The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-05-09

Laying the Corner stone or the New Aims
House Building upon RandalI's Island.
The native Common Council have wound up with
the commencement OF an act that does them infinite
credit, and if carried out with the spirit in which it
is commenced, will endear them to those that follow
US upon this transtory globe. The corner stone OF
the New Aims House, building upon Randall's
Island, was laid yesterday afternoon in presence Of
select number ofinvited guests, including members
of the Common Council, members elect, His Honor
the Recorder, General Tallmadge, Justice Gilbert,
Ex-Justlce Matsell, VIM. M. Price, members of the
press, &C. &c. The charity is noble one, and it is
to the present Common Council that we owe the
carrying out of the project for which the island was
originally purchased by the city, upon resolution
offered by F. A. Tallmadge, (now Recorder, then
Aldeman) In 1884.
The proposed buildings are to be erected upon a
scale at once magnificent and useful. The island
contains 1873 acres of land, gradually rising from the
waters edge to considerable elevation, the surface
undulatng into hull and valley, SO that from the
summit upon which the buildings are to be erected,
magnificent and diversified prospect may be had.
The main building intended for the Aims House,
will cover space OF 600 feet in length and 100 feet
high in the centre, and the end buildings three
stories high. The building to have four wings, 65
feet wide, and 100 deep. The height of the first
and second stories to be each twelve feet the story
/
passages between them seven feet six inches; and
OF the space beneath all the other parts of the first
story floor, except in the rear building, TO be two
feet, all IN the clear when finished.
stone, quarried upon Backwells Island by the PR
soners. The main walls to be about twenty-four
inches thick the partitions to be of brick The
platform and steps Of the portico TO be composed Of
brown stone. The building Is to be provided with
water Closets sinks, &c. &c. porco's on the out
side, &C. &c. In the building, chapels to be erec-
ted capable Of holding about 1900 persons. The
architectural department is conducted by X. G. Hat
| field, of 100 Nassau street.
The cost willprobably be from $50, 900 to 600
The buildings are to be erected BY the LIST OF Sep
TENDER, 1886
The other building is intended for the Farm schools,
and is already in an advanced stage of forwardness
1t is to be $50 feet long, three stories high and built
OF blue stone quarried on Backwcll's Island There
arc to be three wings 100 feet deep and 40 wide
There are to be eight large school rooms, any guam
tity Of domitories, play rooms eating apartments,
DC, DC. The building is capable of accommoda-
ting 1900 children, more than double the number
in the institution; This building is to be completed
considering the size of this building, and the man
ner in which it is to be built, is extremely cheap.
to this building about two acres Of to be
laid out for flower garden to be cultivated by the chill
dren according to the English system Tho island
pable fproducing, with proper cultivation sufficient and
treble the number of paupers depending the city
furnishing pasturage for about sixty head Of cat
abundance
Tho Committee on Charity and Aims House, who have
projected the buildings upon the island areWm. 8: Mil
Tucker, wyiis Blackstone, Charles Alden Thomas
Spoford.
The company having walked about the island and re-
ceived information from AID Miller and other members
Of the Building Committee returned to the of the
base of the main building witness the interesting
| mony OF laying the corner stone.
zinc box having been prepared tho following docu
mcns were deposited in Thy Mr.. whitney the Clerk of
the Common Council The Charity of the City of New
Ordinances o Of dof
Assistants; ComptroIler's Report Memoirs of the
croton Aqseduct; Documents Of the Board of Al
the Committee on Charity and Aims House
with the resolutions and specifications in relation to the
Common Council documents. City Inspcctors's Report
City Directory, Statement of the City Officers for 1874
Lafayette Funeral Of General Harrison the great Metro
polls Of is4s all the daily papers of tho city Of May sh
is43 coin Of the year map Of the city These precious
documents having been deposited, Alderman Miller
Chairman of the Committee mounted the base and after
promising that until last evening he did not anticipate
that the honor and duty Of officiating this occasion
would devove upon him, he had not sufficient time to
prepare himself as no wished he delivered the following
of charitable institution of character calculated to
exert tho ideas Of situation here, and upon scale
commensurate with its present great and its rapidly in
creasing extent and population. 1t show years
since this beautiful Island selected by predeces
sors, for tho purpose to which it il dedicated In
carrying out their views but lend them cordial
cooperation in work. the necessity of which their pro-
yden foresight anticpacdand in the spirit in which
stage we look forward confidently to the ready assist
ance of those who como after to complete and
mate it. This Island is to be devoted for the future
asylum for hoplessness sickness and poverty. It has
selected with the view Of separating the unfortunate
from the criminal, in tho administration of munich
pal charity is to be the home OF those whom crcum
stances have incapacitaed from making home for them
selves; for infants thrown upon the world, without
protector provision for the invalid and those who
without assistance and supports the able bodied poor
rendered destitute by misfortune and the nged who in
thor dccrpitude and nrmes Of advancing years are
/ ad n tn the IF
community for their individual relief We have thought
that in afordng this provision it duty to pre-
vent far possible the association of charity with
punishment and for this have designated this
Island and the establishment about to be erected
those, whomadvcrse circumstances have thrown with.
o1s au on their parts the city for their
retreat and Fexhibits all the natural adyan.
ages that could in any wise be sufficiently from
the city to protect its residents from the visits Of
idle curiosity. The grounds sufficiently extensive
afford ample opportunity to ell for employment in the
exception of the inhabitants from diseases which attach
to other places less fortunate in this aspect Its divers
ned surface including hill valley and grove gives i
suitable care and labor it may be rendered in all respects
capable Of the very highest state Of cultivation. II com.
mands upon all sides prospects various and beautiful
| as were presented to the eye OF man. Water will
be introduced in abundance from the beautiful and mag
ncent reservoirs which the enterprise and energy Of
predecessors have introduced which will form for
ages a monument Of wise and benhcent policy Of the
government OF our city, no less than the liberal afiu.
ence of its inhabitants. Nothing s wanting here
cure the comfort health and wcllbeing Of the very
merous class dependent upon the city charities and
whose wants thus relieve without exposing them
to any degrading painful associations, compelling
them to feel that in the eye of the community poverty and
heplcssncss regarded in the light of public offences
It is the intention of the proposed organization Of our
charitable institutions upon this island to educate our
infant paupers in such systematic habits of industry and
application as will train them in mind and body, for
full services in the employment to which they may be
trans erred leaving the asylum; exact from the
able bodied poor certain Of labor the condi
ton of their relief and to afford hospital retreat for
those who untitled for all labor by epitude or
other bodily infrmity The building s designed
asylum for the infant poor chdrens farm scho OIL is
already far advanced towards its completion. We now
lay the corner stone Of the main edice of the island
which Is intended to afford shelter for the invalid aged
and poor which may become charge upon the city from
their nrmities other adverse and unfortunate circu-
stances To have been instrumental in the establishment
Of our charity in such location, upon scale extern
svc and honorable to the city, and in the Of
policy SO bencGcent and humane, must be source OF