Evening star., 1940-09-29
Site Chosen for Capital
Included Historic Area
Birth of Ten.Mile Square in
Days of Infant Republic Has
Place in 1941 Commemoration

proceed, the master Of the lodge
and DR.. Stuart, assisted by others
of their brethren, placed the stone.
After which deposit of corn, wine
and oil was placed upon it and the
following observations were made
by the Rev. James Muir:
"'Of America it may be said, as
Of Judea of old. that it is a good
land and large-a land of brooks, of
waters, of fountains, and depths
that spring out of the valleys and
hills-a land of wheat, and barley,
and vines, and fig trees, and pome-
granates-a land of oil, olives, and
honey-a land wherein we eat bread
without scarceness, and have lack
of nothing-a land whose stones are
iron, and out of whose hills thou
mayst dig brass-a land which the
Lord thy God careth for; the eyes
of the Lord thy God are always upon
it; from the beginning Of the year
even unto the end of the year.
May Americans be grateful and
virtuous and they shall insure the
Indulgence of Providence; may they
be unanimous and just, and they
shall rise to greatness; may true
patriotism actuate every heart: may
it be the devout and universal wish:
peace be within thy walls, o Amer
lea, and prosperity within thy pal
aces. Amiable it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity; it Is more
fragrant than the perfumes on
Aarons garment; it is more refresh
ing than the dews on Hermon's hill
May this stone long commem-
crate the goodness of God in those
uncommon events which have given
America a name among nations
Under this stone may jealousy and
selfishness be forever buried. From
this stone may superstructure
arise, whose glory, whose magnifi-
cence, whose stability unequalled
hitherto, shall astonish the world
and invite even the savage Of the
wilderness to take shelter under its
roof
The company partook Of some
refreshments and then returned to
the place from whence they came,
where a number of toasts were drunk;
and the following was delivered by
the master of the lodge CDR. Dick,
and was recovered with every token
Of appreciation:
Brethren and gentlemen: May
jealousy, that "green-eyed mon
ster," be buried deep under the work
which we have this day completed,
never to rise again within the Fed
eral District"
Among Those Present.
In addition to the lodge officers
mentioned, the following persons
are included among the names of
those present:
John Allison, Joseph Greenway,
Benjamin A. Hamp, Michael Mad
den, Col. Dennis Ramsay, Col.
Charles Simms, Thomas West, Jesse
Taylor, jr.;: John Harper, Peter Wag-
goner, James Taylor. Capt. John
Hawkins, Jonathan Swift. Robert
McCrea, William Hodgson, John
Dunlap, William Herbert, Robert
Sanford, William Hunter, ST.; Ed
ward Harper, William Hunter, IT.;
Charles Turner and Michael Gretter
Back in 1855 the Government
deemed 1t advisable to erect at
Jones Point at the mouth of Great
Hunting Creek. on the west bank of
the Potomac, a lighthouse, for the
protection OF navigation and in
doing so found 1t necessary to in
close the Districts cornerstone IN
the seawall surrounding the struc-
ture placed there "a years before,
and IN this way it was obscured
from view for many years. About
80 years ago 1t was located and
enough Of the wall removed so that
1t might be visible at all times,
and few years subsequent to this
1t was protected with an iron graf
ing placed there by local members
of the Daughters of the American
Revolution.
Childhood Recalled.
To ever so many Washingtonians
of mellow age, Jones Point Light.
house means much. For, in their
childhood excursion days, when
gliding down the Potomac on the
fast and commodious steamer
Mary Washington" they always had
to pass this old landmark. Indeed,
If they only went as far as Fort
Foote. which was almost opposite
Alexandria, they still came In full
view Of the lighthouse.
II, however, the boat went as far
down the river as Glymont or per-
haps to Lower Cedar Point, how
glad we tired tots were when we
could see in the distance. upon re-
turning home late at night, the
light from Jones Point!
Since it takes time to prepare for
a celebration Of any kind, an early
start should be made by the local
organizations generally, and nearby
bodies, to commemorate in some
way the laying of the District cor
nerstone. The Association of the
Oldest Inhabitants has already ap-
pointed . committee for this pur-
yaoea aud ;y,vttae oft,ars "a ioiy II,