The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-09
CARNEGIE CORNERSTONE LAID
UNDER BUILDING he GAVE EN-
GINEERS, ALREADY ERECTED.

Ceremony Somewhat Informal, With Few
OnlOOkers Except q Small Army OF
PhotOgraphers-The "Oldest Living"
on Hand-Mrs. Carnegie Does the Work.
Cornerstones usually are laid before
the edifice assumes the impressive pro-
portions of twelve or more stories. The
towering granite, steel and brick United
Engineering Building at 25 to SO West Thirty
ninth street, more than half completed,
had the distinction of receiving its corner
stone yesterday while the workmen were
doing things in the sky stories.
The cornerstone is a block of carved
granite that was put in place over a metal
box containing the things usually put in
cornerstone boxes. including all the local
newspapers Of yesterday, the Bible, and all
the coins 81 the United States in circulation.
The coins were struck at the Philadelphia
mint on Monday. Among the things that
were put away with the cornerstone was a
gold plate on which this was engraved:
To the American Society Of Mechanical En-
1ireers. the American institute OF Mining
Enoin GERS. the American In stitute Of Elec-
ir,c1i Engineers. and the Engineers Club:
II will give me great pleasure to devote say
one and one-half millions Of dollars TO erect
a union building for you all in New York city.
With best wishes. Yours very truly.
March IL. 1904, DIRE CARNEGIE.
The ceremony Of laying the cornerstone
was somewhat informal. The populace
did not gather and there was no orchestra,
but there was the biggest corps of photog.
raphers, variously estimated from fifteen
to thirty. that e 'er perched on stone stoops
and made folks look pleasant since West
Thirty-ninth street became a t~horoughfare.
1t had been announced that Mr.. Carnegie
would lay the cornerstone. But Mr..
Carnegie's gallantry prevented him from
assuming this function. He merely made
a brief and spontaneous speech. Mrs.
Carnegie and her little daughter. Margaret,
did all the real work. Margaret received
two big bouquets of roses 'front.' the engineers
and presented them to her mother. and
Mrs. Carnegie. with a silver trowel and an
ivory gavel, put the finishing touches on
the work Of the masons. Her task was not
arduous. She just threw a few trowelfuls
of mortar in the prope corner and after
the stone had been put in place she tapped
it with the ivory gavel. Then she took
the trowel and the gavel away with her,
The Introductory speech was by E. e.
Olcott, president Of the United Engineers
Sohiety. who said in part;
The day Of small things ia past. II we
are to keep pace with the wonderful march
of progress we must bore with a large auger.
We need more than ever the conservation
and uniting of all our forces for the accom-
plishment OF great ends. 1t Is the scientific
ally educated engineer who must direct the
immense establishments which from now on
must be the rule. He is necessary to prevent
the waste both of capital and material. Our
national resources must be husbanded, not
-x-J;~al, IAaAAuaI. A,,r GOAL tr@- .-l
timber must be handled in the most intelligent
way. 1t will be largely with the members
OF this society. now united In this great
building. to direct our great body OF workers.
The successful engineer must also be a
humane engineer. He must think for the
men who make possible the accomplishment
of his plans. Such scientific bodies as are
here represented do much to place within
reach of the masses the results OF all dis
c~overies. When We receive $4,000 immi-
grants q week we are forced to ask ourselves
what the country will come to unless these
men are intelligently and judiciously directed.
president Of the Society of Mining Engi-
neers. Abram s. Hewitt. urged the anthra-
cite operators to set aside five cents for every
ton Of coal produced for improving the con-
dition of the miners. High minded leader
ship is the only salvation Of our civilization.
This has been manifested by Mr.. Carnegie,
our benefaotor. Through his generosity
we may preserve and put In tangible form
records Of scientific accomplishments so as
to avoid a repetition OF mistakes Of the past.
Thomas G. Martin Of the Electrical World
handed to Mrs. Carnegie the silver box
containing. the cornerstone materials.
pin money Mrs. Carnegie laughed. Mr..
Carnegie was cheered and forced to say a
few words by the enthusiastic engineers.
While the photographers were dwelling
cameras at the little man he beamed and
said he congratulated the engineers on the
near completion of their magnificent quar-
ters. He said he was glad that it was a
union home where the various branches of
engineers could gather and swap senti-
ments.
In Europe the engineering societies,
mechanical, electrical and mining, were far
apart. The Americans believed in mixing
things. New York would have the finest
institution on the earth. II the Europeans
thought they could compete with US they
would nave to get closer together. The
principle of union in science was correct.
1t was just as important as union in poll
les.
Mr.. Carnegie referred to the oldest en-
gineer present, Charles Haynes Haswell,
first chie9 engineer and first eneineer.in-
chief of the United States Navy, a being
in his ninety-sixth year. Mr.. Haswell. who
looked vigorous as a youth Of seventy.
interrupted the ironmonger to say ninety
seventh" and Mr.. Carnegie laughingly
corrected himself, adding that Mr.. Haswell
might be called in engineering Uncle
Charles, y just as Speaker Cannon, who had
completed his seventeen birthday, was
called Uncle joe" Mr.. Carnegie quoted
Kipling's ~McAndrews's Hymn" in COM
pliment to the engineers. concluding with
30, Lord. We ken We need an engineer"
Mr.. Carnegie said he Endorsed MoAndrews's
sentiment and declared that the world
would be a very poor sort Of place without
engineers. He hoped the building soon