The Washington times., 1923-05-29
ZERO STONE TO
BE- UNVEILED
MONDAY
Ceremonies Will Open When
Shrine Motor Caravan
Comes In.

Arrangements for the exercises
attending the unwilling and dedica-
ton of the zero milestone" monu-
ment at o'clock Monday after
noon on the White Lot, Immediately
south of the Executive Mansion
grounds, were announced today by
Lieut.. Col Clarence o. Sheriff.,
officer in charge of public buildings
and grounds, who wAl be master of
ceremonies.
President Harding will accept and
dedicate the monument, which will
be presented by DIR. S. M. Johnson,
general director of the Lee High
way Association. Dwight Davis,
acting Secretary Of War, will pre-.
side.
The first suggestion of a Zero
milestone" was made in a letter
from DR.. Johnson to Col. j. M.
Richie, of the Motor Transport
Corps, June z, 1919, the plan being
that it mark the starting point of
the motor convoy to the Pacific
coast.
Congress authorized the Secretary
of War on June 5, 1920, to erect a
zero milestone" the. design to be
approved by the Fine Arts Commits
sion, the Government to be at no
expense. DR.. johnson was author
lied by the Secretary of War to
take charge of the preparation for
the design, the raising of funds, the
erection Of the monument and the
ceremony Of unwilling and dedica-
ton.
Beginning Of Lee Highway.
The monument was designed and
supervised by Horace w. Peaslee,
architect. Harry Ludeke designed
the disc, while the Gorham Manu-
featuring Company, of New York,
cast the bronze, and Lloyd Brothers
Company. of Washington, D. c., is
responsible for the stone, which
came from quarries near Salisbury,
N. c., and it's carving.
The exercises will open with the
playing of America" by the United
States Army Band, and will be
marked by the arrival and greeting
OF the Transcontinental Shrine Mo-
tor Caravan, led by Caravan Direc-
tor, Noble Bernard s. McMahan.
Hail! Hail! The Caravan will
also be sung.
Invocation will be by the Rev.
DIR. J. J. Muir, chaplain of the
United States Senate. Then will
follow brief addresses on Caravan
Routes Radiating from the Zero
Milestone" the speakers to be Sec
rotary of Agriculture Wallace;
Thomas H. Mcdonald. director of
United States Bureau of Public
Roads; the Assistant Secretary of
Commerce: Charles E. Townsend,
representing the American Automo-
bile Association, and Roy D.
Chaplin, representing the National
Automobile chamber of commerce.
Harding VIII Accept. ~
DIR. Johnson will then make the
presentation of the monument,
Colonel Sheriff. unwilling it, and
President Harding accepting it. The
exercises will close with the plav-
ing of 1.-The Star-Spangled Banner"
by the United States Army Band.
The monument is a bench-mark
and standard of linear measurement
Of the United States Coast and Geo.
detic Survey. The exact center is
the starting point for the measure
ment of distances on Lee Highway.
the Bankhead Highway and all
other highways radiating from
Washington. Lee Highway is erect
ing the Pacific Milestone" an ex-
act duplicate, with. suitable inscrip-
tons, at San Diego, Calf, distance
1000 miles.
1t is fitting that the monument
should be dedicated in connection
with the Shriner convention In
Washington, upon arrival of the
transcontinental Shrine pnotor cara
van, and with tho greatest assem-
blage of automobiles in history.