The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-22
For New ONCE Building Of House
Membership.
CEREMONY.
Will BE Carried Out and Follow
the Same Lines
AS Prevailed When Washington
Started the Capitol.

Washington, March 22-Presidenf
Roosevelt viii take part in the LAYING
Of the cornerstone Of the new once
building for members Of the house OF
representatives on Saturday, April z.
The ceremony viii be almost Identical
with the laying of the cornerstone OF
the United States capitol by President
Washington, nearly 118 years ago. The
Federal Masonic lodge which had
charge of the ceremony over a century
ago VIII have the honor OF directing
the swinging Of the cornerstone OF. the
house annex into place. Waiter a.
Brown. the grand master Of the Ma
sonic lodge Of the District OF Cosumbfa,
viii superinteT7d the exercises and ad-
dresses viii be made by the president
and Speaker Cannon.
Three thousand invitations will be
Issued to prominent men throughout
the United States. The cabinet, Dip
Iomatc corps, senators. members OF
the house, the United States supreme
court governors of the various states.
prominent army and naval officers and
other government officials will attend
the ceremony.
In accordance with tradition the
stone is at the northeast corner OF. the
building and its location corresponds
with that OF the capitol cornerstone.
since the original capitol was built
wings have been added at the north
and south ends, so that the keystone Of
Ine building is now well toward the
center Of that great structure.
Ihe foundation of the MAGNIFICENT
new Office building is completed aud
the floor beams for the first story are
now in place Upon these a temporary
floor viii be laid and seats provided for
the guests who will view the ceren1 ouV
The high wooden fence which now sur
rounds the foundation viii be partly
torn away that a view OF the ceremony
may be had by persons who cannot be
provided with seats
In accordance with Masonic tradi-
tons the ceremony VIII be in the open
air and the persons who participate
IN Il VIII have no protection from tie
weather regardless of what conditions
may be. Simplicity viii marx s5is
event and all pretension viii be avoid
ed. In every deta3l II viii corresponzf
as nearly as possible with the cere-
mony in which President washington
participated. The articles placed ia
the cornerstone, as far as practica able.
will be identical with those deposited
in the capitol stone by Federal lodge
and as both President Roosevelt and
Speaker Cannon are members Of the
Masonic order, the occasion VIII IN
every way harmonic with the spirit
OF the ceremony directed by the Vlr-
ginia Jurisdiction.
The senate Office building which IS
in course Of cons structlOn Immediately
north Of the capitol grounds, IS not 50
far advanced as the house building
and It's cornerstone can not be laid at
the present session OF congress.
Those two buildings when compile
ted viii take the place Of additions
originally proposed to the capitol
building but which were objected to Oh
the ground that they would mar the
architectural scheme OF that struc-
ture. Each Of the new buildinGs viii
occupy a complete square Of ground
and they Will be magnificent white
structures Of classic design to har-
nnonize with the capitol and the lie
brary of congress.
September 1e, 1888, was the exact
date Of the laying Of the cornerstone
Of the main capitol building by Presi-
dent washington. The wings OF tha
central building were completed in
1911 and were partially burned by the
British in 1874 The entire central
building was finished in 1897. Tia
cornerstone for the extensions at ths
north and south ends OF the main
building were laid bv President Fill
more, July 4, 1851, when Daniel Web
ster was the orator. The eZtensions
which contain the present senate ana
house chambers were first occupied IN
1857 and 1850.