Evening star., 1937-05-02
By John Clagen Proctor.

n yOW lHA1 spring mas put II
nj its actual appearance and the
" weather is gradually getting
4 warmer, one thing the writel
has to suggest to those who are able
to tramp through the woods Is to fine
out and locate the corner stones, anc
the intervening stones, surrounding
the District of Columbia, and just
imagine, while you are doing it, how
much trouble it must have been to
those who erected them back in 1871
and 1892. when much Of this part of
Maryland and Virginia was about as it
was when the Indians used it as their
hunting grounds. Indeed, Maj, An
drew Ellicott, who surveyed the Ten
Miles Square, in writing Of this terri
tory in l79l, made this interesting
statement: There is not one house
that has any floor except the earth,
and, what is more strange, 1t is in the
neighborhood of Alexandria and
Georgetown
For many years, only few of the
40 stones surrounding the District, as
originally planned, were identified, and
1t was not until about 1897 that Mar
Gus Baker, a Well-known scientist,
made an investigation of the stones
still standing and prepared paper on
the subject for the Columbia Historical
Society. Subsequently, Fred E. Wood
ward, another member of this society.
added much information and material
on this interesting topic, until today
the subject has been pretty thoroughly
covered and all the stones account
ed for.
THE laying of the first corner stone
of the District of Columbia, at
Jones Point, short distance below
Alexandria, Va, on April is, 1871, was
an event of much consequence at the
time, and shortly after the Society of
Natives OF the District of Columbia was
formed, March q, 1920, it decided to
adopt the date of the laying of the
initial corner stone as District day, and
it further decided to celebrate this
date with a banquet, custom which
has continued since with few excep-
tions.
President Washington was very anX-
ious to include Alexandria, Va, in the
area to be taken for the Nations Cap
ital, and since the act of July Is, 1870,
did not permit this. an amendatory act
was passed March 3, 1891, which re-
suited in the first corner stone being
laid at Jones Point, and thus not only
was outstanding local history made, but
national history of prime Importance
created as we'll and few today would
gainsav the fact that had the Capital
been placed elsewhere it is quite prob
able it would never have become the
beautiful metropolis Washington is to-
day.
AS the writer has previously stated,
President Washington had a way of
moving fast when the occasion war
ranted it and he was not taking any
chances of having his plans upset
after having once decided upon the
particular location of the seat of Gov
ernment. So, in about two weeks from
eAlS eAlllC lIlC dSlSCAlClV 1ldd UCCll
reached with the landowners, the
ceremonies connected with the placing
of the initial stone occurred.
Indeed, apparently, in so big a
hurry were the commissioners ap-
pointed by him, in placing the four
boundary lines of the District, that
a temporary stone was used upon the
occasion of laying the stone at Jones
Point. and 1t was not until June.
three years later, that it was replaced
with the permanent stone as we see
1t today.
THE exercises connected with the
laying of this corner stone were
conducted under the auspices Of
Lodge No. %, F. A. and A. NJ, of
Alexandria, chartered under the grand
jurisdiction of Virginia, April %, 1888,
and Of which Gen. Washington became
the first worshipful master, and the
President of the United States on
April 30, l789-just two days short
of calendar year from the first date.
This lodge is now known as Alex
andria- Washington Lodge, No. %, and
thousands of tourists annually visit
its lodge room to see the Masonic
relics connected with the life of the
first President
DR.. Elsh Cullen Dick, who was
worshipful master of the lodge, and
who officiated as such at the corner
stone laying. was 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 DR.. 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.
A RR1V1NG at the point, Rev. James
Muir, D. D., chaplain of the lodge,
delivered an address, and thought
ful writer, who happened to be present,
contributed to a Philadelphia paper
the following interesting. though brief
account of the event as he saw it.
Alexandria. April 81, 1891.
"On Friday, the 18th instant, the
Hon. Daniel Carroll and Hon. David
Steuart arrived in this town to super
intend the fixing of the first corner
stone of the Federal District.
The mayor and commanalty, to-
gether with the members of the
different lodges Of the town, at 3
O'Clock waited on the commissioners
at Mr. Wise's. where they dined, and,
after drinking glass Of wine to the
following sentiment, viz:
May the stone which We are
about to place in the ground remain
an immovable monument of the wis
dom and unanimity of North America
the company proceeded to Jones Point
in the following order:
First. The town sergeant.
Second. Hon. Daniel Carroll and
the mayor.
Third. Mr. Ellicott and the re-
eorder.
"F'n,rth Such of tho Common