Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-23
MASOSS TRIBUTE TO LEADER
Temple to Washington to Be Erected
by National Association.
SITE IS IN OLD HOME TOWN
Memorial VIII ne Placed I'm Center
of Historic Region where First
President spent Great Part
of His Life.

ALEXANDRIA. Va. Feb. 22-The move.
ment to erect a permanent masonic me.
mortal to George Washington took It's first
definite form today. when General ].
NJ. Dickinson, secretary Of war. and
the grand masters OF the Masonic grand
lodges met here with other distinguished
men Of the fraternity to form a National
Masonic Memorial association. Perhaps
no Masonic celebration ever held anywhere
In America has been more elaborate.
In this quaint old town Of iv~y-covered
walls and rambling gardens, upon a street
laid out by the young surveyor. near the
spot where In 1854 Braddock's young colonel
quartered his troops before the fateful
march to the Ohio; near the historical old
lodge where he was a master and In the
midst Of a field rich In the events of his
life and memory. II will be the purpose of
this association to erect a temple to George
Washington, a Mason. Set apart In the
structure will be a hall Of fame, in which
space will be allotted to all the grand juris-
dictions in the country to place tablets to
the memories of their distinguished sons.
The memorial would stand on Washing
ton street. Close by is the old Christ
church, where, in his mature years, Wash
ington served as a vestryman. On q field
not far off he held his last military re-
view. Across a shade green In the stately
old court house he cast his last vote, and
there his will is filed.
Natural Site for Memorial.
Alexandria, by undisputed consent, is the
natural site for the memorial. Washington
moved to Mount Vernon when he was 10.
with his half-brother, Lawrence. and until
the chill, raw day of his death it was his
home and Alexandria was his home town.
He became a member Of its council, repre-
sented 1t in the Eouse of BurEesses, en-
dowed its schools. established its fire de-
partment and was master Of it's lodge.
The men who will form the association
met today In the same Alexandria WASH
ington lodge room, where washington oc-
cupied the masters chair. Willis no fixed
plan could be announced prior to the as
sembly OF all the grand masters, 1t is in
short the purpose of the lodge to raise
81, 00O,O to build and endow the memorial.
The institution will be UNIQUE among the
memorials of the world and will permit
every grand jurisdiction to honor every
Mason 1t esteems to be deserving with a
leaf in its hall Of fame. a photograph and a
biography.
TIL gathering OF such men Of prominence
in the old lodge was impressive. Alexan-
dria-W Washington lodge No. q. made Wash
ington its worshipful grand master in 17ss.
At his request in 1871 It laid the corner
stone Of the District of Columbia, and two
years later assisted in laying the corner
stone of the national capitol. In 1899 It
performed the Masonic ceremonies at his
funeral.
MementOes Of Dead President,
In its halls. rowde with precious me-
mentoes, his memorial was organized today.
There hangs the old charter granted by
Edmund Randolph, grand master Of Ma
sons In Virginia, In .lzss. r. Close by, it's
pendulum cord cut and its hands pointing
to twenty minutes after ten In the even
ing-the hour and the minute Of his death
stands the old bed chamber clock. No
money could buy this silent old ta~le-bearer.
Nearby In a case is the little trowel he
used at laying the capitol cornerstone. In
another are his wedding gloves, his pocket
compasses, farm spurs. a piece Of his tent
used at Yorktown, his old-fashioned med
icine scales and an eloquent token Of his
reverence for his mother-a little knife she
gave to him as a reward for his obedience,
and which he treasured for fifty-six years.
The Williams picture, painted from life
in 1894, hangs on another wall. It cannot
escape the eye, for it is much unlike the
accepted likenesses of Washington. It
shows the man in his extreme old age and
is the only original life picture extant, IN
Masonic regalla. His Masonic apron, en-
broidered in gold with French and Amer
lean flags entwined, presented to the lodge
in 1872 by his nephew, Lawrence Lewis,
hangs nearby. The only original painting
of Lord Fairfax, Washington's early pa
tron and friend, is also there.
New Site for National emOria
The masters chair, occupied by General
Washington in presiding over the lodge,
stands in a glass case, from which 1t is
removed only on extraordinary occasions. 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 beyond estimate.
There had been a sentiment against
choosing a new site for the memorial. but
for a great many reasons the one proposed
on Washington street is better fitted to
the purposes of a national undertaking.,
and the necessities have outweighed the
patriotic sentiment and have won a grace
full consent to the new site.
Today's first meeting, held in the lodge
room. adjourned at noon and all went to
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 tae 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; Representatives
Charles O.. CARING and Champ Clark, and
the Rev. o Wesley Hill, D.. D., Of New
York will speak.