The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-15
SOLEMN FUNERAL RITES
Impressive Services in Memory
of Washington.
CENTENNIAL is OBSERVED
Masons From All Parts OF the Country
Gat:er at Mount Vernon-A
Ceremony of Great
Beauty.


pomp and circumstance. with ceremon-
les beautiful impressive and appro-
pirate, in thsspresence of distinguish
ed assembIage and in the full splendor
of ideal autumn weather, the centen-
NAL of the death of George Washing
ton was cpmmemorated to-day at
Mount Vernon
That Mount Vernon should have been
selected as the scene of the exercises
was peculiarly. fitting. There it was
that the. happiest incidents of WASH
ington's life occurred, In other parts
he endured his trials on other fields he
won his triumphs! but there, surround
ed by those whom best he loved, were
spent the restftl. quiet. studious hours
of his life. There is was, too, that he
sickened and died and there all that
was mortal was laid to rest in maus-
oleum overlooking broad sweep of the
picturesque Potomac.
To-day's ceremonies We're elaborately
planned and successfully carried to
fruition They were conducted by the
Masonic bodies and by the Red Men of
the United States. The movement
for the days observances originated m
1898, with the Grand lodge of Masons of
the state of Colorado, the proposition
being made by Most Worshipful Will
liam D. Wright, grand master of Col
GRADE, who was present to witness the
carrying into effect of his long cherish
ed idea.
Charge of the ceremonies incident to
to-days commemoration was placed
in the hands of the Masons of Virginia,
it being in the Old Dominion that
Washington was obligated as a Master
Mason and there that he participated
enthusiastically in Masonic work and
obseryanees. The officers of the grand
lodge Of Virginia and the membership
of Fredericksburg lodge, in which
Washington was made Mason, and
of Washington-Alexand lodge, over
which he presided as worshipful mas
ter. had the CHIEF, part in the duty Of
seeing that to-daN's observances We're
appropriate.
That the duty was well performed was
evidenced by the solemnity and beauty
of the ceremonies and by the immense
concourse of Masons present. Thou
sands were in attendance from all parts
of the country and almost every juris-
diction in the United States and few
foreign countries were represented by
some of their grand officers and men,
bers.
Made the Pilgrimage.
The visiting Masons, many accom-
panied by the ladies' of their families,
congregated in Washington yesterday
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 to-day by
boat. The Virginia Masons assembled
at Alexandria and thence, escorted by
Fredericksburg lodge and Washington
Alexandria lodge as bodies, proceeded
to Mount Vernon. also by boat
At 10 o'clock President Mckinley.
himself an enthusiastic Mason, accom-
panied by Secretary of State Hay, Sec
retary of the Treasury Gage, Secretary
of the Navy Long, Secretary of the In
terror Hitchcock Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wilson and Postmaster General
Smith of the cabinet; Assistant Secre-
tary of Navy Allen. Major General
Miles, Adjutant General Corbin, Secre-
tary Porter. Assistant Secretary Corte-
lyou, Major John A. johnson and Sena-
tor w. A. Clark of Montana, past grand
master of his state, left Washington on
a special electric train for Mount Ver-
non, arriving there at II o'clock. The
presidential party was greeted by
Grand Master Duke of Virginia and by
him was escorted to the mansion. 1t
was nearly an hour and a half after
wards before all of the steamers bear
ing the Masonic bodies arrived
After the president and his cabinet
had reviewed them from a platform on
the east front of the mansion, a pro-
cession was formed and moved as on
the day of General Washingtons death,
Dec. IS, 1893. to the old vault where
the remains We're first deposited. There
in the presence of the grand officers of
the various states and the assembled
Masons solemn funeral rites were con-
Quoted.
A solemn dirge by the Sd Cavalry
band, followed by the invocation, pro-
nounced by the Right Rev. A. NJ. Ran
dolph, bishop of the Southern Episco-
pal diocese of Virginia. After music
by an octette of the grand loge of the
District of Columbia. Grand Master A.
A. Burnand of Colorado delivered an
oration on the life and work of Wash
ington, laying particular stress upon his
Masonic life and accomplishments.
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 dec
grated with flags and festoons of ever
greens and flowers. Here the beauti-
full and impressive Masonic services
We're conducted. The grand masters of
the 10 original states formed in line
facing the representatives of other ju-
flSulctlonS, Ine Sranu louSe or virginia
and visiting brethren standing in a
semi-circle facing the entrance of 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 jurisdictions of the 13 or
iginal states, the jurisdiction of western
states and those of Canada, Belgium
and Nova Scotia for messages and trib-
utes sent by them. and all responded.
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 a
token of friendship, and the grand mas
ter of California deposited the ever