New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19

although the contract does not call for It's COM
pletion until January /. II year on
October 81 since the cornerstone Of this building
was laid with imposing ceremonies and In the
presence Of many distinguished people. among
whom were two black ROBBED clcricals from the
Roman Catholic University. whose interest In
this sister university was a gratifying evidence
OF dcnomInational courtesy.
The walls at this time were already built to q
line above the top OF the basement story. except
at the northwest angie. where place was left
for the cornerstone. q granite block weighing
three and one half tons. the gift Of the con-
tractor. Mr.. Parsons. This was laid b. Bishop
Bowman, the senior bishop OF the Methodist
Church, with supplementary ceremonies by the
local lodge OF Free and Accepted Masons- The
malIet used by the Grand Master on this occa-
don was the one that served George Washington
Shen he laid the cornerstone OF the Capitol II
has been used only four times since. and always
upon National occasions. The mallet bears the
following Inscription engraved upon a gold plate:
This mallet was prepared for Brother George
Washington to lay the cornerstone Of the U. &
Capitol and was used by him September H.
1903 He then presented II TO Columbia Lodge
No 49, Of Maryland. afterward Potomac Lodge
No. 43, and now Potomac Lodge No. 8. OF the
Grand Lodge. District Of Columbia by whose
order OF 1910 this Inscription Is placed upon It,
1856"
II Is only 1--WE years since the General Confer
ence approved the establishment OF the Amert-
can University and accepted the patronage Of IT,
yet II has now including the value OF It's real
estate. building funds In hand and pledged en-
dowments In bonds and securities and endow-
ments pledged, more than a million dollars for
the prosecution OF its work, and there Is such
widespread interest In the University. sectarian
and non -sectarian that IL Is not probable II will
EVER lack for funds
The reason for the choice OF Washington as
the site for this institution was President Wash
lngton's expressed wish that there should be
such university at the scat OF the government
where the American citizen could be trained In
order to be saved from monarchical and other
notions deterrent to the development OF citizen
ship In a republic
Dr. Buckley. Of '"Thc Christian Advocate" In
his address at the laying of the cornerstone.
gave another reason for locating the Methodist
University at the capital. which Is interesting
because Of It's frank admission. He says
We have another reason for settling here.
There Is a man In this country who never knew
very much. but he has made a vast fortune In
the purchase OF real estate. He was poor
farmer, but suddenly he bought n piece Of prop
erty: 1t went up. and he made money a little
while later he bought another piece OF property:
It went up and ne made money and he went
and on, until day nc Is worth two million
dollars. His aged mother said to him Henry.
] never thought you would amount to much.
How IL II that you have done this? You were a
poor farmer. but you have become rich. Tell
your old mother the secret" We'll" said he, Il
will tell you IL you won't make II known" Nam
Ing "A certain man who once lived in the city OF
Washington and who died here. think, he said:
'Every time that man bought piece OF real
estate he made money and had sense enough
10 buy a piece OF real estate to all the
estates ne bought as | could. That Is my
cret." His mother was so exceedingly vain OF
her son that she revealed her secret. so that by
regular steps 1t reached me. Now let me say
there Is a partial parallel between the Catholics
and Methodlsts and the Methodists have sense
enough to know that the Catholics have In
herited instinct for buying real estate anu estab-