The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-15
Scene Of Solemn and Impressive
Ceremonies Yesterday.
HONOR TO HIS MEMORY
COMMEMORATE TOOTH ANNI-
vERsARY OF HIS DEATH.
Grafton Delivered At the Tomb at
Mount Vernon By President Nc
r. Kinley-Under Auspices of Ma
sons and Red Men-Tribute of
Senator Depew Of New York.

| Washington, Dec. l4.-With solemn
pomp and circumstance. with cere-
monies beautiful. impressive and APP
prcpriate in the presence of distin-
| guished assemblage and in the full
| splendor of ideal autumn weather, the
centennial of the death of George
Washington was commemorated today
at Mount Vernon.
| That Mount Vernon should have
been selerted as the scene of the exer-
cises was peculiarly fitting. There it
was that the happiest incidents or
Washington's life occurred. In other
parts he endured his trials; on other
| fields he won his triumphs; but there,
surrounded by those whom best he
loved, were spent the restful quiet.
studious hours of his life. There it
was. too, that he sickened and died.
and there all that was mortal was laid
to eternal rest in a mausoleum over
| looking a broad sweep of the pictur-
eSque Potomac.
Today's ceremonies were, deliberately
] planned and successfully carried TO
! fruition- They were conducted by the
| Masonic bodies and by the Rtdmen OF
| the United States. The movement for
the days observance originated in 1898
with the Grand Lodge of Masons of
the State of Colorado, the proposition
being made by Most Worshipful Will
lam D. Wright, grand master of Colo
RADIO. who was present to witness the
carrying into effect of his long cher
shed idea.
Washington Was a Mason.
Charge of the ceremonies incident to
| today's commemoration was placed in
the hands of the Masons of Virginia, it
/ h
| ington was obligated as master Ma
son, and there that he participated en-
Enthusiastically in Masonic work and OBJ
servances. The officers of the grand
| lodge of Virginia and the membership
of Fredericksburg lodge. in which
! Washington was made a Mason, and
of Observation-Disclosures lodge, over
which he presided as worshipful mas
ter, had the chief part in the duty of
seeing that today's observances were
| appropriate.
That the duty was we'll performed
was evidenced by the solemnity and
beauty of the ceremonies and by the
immense concourse of Maaons present
Thousands We're in attendance from all
parts of the country, and almost every
jurisdiction in the United States, and
q. few foreign countries, were repre-
scented by some of their grand officers
and members.
Many Ladies Present.
The visiting Masons, many accom-
panied by the ladies of their families,
congregated in Washington early today
and escorted by the Masonic bodies of
the District of Columbia, headed by
the grand lodge of the District, made
the pilgrimage TO Mount Vernon today
by beat. The Virginia Masons assem-
sbled at Alexandria, and thence, escort
cd bx- brad el-SbtrrO lndUe and WASH
ington-Alexandria lodge as bodies. pro-
oeeded to Mount Vernon. also by boat.
At 10 O'Clock President Mckinley,
himself an enthusiastic Mason, accom-
panied by Secretary of State Hay.
Secretary of the Treasury Gage. Secre-
tary of the Navy Long, Secretary of
the Interior Hitchcock, Secretary-o of Ag-
riculture Wilson and Postmaster Gen.
eral Smith, of the cabinet: Assistant
Secretary of the Navy Allen, Major
General Miles Adjutant General Cor
bin, Secretary Porter, Assistant Secre-
tary Cortelyou Major John A. Johnson
and Senator W. A. Clark of Montana,
past grand master of his state, left
Washington on special electric train
for Mount Vernon, arriving there at
IL o'clock.
The presidential party was greeted
by Grand Master Duke, of Virginia. and
by him was escorted to the mansion.
1t was nearly ar hour afterwards be-
fore all of the steamers bearing the
Masonic bodies arrived
March to the Tomb.
After the president and his cabinet
had reviewed them from platform on
the east front of the mansion pro-
cession was formed and moved as on
the day of General Washington's funer-
al. December lS, 1893, to the old vault,
fe FIRST lQnOSifat
There. in the immediate presence of the
grand officers of the various states and
tho assembled MascnS solemn funeral
rites were conducted.
A solemn dirge by the Third Cavalry
band was followed by the invocation,
pronounced by the Right Rev. A. NJ.
Randolph, bishop of the Southern
Episcopai diocese of Virginia. After
music by an octette of the grand lodge
of the District of Columbia. Grand
Master a. a Burnand of Colorado de-
llvered. an Grafton on the life and work
of Washington. laying particular stress
upon his Masonic life and accomplish
mentS.
Decorated With Flags.
The procession reformed and moved
then to the tomb where the remains OF
Washington and those of his family
lie now. The tomb was magnificently
DECORATED with flags and festoons of
evergreens and flowers.
Here the beautiful and impressive
Masonic services we're conducted. The
grand masters Of the thirteen original
states formed in line facing the repre-
sentatives of the other jurisdiction, the
N'apd lodge of Virginia and visiting
bStbren standing in semi-circle, fac
ing the entrance TO the tomb with
Joined hands Prayer was offered by
the Rev. G.. H. Ray, D. D.. grand
chaplain of the grand lodge of Virginia.
Then the grand master of Virginia
called upon each of the jurisdiction of
the thirteen original states. the juris-
dictions of western states and those, OF
Canada. Belgium and Nova Scotia for
MESA ges and tributes sent by them,
and all responded.
Ceremonies of the Order.
Then the grand master of the Dis
trict of Columbia deposited within the
tomb the lambskin apron as a token
Of innocence. the grand master Of Mis-
souri, deposited the white glove as
token OF friendship and the grand mas
ter OF California deposited the ever
green as an emblem of the Masonic
faith in the resurrection of the BODY
and the Immortality of the soul.
At the conclusion of the ceremony
the following responses were made:
All the Grand Masters-Oh, Death.
where is thy sting?
The Grafton. Grave. where is thy
victory?
Scores of beautiful wreaths and
-