The record-union., 1899-10-10
President Mckinley Lays the Cor.
nersiOne Of the Building
In Course Of Construction for Us, Of the
Postoffice Department.
Many High Officials From Mexico
and Canada Witness the I'm
posing Ceremonies-One of the
Most Notable Gatherings the
City Has Ever Witnessed.

|
Most Notable Gatherings the
City Has Ever Witnessed.
| CHICAGO, Oct. 9-Surrounded by
men who guide the diplomatic rela-
| tionS of three governments, and in the
| presence of thousands of spectators,
President William Mckinley to-day
! formally laid the cornerstone of the
magnificent new Federal building of
| Chicago. The event was the crowning
feature of the weeks celebration,
marking the annual observance of Chi
cago day.
! Long before the hour set for the cere-
monies the streets surrounding the
block on which the steel skeleton of
the new building stands, were packed
from curb to curb with pushing, jost-
| ling people anxious to get a glimpse of
the nations President and the distin-
guished visitors from other countries,
while every window in the gaily deco
rated skyscrapers surrounding the Fed
eral building was taken advantage of.
Even on the steel girders of the Fed
eral building itself were perched hun
In the angle formed by the south
and west wings of the Federal struc-
ture at Jackson Boulevard and Dear
born street and in front of the Union
League Club building reviewing stands
had been erected for the accommoda-
tion of the distinguished visitors, in
Guiding Vice President Mariscal and
party of Mexico Premier Laurier of
country; members of President McKin-
ley's Cabinet and the diplomatic corps
at Washington, Senators and Congress
men, and when President Mckinley
threw the first trowel of mortar under
the uplifted block of stone and pro-
nounced it set, one of the most notable
gatherings ever in Chicago looked on
Shortly before 10 O'Clock a roar of
cheering from down Jackson boulevard
announced the coming of President Nc
Kinley and his party. It was with con-
siderable difficulty that the troops of
cavalry and the police forming the
Presidents escort could clear a space
wide enough for the carriages contain
ing him and members of his Cabinet
and other guests to pass, and as the
carriages slowly made their way up the
boulevard toward the Federal building
the applause became terrific and con-
tinuous. The President frequently doff-
ed his hat in response.
At the entrance of the Union League
Club the President and the members of
his party alighted and after a brief
reception were escorted across Jackson
boulevard to the platform in front of
the Federal building. A perfect hurri-
cane of cheers greeted the President
as he was escorted to the dais, at the
side of which the cornerstone was sus-
pended ready for the ceremony The
President warmly greeted the officials
then turned and bowed to the group of
brawny armed workmen who were to
complete the laying of the cornerstone
Judge Christian G. Kohlsaat Chair
man of the Committee on Ceremonies
introduced Secretary of the Treasury
Lyman J. Gage as presiding officer for
the cornerstone exercises. The Secre-
tary was warmly cheered as he stepped
forward. He said in part:
This moment is full of inspiring
thoughts: eloquent words wait for the
orator to utter them. If such words
could be mine it would not be my priv
ilege to speak them. Restrained by Off
cial duty / 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 architect and the skill of the
artisan, has been as familiar to me as
has been my daily life. The city we
love is to- have a temple worthy of her
greatness The nation we love is to
fittingly express on this spot her best
conception of art made to serve util-
ity''
At the conclusion of Secretary Cages
brief address Rev. Frank w. Gunsau-
lus asked blessing on the ceremony.
Secretary Gage introduced Postmas-
ter General Smith, who was also greet
ed with applause. He said:
'tThe development of the country
within a period of thirty years. on all
its material sides. seems like such stuff
as dreams are made of In 1870 the
total receipts of the postal service were
$40 772, 900, and it's total expenditures
500, ,99S, ,S37. This year we shall spend
S105 100000 and our receipts will be
sos, 9,000,0 900. While our population. not
counting the new possessions, has
doubled, the postal business has multi
piled nearly five fold. The figures in
other realms tell the same fabulous
story. Since 1870 the distributed wealth
of the country has increased from SI7g-
000O00,000 to over $50. 600 OOO. 900.
This unexampled gain is widely Diff
fused. The savings banks furnish a di-
rect test The number of their deposit
ors has grown from 1,6OO.O to more
than 100000, and the aggregate of
deposits from $500, 900 to over So
000,0O0,0O0. Where could Won find
more conclusive testimony that the av-
erage thrift of the people has shared
in the advancement of prosneritv and
accumulation
Are we henceforth to mark time in
stead of marching forward ?Is the omen
ing door of wider fields and enlarged
activity within the broken walls of the
Orient to be unrecognized and unused ?
American valor and heroism have never
touched sublimer nights or shed bright
er luster on the American name than
during the past two years. Are the
genius of American progress and the
fiber of American purpose UNEQUAL TO
the achievements of its heroism. and
can it be said that the people who have
wrought these masterful triumphs at
home and abroad are too blinded to per-
ceive the waiting opportunity which
has come and that the high discharge