The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-05
MEmENToEs OF LONG AGO
The Corner Stone Of st. Johns Hail Res
moved Yesterday-The Contents TO ne
Placed I'm the Cornerstone of the
Temple

Temple Il
The laying of the cornerstone Of the
elegant Masonic temple now being
erected on the old First National bank
lot. on North Front street, between
Market and Princess streets, will take
place on the 18th of May, and in ac-
cordance with the determination of the
Masonic fraternity, the contents of the
cornerstone of the two former Ma
sonic buildings-St. Johns hall, on
Market street, between Front and
Princess streets, and the brick house
on the south side of Orange street be-
tween Front and Second streets, the
residence of the late Mr.. T. W. Brown
will be included in the contents TO be
placed in the corner stone Of the new
building.
The cornerstone Of ST. Johns hall,
which was laid on st. Johns Day, De-
cember q, 1S41, was opened yesterday
and the copper box and its contents
were emoved after considerable diff
Guilty. 1t took two men two days to
find the cornerstone and it was reach
ed with great difficulty. 1t was in
truth the cornerstone, for it was at
the very bottom Of the northeast cor
ner or the DuIIQlnS, several IeeI DcIOW
the level of the earth.
After a considerable excavation a
been made to reach the cornerstone,
the copper box in it was removed in
the presence of Mr.. j. c.. Munds n
Mr.. Charles McMillen. The box was
taken to Mr.. Munds' drug store where
it was opened and the contents laid in
a show case. Quite a number of Masons
and cusious persons called yesterday
and inspee4Fd the articles. The follow
ing We're The contents of the box:
A number of the coins of all nations,
including silver and copper coins of the
United States and South America and
European countries. Among the coins
is a copper cent of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, a Spanish coin, and
a bronze medal inscribed William
Henry Harrison, the Hero of Tippaca-
noe."
The minutes of the meeting Of St.
Johns Lodge held just before the cor
.ner stone was laid, together with a
list Of the members. Mr.. Isaac Nor
throp, father of u esteemed towns
men, Messrs. Samuel and w. H. Nor
throp, was W~orshipful Master of st.
Johns lodge at the time.
Bylaws n Rules of Order of st.
Johns Lodge No. /" printed at The
Chronicle office in 1889.
A o of the New Comic Almanac"
printed in New York by S. Coleman, IA
John street.
A copy of the Wilmington Chronicle,
dated Wednesday, December l, 1S41.
The Chronicle was a weekly paper and
was edited by the late Mr.. A. A. Brown,
Father OF our esteemed townsmen, Mr..
A. A. Brown, bookkeeper for Messrs.
Powers, Gibbs & Co., n Mr.. E. A.
Brown, money clerk at the Southern
Express Company's office.
A copy Of 1.-The National Intelligent
GER" dated Washington, d. c., Satur-
day, December II, 1871. This paper was
addressed on the margin to Isaac
Northrop."
A copy of The Saturday Evening
Post, dated Philadelphia, May Is, 1910.
A o of The Globe, dated Washing
ton, D. c., November A, 1871.
A o of The Weekly Herald, dated
New York, Saturday, December is,
111. One Of the articles in The Her.
Make Buchanan President"
A Master Mason's apron, made Of
liner and well preserved.
A parchment containing a list Of the
names Of the members Of st, Johns
lodge and Concord chapter.
The silver coins looked as bright as
if they were coined yesterday, and the
newspapers and the bylaws of the
lodge were we'll printed and we'll pre-
served, as also was the records of the
lodge.
The corner stone of the Brown build
ing will be opened in a day or two and
much interest attaches to it's contents,
as it was built early in the century
and is a much older building than ST.
Johns Hall. 50