The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-14
BY THE MASONS.
Cornerstone of House Of Repre-
sentatiyes Office Building
Is Laid With Impressive Cere-
monies of the Order.
GRAFTON OF THE DAY.
Is Delivered by the President Of
the United States.
Every Congressman Will Have a
Room in the Edifce.

encc Of distinguished assem- laS0
with the president Of the United states
taking prominent part, with the su-
preme court and the senate, the house
Of representatives and the diplomatic
corps. as spectators. and before large
concourse of people. the corner stone OF
the Office building for the house of rep
resentatives was laid with impressive
ceremonies this afternoon.
The address of the day was made by
President Roosevelt who spoke an The
Man with the Muck Rake"
The official programme follows
Selection=Star Spangled Banner
United States Marine band
LAYING of the corner stone BY the
grand master of Masons of the district
Of Columbia, assisted by the officers OF
the grand lodge.
Vocal elecUOns-octette
Address by the grand master-Wal-
cornet Saltwater F. Smith.
Address-Josep G. Cannon, speaker
of the house Of representatives
selection-By the United States In
Addrees-By Representative William
p Hepburg of Iowa.
Selection-By the tinted states VIC
zine band.
former representative from I ennessee
council Of the Scottish Rite
Selection=By the Engineer band.
Address-By the president OF the
United states.
Selecton-By the Marine band.
In WashlngtOn's Day.
century and thirteen years ago
George Washington then president or
the United States. assisting the actils
grand master Of Masons Of Virginia ana
MARYLAND. laid the corner stone OF ths
no u
but four million population and the CITY
Of Washington but 1000 Inhabitants
Ffftv-eight years later Fillmore. then
president Of the United States lald me
corner stone of the extension TO the
capifol under as impressive clrcufn-
stances as characterized the laying or
the FIRST corner stone, assisting IKE ms
tNustrious predecessor the Masonic fra
ternitv in their solemn rites of conse-
Grating building ITO holy purposes
and lofty ideas The nation when
President Fillmore laid the corner
stone of the extension to the capitol
had grown from four million souls IN
1893 10 twenty million In 1851.
Today with even more impressive
ceremonial the corner stone OF the
largest Office building solely devoted to
the primary purposes of legislation and
the comfort of its legislators in the
world was laid with the Masonic fra
ternity as the active participants, as
sisted by President Roosevelt. who Ike
Mason and who following I'M
memorial custom delivered the prin-
cipal address
Washingt0n's time.an near the capitol
once stood the farthermost outpost Of
the city the picture presented today
IN the vicinity of the coming office
building of the representatives was sig
rally changed. Just across narrow
thoroughbare stands the congressional
library with its golden dome and close
by is the great capitol building and the
city stretches away for long distances
IN every direction.
In commemoration of today's event
the Masonic fraternity of the District
OF Columbia were ordered into line and
with the grand lodge Of Masons escort
ed by the several communicates of
Knights Templar, they marched to the
building In the northeast section of
the building according to Masonic usage
the cornerstone was placed. Work on
that section has been held back pending
the ceremonies but the construction OF
the outer part Of the rest Of the editice
has progressed up to the second story.
The Customary Copper Box.
Previous to the ceremonies a copper
box two and a half feet long and is
inches wide was placed in the stone in
the presence of the grand treasurer of
the grand lodge The box contains
many rare and unusual articles togeth-
err with the coins Of the United States
and the series OF postage stamps now
In use. Unlike other boxes used for
similar occasions this box which was
made by one of the employees of the
capitol has series OF small compart-
merits arranged so that envelopes con-
tanning the articles may stand upright
instead of lying nat as has been the
custom heretofore. This box was her
Ynetically sealed and in position when
the grand master Of MaEOns of the
District of Columbia. Walter A. Brown
a
the corner stone in position
The corn of nourishment, the wine
OF refreshment and the oil OF joy
were several1y deposited according to
the ritual and the practice of the fra
ternity. The trowel for the use of the
grand master was made especially and
presented by the Sons of the American
Revolution 10 Elliott Wood, superin-
tendent OF the Capitol buildings anc
grounds. who has largely had the
planning of The structure under hi:
Immediate control The trowel was
presented to the grand master to be
retained by the grand lodge as a me
nent0 of the day. Like Washington ,:
gaVel. which is q priceless relic of the
Masonic fraternity of the District oil
Columbia. the troWel Will play No
small mart in future ceremonies of
like character. The building dedf
Gated today will be classic in design
IT suggests in its general division a.
parts the Garde Heuble on the Place
de La Concorde. Paris. while the pa
Nlil0ns are modelled on those of this
COlOna Deu Louvre. Architecture II,
the front is divided in two parts. thu
lower corresponding with the frs
story of the building. constituting 6
'rustiCat ted base on which extendi1,s
through the second and third storfeT
the colonnade. suTm0unted bv It,
sntablature and balustre
Size of the Building.
Some idea of its size is given by tn,