Evening Star Newspaper, June 4, 1923, Page 38

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, JUNE 4, 1923 asonic Memorial to George Washington in Virginia to Rank With Greatest Sh of the shrine—|ment of the whole project and the acres gnificent me- Washington, sol- atesman, will adorn on the outskirts of before the next great held in the to George patriot, s Hill Va voters exandria ng riners is Capita rs from now, it is expected, George Washington Masonic a shrine modeled towers which were to guide mariners, completed that site to a gpiration to onal memorial fter the <ed a n be rve ancient beacons A on guide and While the ember 1 next, the George Wash- ston Masonic National Memorial ssociation, organized by the Mason- T s corner stone will be laid | | —forming the heart will contain the actual memorial—a statue of the general set in a niche at one end of the atrium. In the hall will be allotted space for individual memorials of every Grand Lodge in America, | The axis of the building colncides | with the extension of King street, Alexandria, from which the main | east approach will emanate. TRun- | ning along the north end of the | 8rounds is the old Middleburg turn- pike, chartered in 1786 as the first toll road in the United States, and along the south is the old King's Lighway, which ran from Alexandria to Williamsburg, then the capital of Virginia. Intersecting the latter road { at a slight angle in front of the me- morial is Mount Vernon avenue, eventually to be extended between the monument and the rallway sta- tion, just to the southeast, so as to T T g i sy =S R T AT - TOR OF THE WASONIC MEMORIAL TO THE FIRST PRESIDENT, SHOWING HIS STAT y the this time country. does not expect at to have the building and #rounds completed before the time lated, so vast is the project Indeed, the memprial will take rank th the great ;Washington Monu- nt shaft, with the whole of Mount on or’ the Lincoln Memorial as <hrine for national pligrimage. The site, on the western outskirts Alexandria, was at one time owned Gen. Washington. It is, therefore, garded as especially fitting that his memorial to Washington, the n and the Mason, should be erected yn this very spot, for the combina- on of unusual architectural features remirkably terraced landscape ‘hes planned. will thus be sesn away. Built of Granite. canite will be used in the con- uction of the great memorial, with statue of Gen. Washington as the feature within the structure. was decided upon at the thir- enth annual session of the asso ation held on Washington's birth anniversary this year at Alex- Iria A fund of $4,000.000 is being raised sor ihe memorial, of which $3,000.000 X be for th ection of the build- and $1,00 n endowment 1ment g \ u 1 ug, ATund. he four hing consist of a series of dimin from the stages to yrovided at will (ded edifi color perime hroush W buildins g lia neiuding nuinerous ar- sely conneeted with his ca- the Masonle order and mark- m in office as worshipful the Alexandriu-Wwshin A stately memorial in ing his te . master of 1on lodge of | fic, halt! UE IN THE ALCOVE. connect with the main road to Mount Vernon, providing pending. legisla- tion introduced in Congress by Re resentative R. Walton Moore of Vir- ginia_is_ enacted. This extension would afford sightseers a short cut to Mount Vernon across the edge of Alexandria and directly past the Ma- sonlc memorial Tower Rises From Terraces. The tower will rise from the se\- enth of a serles of beautifully land- scaped terraces, formed by excavating and grading Shooters’ hill—a knoll 127 feet above the Potomac river named after the English estate of Lud- well Lee, son of Richard Henry Lee, signer of the Declaration of Independ- ence and prominent in the Continental Congress of the resolution that the col- | onies “are and of a right ought to be | free and independent.” Ludwell Lee {had a noted dwelling on the hiil, foun- {dation ruins of which still are visible, nd his first wife is said to be buried |in an “unmarked grave there. In identally workmen arg exercising cau- tion in digging lest the grave be dese- crated. Its exact location is not known, _ The operation already has proceeded to the point of sodding the terraces and to near-completion of laying of the immense concrete foundation. The terraces will be surmounted b; Fsemi-circular gravel walks, connect- |ing with each other by double stone Isteps. At the sireet entrance to the | approaches and at the uppermost ter- race will be-granite steps 100 feet | wide. To the left of the terraces will !'be a wide driveway for vehi trai- Urving in front of, the memorial on the east and und ‘the nortn side to a large parl Another driveway will form an “S” in the north- west part of the grounds and merge with the Middleburg pike. The land- scaping will form an essential ele- |1andscapers, Olmstead Brothers and | Parker of Brookline, Mass., have been [intrusted with this feature. W. S. Manning s personally representing the firm on the site, with R. W. Cal- houn as general superintendent of op- erations. The original design for .the building was drawn by Helmle & Corbett, New York architects, and the general plans | were evolved them in_consultation with Osgood & Osgood, architects of | rand Rapids, Mich. The architects representative on the grounds is Ed- ward Brown, The plans call for an over-all depth (east and west measure- ment) at the foundation of 237 feet, a width of 165 feet and a helght, ‘as previously stated, of 205 feet, mak- ing the total altitude above Potomac tidewater 332 feet. The foundation sets a precedent for stze In this type of structure, con- A DISTANT VIEW OF THE WASH- INGTON MEMORIAL, SHOWING TH BEAUTIFUL APPROACHES TO THE SHRINE. ced steel and and cos- taining 0 tons of reinfc 14,000 cubic yards of co in are 1 ot is nine feet thick at the cen steps down About seven feet wnd four-and-a-half feet at the edg Ac- cording to experts engaged in pouring the foundation, the mat. as it_is called |is the largest in the world dation problems were worked out by b7 Adams of Detroit, Mich., con- sultant, and by Moran, Maurice & Proc- tor of New York, consulting engineers. The _contract is held by Cranford & Co. of this city, under the personal | supervision of Percy Cranfurd, vice | president. Mr. Warthen is engineer in | charge and F Schondau is handling | the auditing work. Pure Greek Archite, ering It t [ e. The entrance to the bullding will be through a portico of six Doric col umus, the whole a unit of pure architectur The portico will into the great atrinm. comprisin main_central roon the Cture and forming the memorial hall il spac 100 feer long and 70 feet ide The simple lines of this hall will adc to_its solemnity and dignity. the walls rising virtually in unhroken ex- panse by a clerestory to the ceiling 64 feet above lon c 1 will stand sentinel-like, at inte along the sides. and _surrounding the hall will be rooms devoted to purposes-of | the Masonic order. Cuerestory win- dows, located above the enveloping room, will light the hall the rear | will be an auditorium seating 1.500 persons, with seats arranged in semi-circular fashion. Office will be on this floor. The second colonnaded story contain the George Washington { morial useum, comprising treas- ured exhibits associated with Wash ington's fe. This room will be 5 feet long @1d 50 feet wide, with lofty ceiling. Access will be had by a stair- way and elevators. Al “ nd forming of the tower will be room, no definitc use been determined. The final colonnade will observation room. from whe manding view of the Potomac and the Maryland hills beyond be obtained, Bach of the stories will be than the one below, and flanked by a correspondingly number of columns. The “impressive memorial will rep- resent the culmination of a movement naugurated by the Alexand -Wash- ington Lodge, A and A . about a dozen years ago, erystalizing froni a de that there should | some eminently fitting place in which {to display_and preserve the collec- tion of Washington relics held by the lodge. coupled with a determina- tion to honor suitably the memory of George Washington, master Masonry. The proposal was received favor by the entire Masonic and the George Washington M: National Memorial Association therefore instituted to execute the idea. Officers of this association are Louis A. Watres, PennsylMania, presi- dent Claude Keiper of this city, secretary. and Melvin M. John ssachusetts: W. L. Daniels. Farm N Schoonover. lows ckwell. North Dakota: Andrew rdail, Texas: Charles H. Calla- han, Alexandrig; Harry Noyes, New Hampshire, and George M. Napier; . directors. The fist pres: _“Thomas Shyrock of Maryland. d1ed several vears ago. ’ The association acquired thirt Tead = the also will third level her large which has the form an river may aller wiil b limited with orde pnic was v, Iter The foun- | Greek | of | of land for the site, most of city of Alexandria. South of the memorial grounds, in the direction of Mount Vernon, is Cameron valley, named for Baron Cameron, the sixth Lord Fairfax, for whom Washington surveyed when a youth. On the ridge beyond the val- ley visitors to the memorial will be able to see Mount Eagle, home of Bryan, elghth Lord Fairfax, and the last house visited by Gen. Washing- ton before his death. Miles back of Mount Fagle the trees surrounding Mount Vernon will be discernible from the observation tower, it is as- serted. Alexandria is bound up historically with assoclations relating to George Washington, dating from the time when he surveyed its quaint streets to the time he endowed there the first free school in Virginia and in Architect's painting of the memorial 10 George Washington, the man and the Mason, mow heing erected on Shooters’ Hill, near Alexandria, Va., the George Washington Masonic | Vational Memorial Association. other n ways perpetuated the town ‘n a concrete Washingtor, was made of the Alexandria lodge in serving a year and eight months master. Before lodge was red he had b, honorary er of the former No. 39, having be ith it after his campaig volutior Relics guarded jealously by lodge and to be placed in ihe ¢ ! Washington Memorial clude the Masonic apron whic ington wore at the ner stone the ¢ s memory a_charter men the Seorge Museum i Wasl AYing of the cor itol in 179 red. mbroidered nt. decorated with « rican and French flags an a boe. | Am e husband Washington's ad Another price the museun lich Washington rner ston in conductel Maryland from Alexa honor. The famous ¢ penda which Washingtan oar tea fron whic the hogr i Dis Washi dria n had ju own pres ars sddition It is now 1 glass case wear in i bedchamber. its ha to twenty minn and minute at when the p El b ds s after which ilum ¢ ullen D enk- s & d his - the time master Alexandria Lodge and was in P at the President’s bedside consulting physician. The clock was donated to the lodge by Mrs. Wash- ington not long after her husband's which occurred December 14, and it served as a nucleus for collection of Thistoric articles r assembled After the civil was kept from { the demand fc apace with the war the public view seeing the relies grew vastly inereased numi- r of visitors. the possessions of the lodge were thrown open in 190 publie inspecti Tt the gr mz realization tha lodge he: jauarters no longer id accomm fate the crowds sightseers from il parts of the United States, and. indeed. the rld. who daily take part in the pilgrimage to revere the memory of the country’s first leader, that has resulted the initiation_of the memorial project. A total of 50. 000 persons viewed the collection last vear, compared with in 1907 he cost is to be defrayed by indi- bvidual Masons of the nation and the various grand lodges and other ins terested bodies collection but, as the of about | rines. the ground being purchased from the | iMagnificent‘ Scottish One of the outstanding building a city of notable structures, the House of the Temple at 16th and S streets northwest, has a pecullar ap- peal for the Mason. It is the home of the Supreme Council of the South- ern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite. Dedicated with elaborate gere- montes October 18, 1915, the corner stone of the building had been laid October 18, 1911. Today the temple, distinctive in architecture among the buildings of the nation’s capital, has taken its place on the noble thor- oughfare which leads straight north from the White House. The history of the temple and a description of its symbolism will in-| terest Masons. In 1909 the Supreme Council adopted a resolution provid- ing for the enlargement or extension of the House of the Temple, then located at 3rd and E streets north- west, which building is still the head- quarters of the rite in the District of Columbia. The whole matter was then placed in the hands of the then grand com- mander, James D. Richar It was decided’ that it was impracticable to add to the old House of the Temple A site was selected on 16th street be- | tween L and M streets. The grand commander then entered into nego- tiations with the local bodies of the rite looking to the exchange of the Scottish Rite Cathedral, then at 1007 G street northwest, for the old House of the Temple at 3rd and E streets. This exchange being effected, the grand commander sold the G street property to a business firm for $85 000, and turncd_the money into t jtreasury of the Supreme Council. At a conference held shortly after it was decided to make the temple the “most slegant, stately and superb ever built r Scottish Rite Masons.” ans Submitted. 1910, invit leading in only ceremontes vears later. Perhaps no better description of the building and its inscriptions can e found than that contained in the New Age Magazine for October, 1915, ac- credited to “H. P. M.” That account says, in part: Symbolic Decorations. “We must begin by saying that the selection of all the inscriptions and most of the symbolic decorations of the interlor has been made by Illus- trious Brother George Fleming Moote, 33 degree; and when it is understood that the building had been designed and executed before the symbolisms and {nscriptions were provided, and that he was pequired to devise inscrip- tions each containing an exact num- ber of letters, and that these inscrip- tions must not only fill the spaces for which they were selected, but must be appropriate to localities the: e to occupy it, will readily be that Brother Moore's task was no means a sinecure. ot us now proceed to lead the individual brother from the foot of the steps at the entrance to the bufld- ing up to the great altar in the ‘temple room’. “Standing on the sidewalk, the first objects that will attract the attention and rivet the gaze of the obser are two colossal sphinxes, one on éuch side of the entrance. The on on the right differs from the other Iy in facial expression, the eyes being closed and the expression being | one of contemplation and repose. | _“On the plinths of these colossal | figures are certain inscriptions, two | in’ Phoenecian characters, and four in Egyptian hieroglyphics. On the one the right is the name of the right hand or south pillar of the porch of King Solomon’s Temple, and the one on the left or north, the name | of the other pillar of the porch: both | these names being in Phoenician charac On the front of each Egyptian hleroglyphics which signify wisdom and power, and on hoth Egyptian hieroglyphics which mean: ““He hath established in strength.’ “Advancing to the t let into the outshone of the four, in brillia dedication ncr by held ers, ry, sent out to the | Washington and other |sketches. 1In March further plans were asked for, but all these plans were rejected ad heen the tions were | architects of | ities for | i p of the pavement steps, s Just J York dequate, th was purch 2171 feet ning back lot contained bid of Nor Worcester 10, 1911 The first svade of earth w May 31, 1911, the 110th the founding of the Sup cil at Charleston, S. ( said by Rev. Willian grand chaplam, wh October 18. 1911 was laid with the o nd active Supreme Council proc Houve of ‘the Temyle tre6ts, vrecedod Molay Mounted Comman Templar and the camp Albert Hike Consistory Accepted tich R the New Masonic street and Now York took pesitions le formed to Lodge the Di Which been corner The Aceepted for t Cui de Salve Scottish southerr, States tion of th to God and humanity nto the frieze the following ee masonry builds hearts of 16th sty feet on 16000 = ss Bro Mass.. was ed ved accepte over the . v v temples 1s turned g mg the annive eme b Tayloc corner Coun Snyder aul 1 plaque in door bears a_rayed tri- with the fig- riangle squ ¢ cente n the the “Whom bers of the ding to the $rd and K hand, and De lery. Kelight by maketh nd marching to 13th wher zeneral Grand Columbiz lay monies wer the sreat scriptions 1 right And on the left nmaque hrough B avenue, nost the doarway. trict T had : ot ston the is great Rite Temple Is Symbolic in Design and Inscriptions massive fluted pillars of polished green and true path that leads to ineftable granite. A doorway on the left leads light, he himself must be a master- to the apartments of the sovereign and that not only in name but in fact grand commander, and another on| “Between the sphinxes, then, lies the right to those of the secretary |tne way of entrance into the temple general. Both of these apartments| . i . fon ot are panelled throughout from floor | Which leads upward by a series to ceiling with Russian walnut steps, three, five, seven and nine number, to the great door. “In the center of the atrium great marble table; and on - ¢ hand between the pillars are _Teaching-Symbolized. marble seats. On the wall behind the | “Having entered through the great great plllars are plaques bearing the | door, we pass through the tests and following symbolical designs: teachings of the Masonic degrees “A lighted taper. A five-pointed [ symbolized by the designs on the star with Yod. Compasses with |Dlaques behind the great pillars; we crown and sun. The pelican feeding [Pass the Inquisitors, the Searchers of its young. A St. Andrew’s cross. A |Hearts, the Great Queens of Aaru anc fTeutonic cross with eagle superim- |Amenti; we ascend the great stair Dosed. A winged globe und basilisks. | Way, and there before the entrance The banner of Scottish Rite Masonry |to the ‘temple room. we are saluted by the startling admonlition, ‘Know Thyself. in is a either four | ur | united with the flag of the United States. ) are the quali- into the ‘inne brethren entrance Magnificent Interio iy ! “Directly opposite the great door is the great stairway, guarded on either hand by the seated figures of Isis and éphthys. The ceiling of the atrium of oak. with heavy drop beams and ith panels painted in Kgyptian de ourselves in a cube of which leach dimension feet, and it ix surmounted b, dome supporting skylight, which makes the height of the -room from floor to skylight more than 100 feet. In the sides of the room are three great arched windows. one each hand and onc opposit the door, over the grand efist. Eac window is divided two pillars ¢ polished green graniie. and the lowe: part of each is screened by a tracer of bronze serpents. All round th room above the pillars is a frieze o black marble, bearing this inseription ‘From the outer darkness of norance through the shadows of our earth life winds the beautiful path initfation divine light holy alt H the right of door opens into leads to the office of the Supreme Council the southeast corner of the building, lined with shelves from floor to ceiling. A door from this room leads to the stock room which in_the ellipge behind the great stairway and extends from one side of the building to the other. “To the left of the ridor leads to the upreme il room large room with i lighted by a skylight | will be used by the | When in executive session | “Passing between the figures | Isis and Nephthys and ascending | stairs, we to the first lan 1t the back of the ellipse. from which two other flights, curving to rigl Land teft. lead up to the door of tt temple room. In front of this door s tie marble seat of the graud tile bearing the inscription, ‘Know thy- the stairway corridor wh the librarian of a large room in h stairway door of & mod, eled and which Supreme Coune four eml corners a em. These rns "he the six apex o eac Ter over oft room a square ar pointed st the doub side. come dome headed with Commandn i the ma { ntex of the altar. which rhle great with let us return and again AT 1I6TH AND S STREETS. veh says, ‘They 5 the Sphinx the porch \trance (o They there was Lut which the rep- altar is the King Solomon e power and the wisdom of nd since the power and the of God ays in_equillb the and harmony try i 1dle tweer this he divine pent wisdon God." wisdon riun; and nitiation.’ desceihed ; the rest of the bu deal more shop. mu and store- the mair d is the arge atrium. On corriders, pan are intended to museum. To the A number o the south under the office of 1 her: N of beauty Further ow 1 h lies =, idea: Tet u s rment 0w th the | 1 ates avi = approx- iriangle and al t New v Eelow taining the j ing that (he inxe dnd hi he basement the press- quarters fo of the buil and Mystic Shrine Membership Grows to 600,000in47 Year ! Krom the mind, \rabian {fght for justic rm having o w thought ts inception from banded together to and tolerance, to mem- United organ now pe rship of over 600.000 ates and good | brother comprising a the canizatic nposed walk, an v tor e that of thought cheerato less of the growth of interesting s anything o© n e order has deep « into a in Canada, a { fellowsh from created and ever by vet or ! ganization m fun {and joviality de- {votes an ecqual jand effort to br fortunate ones, t Shrine piring a st s kind threughout an half a centu wn withoui an ious motives u vast brotherhood |ques, clubhouses, temples and ipitals all over the country, one | whom Congress will pass special leg- listation, for whom U Sem will {dig into his pocket and lend his serv ficcs for the pleasure and comfort of its members and for whom a city like | Washington will turn itself inside out I {0 welcome such a convention as this i one | So that amount ging history and the Mystic is tand ithe this original erlying it, owning great we may know a litie more {intimately the visitors and their fra- ternal brothers in this city. a sketch of the fraternity might well be in order | | Homantic and Picturesque. The history of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine is one of the most romantic and ple- five Fturesque stories in the annals. of existed in Arabia, as and tude : punishmen half ey old, orgar s institution tic of the opment past fifty to 1876. yearring that wou cheer and the hard: vided the period. S Florence tive mind, cffects Shrine ainhor the douin cihies of evil the 1 emsalves o should Thev de Jaisi for X ~second de. ' Rite Mason or a Knigh ar in the York v 50 conscquence. every Shrine is a man whe - degree thi on that of ol Masonic 3 s given to ship t urind doc providi doing nstitution debated over the question Lo admitted to men cided to initiat Temp the er tseif, and apid Aludd mip de things worth in Its origin dates back the ordinary man was omethine lighter in life 1 form the vehicle for good ellowst contrast with ip and t ountry h attuned (o nceived ihe Lew Wa mong t} to W bership, pr nember of has attained -second degree Templar. racter the tha oom during Fe Kni b nly ¢ sons af one rites First The first tablished o stiter of the le Formed in e atural v vic Tt was M proved at Subsequently other organized in other present time America. nized York, mple 1 ¥ was cs- ied d: ity dr the romantic micture we have seen in his thri “Ben Hur,” gave the tion an oriental atm fez, its chant its oriental dress and other becoming characteristics of | {14 b the follower of Al lihs or This effect. which hardiy can becil is composed questioned, dispoges effectually of the | designaiod by titles Popular impression that the Shrink | of the temple. The chie s @ dircet connection with Meeca | temple is the illustric and cstablishes it as a purely Ameri- while thegghief odcer of Tmperial éan institution. T & heen told | Council fsvthe imperial potentato that Billy Florence sained the idea | Walter M. Fleming of Mecca Temple, e vh Gk ide G, e miie Bedouins in Arabia, who had formed |potentate from 1876 to 1886, Sinc themselves into commiftees to pun- |that time thirty-two botentates have ish evildoers. It is very ~doubtful |headed the Imperial Council, nineteen whether any such organization cver of whom are still alive. the others the moral tone lhaving passed into the unk > nir given the name once uc temples were ;until_at_the {155 in North | Council was is composed | from each temple T ems the ling there are tale of new organiza- sphere. with its 1878 epresentatives the govern- of the entire nnerial Coun- i to those icer of the potentate, il | | i I that, | cities Imperial | ofticers | temple t whosy 1 ) and vina 119 fol Anezeh Temy tered 1906, of Ben Ali Temple Calif, last ye number of temples veral applications are already in and the June ses- merica itocheste med Damas s formed Temple, Mount Vi, was formed the the Shrine movement ¢ middle west and Al Korin Temple Cleveland, Ohio. Reaches Pacific in 1853 1nd Stna at brougt for new 1 be fon Popularly e playgre own as Sessions are ocea- cent merri- ) as might be ex- en and business from toil. Bu one feature of universal fact 1883, extended its coust with mple in which whs the organized. temple, er num- organizeéd the cars following apital who to Boumi succeeded in Temple. urti temple , In main found ¥r Washi Zoumi bered foliow siden Shrinedom he Pacific © am sbeiabili fun, suc ment pected s sk ing life find a heart. veu SPHINX TEMPLE CLAIMS FIRST BAND OF SHRINERS | The spuinx Hartford, twenty- chartergd. movenieny 1587 Ramases Temple at Toronto, which twelve later was followed by the Temple at Mon- Aloha Temple was | Hawailan Islands. | it imperial poten- McCandless, was lected. Cana added three more emples to its list when Khartum The and in anized ears lereati treal. charfercd {whence the itate. James Tempie comes from Conn., and, according to record, this temple was the first to ve a band composed entirely of Shriners, and they always appear in ez and full dress. To them belongs the honor of being the first Shrine | band to formally open an impsrial council meeting, this having occurred Temple of Winnipeg. Mocha of Lon- | at_Rochester, N. Y., in 1907 H The Arab patrol consists of fifty don and Wa-Wa Temple of Regina! men in uniform, while the band totals {were chartered in 1904, 190 and 1910 | an equal number. respectively. Nova Scotia -joined| Among the prominent members of hands with Canada in 1911 when | Sphinx Temple is the present gover- Halifax obtained the charter of Philae | nor, Charles A, Templeton; and twe Temple. former governors, Marcus Hel- Amerfcans in the Canal Zone organ-'comb and Everett J. Lake.