The morning call., 1890-11-20
A NOBLE CHARITY.
S0nOma COunty's Home for
Feeble. Minded Children.
Laying Of the Cornerstone at Glen Ellen-Ia.
tertsting Ceremcnies-A Splendid
Structure to Ee Built.

were favored with delightful weather and a
large company yesterday OIL the occasion of
the laying of the cornerstone of their new
establishment in Glen Ellen, Sonoma
County.
Invited guests to the number of several
hundred left on the 800 boat from the
Tiburon Ferry, and on arriving at the
Marin County shore took the special train
which was in waiting to transport them to
their destination. 1t was a crisp, clear
morning, and the trip on boat and cars was
g thoroughly enjoyable one. The train con-
sisted of five coaches and the Directors
parlor-car, in which latter Governor Water
man, the Board of Trustees and number
of special guests were accommodated.
Two hours from the time of boarding the
cars the excursion drew up at Madrone Sta
ton, where one-half of the party took We
hicles for the site of the new home, while
the balance of the guests were taken little
further up the road and dropped upon the
recently acquired Hill ranch, now the prop
erty Of the board, whence they walked up
p TO the ranch house. The only stopS on the
way uD from Tiburon were at 1gnanio, the
terminus of the Sonoma Valley Railroad,
where the Santa Rosa and Petaluma guests
were taken aboard, and at Sonoma City,
where several other additions were made
10 the party.
ARRIVING AT THE SITE.
=. Those who took the wagons at Madrone
ana the guests who walked up from Hills
Stallion arrived at the f he dwelling house, in
which the matron and some ten children
are now established, shortly before noon.
Here they were cordially welcomed by the
Trustees, and the plans CT the new building
exhibited and explained. Meanwhile the
Grand Lodge OF Free and Accepted MaSOnS
Qrp1niYIpp fer the stone
monies, and as soon as their arrangements
were completed, a procession was formed
under the ,ommand Of Grand Marshal J. B.
Stevens of Yount Lodge, Napa. The Pho
neer Band of Santa Rosa led the calvacade.
Then came the IruStees-Mrs. katherine
y. Lathror, Mrs. Julia NJ. Judah, Mrs. DIR.
Bentley, Me>srs. William Harvey, George
: W. Gibbs and A. p. Overton. After the
Trustees came the Grand Lodge. including
Grand Master Conkln. d. G. NJ. William
Johnston, ST.. g. w. Hare, Jr. G. w. Hill,
q. S. George I. Bromley, g. I. Poppy. G.
Pursuyant McPlke, G. Tyler Sparks, G.
Chaplain Rev. DR.. Noorsanger, 6. Deacons
Acres and Harris, G. Stewards Watson and
SternOt. @. OrsaBist 5. d. Mayer, G. Sword
bearer w. {. Goodman, and the Grand
Lodge Quartet, Campbell, OsilyiP, BRston
and Mayer. Acting as escort to the Grand
Lodge were some sixty brothers Of the Ten
pie Lodge, No. II, Sonoma, Yount Lodge,
Napa, and Santa Rosa Lodge of Santa Rosa,
alter whom marched the guests.
THE CEREMONIES.
The procession started from the ranch
dwelling and proceeded directly to the spot
where the cornerstone was to be laid, in
the northeast corner OF the administration
building. On arriving here the members OF
the Masonic Order formed circle around
the place and the general company closed
up in the rear Colonel William Harvey
then opened the proceedings by welcoming
oil in a M pf tha Raari of frYDStanc
and in his closing remarks introduced Gov
eTnor Waterman, TO whom he accorded all
the honor OF the selection and purchase of
the grounds they were then visiting and the
credit Of having provided means Tor their
acquisition.
Governor Waterman, on coming forward,
spoke of the day as one of the grandest in
his life, eulOgiZed the mission of the Board
of Trustees, and defended his administration
from the charge OF increasing the burden Of
the taxpayer by explaining that the large
appropriations made by the last LegiS ature
were approved by him because of their
charitable intent He hoped the board
would see their way to putting up an elegant
structure where they were now standing,
and that the next Legislature would provide
for the work as literally as he would were
= he in power.
After the Rev. DR.. Bentley had offered n
prayer and invoked blessing on the work,
Colonel Harvey announced that he had re-
ceiYed letters Of regret from the following
parties who were sorry other engagements
prevented their attending; His Grace
Archbishop Riordan, Right Rev. Bishop
Fowler, Rev. Hnratio Stebbins, Hon. Leland
Stanford and Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper. He
also announced that the Right Rev. Bishop
Kip and Assistant Bishop Nichols were I'M
able to attend through sickness.
LAYING THE CORNERSTONE.
The ceremony of laying the cornerstone
xr-nc than hxy
Conklm and his assistants after the Grand
Chaplain had first invoked the blessings of
the Almighty on the work. The ceremonial,
which was quite lengthy one, was made
unusually interesting by number Of splen-
did Quartets At the close of the ceremony
Grand Orator BOruck read yolumin Gus
Grafton, in which the history of the home
and the legislation which gave it corporate
life were fully recounted. This ended the
proceedings, and the company were at once
conducted to the starting point of the pro-
eessiOn where bouuteous lunch was pro-
yided for all. At 3 80 o'clock the lingering
guests set out on their return trip, and ten
minutes later were whirling home on the
special which had brought them ND.
Tile ranch, which is now the property of
the home, consists Of 100 acres of choice
land, 1000 of which are under cultivation.
OF this, 800 acres are in pears, apples, pruneS
peaches. etc, and sixty acres in Flaming
Yokay Black Hamburg, C0rnichOn and other
choice varieties Of grapes. From this por-
ton of the ranch, though little attention
was given to it the past season, $1,000 worth
Of fruit was disposed OF during the early
fall. The remainder of the land is good
pasture and timber land, and is well watered
throughout.
PROGRESS OF THE WORK.
At present work is proceeding on two out
buildings and portion OF the main build
ing. These are boiler aud engine house,
small Une-Story brick structure, in rear of
the present dwelling. Due north OF this
.two-story laundry and bakery is going up.
1t also is of brick, and is Of such dimensions
that the lower floor will provide ample space
for the use it is to be put to for years to
come. The only part Of the main building
upon which work is being pushed is the
kitchen and dining-room. which are laid off
SO as to connect with the rear of the admin
tration building when it is erected
On Monday next proposals will be
received for another building intended for
the use OF epileptic inmates. 1t VIII occupy
a CORES pondiDg position TO the main struc-
;ture on the northwest that the laundry and
bakery does ON the southwest. When the
. work now going on is completed and the ep-
ilpptie ward turned over TO the board, S110,-
GOO of the States money Will have been spent
on buildings, and $4,000 more Will be re-
quired to complete the establishment accord
ing to the plans selected
As now laid down by the architects, Cope
land & Pierce of this city, the new establish
ment will have frontage to the east of 800
feet. 1t will be brick and red sandstone
building consisting OF three divisions-the
BOYS ward on the south, the girls ward on
the north and the administration building in
the middle. connected by broad corridors
with each Of the other Departments.
PROMINENT GUESTS.
lie wards will be laid out exactly alike
and will be two stories high. On the lower
floor the class-r00ms will be situated, the
floor above will be the dormitOries, and in
tile attic accommodations will be provided
for the attendants. Tie administration
building will be three stories high and will
be divided up as offices, except the rear,
where the dining-r00m, kitchen and store
rooms are now located. No work will be
done ON these portions of the building until
the Legislature makes provision for them by
q generous appropriation. With the COM
pletion OF the present contracts and the
epilepic wards. however, the Santa Clara
Home will be abandoned and its 100 in
mates provided for here. AS now planned.
the removal will be effected in the beginning
of next February.
Among the people Of prominence who at
tended Yesterdays exercises were: Gov
n. n 81 \