The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-12-27

lie sent letter last evening to the Secretary
Of State, but 1t was said 70 10 Of an entirely
private nature.
LAYING or THE COMMISSIONS or THE
NEW CoURr HousE.-TLc cornerstone Of the
new Court House in the Park was laid yesterday
with appropriate ceremonies, in which his
Honor, the Mayor Judge Clerkc, Of the Supremo
Court Row. DIR. Spring, w. X. Stewart, Pro.
sident Of the Board Of Supervisors; and W. q.
Hunt, enc Of the Commissioners, ofciated.
Notwithstanding the extreme GOODNESS of thu
day very large concourse Of people was Assem-.
blcd on the occasion.
At half-past two O'Clock tho Mayor Board Of
Supervisors and Commissioners, and other gon.
tlemen invited 70 participate in tho ceremonies
marched in procession from the Chamber of the
Board of Supervisors to the site Of the new
Court House.
Wilson G.. Hunt Esq., called the meeting to
order and introduced the Rev. DR.. Spring, who
delivered an elegant opening prayer. Hc pray
ed that the building, the cornerstone of which
was about TO be- laid might DO devoted to the
ends Of justice end truth that the city might in
future 10 blessed with wise, just, and o,onomi-
cal city government and an incorruptble Judi
ciary, and that our Union might DO triumphant
over its traitorous enemies.
Mr.. W. G.. Hunt then announced tbs article
TO be deposited in leaden box within the cor
ner-stono, each article as he named it being
laid in aud the whole then hermetically sealed.
The list was as following;
Two copies of the Bible.
Declaration Of lode pendonco.
Constitution of tho United States.
WashingtOns Horewell Address.
President'e Message.
Reports of the SECRETARY Of State, of the Treasu-
~, Of War, of the Navy, of the interior, and of
the Postmaster General.
Coins of tho United States.
Constitution Of the state Of Now York
Ordinances Of tho Corporation of the city of
New York Oeyised) for 1859.
Charters Of the city Of New York from 1856 to
1857, inclusive.
Laws of1S5S and 1861 authorizing the erection
Of tho new Court House.
Proceedings OF the Board of Supervisors up to
1861.
Reports Of tho Commissioners Of Emigration.
Reports OF the Comptroller Of the city of New
York for 1857-S-9-60.
Manuals Of the state and city for 1861.
Manual Of the Board OF Education.
New York City Directory for 1862.
Constitution Of the General Organization Of
F.A. NJ,
Colton's Map Of the United States and maps Of
the state and city Of New York.
Raybers plan Of the city of New York, engraved
in I71G-7.
United States Census for 1860
Copies of TnE Sun and the New York Press
seh.l4Ly lnoied'ng religious, secular, literary
ard scientific papers annual reports Of the b.
Die Society, Foreign Missions, etc.
| December pay roll Of employees on the now
| Court House
Pay roll of the Street Department.
Addresses on this occasion OF his Honor the
Mayor, Judge Clerke Of the Supreme Court, and
| Supervisor Stewart.
Parchment scroll, bearing tho names Of the
Board Of Supervisors and their clerks.
A zinc plate, engraved on which was the in
| scription THE foundation stone Of the new
| Court House was laid by the Mayor, the Hon.
Fernando Wood, on the 26th Of December, 1861.
Commissioners W. G. Hunt, J: Is. Corlies, j..
Salmon. Thomas Little and George Kellum,
Architect Cummings II. Tucker, Superin.
tendent. Robert Wakefield, clerk"
Lithograph fac-simile of washingtons ac-
count with the L. $ for the year 1888.
Mayor Wood then delivered the following ad-
| dress
We have assembled here today to lay the
Il
all know, is not the first structure Of the kind
1 put up by tie city Of New York. AS early as
| 1912, public hall, of some magnitude for the
times, was erected by the Dutch West India
| Company, at the present northwest corner of
Pearl street and Coenties slip. Though at first
used by that company for its objects, it was,
In the subsequent year, coded to the city, and
used afterwards as a Court House. To show
the difference between the uses oil City Hall
in those days, and at this time, 1t may not be
out of place 10 add that the original City Hall
was devoted TO the sittings oithe Burgomasters
and bchepeDs, and for a city prison.
The chamber occupied for the sittings of the
Magistrates was OH the southeast corner of the
second story the prison chamber in the rear.
A bell, hung in the cupola, was runS for the
assembling Of the Magistrates. Tho Magis-
trates or Judges held ,heir Court once a fort
nightIthe hell ringing for that purpose at 9
o'clock IN the morning, and at the closing at II
O'Clock for dinner. At / o'clock the sittngs
were resumed, IL the business of tho Court
made II necessary. 1t wBs seldom, however,
that afternoon sessions were required, until a
lawyer ran cd Dirck Van Schellyn arrived
from Holland, when, Of course, litigation large
| ly increased. Judges and clients at once had
their hants full, and longer sessions were re-
CURED. Proclamations were made from the
front OF the Ball door by the ringing Of the
ball.
The building was of stone, three ftories high
\ anu Nosl lebS luitn ClU,uuO. IL elOOu W years,
and was regarded highly by the substantial citi,
Gems Of that day, as the ark of their safety. 1t
was finally sold for 1920 at public auction. II
gave place TO a rev City Hall, constructed at
the corner Of Wall st. and Nassau ST., opposi' 6
Bread st., whore now stands the Custom House.
This edifica was commenced in 1899, and fin
ishod in 1900. 1t was a plain but substantial
builciIg, sufficiently large for the then pur-
poses OF a Court House. and cost only 60, 900.
This hall stood for over 100 years, finally yield
ing TO the present Custom House. building
very far its inferior, whether considered for its
architectural beauty or tho uses for which it
had been devoted. There is no edice now
standing in the country, except the Indepsnd-
ence Hall, of Philadelphia, which possessed at
the time of its destruction the interest of this
venerable rohc Of the Revolution and patt
period. 1t was from its front portlco that
Wa hngton delivered his Inaugural Address as
tho First President Of the United States, and
within it's walls sat the memorable Congress Of
1887 and 1883. Tho iron railing fronting the
Portico where Washington stood 10 yet pre-