Evening star., 1943-10-10
BY John Clagett Proctor.

A little over a century and half ago,
on October 13, 1892, the cornerstone OF
the White House was laid. just how,
and under what conditions, we are not
sure, though it is quite probable that II
there was any set ceremony it was under
Masonic auspices, for the man who de-
signed the building and who superin-
tended its construction, and managed its
reconstruction after it was destroyed by
fire in 1914, was James Hoban, men,
Der of the Order of Freemasons, and
the first worshipful master Of Federal
Lodge OF Masons Of this city.
Hoban was an Irishman, as many no
doubt, already know. He was born in
Tullamore. near Callan, County Kill
kenny, Ireland, in 1883, his father being
Edward Hoban. and his mother, Martha
(Bayne) Hoban. His career began in the
city of Dublin where he studied archj-
lecture, and shortly after the close of
the American Revolution he came to
America, landed at Philadelphia and
soon afterward went to Charleston,
s. c.. where he designed and built
the State House at Columbia which
was destroyed when the city was burned
the night that Sherman's army entered
the city, February II, 1865.
1t was in the Palmetto State that Mr..
Hoban was fortunate enough to meet
President Washington, when he visited
Charleston in 1871. and was introduced
to Gen. Washington by Col. Henry Lau-
rens who recommended him to the Presi-
dent, as did other representative men.
Early the following year when designs
were requested for the public buildings
Hoban journeyed to Philadelphia and
again saw Gen. Washington, whom
he evidently impressed with his talent,
at least the final result was that his
plans for the White House were ap-
proved, and for his premium he chose
gold medal Of the value of 10 guineas,
the rest in money. Soon afterward, on
July 18 1892, the commissioners con-
tracted with him for his services for the
year for 800 guineas. and, accompanied
by them he surveyed and laid out the
foundation for the building on that day.
At the laying of the cornerstone, how
ever. President Washington was not
present, being elsewhere at the time.
Stones Location Unknown
As to the location Of the stone, no one
seems TO know. The assumption that 1t
is IN the northeast corner of the build
ing because it was Masonically laid, may
not be justified. since at this early pc
riod. what is now the general rule Of the
order was not always followed, as We
find in the laying of the cornerstone OF
the Capitol year later 1t being then
placed In the southeast corner, and other
illustrations might be cited
Back in 1901, during the administra-
tion OF President Theodore Roosevelt,
when the interior of the White House
was being remodeled, those in charge of
the work are quoted as saying that there
was evidence Of the cornerstone being
the second one from the bottom Of the
northeast corner OF the building, about
a foot and a half from the ground" In
1886, when the matter was brought TO
the attention of Maj. Edwin P. Locke,
United States Corps of Engineers. in
charge Of the physical maintenance OF
the White House. the ma or is recorded
as having said that while there Is no
record of the incident older employees in
his Office recall that when the interior
OF the building was being remodeled In
1901. the stone was in the position as
before stated. And the major based his
conclusions upon the memory OF the
older employees which appeared to him as
being correct.
However, in his search to locate the
cornerstone Maj. Locke had the paint
scraped from several stones near the base
OF the building at the northeast corner,
but no clues were found
1t was pointed out at that time that
the customary cornerstone inscription
In the early days was on the inside q
the block and would not likely be found
by scraping the outside surface And
since the major was said to be unwilling
to hunt further for the stone, for fear of
damaging the foundation, the stone still
remains unidentified
History of the Mansion
The early history of the Presidents
House. or Presidents Mansion. as 1t was
at first called, and continued to be re-
ferred to for many years, is replete with
happiness and sadness-happiness and
Joy TO the greatest extremes, and sadness