The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-09-04
Courthouse Cornerstone.

The cornerstone of the remodeled
courthouse was laid here on Tuesday in
the presence of several hundred persons.
The ceremonies were in charge of Cen
tennial Lodge of Masons, Past Master
Nicholas Langfeldt, of Cheltenham,
conducting the service.
At the conclusion of the formal cere-
mony attending the laying of the stone
ex-County Commissioner John Miller,
of Chilum, presented Senator William
B. Clagett, who introduced the bill in
the last Legislature to issue bonds for
the improvements, as the orator of the
occasion. Senator Clagett gave his
torical sketch of the county, which was
created as far back as 1895 and incladed
the territory now contained by the
counties of Montgomery and Frederick.
"We, of Prince Georges County"
said the Senator, "are proud of our
traditions and of the bright minds which
she has given to this old Common wealth
The first county seat was fixed at Mount
Calvert on the Patuxent river, and the
first courthouse was established there.
In 1898 the county seat was ordered
moved to Upper Marlboro and actual
ly removed there in 1902. The first
courthouse in Marlboro was built on
an acre of ground given by Daniel Car
roll, which Included the old courthouse
site as known and extended into Halls
lot back of Coale's store, and the first
courthouse was built just back of Coale's
store on the rise. Some of the bricks
are there now. The second courthouse
in Marlboro was built on the main
street in front of Coale's store and was
torn down when the pres ent courthouse
was built, in 1880.
"Marlb oro' was laid out in one acre
lots, the streets running as Main street
and the street from the academy lot to
the bridge to the fair grounds. The
land on which it was built was patented
as Chance and Addition to Chance
and belonged to Col. Henry Darnall, of
the woodward, who gave it to his son-in-
law, Daniel Carroll, who lived in Henry
Brooke's old house on lot now part of
the courthouse lot. On this place was
born John Carroll, first Catholic Arch
bishop of the United States"
At the conclusion of the Senator's ad-
dress Rev. q. I. LaRoche, rector of
Zion Parish, Beltsville, pronounced the
benediction.
The cornerstone is of limestone, the
dimensions being % by 12 by 16 inches.
1t is located about in the center and in
the rear of the present courthouse.
There was deposited in it pieces of sill
yer and copper, corn, wine and oil, en-
blems of Masonry, copies of Baltimore
and Washington and the county papers,
list of the officers of the county, the
names of the building committee, the
architect and the contractor.
The cmomittee charged with the
erection of the addition is John II.
Traband, chairman; ex-County Com
missioner John Miller and Hugh Perrie,
The last Legislature authorized a
bond issue of $12, 900 to make improv-
ments and additions required by the
increased business of the country. The
B. F. Smith Fireproof Construction
Company, of Washington, is making
the improvements. The architect is T.
Kent Roberts, of Washington. Two
large wings are to be built on either
side of the present building, accom-
modations provided for: the various eff
Gals of the country. The work is we'll
under way, and the contractors predict
that the new building will be ready for
occupancy by December /.