, 1899-12-15
At THE TOMB
MASONS OF THE UNITED STATES
OBSERVE THE 1OOTH ANN
VERSARY.
Ceremonies deliberately Planned and
Successfully Carried Out-Conduct-
ed by Masonic Lodges and Red Men
Of the United SCates-President
Mckinley Delivers Address.

Washington, D.. c., Dec. 14.-With
solemn pomp and circumstance, with
ceremonies beautiful, in the presence
Of a distinguished assemblage, and in
the full splendor of ideal autumn
weather, the centennial of the death of
George Washington was commemorate
ed today 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 whom best 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 of him was laid to
eternal rest in a mausuoleum overlook
ing a broad sweep Of the picturesqueu
Potomac.
Ioday's ceremonies were deliberately
planned and successfully carried to
fruition. They were conducted by the
Masonic lodges and by the Red Men
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 PROPOSE
ton being made by Most Worshipful
William D. Wright, grand master Of
Colorado, who was present to witness
the carrying into effect Of his long
cherished idea. Charge Of the cere-
monies incident to today's commemora-
ton was placed ~ the hands Of the Ma
sons of Virginia, 1t being in the Old
Dominion that Washington was obli-
gated as a Master Mason and there
that he participated enthusiastically in
Masonic work and o~bservances. Tho
officers of the grand lodge Of Virginia
and the membership Of Fredericksburg
lodge, in which Washington "a made
a Mason, and Of Neutrality-suspicious.
dria lodge, over which he presided as
w~orshipful master, had the chief part
in the duty of seeing that today's OBJ
were appropriate. That the
duty was well performed was evidenced
by the solemnity and beauty Of the GER
emonies and by the immense %concourse
of Masons present. Thousands were in
attendance from all parts of the coun-
try. and almost every jurisdiction in
the United States and a few foreign
countries were represented by some Of
their grand officers and members.
The visiting Masons, many accom-
panied by the ladies of their families.
co~ngregated in Washington early to-
day, and, escorted by the Masonic
bodies Of the District OF Columbia,
headed by the grand lodge OF the dis
trict, made the pilgrimage to Mount
Vernon today 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,
accompanied by Secretary Of State Hay,
Secretary of the Treasury Gage, Secre-
tary of the Navy Long, Secretary Of the
Interior Hitchcock, Secretary Of Agri-
culture Wilson and Postmaster General
Smith Of the cabinet, Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy Allen, Major General
Miles, Adjutant General Corbin, Secre-
tary Porter, Assistant Secretary Corte-
lyou, Major John A. johnson and Sem
ator w. A. Clark of Montana, past
grand master OF his state, left Wash
ington on a special electric train for
Mount Vernon, arriving there at II
o'clock. The presidential party was
greeted by Grand Master Duke Of Vir-
ginia and by him was escorted to the
mansion.
1t was nearly an hour and a half af-
forwards before all Of the steamers
bearing the Masonic bodies arrived. Al
ter the president and his cabinet had
reviewed them from a platform on the
east front Of the mansion, a process,
sion was formed and moved, as on the
day of General Washington's funeral,
December IS, 1899, to the old vault,
where the remains were first deposited
There, In the immediate presence OF
the grand officers Of the various states
and the assembled Masons solemn fun
eral rites were conducted.
A solemn dirge by the Third cavalry
band was followed by the invocation
pronounced by the Right Rev. A. M
Randolph, bishop Of the Southern Epis.
! copal diocese Of Virginia. After music
by an octette of the grand lodge Of the
| District Of Columbia, Grand Master A.
A. Burnard Of Colorado delivered an
grafton 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 oi
Washington and those Of his family lie
now. The tomb was m~agnifcently
decorated with flags and festoons OF
evergreens and flowers. Here the beau
tiful and impressive Masonic services
rrn,o conducted Tho 0ro nd m onfare nj