The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-22
Arlington Bridge Corner Stone
Laid More Than Ten Years Ago

permission was granted to exhibit IL on
Pennsylvania Avenue. previous to its
dedication, which was held under the
auspices of the Grand Army Of the Re-
public then holding its thirty-zxth ma
tional encampment in this city.
It is unusual that this was the first
time that private property was allowed
to be placed on government ground.
Previous to the dedication ceremonies. at
which the government formally accepted
the corner stone, the question arose as
to where the stone was to be placed
after its acceptance. Immediately Mr..
McHugh and B. Fl. Warner, prominent
resident of this city, took steps to have
it cared for in proper place In order
for IL to be placed on government prop
erty. 1t was necessary to get the per-
mission of Gen. Bingham, superintendent
of the Capitol and White House grounds,
President Roosevelt. Secretary Of State
Hay. Secretary of War Root. Secretary
of the Treasury Shaw. and Attorney
General Knox. Letters from each Of these
ohlcials are now in the hands of Mr..
McHugh.
Root Makes an Address.
When the stone was presented. it was
thought that the actual construction of
the bridge would commence in a few
years Already the project had been agi-
tated for many years. Secretary of War
Root. who made the feature address at
the presentation ceremonies, said: 1T is
now more than ten years since Congress
began to discuss the erection Of a bridge
across the Potomac between Washington
and the public grounds Of Virginia"
President Roosevelt was scheduled to
accept the stone In behalf of the United
States. but an accident prevented him
from being present. Mr.. McHugh made
the presentation address for the Stone
cutters Union. B. III. Warner delivered
an address and Frank A. McHugh. the
fifteen-year-o son of Mr.. McHugh. re-
cited the Star Spangled Banner" The
ceremonies were held directly behind the
White House at the Ellipse. The stone
was taken from there to its present site.
Coordinate with this stone. Mr.. Nc
Hugh tells of a stone which the Stone
cutters Union presented as the corner
stone of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road at it's birth, July 4, 1928 The stone
was placed in position by the Grand
Lodge, of Baltimore. assisted by Charles
Carroll Of Carrollton, the last surviving
signer of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. For more than seventy-fve years
it was lost, until in 1885 il was discov-
cred accidentally by laborers while ex-
cavating three feet below the surface,
very near the present tracks. The spot
is close to what is now Mount Claire
Junction. The stone has been polished
up and surrounded by an iron fence
Another stone was presented by the
Stonecutters' Union, of Washington, for
the Washington Monument about 1852.
The stonecutters of this city point out
with pride this beautiful stone
This stone will remain just where ii is.
according to Mr.. McHugh, until a build
ing is erected on the ground, or the pro-
posed bridge is built No matter how
many years from now the work will be-
gin, this stone will still be used as the
cornerstone. An eight-horse team il re-
quired to haul this stone, which weighs
more than fifteen tons.