Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-05-25
THIS NAN LOOKED ON
FACE OF WASHINGTON

driver. himself clambered aloft and
the party vas on it's way.
The stage coaches wound their way
through the outskirts of the village of
Washington. across the Long bridge
and down through the much more ann
bilious town of Alexandria, on the Vir-
ginia side. Leaving this town, which
coaches took the Kings highway lead
ing on to Mount Vernon. Half way
there they stopped at a great watering
U which had been built by Wash
ington himself. and to which. through
pipes, the waters were led from a
nearby spring. Washington had all
ways driven this way when he came
into Alexandria to church or on busi-
ness, n his sympathy for the horses
on the long, hot drive led him to the
establishment of the watering trough,
which exists today after supplying
drink to thirsty steeds for a century
and a half.
FINALLY the party arrived at Mount
ernon Everything was in readiness
Tor the opening of the tomb. The new
tomb, which has since been sarcastical-
~ described as "a glazing red building,
somewhat between "A coachhouse and a
cage, was ready for occupancy. The
old tomb was ready to be entered. The
marble sarcophagus that was to sur
N1AS OAA With NuS
The tomb of Washington was entered
ana an attempt was made to bring out
his coffin. 1t was found, however, that
the wood was so rotten that it fell to
pieces. Inside of the wood was found
the lead casket. In his the first presi-
dent had been placed at the time of
his death. He had been embalmed in
alcohol and sealed tightly in this cas-
ket. The leaden casket was imperish-
able and had remained sacred to its
charge.
1t was borne solemnly out of the old
tomb and placed in the new sarcopha-
gus to be made ready for it's new rest
ing place. When it was lowered into
lnls marble covering and before the
I'D or 1t was put on the whole was
viewed by the congressional commit
tee. Here for the last time the world
was TO come into contact with the ply
see again what remained of that great
est of soldiers, patriots and statesmen.
In h top of the leaden casket
directly over the face of the body that
1t enclosed a piece Of glass had been
fitted into the lead. This glass was
cleaned of the accommodations of the
past years n FURNISHED bright that
that which was within might be seen.
the congressman gathered about and
looked through the glass;.
The alcohol in which Washington
had been embalmed had we'll performed
Its task. The lead and the great trunk
of the man remained preserved as in
life. His strong, characterize face was
turned to n side and those who looked
saw the profile. At one point on the
cheek the flesh had come to the sur
face of the liquid and here was a sin
gle blenfsh in the otherwise we'll pre-
served face.
The members of the committee gazed
into the coffin. Little Johnny Lane
stood nearby. somewhat awed. One OF
the committeeman lifted him up that
he might be able to see what was with
in. The strongest impression that
Johnny Lane brought away with him
was the hugeness of the bulk of Wash
ington. The head and chest seemed
h%erculean. The face appeared very
much as 1t did in the pictures of Wash
ington. The boy would have recog-
nized it any place. He kept thinking:
He must have been a monstrous big
man.
This same impression was evidently
got by n other member of the party
who looked on, and who later recorded
his impression. He says that they saw
"a head and breast Of large dimensions
which appeared to have suffered but
little from the effects of time"
After the party had all viewed the
remains. the lid OF the marble sarco-