The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-21

RELICS OF The PAST
Corner Stone Box of Old No.
1 School Building Found
and Opened.
VALUABLE RELICS DISCOVERED
Old Coins, Seal Of Jersey City,
Newspapers and Democratic
Election Tickets in the
Receptacle.
VALUABLE RELICS Dlscov Erred

The work of demoishing old school
building No. /, on York street, is nearly
completed and while the workmen were
busy tearing up the foundation this morn
ing they pulled up the old corner stone,
which was placed on the southwest corner
of the old building. While they We're
scraping the mortar off the stones they
suddenly came across a small lead box
! lying in the stone. They dug out the box,
which is foot lorg, eight inches wide
and four inches high and placed it in the
care of the Rev. D. z. Kemble, whose
residence is on the opposite side OIL the
street Pastor Kemble notified Contractor
Connolly, who is pulling the old school
house down. Mr.. Connolly arrived on the
ground about eleven o'clock and cut the
box open with a large knife. The box was
about a quarter of an inch in thickness
1t contained the plans and specifications
of the old school, Continental certificate
for six shilings, dated March 25. 1776, dur
ing the reign of King George Ill Two
other certificates were found in the box,
one for fifty cents and the other for
| twelve and a half cents. both dated 1S4l.
Then Mr. Connolly fished out of the bot
tom of the box the minutes of the New
Jersey annual conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, held in Newark, April
| o. 1886 Along with this was found
corporation seal of Jersey City. dated lS4o.
This was found in a little green box which
bore the date. Then about forty old news
papers, including the New York Sun,
the New York Tribune, the New York
Herald and the Jersey City Despatch,
all dated 1912, were discovered.
An old map of Jersey City, Harsimus,
| Payonia and HobolSen was next taken
| out 1t shows all the original streets OF
Jersey City, besides the old Mill Creek,
| which is now all filed in. Then the fol-
| lowing letter was taken from bundle OIL
newspapers, which are very much smaller
/ than the papers published now. They are
about a foot and half long by about
foot wide. They have all turned yellow
| with age. The letter is as follows
ssThis building. intended to be used as a
| Public School House, was commenced Q! on
| rection of the Committee of the Common
| Council of Jersey City. The school house
| is situated in the middle Of four @pts OF
ground purchased by the city OF the M Aso 1so
sociates of the Jersey Company, being loo
| feet square. Building to be forty feet IN
depth, exclusive of a small rear stairway
| Cost $4,000. Robert c. Bacot OF Van
| Worst street, architect. WilliamS Brown,
| builder. Corner stone laid July 81, lS4l
| Public school under the care OF the tOIl-
| mon Council now held in building erect
/ ed in 1908 by voluntary contribution on
/ two lots of ground in Sussex street.
| granted by the Associates of the Jersey
4 Company June II, 1907. The school be-
! came chargeable upon the city in 1888 and
| since that time has been entirely under
| their care Present number of scholars
| now in the school, 381. Population of
| Jersey City July, 1S43, $3.50.
| ''FREDERICK B. BATES,
ROBERT GILCHRIST,
| 'tSTEPHEN HARRIS,
/ 'sOLIVER STRONG.
! Building Committee.
Jersey City. July 81, 1s47.'
| A small quantity of cement on a piece of
| grass was in the box, with little note
! saving that it was a part of the kind OF
! cement used to lay the corner stone. Also
/ two Democratic election tickets We're
! found in the box, containing the names of
! the candidates for standing committees
| in the Common Council; also the candi-
| date for Mayor, who was Phineas Drum
/ mond The entire ticket was elected at
1.-THE fall election Everything in the box
| was in an excellent state of preservation
| and is very valuable.
| Mr. Connolly viii turn the box and its
contents over to Mayor HoOs. The cor
ner stone, the old bell, which weighs about
| two hundred pounds and is made out of
/ the genuine bell metal, and the marble
slab which was in the front wall of the
/ building between the second and third
/ floors, are in the possession of Mr.. Con-
/ nOly