The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-10
CORNERSTONE IS LA|D
With No Untoward Incident
to Mar the Ceremony.
M'KINLEY Is CHIEF ACTOR
Representatives of Three Ma
tons as Spectators,


three governments and in the presence
of thousands of spectators, President
Mckinley today formally laid the cor
nerstone of the magnificent new federal
building of Chicago. The event was the
browning feature of the weeks ceIebra-
ton marking the annual observance OF
Chicago Day. In the angle formed by
the south and west wings of the federal
building at Jackson Boulevard and Dear
born street, and in front OF the Union
League club building reviewing stands
had been erected for the accommodation
/ OF the distinguished visitors. including
Vice President Mariscal and party OF
Mexico, Premier Laurier OF Canada and
| other notabies of that country: members
OF President McKinley's cabinet and the
! diplomatic corps at Washington, senators
and congressman and other invited
/ guests, and when President Mckinley
threw the first trowelful Of mortar under
I the uplifted block of lines tone and pro-
nounced the cornerstone set, one of the
most notable gatherings ever in Chicago
looked on
At the entrance Of the Union League
II
| party alighted and after a brief recep-
ton were escorted across Jackson Boule-
ward to the platform in front Of the fed
| eral building A perfect hurricane of
cheers greeted the president as he was
escorted to the dias at the side of which
the cornerstone was suspended ready for
| the ceremony. The president warmly
greeted the officials. then turned and
| bowed 10 the group of brawny-armed
workmen who were to complete the lay
ing Of the cornerstone
| Judge Christian c. Kohlsaat chairman
of the committee on ceremonies, intro
duced Secretary of the Treasury Lyman
j. Gage as presiding officer for the cor
nerstone exercises. The secretary was
warmly cheered as he stepped forward
Secretary Gage said:
The long history of human society IS
/ best known 20 US by the monuments
which passing generations have left be-
/ hind them. These monuments whether in
/ form of temple or pyramid record for us
4 the stage of art and mechanical knowl-
edge enjoyed by the people by whom they
were builded. The temple may now be a
ruin. The tribe or people who worshipped
therein may have disappeared from writ
J ten history. But their works, still pre-
served, remain as silent yet eloquent wit
nesses Of their ideals and their aspira-
! tons. From the Orient. vaguely outlined
in the remote past to the Occident, palpi-
tating with the activities of a present
! civilization, the way Is marked with the
/ evidences that man is monument builder
that society. by an instinct always exist
ing, seeks to immortalize itself by en-
bcdying its best thoughts in some endur-
ing form. Each age, each social organism,
has acted after its own ideals, and its
strict conformity to its own stage OF adj
vancement
sit is in accord with this inner law, writ
ten by the Creator in the heart of man
that we are here today-joined as one
to lay the cornerstone of the temple to
be here builded by the nation. Designed
TO serve the present needs OF d civic state.
it will, nevertheless witness to the future
the best conceptions of a free people llv-
ing in this western land IN the closing
years of the nineteenth century.
1.-The moment is full Of inspiring
thoughts. eloquent words wait for the ora
tor TO utter them. II such words could
be mine it would not be my privilege to
speak them. Restrained by official duty
l cannot even voice my own emotions,
excited as they are by the remembrance
that for more than forty years this spot.
to be honored by the genius of the archi-
tect and the skill Of the artisan. has been
as familiar TO tne as has been my daily
life The city We love IL 70 have a tenn
pie worthy Of her grea ness The nation
we love Is to fttingly express on this
spot ner best conception of the art made
to serve utility. Representatives of other
nations are here TO do Us honor and 20
share with us in our Joy and pride The
honored chief executive OF our own repub-
lie IS here 10 put the troweTs first touch
TO the noble edifce I have said that art
is here TO be made the servant Of utility.
In this great building. the public business
Of the president IS to be transacted. The
federal courts, the agency OF the revenues.
and last but not least. the great postal
department IS 70 here administer its i'm
portant function
At the conclusion OF Secretary Cages
brief address, Rev. Frank ". Gunsaulus
offered brief but impressive prayer. the
president and all the members OF his
party uncovering as Or. Gunsaulus asked
a blessing OF the ceremony.
Secretary Gage introduced Postmaster
General Smith. He was also greeted with
applause. The postmaster general spoke
a. follows;
This ceremonial led by thu president
81 sf-s a. tn
Of distinguished national representative
and foreign digaitarIez and Il tHis graf
multitude % citizens Is Atty associated
with Chicago day The stately struc-
lures whose cornerstone & now laid syn +
bolIzes IN a large sense TIE dignity ard
power OF the United State But IN d.
rect and practical sense. - represents the /.
business lie and activity q Chicago. u i
Is the nations seal ard stamp ugOz ths 1
commercial rank and importance q tbs /.
splendid c.ty.
The Development of the country wifh- 4
in period % thirty years. on al SIS .
material sides seems Ike Esch stUH az 4
dreams ara made o. II $50 ~ total 4
receipts % THE postal service ~sre Sls.-
772zss ard lfs total expenditure 81 4
So This year We shan aDers fiszf.s - 4
and oar receipts VII be - - 90 Whlle 4
or population. not counting 1ls rev
possessions has doubled fse postal busl- i
neSs multiplied nearly ave fsla TIE
axurea IN al other realms ts1 ina szre
fabulous story. since Ts7s tae distributed 4
wealth Of fhs cSgatry has tacTszse8 sr9n
ssssS9oe 20 svsr IS s'a.ssa IRIS ansz-
pied rasa IS widely el1us~e- The ~zTIazs
banks frrnis : di-set test To nu-s-
he~ q thelr depasitors has Erowa fresz