The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-23
MASONS PLANNING
GREAT MEMORIAL
Movement by Leaders of Lead
ing Secret Order to Honor
Name of Washington.
IN HISTORIC OLD TOWN
THAT WAS PATRIOTS HOME
Plan Is to Raise 81 900, 900 and
Fittingly Endow the Me-
mortal.

ALEXANDRIA,. Va, Feb, 22.-The
movement 10 erect permanent Ma
sonic memorial TO George Washington
took it's first definite form today. when
Gen. j. NJ. Dickinson. secretary of war,
and the grand masters of many Masonic
grand lodges, met here with other dis
tinguished men of the fraternity to
form a national Masonic memorial as
sociation.' Perhaps no Masonic celcbra-
tion ever held anywhere in America has
been more elaborate.
In this quaint old town of ivy COW
cred walls and rambling gardens. upon
street laid out by the Young surveyor,
near the spot where in 1854 Braddock g
young colonel quartered his troops be
fore the fateful march TO the OHIO;
near the historic old lodge where he
was a master, and in the midst of a
field rich in the events of his hte and
memory, it viii be the purpose of this
association TO erect n temple to George
Washington Mason, Set apart in the
structure will be hall of fame, in
which space will be allotted to all the
grand jurisdictions in the country to
place tablets TO the memories Of their
distinguished sons,
The memorial would stand on Wash
ington street. Close by is the old Christ
church, where in his mature years
Washington served as a vestryman. On
field not far OF he held his last mill
tary review. Across Il shaded green In
the stately old courthouse he cast his
last vote. and there his will is fled
Home of Washington,
Alexandria, by undisputed consent, is
the natural site for the memorial.
Washington moved to Mount Vernon
when he was l6 with his half brother,
Lawrence, and until the chill, raw day
of his death 1t was his homo and AL
exandria was his home town. He be-
came member of its council. repre-
sented it in the house of burgesses, en-
dowed its schools, established its FIRE
department and was master of It's lodge.
The men who will form the association
met today In the same Alexandria Wash
ington lodgeroom where Washington oc-
cupied the masters chair, While no fixed
plan could be announced prior TO the as
semby OF all the grand masters, 1t is
IN IN aa short IT. the purpose of the lodge to raise
rial The institution Will be unique
among the memorials OF the world and
VIII permit every grand jurisdiction to
serving with leaf in its hall of fame.
photograph and a biography.
The gathering Of such men of promi-
Alexandria Washington lodge No %
made Washington Its worshipful grand
master in 1888. AT his request in lIo1.
1t laid the corner stone Of the District
OF Columbia, and two years later as
sisted In laying the corner stone OF the
national capitol In 1893 II performed
the Masonic ceremonies at his funeral
Historic Relics.
In its halls. crowded with precious
nnementoes. his memorial was organized
n hQ ri Er
granted by Edmund Randolph. grand
master Of Masons In Virginia, in 17sS.
Close by, its pendulum cord out and Its
hands pointing to twenty minutes after
10 In the evening-thc hour and the
minute of his death-stands the old bed
chamber clock. No money could buy this
is the little trowel he used at laying the
capitol corner stone. In another are his
wedding gloves. his pocket compasses
farm spurs. piece OF his tent used at
Yorktown. his old fashioned medicine
scales and an eloquent token OF his rev.
erence for his mother-a little knife she
gave TO him saS reward for his obedl-
ence, and which he treasured for fifty
six years
The masters chair occupied by Cen
eral Washington in presiding over the
II Is removed only on extraordinary occa-
sIons. 1t is 122 years old. and was in
constant use for III years Scores OF
other things of his day the old chairs
and benches OF the lodge still In use, the
front door key of the Bastile presented
in 1925 by Lafayette, which have come
from relatives and friends. are valued be-
yond estimate
Todays first meeting held in the lodge
room adjourned at noon and, all went 10
Mount Vernon by a special train. The
party of distinguished men walked along
the bluff that overlooks the majestic
river and laid a wreath upon the tomb.
They then returned to the lodge at
Alexandria for comforting OF degrees.
Tonight. at the annual banquet OF the
old lodge. Secretary of War Dickinson.
James D. Richardson, sovereign grand
commander, Scottish Rite Masons; Rep
resentatiyes Charles C. CARING and
Champ Clark and the Rev. John Wesley
Hill, D. D.. OF New York will speak
Widespread Movement
At Alexandria: Va, tonight prominent
Masons from all parts Of the country
Washington lodge. No 22 a. F. and A
NJ, In a dinner concentrating the birth
OF Washington, first master of the lodge
On the wall at the head OF the ban
quet table was rare portrait of Wash
ington, painted from life for the lodge
in. 1894 by Williams. Philadelphia art
ist-
Alexandria Washington lodge made
Washington its worshipful master IN
1888. AT his request, in 1913, 1t assisted
. In laying the corner stone OF the nationa
capitol In 1893 IT performed the Ma
sonic ceremonies at his funeral.
Grand masters and prominent Masons
representing lodges In twenty-five state.
indorsed a movement launched by thl
Alexandria Washington lodge TO erect {
memorial to Washington in the form Of
Masonic temple in Alexandria TO cos
81 l.000. 900