Evening star., 1936-11-08
By John Clageft Proctor.

IL haystack would certainly i'm
press one as involving much
4 4 time and patience, and though
hunting for the corner stones of our
early public buildings might not re-
quire the same amount of untiring,
painstaking application, yet it prob
ably would consume much time and
expense, because, as in the case Of
the needle, in many instances we
would not know just where to look
for 1t. However, with the laying Of
corner stones sometimes there are rec
ords to fall back upon which may
help to point the way to the site, but
when sufficient details are lacking, or
entirely missing, which is only too
often the case, then we are forced
largely to fall back upon guesswork.
One of the principal difficulties in
locating these old markers is the lack
of uniformity in laying them. Now
adays the Masonic Fraternity, in its
ceremony upon such occasions, in
variably lays them in the northeast
corner of the building, custom which
has existed for many years, but not
always strictly adhered to, since at
least two prominent exceptions in the
District of Columbia-or what was
once included in the original area
are recorded.
The first one Of these was the lay
Ing of the corner stone Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia at Jones Point, q
short distance south of Alexandria,
Va, on April Is, 1871. This stone
was laid at the southernmost point
of the 10 miles square, the points
being to the north, south, east and
west, and subsequently other stones
were placed at distance of a mile
each. where possible, around the
entire District.
The placing, or laying, of this in
ttial corner stone at Jones Point was
an event of much importance-in-
deed, great Importance when we con-
slider what it meant to the Nation
and the difficulties that had to be
overcome before the site for the Fed
eral Capital was finally agreed to by
Congress.
EADING up to this ceremony, of
course, was the act of Congress
approved by Washington July 16,
1880, and the amendatory act ap-
proved March 3, 1891, which the
President somewhat anticipated in his
proclamation Of January "a, 1871, by
including part of Virginia in run
ming what was termed experimental
lines" and which were sanctioned
about two months later by the amend
ment referred to. The proclamation
issued by the Chief Executive fol-
lows, in part:
Now, therefore, in pursuance of
the powers to me conf1ded, and after
duly examining and weighing the ad-
vantages and disadvantages of the sew
eral situations within the limits afore-,
said. do hereby declare and make
known that the location of one part
OF the said District of 10 miles square
shall be found by running four lines
OF experiment in the following man
ner, that is to say: Running from
the court house of Alexandria, in Vir-
ginia, due southwest half a mile and
thence a due southeast course till it
shall strike Hunting Creek, to fix the
beginning Of the said four lines of
experiment"
President Washington had q way of
moving fast when the occasion war
fanted 1t, and he was not taking any
chances Of having Congress upset his
plans after having once decided upon
the particular location Of the seat of
Government he desired. So in about
two weeks from the time the agreement
had been reached with the landown-
ers the ceremonies connected with the
placing of the initial stone occurred.
Indeed, apparently in so big a hurry
were the commissioners in officially
laying down the four boundary lines
OF the District that temporary stone
was used upon the occasion of lay
ing the corner stone at Jones Point,
and it was not until June, three years
later. that the permanent stone as we
see it today was put in position.
THE exercises connected with the
laying of the corner stone were
conducted under the auspices of Lodge
No. 70, F. A. & A. NJ, Of Alexandra,
chartered under the grand jurisdic-
ton Of Virginia, April 28, 1888, and
OF which Gen. Washington became
the first worshipful master and the
President Of the United States on
April 80, 1789-just two days short
Of calendar year from the first date.
This lodge is now known as Alexan-
dria- Washington Lodge, No. 20, and
thousands of tourists annually visit its
lodge room to see the Masonic relics
connected with the life of the first
President.
DR.. Elish Cullen Dick, who was
worshipful master Of the lodge and
who ofhciated as such at the corner
stone laying, was a close friend of
President washington, attending him
in his last illness, making arrange
ments for his funeral and even finally
performing the interesting ceremonies
Of the Masonic order at his funeral.
Accompanying DIR. Dick to Jones
Point upon this memorable occasion
were, in addition to the officers of
the lodge, the Mayor and Common
Council of Alexandria and a large
number Of "citizens and strangers"
Arriving at the point. Rev. James
Muir, D. D., chaplain Of the lodge, de-
ivered an address.
A THOUGHTFUL writer who hap
pened to be present contributed
to a Philadelphia paper the following
interesting. though brief, account of
the event:
ALEXANDRIA, April 21, 1891.
ION Friday. the 18th instant. the
Hon. Daniel Carroll and Hon. David
Steuart arrived in this town to super
intend the fixing of the corner stone
Of the Federal District.
'"The Mayor and Commonalty, to-
gether with the members of the differ
ent lodges Of the town, at 8 o'clock
waited on the Commissioners at Mr..
Wise's, where they dined and drank