The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-20
MORDECAI NOAH's PROJECT.
Magnificent City Which Never Rose Abov
Its Cornerstone.

A Magnificent City Which Never Rose Above
Its Cornerstone.
| Harper for July.
| On the 18th Of October, 1926, was celebrated
| the opening of the Erie canal About a month
| before, when the community, eagerly anticipat-
ing a connection with tide water, was excited
with visions of prospective greatness, and ready
for any display. there arrived from New York
Major Manuel Mordecai Noah, high sheriff of the
| county OF New York, consul at Tunis and self
styled Judge of Israel. He came with glittering
robes and Insignia of Office to establish the city
of Ararat on Grand island, then covered with
dense forest. Although loyal and devoted son
of Abraham, Major Noah had not succeeded in
arousing enthusiasm in his scheme among those
of his own faith. AS shrewd mar of the world,
an able lawyer successful politician. and the
editor of the principal organ of the Tammany
party in New York, and withal sanguine that
the city would prove mine of wealth to its
founders, he had no difficulty in persuading some
father of the late Gerrit Smith, to buy nearly
the whole of Grand island then just surveyed
and offered for sale by the United States gov
ernment
On this lonely but extensive island, between
the forks or the Niagara, and lying midway be-
tween lake Erie and the falls of Niagara, he de-
termined to build city Of Oriental splendor.
Already, before his arrival on the scene, a flag
staff bearing the grand standard of Israel had
been erected on the chosen site, and stone
having an inscription in Hebrew and in English
had been prepared to dedicate with imposing Ger
emonies. This stone, always known in local his
tory as ''Mordecai's cornerstone" was intended
rather as a memento of the founding Of the mag
niticent city OF the Jews than as the support of
any particular building. In those days the lux
urious steam yachts of wealthy citizens, which
now p.ow the rapid current Of the Niagara ex
listed not in the imagination of the veriest
dreamer; even row-boats were wanting with
which to convey the crowd eager to behold the
spectacle presented by the birth of an Oriental
city in the depths of the forest The brill
liant and audacous Noah conceived
the idea of having the ceremony cell
ebrated with due pomp within the
walls of st. Paul's Church lin Buffalo, twelve
miles from the site of his city. To this end
were invoked the willing services of all the dig
nitaries of the town. the military and the
Masons, Major Noah, the central figure appear
ing the Judge Of Israel in black. wearing
judicial robes of crimson silk, trimmed with
ermine. and richly embossed golden medal sus
pended from his neck.
The bright September day opended with the
booming of cannons. The grand procession en-
braced the best that the town could offer. Halt
ing at the church door, the troops opened each
way, and the pageant entered. While the band
played the grand march from Judas Maccabeus,"
the cornerstone of Ararat the city of refuge for
the people who rejected Christ, was laid on the
communion table of Protestant Episcopal
church, and dedicated by Hebrew ritual The
Masonic rites were performed with the typical
corn wine and oil, the choir sang 'Old Hun
dred," and the rector, in full canonicals, pro
nounced Christian benediction.
Mordeca Noah never saw the site Of Ararat,
and the Hebrew race disregarded his grandllo
quent proclamation and the tax levied for its
building; but its corner stone after many curl
Gus migrations, occupies a conspicuous place in
the rooms of the Buffalo Historical Society, where
relichunters are frequently seen copying it's in
scription.