New-York tribune., 1901-12-16
SOME LANDMARKS TO GO.
ST. MICHAEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH AND
THE WEST SIDE NURSERY TO MAKE
WAY FOR TERMINAL.

One of the largest Roman Catholic churches
in this city is on the site of the union terminal
station to be used by the Pennsylvania and
Long Island railroads. 1t is the Church OF 81
Michael. the west side of Nnth-ave. between
Thirty-first and Thirty-second SITS. The Rev
John \. Gleeson is pastor Adjoining the church
is a parochial school which is one of the most
complete in this city. The church has not yet
been consecrated, though it built many
years ago. 1t is said that the church property
is valued at several hundred thousand dollars
The property of the West Side Day Nursery
and Industrial School, at the northwest corneT
of Thirty -second-st. and Seventh-aye-, is owned
by the Children's Aid Society. The size or the
property is 4S9 by 100 feet. In 1887 Cora N.
Scott transferred her interest in the site to tho
ChiIdren's Aid Society. The size of the plot
owned by the North Presbyterian Church, at
the northeast corner of Thirty-irst-st. and
Ninth-ave is $50 by 100 feet. The old maps
OF the city show that road which was a well
known thoroughfare more than sixty years ago
ron through the west of the block, now bound
cd bv Thirtv-second and Thirty-third SITS. and
Eighth and Ninth aves. 1t called the Fitz
Roy Road.
A few davs after Douglas Robinson. president
of the Stuvvesant Real Estate Company, began
buving property for the site Of the terminal
station it was reported that some of the trus-
of the NeW-1 Orh institute ioi tia' 4''i''@
had been asked If they would sell the property
Of that institution. 1t was further said that
they had replied that the property was not for
sale It is now generally thought that the in
stitution's property in Ninth-ave., between
Thrty-third and Thirty-fourth SITS, may. how
ever in the near future be bought by operators
for improvement with a large hotel or mercan-
tile building as it is only short distance from
the site for the terminal.
sru
half the block and the sombre but massive
stone building behind 1t, were there before men
now whitened with age were born, and nearly
FORTY wears before the elevated railroad in Ninth
ave, built.
The New-York Institute for the Blind in
corporated in 1881. mainly through the efforts
of Samuel Ackerly and Or Samuel Wood, who
succeeded in interesting in the enterprise many
of the wealthy families of the time. The foun-
dation for the school laid by gifts from
large number of people. and its funds acCumu
lated so rapidly that half block of land still
the site Of the institute purchased within
two years. The present building, or, at least,
part of It. was begun about 1888 and Othn
few years the remainder of the block, eastward
to Eighth-ave was also purchased. 1t held
until about 1865, when it was sold at a consid-
erabIe profit. The school was opened the year
it was incorporated, in a private house in Mer-
cer-st and was removed to the present site
the completion Of the Old main building Of three
stories about 1S43. a fourth story added
to the entire building in 1870, and "a new
tral wing in the rear was built at the same
time. Several smaller additions have been since
constructed.
Among those who gave bequeathed funds
To the institute are Jane Van Cortlandt John
Jacob Astor, Peter G. Stuyvesant, Samuel S.
Howland, Charles Z. Carroll. Mrs. De Witt Clin-
ton, Robert J. Murray, Seth Grosvenor, Benja
min F. Butler, Simeon Sickles, Arson G. Phelps.
Nine. Jumel John Alstyne, James Peter Van
Horn Mrs Adeline E Schermerhorn. William B.
Astor Ephraim Holbrook, Margaret Burr Mary
Burr, Julia Ann Deaplaine and Maria Moffett-
Some of the persons named gave about $4,000
each others $4,000, and a number $4,000, and
many from 81, 600 to 5000. Mr.. Holbrook and
Mrs DeIaplaine the most liberal givers.
The reports of the officers for the year ending
September 80 1900, showed receipts for the year
of S267. .293 50 and expenditures of $254,325 O6.
The funds invested and those deposited in the
Union Trust Company at that time considerably
exceeded S5OOO 600. The average number Of
pupils in the school is about two hundred. There
are kindergarten, primary, secondary and man
| ual training departments-the latter embracing
crocheting, sewing, knitting. embroidery ana
| other hand worl-and the musical department
embraces technical, theoretical and practicai
training on the piano, mandolin, guitar and or
| gan. There is large pipe organ in the build
| ing Thirty typewritng machines are in use,
| and there are seventy photographs or emboss-
| ing typeWriters. the product of which may be
| read by touch. thus ena bling the blind TO COM
| nunicate with each other in writing. This in
strrnent was originated and perfected by the
| school, as was also the point system of
| writing and printing for the blind which is the
invention of William B. Wait the superintend-
ent and principal since 1863 The present Off
| GERS are Frederick Augustus Schermerhorn,
| president; Charles H Marshall, recording secre-
| tary and Rowland Davis treasurer.
The instruction is substantially the same Tor
| bovs as for girls. The institute is in no sense
a hospital or infirmary. Only children of school
| age are admitted, and they remain only until
! their education is completed The State of New
! york has always depended this school for
the instruction of its blind charges from the
| metropolitan district. and approprfates 500
! wear for each pupil sent there for instruction
! The blind of many other States and municipal
tiles are also sent to the institute for education
at nublic expense. The students are boarded
! in the building Some of the pupils are only
! partly blind.
There are employed in the institute, besides
| the teachers who not blind. one blind seam
| stress three blind teachers, and two pima at
! PENDANTS in the reception room. One OF the lat-
! fer Miss H NJ. Rodney, receives all VISITORS
notes the time by the clock and rings the slgnai
bells governing the institute. She is an 1nteih-
| gent woman of perhaps sixty, educated there
hac eli