New-York tribune., 1909-12-09
LAY CORNERSTONE
BIG GIMBEL STORE.
Great Good Feeling at Lunch
con after Ceremony.

When the cornerstone Of Ginbel Brothers
department store swung into place yester-
day afternoon Mayor Reyburn OF Phiiadel-
phia turned 20 q reporter and laughinsly
said, You see. we Philadelphia people
come over here TO New York 20 get your
money" Even at that. New Workers seemed
10 Re very well satisfied with the arrange
ment, for there was a large crowd Of them
gathered at Sixth avenue and S2d street
On the platform We're the members Of the
firm. a number Of distinguished guests and
q contingent OF newspaper men.
The rattle OF the air guns" and the
creak Of the holsters ceased for time and
flannel shirted house builders" leaned out
Of the ninth and tenth stories 10 hear ia
cob Ginbel, senior member Of the firm. read
q short speech, IN which he paid his COM
pliinents to New York City and expressed
the wish that the great store would be Of
benefit 70 her. at the same time the pho
tographers thundered into action.
The stone. which IS at the lower corner
of the third story. was then lowered into
place ana MI Ginbel laid a troweiful OF
mortar along its base In the stone are
newspapers, coins and the history Of the
firm.
Because of the unvelconle blasts that
chilled the Broadway crowds yesterday the
programme was changed and the speeches
were made AZ the luncheon az the Waldorf
Astoria About 125 covers were laid IN the
sun parlcr ana ~. 81. Clair McKelvay
presided
Jacob Giulbsl. speaking on The Science
with Soul" which he defined as modern
Merchandising" said
II is most natural 20 wish 70 practise
the science in New York-ths city that is
the throbbing heart OF the nations com
e;est for ene sS cause e'H or snothar1ono S16s
Paris. Bsrlin-but there is only one New
York. the most wonderful, the most virile
become one o, the institutions OF the cttv.
one Of the sources OF civic pride TO all New
YOTAers.
The spirit OF fr.sndlinsss with which tn.
new firm enters New York was well shown
when Mr. Gimbel said.
We appreciate highly the welcome that has
been exten1Cd 70 US By other merchants
Of this city, and as a ussrchsnt take pride
IN using that welcome 20 illustrate the fact
That, while other professions Rave their Jeal-
ousies, merchandising, though II has its RI
vsirtes, is treest from rancOrs. No profes-
SION, outsids Of thsology, makes as strong
y for honesty, nor as a policy but be
cause ~ is the right and the obvious thing
enc the only basis Of lasting success, as
DAY.
other speeches were. Helping 10 Help
Self" DR.. Lee K F'rankel: "Commerce-
the Fifth Estate" Clarence H Kelsey;
'Csn Business Lend q Helping Hand" Or
Edward T. Devine; 1.-The Civic Virtue Of
Beauty ana Progress" Mayor Reyburn OF
Phnsdelphia: Don't Bend the Twig st
AL" Roy Smith Wallace, and Modern
Building" I. J. Horcwitz, OF the Thonp-
son-starrett Construction Company.
Mayor Reyburn's address was quite
happy. Philadelphia and New York are
not so far from each other. after all" he
sstd. "sne. yea know. we practise brother
" love over there. There should bs no
rivalry We are both under the same gov
ernrent ana the same flag"
Most o< the other speeches touched large
" on sociological questions. Giulbel Broth
ers have always paid considerable atten-
tion 70 the welfare Of their employees. AS
Jacob Ginbel sale yesterday:
The great congress store throws wide the
oi Is sehool Of h isyruetion etc e6e' 70 boys and
girls entering business, ana is q univer-
woman for lies duties and opportunities.
One Of the features OF the store viii be a
splendid roof garden for The recreation hour
OF the seven thousand employees
This great store. which will occCpy the
block west of the intersection OF Broadway
and Sixth avenue. between s2d and 2Sd
streets. is easy Of access by the Sixth ave
nue. L." the Sixth avenue and Broadway
surface lines and the 3ith street crosstown
cars Eventually the Hudson tunnels will
enter the store and a direct connection
with the new Pennsylvania station, IN the
rear Of the store win be established.
Into the fifteen story building twelve
above ground will go more than q 0O0 900
pounds OF steel. The Aoor space will BE-
about 200 o1o.oo) square feet. and the
twenty-sevsn acres covered will make It
three acres larger than the Philadelphia
sters. which has been in operation since
1854 The Milwaukee branch started bust
ness in 1885
Back in 1872 Adam GimbeI began business
in Indiana. ana rhs second and third gen
erations are now earryig IL on, Bernard =
Gimbel. who was recently taken into the
firm. being a grandson.
The New York store will open it's doors IN
the fan OF 1910