Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-06-23

mem to any address for III cents a week,
.-s same price a which the paper is
lowered in this Guy.
ayArHER raoBAB1LITIEs.-For this
.,n f.ir weather tonight and Friday !;
- rising temperature; variable winds be-
rw!ug soulneriy
CORNERSTONE LAYING Yesterday
.nsrooon being the occasion of the lay
n,of the Cornerstone of the new court
h 49, building at Fort Myer Heights,
ma me- new county seat, the two masonic
i,j,es Of this city, with number of
r..inng Masous met at the lodge room
,rd 81, 4l5 marched thence to the
p,val street station, where a special
,,.iy.of three coaches were filled with
me brethren of the blue lodges and the
IN Dominion Commandery numbering
sbort 100. Sons 80 of the ladies of the
r.y friends of Masons, were also of the
,ui.y The tram pulled out promptly
:. 431. The Friendship Drum Corps
49l.y,ned the trip with some stirring
s,rs!os of music. Arriving at their des-
roa ION the Masons marched from the
tain TO the place where the new build
.aqs are IN course of construction, on q
bga overlooking the city of Washing
,o9. a platform with seats was filed
by large audience facing the main en-
rance. 1ne opening service was 8
5ymu sung by choir from the differ
ca. churches of this city. Mr.. Il. K.
Field acted as musical director, with
Mrs Chas. G. Lennon as organist and
Ac q. Nj. Myers cornetist. Grand
Nssier Z. T. w. Duke called the as
sem bi4gs TO order and prayer was offer
ID by the chaplain, Rev. c. E. Ball.
The Grs1G Master, with the assis.
tancs Of Dr.. W 3. Purvis, Worshipful
Master If Washington Lodge, the
ssaior ard Junior Wardens and the
treasurer, Mr.. Thomas W. Robinson,
IS isied in the interesting cere-
monv in the manner prescribed, the
last named officer reading list of ar
ne!e deposited in the stone, viz copy
0. act of Leg sic ure, Alexandlia,
Nashil 81 and New YORK. pa
uel, Brother SAT- gmuller's apron,
c,iDs OF 81, soc, 25c, loo and
s.. ore Glory of county and city, &c.
Tais WAS followed by placing the stone
IN POSITION by an interesting ceremony
attend, i with the grand honors. These
exercises being concluded the Grand
Master gave most happy and inteies
i'm adLr, s. in which he gave a resume
Of H., history Of Freemssonry, its mis-
SION and The principles of the craft. AT
the conclusion of the address the APP
glsuse was hearty. Another selection
beipe sung the Grand Master in a
graceful! manner introduced Hon. John
F. Rizey, who made an address
full of interest, and that por-
ton of it relating to Alexan-
dria County and Alexandria Washing
Ton Lodge was eminently fitting.
I'VE stand to-day" said MIR. Rixey,
upon historic ground, surrounded by
historic associations which link US with
the memories and traditions of the
great past. and with the living present.
Here the dome OF the nations capitol,
here the great monument. here the
Arlington estate, connected by the
sacred associations of the past with the
most beloved of Yirginians. Here the
silent city of the dead, an everlasting
memorial ofour strife, and here, too, ii
army post Keeps its vigils over the
everlasting bivcuac of the dead. Is 1t
not meet and proper and according to
the eternal fitness of things that the
foundation cornerstone OF the building,
which is to commemorate the majesty
Of the law and to emphasize the fact
that the mailed hand OF the warrior
shall respect civil authority, should be
laid with such imposing ceremonies. by
Alexandria Washington Lodge OF Free
and Accepted Masons, whose charter
existence is more than century old,
aud whose very life in the past, like
that of our own beloved State, is woven
with the history of the government It,
ssslt? A lodge whose first master YVES
our immortal Washington, and which
has had among its members many OF
the most distinguished men of this or
any other country; born with liber Y It.
self, this lodge has officiated in the most
important and memorable events OF Our
country. Not stopping to enumerate
them, Tor they are too numerous, | Will
simply state that at the close OF the
Revolution it laid the first cornerstone
which outlined the District OF Columb q
in 1871, which commentaries the emu
OF the great contest for the location OF
the seat of government. It oticlated
at the laying of the cornerstone OF the
Capitol in 1898, aud at the funeral OF
Washington in 1899 The trowel USED
yesterday was that handled by WASH
ington during this ceremony. Mr.
Rixey then gave rapid glance OF the
history Of Alexandria county, Its orlgis
nal owner, Lord Culpeper, and CT Lofo
Fairfax, into whose hands it suose-
qaently fell, when George Washing on
Was emplo, e as his surveyor. Con,
tuuing MIR. K key said: II have heard
that some persons in Alexandria de-
sired to be again Incorporated IS part
OF the District OF Columbia, but 1t ap-
pesls from the following extract from
the Alexandria Gazette of July 8, 1910,
that the city was anxious at that time
TO return to its first love. The Gazette
stated. The friends of retrocesslon
give their thanks and gratitude to the
constant ard indefatsgable exertlons 81
thecOmmittee appointed blythe Common
Council to attend to this subject before
Congress, F. L. Smith, G. T. Stuart ana
Robert Brockett-all good Alexans
dria names aud Virginians.' Congress
should not deal harshly or 10 an l:E
liberal spirit with the people OF TINS
county. 1t should build the memorial
brldpe IN CONNECT the national capital