The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-02-19

the servant to remind him that it time to go
by leading up the horse and handing the bride
reins to him. The members Of Washington's
family the local historian relates. always came
up in large coach drawn by four horses If the
roads heavy. Not infrequentIy neighbors
guests in the coach
Another favorite rendezvous In Alexandria for
'sightseers is the room occupied by the Masonic
lodge named for Washington. This lodge still
fourishes. There may look upon the chair
In which Washington sat when he presided over
the lodge Of which he was master, also the Ma
sonic apron he wore, his wedding gloves, pair
of spurs he wore, a pruning knife he used on
the Mount Vernon plantation, and a penknife
which his mother gave him when he was boy
And there Is to be seen In the old lodge room the
last authentic painting of him, pastel from life
made by William Williams of Philadelphia.
Another old Washington landmark in Alexan-
dria is the Carlyle house. This structure
there when Washington a young man. In
colonial days 1t of the best-knOwn hotels
in Virginia. The fine folks of the Old Dominion
gathered there for balls and dinners and for good
times generally, and Washington, the local his
torians say, was present at any unusual event.
General Braddock had his headquarters in the
old hotel when he was proceeding against the
French and Indians. Making ones way back to
the capital city the Alexandria Arlington
road numerous landmarks may be seen. This
highway leads by Arlington, the resting place of
the nations heroes, and to Georgetown.
AS this old highway brings the traveller around
the brow Of hill four miles southwest Of the
national capital the Washington monument looms
up the low land and the Potomac river
From no point in the environs of the national
capital does the monument appear to greater ad-
vantage-a magnificent reminder Of the good
works Of typical American. This monument
Is fitting companion piece for the great
mortal to Abraham Lincoln soon to be dedicated.
1t speaks Of the founder of the Republic; the
other of the saviour of the Republic.
Many projects were discussed before the Wash
ington monument was conceived and work it
begun AT the close of the Revolution the Con-
tinental congress recommended the erection of
equestrian statue to Washington. Immediately
after his death the congress, sitting in Philadel-
phia, voted to erect monument under which
he should be buried. Another project was to make
the Capitol building a memorial to him. Trav-
elers may to this day have peep at vauted
chamber directly under the rotunda of the Capitol
which was designed as resting place for the
body of Washington.
The Washington monument is the most con-
spicuous work of man at the national capital.
The dome of the Capitol and dome of the Con-
gressional library and the Lincoln memorial
stand out with holiness, but the monument over
tops them. On clear day the monument may
be seen from the crest of the Blue Ridge noun
tains, As miles away. The memorial had it's in
ception in the minds of patriotic people who
formed the Washington Memorial association. 1t
proposed to charge membership fee Of 81
and the money thus contributed to be used |
in the erection Of suitable monument to the |
hero of the Revolution. The money came in |
slowly and 1t looked at times as If this project |
too would have to be abandoned.
Finally in 1S4S congress voted site The |
spot chosen had been marked by Washington |
himself a monument to the Revolution which |
he hoped would sometime be built. The work OF |
erecting the monument proceeded slowly. 1t had |
reached height of 178 feet when the Civil war
came on. 1t was rooted and stood untouched /
until 1875 when congress again took hold and IN
der the spur of congressional action it was COM
pleted in 1885.
The height of the monument is $50 feet and 5 |
inches From the lookout on the top the view Of
the national capital and its environs fascinates q |
million persons a year.
Other unpretentious memorials of Washington
are to be seen in the national capital.