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

The present City Hall was projected In 1909,
during the Mayoraity Of Edward Livingston.
was finally awarded TO Macomb and Mangin.
On Thursday afternoon, on the oath day o.
May, 1909 the civic and military procession
formed in front Of the old City Hall Tor Federal
Hsn) in Wall street at the head Of Broad, from
which place the Mayor and Corporation Of the
city, attended by the gentlemen Of Bar and q
large number Of citizens, were escorted by de-
tacoment Of artillery and Of the uniformed
companies Of militia, commanded by Majors
Curt, Mus and Loomis, to the Park, where tho
ceremony Of laying the corner stone was obSorv-
cd.
The cost of this City Hall was about Eve
hundred thousand dollars. II was nine yeas in
building. The front or southern pr ssentation,
and 10Th SIDES, are Of a whito marble from tho
quarTies Of Stockbr1ge, Massachusetts. II Is
Observed hat the elevation fronting Chambers
street is Of an inferior rel sandstone. The rea-
son Tor this was, that its projec ors deemed il
unnecessary 20 go TO tho expense Of white mar
Die Tor that 'front.' az II was supposed that ''ss
he city would not extend much above Cham
'bers street, this difference in the stone would
not he observed" That City Hall has long
since been insufficient 20 answer the REQUIRE
ments and other buildings have ior many years
been f und necessary.
On this spot once stood largo building
known as the Aims House, and occupied as the
American Museum"
This ground was also onco used a. a negro
burial ground; Il was no doubt devoted to that
pur1f Sc at a very early period. Although orr
ginslly private property, it was suppo cd to
have been selected for that purpose Ia conse-
quence Of its elevation. Ii was known as Potty-
hackers Hill. In 1873 the government made Q
grant Of this land 10 one Van Borsum. Tho
limits Ct this grant extended along the line Of
Chambers ST., which was tho brow Of the hill.
Subsequently 1t was coded TO the Corporation q
the city, and connected wi h the common Lands
laying south Of II. During the excavation for
the present Court House, human bones have been
dsint,rred, doubtless those Of negroes probably
buried there over century ago-it may have
been a hundred and ffty years ago II NAV not
be out of Place for mo TO add that this Park il
| sacred Revolutionary ground. II was the rally
ing Place Of the Sons OF Liberty before and dur
| ing the American Revolution. As carly a.
| hanh, 111i, tho patriots Of that day resisted
| al tempt Of the British soldiery TO interfere
| with their right TO elect liberal men 70 tho Co
lonial Convention. 1t was here that Alexander
Hamilton, although a mere youth, rallied the
people, by his powerful tlOquence, To resist he
/ tyranny ct tho British Crown. lndesd, | claim
| for New York that IL was here, and within one
| hundred yards Of this spot, and not at the battle
OF Il Xirgttn, that the first American blood Was
| shed In the cause Of the Revolution. (Arplause.)
Tho buildit We now propose TO erect will 10
| Of White marble, ard Of plain, substantial or
der Of architecture. 1t will DO i39 feet long, by
1l2 feet deep; this wing each 1i5 feet long, by
about 300 feet, and the extreme depth 100 foot.
| On the fist floor will he six largo court rooms
| and four small oncs. The same number and
tizo Of court looms will 10 found on tn, second
floor, with the addition Of two fir-,i1cd rooms,
| 10 In used either for libraries or Grand Jury
roor There will be six large rooms and
four fir-,izcd rooms In the b,'emont. Tho
height e nc first story will b. - f'ct Of tho
second cry, 20 feot; and Of ii, ba 'emcu,, II
feet inches. The extreme length Of tho
building, from tho sidewalk 70 tho top Of the
pnapct, will he about - feet.
The Mayor concluded with the ceremony u
tapping tho Stone with a mallot.
Judge Uerke wac tho next speaker. lie
spoke Of the advance Of architectural art being
an index # civilization, and ins'anced it by his
torical exampl y, referred y the power Of ard
necessity for i, ice in a CIVILIZED community,
ard condemned the TllciUg of inpediments in
the way Of it's administration.
In conclusion he hoped that thi, building
sommcrccd in a time of national darkness, in
commotou and strife, might emOrgo complets
in the brightness Of rs tional peace, with our
Union unshakcr, ard our national honor, at
home and abroad yiudicated.
Hon. w. II. Stewart, President Of the Board
i Of supervisors, next introduced. After al
luding TO the fact that the accommodations for
the transactions Of court business had long boon
insufficient, Mr.. Stewart said that the bull ling,
when completed, would surpass in its architec-
ture, In its adaptation for the purposes for which
1t was designed, and in the stability of its con-
struction, any building in possession Of the city
or county governments.
This concluded the exercises.
The land taken by the Commissioners for the
erection of the building fronts 1927 feet on
Chambers street, with depth If 200 feet. In
the centre Of this will stand tho building, 246X
feet front, and 100 feet in depth. The work
WAS commenced on September 2Sth, and since
that time Il 400 loads of earth have been ex'
cavated 80 600 cubic feet of stone walls laid in
cement, 600, 900 bricks laid, $500 cubic feet Of
foundation stone laid in concrete, 1900 feet Of
which have been used, and about 800 cubic
feet Of granite have been cut and placed, and q
largo quantity ia now ready for use. The work
will be completed in about year. About $50
laborcrs have been employed on the work.