing up the rear.
Afttl this escort C: me the first 0i-
vision proper, under the command of
Mars hal Robert Boyd. This division was
composed of civic organizations The sec
DAD division was uLder 9tmmund of III.
u. Gibson, as marshal, and in this di-
vision were the Society of Cincinnati.
Sons of the American Revolution, Sons
of the Revolution, Aztec Club of 1917.
Veterans of the Mexican WGr, Old
Guard, Grand Army of the Republic.
Sons Of Veterans and the National Rifles.
The third division was composed entirely
Of United States regulars and District of
Columbia and visiting militia. The fourth
and last division of the parade had for
its commander Marshal James II. Rich.
ards. 1t was composed of the veteran
firemen Of the District of Columbia and
similaE organizations from other .ps-' -
the country. -'s Vi
,,rna1 ,StII<ins at the capitol the parade was
u'S'''''" =. and the ceremonies of the day
we're begun on the stand erected at the
east front of the capitol. There was an
overture by the United States Marine
band. The Rt. Rev. William Parrott,
bishop of Maryland, invoked the blessing
of God, after which '"Te Dcum" was
sung by chorus of 1,500 voices.
The United States Marine band now
played a selection, after which the ora
tor of the day, William Writ Henry, a
descendant of Patrick Henry, the revo-
lutionary statesman and patriot, was in
troduced
Following Mr. Henry. President Cleve-
land. Vice President Stevenson and 9TH
crs made addresses.