Evening journal., 1893-09-18
ALL WASHINGTON ALIVE
With Professions, Music and
Singing To-day.
CAPITOL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATED.

President George Washington Led a
Procession over the Same Route TO
Lay the Cornerstone of the Capitol
BuiIding-Professor Cloward, of VIII
mington. Leads the Chorus.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1s.-One hundred
years ago to-day, with all the ceremonies
which the period would allow, the
corner stone Of the Capitol building was
laid by President George Washington,
and to-day the citizens of the magnificent
city that has grown about the site selected
for the structure, together with the
highest officials Of the nation and the
public men from all sections Of the
land, celebrated the centennial anniver-
sary Of the event with exercises so i'm
pressive in character as to fitly mark an
epoch in the history of this splendid
building. First with a military and civic
pageant, then with oratory and music,
the event was commemorsted The
participants in the exercises were the
representatives of all the branches Of
the government, including the President
and his Cabinet and the members OF both
houses of Congress and the highest
judicial officers Of the country, together
with thousands Of the people them
selves
It will be such a demonstration as
Washington and his associates could not
have dreamed Of, and will, in comparison
with the beginning one hundred years
ago, give an indication Of the nations
progress. There was very little chance
for a demonstration of much enthusiasm
when the corners stone was laid.
President Washington had been en-
trusted by Congress with the duty Of
providing suitable buildings FOR the gov.
ernment at the new capital, and had sp.
pointed as commission to adopt plans
and superintend construction DR.. David
steuart, Daniel Carroll and General
Thomas johnson. These gentlemen per-
formed their work well, and when the
| foundations of the south wing of the
original building had been laid they be.
| gan to- look about them for a fitting
program Of exercises to attend the laying
Of the CONVERSIONS. There was no Elk.
ecutive Mansion in those days. The
/ President resided, when not in Philadel-
| phia, at Mount Vernon, and had to make
/ the journey 20 Washington either by
coach or by the slower methods then
known to navigation.
ANewspaper Account
The Columbian Mirror, printed il
Alexandria at the time, says:
''The procession marched two abreast
in the greatest solemn dignity, with
music playing, drums beating, colorl
flying and spectators rejoicing, from the
Presidents Square to the Capitol in the
city of Washington, where the grand
master ordered halt and directed eacl
file in the procession to incline two steps
one to the right and one to the left, ano
face each other, which formed q hollow,
oblong square, through which the granC
word bearer led the van, followed by
the grand master pro TEN. on the left
the President Of the United States in tn,
centre and the worshipful master ,of No
%, Virginia, on the right All the
other orders that composed lthe process
sion advanced in the reverse of theil
order of march from the President's
Square to the southeast corner of the
Capitol, and the artillery fled of to 9
destined ground to display their maneu-
vers and discharge their cannon. The
President of the United States, the
grand master pro TEN. and the worshipfu
master Of No %, taking their stand {,
the east Of large stone, and all thu
craft forming a circle westward, stood
short time in solemn order. The artil-
lery discharged a volley The grand
marshal delivered the commissioners
large silver plate with an Inscription
5 thereon, ,whichithe commissioners ordered
I to be read, aud was as follows:
"'This southeast cornerstone of thl
- Capitol of the United States of America
z in the city of Washington, was laid OF
} the 18th day day of September. 1893, il
s the thirteenth year of American inde
s pendence, in the first year of the secon'
a term of the Presidency of George Wash
ington, whose virtues in the civil admins
} tration of his country have been as cor
spicuous and beneficial as his militar
valor and prudence have been useful
establishing her liberties, and in th
r year of Masonry 57g3. by the Presiden
of the United States, in concert wit
the Grand Lodge of Maryland, sever
!, lodges under its jurisdiction and LOde
No. %, from Alexandria, Va Thomi
= Johnson, David Steuart and Dani
Carroll. commissioners; Joseph Clark, ]
10 W. grand master pro tenn Joseph hobs
aud Stephen Hallate, architects; Coll
a Williamson, master mason.
< President Washington OmcIates.
Of At the conclusion of the reading q
ID artillery fred another salute. The pla
was then delivered to President Was
Ii ington, who, attended by the graz
q master pro tenn. and the three worshi
Us full masters of the lodges present.
scended into the cavazion trench al
s- laid the plate upon the corner-stol
is where corn, wine and oil had alrea'
rs been deposited.
he Prayer, in which the whole assembla
Joined, was then offered, followed
ce Masonic chanting and a volley by {
an artillery. The President and his atte
s's dants then assembled from the tren
to and the former. mounting upon triI
rostrum. delivered an oration. t
ceremonies ended in prayer, Mssor
chanting and another vOlley from {
artillery.