Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-27
PRESIDENT LAYSST0NE
Yields TroWeI at New CoIored
Y. N. c. A. Building.
SHAKES MASON'S HAND
Tells Workmen He Likes to Meet the
men Behind the Cum
SPEAKS TO LARGE CROWD
Commissioner Macfarland, Secretary
Morse and Others Address
Gathering.


nent officers Of the International commit
tee and the local branch of the Y NJ. c.
A, laid the corner stone of the new build
ing of the colored mems branch of the
| Young Mems Christian Association yes
terday afternoon, in the presence of sew
eral thousand colored residents of the Ma
tional capital.
At the conclusion of the address of Mr.
Roosevelt 1t was announced that the cor
ner stone, which had been suspended by
derrick ropes over its final resting place.
would be lowered. The President walked
to the northeast corner of the building
and extended his hand to Levi Adams a
colored mason. who was holding the pail
of mortar and directing the lowering of
| the stone.
| Il want to shake your hand" said the
| President, holding out his right hand. The
cOlored workman hesitated minute as he
| wiped the stone dirt from his fingers.
| Then followed the hearty handshake be-
| tween the chief executive and the work
| man.
Il always like to shake hands with
the man behind the gum the man who is
| actually doing the work" the President
| remarked to those nearby.
A minute later the President grasped
the trowel. plunged it into the wet NOR
] tar and threw trowelful on top of the
| brick foundation wall under the overhang-
| ing white boulder. Then he smoothed 1t
out fiat. Richard G. Morse. general sec
rotary of the International Y. NJ. G. A.
who had come from New York to attend
| the ceremonies followed the Presidents
lead. and others who helped to put on the
| necessary mortar that is to hold the cor
ner stone in place were Commissioner II.
B. F. Macfarland William Knowles Coop
err, general secretary of the Washington
Y. NJ. c. A.; J. f. Moorland. member of
1 IT, L
chairman of the colored mems branch.
| and Lewis E. Johnson, secretary of the
| branch
A tin box containing a Bible. copy Of
the Presidents speech. copies of the local
| newspapers containing the advanced no
tees of the corner stone laying. literature
of the colored mems department of the
| association movement and a Y. NJ. c. A.
button was placed inside the corner stone
Then 1t was lowered into its pace under
the direction of the colored workman.
| After seeing the huge stone set Pres
| ident Roosevelt shook hands with the
| many prominent white and colored resi-
| dents of the District who occupied seats
on the platform and amid the applause Of
the thousands who had listened intently to
his remarks jumped into his waiting car
| riage with Secretary Loeb and was driven
back to the White House.
Secretary Morse's Address.
After the departure of the President
Richard c. Morse, general secretary of
the Y. NJ. c. A. was introduced.
This building you are putting up here.
| he said. has tremendous significance.
Not only in the District Of Columbia; not
| only in the United States but throughout
| the American continent.
1.-The Y. M. c. A. movement owes its ex-
| tension to great leadership, and If the col
| ored work is to progress it must have
strong leadership. What you need to car
ry on the work in this new building is
| strong leadership.
only one building; since then I have seen
| 800 buildings erected for its use. That
| first building was put in the right place.
! Your first great building, that of the col
ored mems department. is being erected
| in this city and l come from the head
| quarters of the Y. NJ. G.. A. to bring you
greetings and to tell you that you are
| helping young men in associations all over
| the world
| Lewis E. Johnson. secretary of the
! branch which will occupy the new struc-
| ture spoke briefly, outlining the aims
| hopes and plans of the colored association
| and urging the support of the colored
| citizens in the project.
A collection was taken among the
crowd present for the benefit of the build
ing fund and Commissioner Mcfarland. in
conclusion announced that the hand
some man with the red book under h s
ceive subscriptions and further contribu-
tiOns to the building fund. The collector
was kept busy for some time after the
formal conclusion of the ceremonies.
Those on the Platform.
Those who sat on the platform were
Commissioners H. B. F. Mcfarland and
H. l.. West. Richard c. Morse. Col. E. J.
Halford, Hugh Thrift Miles NJ. Shand,
John 3. S,eman, jr.; Rev. DR.. S. H. Wood
| row, Rev. DR.. George P. Wilson, ]. E.
| Moorand. DR.. Merrill f. Gates, Presi-
dent w. P. Thirkierd. William Morse. Will
liam Knowles Cooper Myron ]. Jones, W.
T. Vernon, register of the Treasury; John
| r. Dancey. recorder of deeds: r. w. Ty-
| Ter. auditor of the Navy Department:
| Robert Fl. Terrell. DR.. John Hurst, finan
cial secretary of the A. M. f. Church; DR..
| Il. +. Watson. w. Calvin Chase. DR.. w.
B. Norman, the Rev. w. M. Clair, J. A.
| Cobb and r. w. Thompson.
THE President's speech will he found
elsewhere in The Sta.