New-York tribune., 1901-04-14
RECORDS HALL STONELAID
PRESIDENT GUGGENHEIMER USES A
SILVER TROWEL.
SPEECHES BY Mr.. GUGGENHEIMER s.
sTANWoOD MENKEN AND JOHN D.
CRIMMINS-LARGE GATHERING
AT THE NEW BUILDING

iiAi~ NEW foOIi-DlNb
With impressive ceremonies and before thou
ehnds Of people, the cornerstone of the new
Hall Of Records laid yesterday afternoon.
Soon after noon committee from the Hall Of
Records Association called President Gug-
genheimer. and gave him silver trowel. to be
used in the ceremonies.
Among the articles placed inside the corner
stone before il was sealed City Rec
ord The c7ew-York Law Journal" proceed
ings Of the 'mttee for the erection of the
Hall of Records with its history from its organ
izaton report of the Bar Association of New
York, Bible, a Code of Civil Procedure,
a Lawyers Diary" for 1901, The Tribune and
other daily papers, various weekly papers and
monthly magazines. and subsidiary coins (silver)
United States, 1901.
An immense crowd gathered in North Cham
bers and Centre SITS, and held in check by
Inspector Brooks. Captains Herlihy and England
and 1J0 policemen. While the crowd was wait
ing for the ceremonies to begin, band, sta
toned among the great steel girders and beams,
played popular and patriotic airs.
The exercises were held on what will be the
second floor Of the hall a platform,
ranged for the speakers and committee, was
draped with American flags. The invited guests
and members Of thc various committees. were
provided with seats surrounding the speakers
stand.
John D Crimmins reviewed the history of the
movement for the new building and cited the
many obstacles which had been overcome. In
referring 10 the old building, he said:
The old Hall of Records which we hope TO see
soon vacated, has had an eventful history We
know that 4 building stood its site and was
.occupied as early as l15f Before the Revolu-
tion il known the jail, and during
the tunultuous tunes il was surrounded by bar
racks and occupied by British troops. In its
Abn
building many of them We're imprisoned before
independence was declared. During the Revolu-
the Provost, and was under the charge OF the
notorious Cunningham. We know, too, that
here were confined many of the captive patriots
who were held prisoners, half starved and
shamefully abused.
After the Revolution the place was used as
-debtors' prison.
Mr.. Crimmins introduced S. Stanwood Menken,
the chairman of the Hall of Records Associa-
tion, who said in part:
the consequent safety OF the records the proper
housing of officials and the innovation OF corntort
etand above all else as index of great truth
that what The people truly want they can haTs
and earnestness they can accomplish anything
Mr. Menken attacked the proposed tax on
mortgages. and continued:
Thus it seems that the burdens, Of realty are as
If our representatves at Albany, of both parties
united in belief showed themselves faith
full TO their city they to their party caucus
Their failure 10 act for means We must act for
urselyes and find comfort in recalling that
our experience here has given US a cure IN or
ganization and consistent endeayot- and that laws
affecting property be made as superior TO
those statute books the Hall OF Rec
ords of the future will be TO the Registers O. ce of
the past
Prior to the actual ceremonies of laying the
cornerstone. President Guggenhemer delivered
an address, in which he said:
1t is a matter of very great importance to this
city and especially TO the borouehs OF Manhattan
and The Bronx, which constitute the county Of
New York. that there shall be spacious hall of
records in which all the various legal instruments
OF which the Register. the County Clerk and the
Surrogate the custodians. shall be filed for
public reference I'm building that Is hreproof
In addition TO these three Offices Of which I have
spoken the Office Of the Controller and the Depart
rnent Of Law will be assigned TO this building
llook forward 10 the time when. concentrated in one
district in and close TO the City Hall Park, mu-
nicipal buildings will be erected useful and
beautiful as this Hall of Records. the corner
stone of which / have the honor of laying to-day.
At the close of the speech workmen swung the
great stone into place and distributed the NOR
tar around and under il. While the band played
America President Cuegenheimer placed a
tfrowel OF mortar under the stone. Then, tap
ping the stone with the trowel, he said
Il pronounce this stone well and truly laid"