The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-18
The New York a,.torsc al Society.

TIE NEW FIRE TROOP BUILpING-LArINa OF THE
CORNER sToNE-REMARKs OF LUTHER BRADIsH,
REV. DRs. BErHUNE, 0sGOOD, AND OTHERS.
The committee appointed to arrange the proper order
o. eeonies be observed the laying of the
stone Of the new fire proof building for the Historical
Society sent yesterday the following invitation =
Stw YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY ESusp 6G,Is isi
sTne New YORK ms,Srsai sOse srppSss 70 sy With
S Ss
% r. aVd o1 Ss ss A The
ne request the favor Of attendance
i. SssaEg rs II s
t t$ssiSss Ss SssaSHr ..
Al lie hour appointed there vas quite large atten
Of the members of the Society and their friends
including many of our most respectable and eminent eli
items. Among those in attendance were Rev Drs Be
thune, Chaplin and Osgooi, Dr. Francis Washington Ir
wing, Judge DAILY, Professors Loonis Martin Dr. Ra
phau. Messrs. Tuckerman Acheson and scheI togethe
with " officers Of the society. At 81 O'Clock the com
Fsny med and in procession to the site Of In
building of Second avenue and Eleventh
street where temporary stage had been erected for tn
Rev Or, De Writ First Vice President Of the society
commenced the exercises by offering up appropriate
Hon. Ii ru BRApsH performed the ceremony of laying
the stone.
iSiIow MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF NEW YORK HIS.
goscM socEY-Fight years have passed away since the
precouness Of its library aud collections and deeply
impressed with the Importance Of their safety to the
OF uaoe place OF deposit for that library aud those
collections This enterprise from its origin had two dis
tinct and declared features viz -
ls The library edidee to be erected to lie fire.
prof And
IDLY, When completed no debt whatever was to remain
upot the society on its account.
An enterprise Of snch magnitude and with such cond
tons TO society entirely destitute Of the pecuniary
necessary for lis accom- lishment might we'll
t. be at least hardy If impraccable And yet
in anxious and long continued perseverance in the
our way by those generous friends and tla enlightened
pubic who are never appealed TO in vain for objects Of
sseeknowledged merit and conceded importance.
have at length reached important point in the history
OF this enterprise The cornerstone OF the hreproof
library eJihce OF the New York Historical Society
laid Its ample foundations you see, firmly
,sbished upon these foundations superstructure
is lspSy rising which will be at credit to the
society and its friends and ornament the CITY, "
perhaps, here be akeias it has often been asked
why an object OF such conceded public interest and in
itself every desirable has not been
pished' The answer to this question i simple and
cos. $50 900 with only $4,000 1t may further
asked: Why, then have entered into contracts
we have IL az for M v
little $40,0&f again answer, thal in these con-
tacts there's provision reservng to the trustees of
the building fund the right al point agreed upon to
suspend the contracts and all further work under them
paying only for the materials then already used and the
work then actually done; with covenant the
part Of the contractors, on receiving from the
trustees, wi bin twelve months from such
pension Of the contracts written request to that
effect to proceed and npete their respective contracts
according to the ginal specifca the price and
the conditions Of the This win enable the
limit their obligations, under the contracts
to amount Of the building fund actually in hand for
this purpose and thus carry out Of the important
conditions Of this enterprise This however will assure
to the society freproo building perfect in its exterior
with its main entrance vesbue stairs library hall and
bookcases cOmplee This will fu
~ with safe place Of deposit for its library and cole
tons, and temporary room for its meetings Thus,
count the great object this enterprise will be subtan
tally, although not fully accomplished. But we conf
IDENTIFY trust that ng before the time shall arrive for
The trustees to avail themselves Of the right thus re
served 10 them Of suspencng the contracts the necessity
the building fund will enable the trustees without
delay to carry forward this noble structure with all
It's ample acc,m mcoations 10 early and Goal
completion. To suppose the contrary would be to
impeach the intelligence and public spirit of this great
en "a &c enenns that sah Community aSs ,Sr will
permit building of such acknowledged public interest
end utility as the fire proof library edhce q the New lev
want Of few additional thousand dollars On the
traiy it is confd snty believed that when this building,
In its progress shall have reached the point to which the
building fund In hand will carry it, will in itself pre-
sent to the public the strongest possible argument in
favor Of granting the additional necessary fr its
completion, and that the public will then noby
mate what they have already generously begun But
il may perhaps be said as Il has been said that tie To-
cation Of this edifce is unfortunate and will operate
discourage the future generosity Of the pubic in its
this subject ask your further indulgence for few
ments. When the present site Of this edidce first
proposed to the society ard the trustees Of the bull ling
fund, two alternatives esened hemseivesfrst, the
adoption Of this site with reasonable prospect Of
eaiiy accomplishment Of our object: secondly, the
selection of site which in the judgment Of many,
would have been more eligible, with an indefinite post
ponement of that object The trustees with the sane
OF the Importance Of Early procurement Of
safe place Of deposit for our library and
alternatives, and adopted the present Site In this de-
eison economy had controlling Influence. This con-
tons as in private affairs was urged upon as with in
creased force by the limited Of the society and
ne magnitude 9. the sn,eG. :" ee ascompsnse,d BE
the New York Historical Society latitude and lon
gtude not he only to be considered
Nor should they exclusively control such selection
There other considerations that may well have in
auci IN The decision q such matter The site
iecfed in this with the single exception Of its loca
Is, in itself eligible 1t situated upon Of the
finest avenues Of the city IN an open and free space,
in the immediate neghborhood Of kindred institutions,
ard is easily accessible in all directions But 10
this cite has other and stronger recommendation it
rich in i,s historical associations and its memories
the past. part Of the Farm and Il but
dred feet from the ancient residence OF Peter Stuyrcsant
the carry an distinguished Governor Of the then Dutch
colony of New Netherlands 1t is still the tomb
Of the Governors of three distinct dynastiesthe Dutch
colonial, the English colonial and the independent
constitutional OF New York. In yonder churctyard
pose the remains Governors stuyvesant. Slaughter
and Tcmpkins. What interesting historical memories
cluster 10 the PERIOD extended 10 the present Time cover
by those distinguished names How changed this city
succ Peter Stuyvesant in 164 assumed the government
OF this then infant colony Instead Of few humble colo
niss, living in primitive simplicity, and carrying an in
considerable Indian tiade you now behold commercial
capital swarming with its million Of inhabitants, pushing
ts 10 every quarter OF the globe an living in
all the Luxury which refined taste suggest art fur
nis wealth procure Here Is indeed rich field for
historical research rich In its memories OF The past,
richer still in its possessions Of the present and still
richer in its hopes Of the future This therefore u not
unfit site the operations Of the New York Hstori
Society, especially when the origin the character
and the objects Of the society duly considered With
the increased facilities then which this noble structure
with its ample accommodations win afford when
reed aud completed II surely VIII be, let with
increased energy, address ourselves to the appropriate
duties pursue with increased aror the grea objects
our association. Possessed at length safe place
deposit for the fruits Of labors with increased