New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-18
MAYOR LAYS THE STONE
II. W. Mabie the Orator at Ne1c-
York Historical Society Exercises.

With Mayor Low giving the final touches. the
cornerstone Of the building Of the newborn
Historical Society laid yesterday afternoon
at the northeast corner Of the completed founda-
ton OF the structure, at Central Park West ana
Seventy-seventh-st. Invited guests including
members of the city government men or promi-
nence in the educational world, representative OF
various historical and patriotic societies ana more
than a hundred members OF the New-York Histori-
cal Society attended. despite the light dTizzle-
The guests assembled in the Museum Of Natural
History. The party, headed by Mayor Low and
Samuel Verplanck Hoffman. president Of the HIS
toricaI Society. marched out across the lawn 70
the scene of the exercises. The Rev Charles E
BruSler offered prayer. and then Mr. HOFFMAN,
after briefly rcciting the history Of the society
since its organization 1S4, introduced the Mayor
The cornerstone. u block Of polished granite. four
feet long and two feet high and wide with the
figures .1SC4-Is5' chsclled in its side. was raised
about foot above its pedestal. and workmen
spread mortar the lower stone. Mayor Low
taking the silver. ebony handled trowel suitably
inscribed fattened the mortar in the centre Of the
pedestal and then the cornerstone was lowered
finally into its place Rapping three tunes on us
top with a wooden maIIet. the Mayor said;
pronounce the cornerstone Of your new building
to be well and truly laid. May the building 70 be
present and iIumine the future. May the re-
searches here upon the questions OF the pas nave
a great influence for good upon the questions o.
the days to come
According to the usual custom. copper box.
filled with memorabilia. was placed in cavity be
meath the cornerstone.
Aferward the party returned to the museum.
where. in the lecture hail. exercises commemorat-
ing the nfnety-ninth anniversary Of the OTganiza-
ton OF the society were held.
TIE feature Of this was the anniversary address
delivered by Hamilton Wright Mabie on The
Genius OF the Cosmopolitan City" After humor-
Gus and sometimes mildly critical survey OF New
York City from its settlement by the Dutch and
sketch Of its growth along the lines of CONNER
ciasm and cosmopCltanism. he ended as follows;
1t is far too soon to pass judgment the sig
and value Of democracy. The modern world is so
c,.,Iex I'D y-ast t5at II behOOves US 70 study il
SonpieI CT -, 90 seek ~ II less Confidently In
three hundred years il may be possible 10 reacl
some Conclusion about the real meaning of com
mercalisrn and democracy; to-day, We can only De
that society IS being reorSanlzed IN NOR IN
elusive way that government rests on d O,es .
base that the free expression OF every mar pei,
sonality becomes every decade more complete, ana
that men are learning 70 I'VE together III an 'ii
ways Of thought and action
York is the product 1t Is full o. cruelty ylgarlty
and selfshness. it Is rich also IN aspirations r.
a cosmopolitan city. in its hberdlity. its toer
LIIT1an ey9eriencc its sympathy with the mani
fold objects of human interest It's nospIt23lty 10
the faiths. the traditions: the races OF mankind,
Here is being formed the ely OF the Iu-uIe lT II
the future = be the common possession or an
b sis OF equality Of opportunity, nT.g =
being worked great scale: u Inuch tu-nuit
drift al the bottom. that problem Of setting an
men free be and To do that when VIII gIItl tleS
enter the highest in human character ana achleNe-
meEt.
Among the invited guests were Mayor Low. Presi-
dent Butter Of Columbia H g. Bumpus. director or
the American Museum Of Natural History; Lieu
tenant Commander COTbin Wood [. ) y; the
Roy. Alexander Hamilton. Waiter 5 Logan. resi-
dent of the sons OF the American Revolution
President Goodrich Of the NJ IyfOwer Society Ford
ham Morris. General James n Narnum. governor
Of tire Socety-of Colonial Wars; Frederick T Aver,
Of the New-York Historical and Genealogical So
cicty. ard the Rev. George A Le9kiu. Nlce-ITesi-
dent Of the Maryland Historical Society
At the close of the anniversary exercises Mrs
lanes NJ T.aWtOn who is member OF the His
toriSal Society. a cornerstone tea TO The
invited guests and Of the society In the di-
rectors' in the museum