The morning call., 1893-03-11

with liberal contributions, and the incubus
of mortgage was Cancelled.
Henry j. Mccoy, the present general
secretary, came here from the East, and
ever since his advent the association has
enjoyed continuous prosperity.
He is man who has had an extensive eX-
perience as an executive in the kind of work
for which the Young Mems Christian asso-
Citations are founded, and he was specially
selected by Mr. Moody for labor in the San
Francisco field
After his arrival in 1881 the institution
was reineOrp0rated. and its policy and line
of work entirely changed.
A. b. Forbes was elected president of the
assoc alton in April 1881, and resigned to
accept the chaiTmanship Of the board of
trustees in 1883, which position he holds
to-day.
George W. Gibbs was elected president
In 1888 and has served the association in
this capacity for ten consecutive years. He
is serving as enthusiastically as ever to-day.
j. j. Valentine is the first vice-pre sident
at present, and the remaining active officers
Of he association are R. v Watt, second
vice-Dresident; John F. Merrill, treasurer; :;
John W. Roberts, recording secretary :;
Henry j. Mccoy. general secretary; H. G.
Leslie, employment manager; Wallace
Smith, librarian; +. w. GOtfring, secretary
German branch; r. 5. Boyns, secretary
Twentieth-street branch; a. p. Chpron,
secretary park branch, and William Sprat-
| ling, physical director.
Under the management of these officers
the association has experienced ten years
| of uninterrupted success. having not only
| swelled its own ranks and opened up new
| departments but established FIVE fourishing
| branches within the city, and others through
! its influence have sprung up in other pOr-
! tions of the State.
! The German branch was organized March
| 6, 1888, for the special purpose of reaching
and benefIing German-Speaking young
! men, OF whom there is large number in
| this city. This branch occupies rooms On
| the third floor OF the parent association
! building, and has accomplished great deal
| of work among the German young men In
| San Francisco, especially in the case of
| strangers. j. J. PfiSter has been the presi-
| dent Of this branch since its inception.
A deaf-mute branch of the San Francisco
! Young Mems Christian Association was
| organized in 1884. and Theodore Grady, the
only dea!-mute graduate from the Uni
| versity OF California, has been its president
| from the hTSt. The mem bership includes
| deaf-mutes from this city and adjoining
! towns, and their headquarters are in room
II Of the association building.
| The Twentieth-stTeet branch was opened
in 1888, in the Excelsior Es building, 23l9
| Mission street. between Nineteenth and
! Twentieth. 1t occupies the whole lower
| floor OF the building and contains a secre-
| tary's Office, readinR-room, library of 800
volumes, members DarloT and socialroOm.
| gymnasium. dTeSslng-rOOms, bathrooms,
etc, all of which are furnished In the most
| approved manner. r. S. Boyns is the
secretary In charge.
In 1891 the park branch was started
In the new building corner of Fell and Baker
| streets. the whole lower floor being given
| up 10 the use of the association, rent free,
| by Monroe Greenwood. There is every
| indication Of continued successful work at
! this branch.
A modest beginning in the days Of
pioneer California, through diligent effort
and faithful service of those interested in
the cause, has finally produced the magni-
! hcent results Of the present time.
At present the magnitude of the organiza-
| tion Is so faT-reaching that at least one
| hundred thousand young men In the city
4 and State come in touch with the gigantic
| work and movement.
But what has been accomplished in the
past is looked upon by the workers in the
| cause as only stepping-stone leading &c
higher and greater work in the future
| To-day the formal exercises commemorate
ing the breaking of around for the splendid
| new building mark the beginning Of a new
era OF development in which the activitie:
| and interests of the organization will be
multiplied many fold.
! The projected new building was first
| proposed In 1886 when a committee was ap.
| pointed to secure a centrally located
| lot and to report TO the board OF directors
| al subsequent meeting but the location OF
| the lot was not permanently decided until
| April, 1889. when the eligible site, 137 (
feet on Ellis street by 1877 Is feet on Mason
street, was purchased for the association