Daily Republican., 1885-08-04
TINE CITY OF ARARAT.

On the 26th Of October, 1925, WAS cele-
brated the opening Of the Erie Canal.
About month bsfOre, when the com.
munity, eagerly nti,ipating . connec-
tiOn with tide.water, was excited with
visions Of prospective greatness, and
ready for any display, there arrived
| from New York Major Manuel Morde cal
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
l establish the city Of Ararat on Grand
Island, then covered with dense for.
est.
Although loyal and devoted son of
Abraham, Major Noah had not sue.
ceeded In arousin enthusiasm in his
scheme among these of his own faith.
AS shrewd man of the world, an able
lawyer, a successful politician and the
editor Of the principal organ of the
Tammsny party in New York, and
withal sanguine that the city would
lprove . mine Of wealth to Its founder
he had NO difficulty in persuading
some of his gentle friends, among
whom was the father of the late Gerritt
Smith, to buy nearly the whole of
Grand Island, then Just surveyed and
IohoAou toh oSio W 'no OHAtou Othtou
Igov ernment.
On this lonely but extensive island,
between the forks of the Niagara, and
Lying midway between Lake Erie and
the falls of Niagara, he determined to
build city Of Oriental splendor. Al
. roady, before his arrival on the scene, 8
4 flag staff bearing the "grand standard
;, lof Israel" had been erected ON tn,
- chosen site, and stone having an in
Iscription in Hebrew and in EuRlisl
d had been prepared to dedicate with i'm
+ posing ceremonies. This stone, alwav
known IN local history rs "Mordecai'
% corner stone" was intended rather as
It memento of the founding Of the mag
'eI nifioent city Of the Jews than as tn
lsupport Of any particular building.
h. In those days the luxurious steam.
10 yachts of wealthy citizens, which nov
!, plow the rapid current of the Niagara
:. existed not In the Imagination of tn,
, :, veriest dreamer even row. boats wer
!, wanting with which to convey the
crowd eager to behold the spectacle pre-
sented by the birth OF an Oriental cit.
ls In the depths Of the forest. The brillian
9 and audacious Noah conceived the ide
+ of having the ceremony celebrated viii
|. due pomp within the walls of st. Paul
It church Gin Buffalo,, twelve miles f.ou
y the site of his city. To this end wer
invoked the willing services of all the
,Idignitaries Of the town, the military
|, and the Masons, Major Noah, the cen
y tral figure, appearing as the " Judge o
a Israel" in black, wearing judicial robe
y Of crimson silk, trimmed with ermine
: and richly .em bossed golden medal sui
y 'Ipended from his neck.
The bright Septemb ber day opene
. with the booming of cannons Th
'lgrand procession embraced the bes
that the town could offer. Haltin
}, Iat tho church door. the troops opene
. each way, and the pageant entere
It while the band played the grand marcl
el from Judas Msccabeus, the corsel
Il stone of Ararat, the city of refuge fo
y the people who rejected Christ, wa
q laid on the communion table OF Pre-
}. ltestant Episcopal church, and dedicate
b by Hebrew ritual. The Masonic ri e
were performed with the typical corr
wine and oil, the choir sang" Olt
Hundred" and the rector, in ful
ool csnonicals, pronounced q Christian
I benediction.
oI Mordecai Noah never saw the site {
. Ararat, and the Hebrew race disregard
5 cd his grandiloquent proc lamation an
the tax levied for Its bIilding but II
= = oorner.stone, after many curious migr,
y tions occupies conspicuous place
. the rooms of the Buffalo Histories
o Society, where relic hunters are fr
J. quently seen copying Its inscription.