Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-04-11
To Be Held Wednesday Af-
ternoOn at Jones
Point }
MARINE BAND TO PLAY
Affair in ObsSrSanceso of 13Oth -in@
versary Of Laying OF South Corner
stone of District OF Cclumbia.


sary Of the laying of the south cor
nerstone of the District Of Columbia
at Jones Point, in the southeastern
section of the ci.y exercises will d
held at that place Wednesday after
noon beginning al , O'Clock and ending
at o'clock. Among the speakers VII!
be Rev. DR.. w. j. Merton. rector OF
Christ Episcopal Church, this city ana
Fred Z. Woodward of Washington.
The affair will be under the ausp:ce:
of the District of Columbia Chapter
Daughters Of the American Rcvolu-
ton. Members CT Mt Vernon Chapter
D. A. r., this city, will take part.
Music Will be furnished oy section
of the United States Marine Band.
The South Corner Of the District o:
Columbia was set in April 1871. long
before the light fouse was built, or
Jones Point. Contemporary accounts
of this first ceremony are scarce.
Transportation from New York and
Boston and Philadelphia was by horse
back, post stage or oy slow bua:a.,
There were no Washington Correspon
dents. but the UEited States Gazette
of Philadelphia printed full report
of the affair The Alexandria Gazette
began its existence seven years pre-,
viou: and doubtless contained an
interesting accoun'. So
There were three commissioners
then; Hon. Daniel Carroll who was
selected two months before, but de-
clined to accep1 the appointment ua-
til his term as d Federalist member
of Maryland had expired. The osheT
commissioners were Thomas johnson
of Maryland, who while he was Dele
gate to the Continental Congress, haa
nominated Washington as Commando.
in-Chef of the army, and later oe
came Justice of the Supreme Cour-:
;ha other was D:. David Stuart, a
resident physician of Alexandria. No:
withstanding the season of:,thc year:
the mud and roads or no.roads at all,
there was q large concourse Of neo-
PIE, and two Commissioners ready fG:
the walk to Jones Point.
The Commissioners and distingui-
shed guests dineJ at Wise's Tavern.
and the masonic lodge and large
body of citizens waited upon them
there. A toast was given to the stone
they were about to sci, May 1t re-
main an immovanle Monument OF the
wisdom and unanimty of North AAe-
r;ca"
Congress had elected Gen. Wash
inptor to locate ths spot bn. hc had
s:gnified and made arrangements FOR
It, but was on a tour by horseback Of
the lands in the states and south and
west, but left It in competent hands.
Mi. Andrew Ellicott, the Quaker
surveyor. had been selected to t.nd
the exact spot, md when he had ma
Gated. it, the two commissioners t'1a'
rraccd tlp occasion assisted the Mas
ter Of ..ihe lodge. Mr.. Dick, in placing
]
il. The formal address was made by
Rev. James Muir. rector o. Christ
Church. Then K seems by the repcris,
that they partook cf more refresh
| ments, and it was DR.. Dicks toast
| that called out the most applause, and
every one dran1 10 that sentiment
"May Jealousy, that green eyed mon
ster, lie buried deep urder the work
we have this day completed, never tc
rise again within the Fedora! Dis
trict."
The light house was built by tn:
Government in 1865. The light is de
scribed as "fixed wlite, visible-for te!
and three-fourths miles, Isl th:rty-twt
and one-half feet above water. and II
! latitude 80 degrees A. 25': Long. !,
degrees . 27'' and under this l:sh
lies the beginning of the ten n'ic
square which once constituted III
Federal Territory