The record-union., 1891-01-24
UNEARFHED.
The Corner Stone Of Knickerbockel
Engine House.
It Was Unearthed Yesterday-what
It Contained-Old Papers,
Coins and Curios.

ior The new WeinStock, Lubin d. Co.'S
building yesterday unearthed the corner
stone of the house of old Knickerbocker
Engine Company No. 5.
A copper case within the stone was
found to be filled with papers and curios,
photographs, coins and medals, manu-
script and various contributions of the
members of the old volunteer depart
ment, which has long since ceased to
exist, and most of the remaining mem
bers of which are scattered far and wide.
There appears to have been two de-
posits in the cornerstone, one when it
was originally laid, January s, 1857, and
another when the building was raised,
October Is, 1869. When the second de-
posit was made it was necessary to re-
move the copper casket for time, and
the contents were stolen. The thief, how
ever, was captured, convicted and pun
ished on the 18th of October. 1869.
The contents of the box have been de-
hvered to the California Museum Asso-
citation, and Will presently be placed on
view IN a case at the Art Gallery, and
kept among the collections of the associa-
ton, where every one can examine them.
Among the contents of the box is list
OF the membership of the company in
January, 1857, as follows: J. C. keenon,
w. M. Hoag, E. G. Herle, J. S. Lee, a. c.
Bidwell, A. +. Gilbert, d. w. Clark, NJ.
Mcdonald, ID. Beakey, e. Boyle, w.
II. Lovley, G. Pell, E. S. Billings, J. C.
Smith, S. Hooton, J. Stern, j. Smith, A.
+. Baston, j. Swindel, Eli Lathrop, l..
Rumsey, J. c. Ryan, o.. Garroty, 7.
Heinbridge, I. English, 7. Brewer, J.
Wiland, I; W: Reese, G. Lowell, J. Col
ia IA tn, II
Mcgee, G. Diehl, c. Watson, j. Powell,
L. D. Judah, &. Holland, C. Casey, G.
Drake, NJ. O. Cornell, Il. Burton, j. c..
Bun, q. Wilders, j. Martin.
The company in 1869 was composed as
follows: President, Andrew Black;
Foreman; William D. Farrell; First AS
sistant, Charles Brady; Second Assistant,
John Mahony; Secretary, Hugh G. Craig;
Financial Secretary, John Domingos;
Treasurer, Caleb Cushing Hayden; Dele
gates, Alanson c. Bidwell, John NJ.
Boardman; Members, Jerry Crane, John
Donnelin, John A. Moke, Michael Nc
Donald, Terrence McMahon, Patrick
Nash, James W. Coffroth, Joseph Bull
der, Patrick Clark, John c. Devine, Jas.
u. Devine, Patrick Gleason, Ed. B. Ham
ilton, Robert NJ. Edwards, a. Heilbron,
Mathew Herbert, John A. Johnson,
Michael Featherson, 3. Kirk, John F.
Knox, John Kane, III. f. Kent, Patrick
LNCliy, w ilildiIl hoeiilSIGy, n. lIOpDtcT,
McKeaver, Henry Myers, Samuel Nor
ton, James e. Parker, L. X. Phipps, M.
Rodwick, John Singleton, Timothy
Sweeney, William Toole, j. Wetzler,
Henry Schroeder, John Dunn, Edward T.
Bibbens, Robert Devlin, w. Burke, JAS
Roddy, Daniel Evett, William A. Cam
eron, James Touhey, j. P. Melchoir,
Jerry Golden, James Moore, John CALI
gan, John Mallory, I. Lynch, l.. Levy,
James Dillon, James Coffee, William II.
Williams, Richard Doyle, Michael Con-
lin.
In the casket, among host of other ar
ticles, were these: Paddy Nash's war
Guard General I. w. Sheehan, Cap
tain,'' issued by Colonel E. r. Hanil-
ton; New York Tribune, November s,
1856; San Francisco Gj06e, January 6,
1857: a Jta California, 1869; State CapitdE
Reporter, October, 1869; Sacramento Age,
January 9, 1857; bylaws of various vol
unteer tire companies; New Orleans
Crescent, December l, 1856 True Ctlifor-
MAN, 1857; Sacramento Times, January,
1857; Sacramento Sun, January, 1857:
San Francisco Chinese newspaper; Sacra-
mento Record, October Is, 1869; Sacra-
mento Union, same date; New York
Nea0s California edition), December 5.
1856; Sacramento Union, October, 1857:
San Francisco Golden city, October II,
1869; San Francisco Bulletin, January Z.
1867; Descret NewS, October. 1856; GdE-
Joa1aiG Farmer, January 2, 1857; Cdlitor-
MIA AneeTicon (Sacramento), January 8,
1857; New York Herald, December 5,
1856; Sacramento Travellers Guide, Oc-
tober Is, 1869; Democratic State Journal,
Sacramento, January s, 1857; Sacramento
Directory, 1863; Sacramento illustrated,
1855.
This last is a quarto filled with good
pictures, views of Sacramento in 1855.
with three-masted ships, full-rigged
brigs, barques and great steamers in
the river. There is q picture of Suffers
Fort, of the principal churches Of Suffer-
vile, of the Waterworks, old gas works,
business streets, engine houses, bridges,
Courthouse, etc. The magazine con-
tains complete history of Sacramento
up TO that date.
Among the other deposits, not all of
which can be named here, there being so
many, is bill of a Michigan wildcat
bank; collar plate of Knici, the company
dog; silver ore, a large quantity of cop
per and silver coins of various nations
of date from 1870 to 1869; an old '.buz-
zard,' one,cent piece; letter K from fire.
mans belt plate in 1857; Spanish coin
1888; two gold quarter-dollar pieces;
coins of the reign of Louis Philippe; cop
per cent of 1905; rupee of King William
Ill, time 1885; half-dollar of 1920 bum
die of old coins strung ON a key ring,
marked. j. f. Suydam; half-dollars:
dimes, OF old dates: three, five, one and
two-cent pieces of various dates; Chilean
penny of 1851; German silver coin of 1914;
silver badge of L. G. III. OF Knickerbocker
Company; several silk badges; a gold fire
badge; silver ring; medal struck in honor
of Commodore Brown for his victory at
Porto Bello, 1879; piece of the old Knick-
erbocker guidon; passport, 1S47; busi-
ness cards in great number; fireman's
hat-shield and several other articles, let
tiers, portraits, etc.
OF the especially interesting articles to
numiSmatiSts are the seventy-centIpiece
OF United States coinage, on of these dat
ing back to 1865. Another article of interest
is the copy of the DAILY RECORD (now the
REcoRD-UNIoN), a miniature sheet that
was printed on a float drawn in the pro-
cession that moved through Sacramento
streets on the Sth of May, 1869, on the
occasion of the celebration of the compile
ton of the Central Pacific railroad and
its junction with the Union Pacific at
published the poem of the lady who wrote
under the nom de plum ''Sojourner
Truth, and who was an early resident of
Sacramento, and a frequent contributor
TO the press. Her poem, which had wide
circulation, will be remembered by old
and began:
Harness me quick with iron bands,
am impatient of long delay:
fain would speed to distant lands
That bask far off in the suns first rays,
Harness me quick and feed me with fire.
Give me steam for breath and a mind to
control;
Who steps in my way, with a vencance dire
My iron hoof shall his requiem toll
Harness me quick, with his solemn rosr
Pacific means, My waves are too slow
For the army of progress that seeks my
shore
So bid thee haste in thy glorious strength
An bring them safe to my golden door,
This tide OF empire no power can stay,
Its volume is Swiffer than ever beforei