The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-02
LAY CORNER STONE
FOR ASSAY OFFICE
Carter Glass and w. G. Nc
Adoo Have the Chief Parts
in the Ceremony.

Another chapter In the interesting his
tory Of the Wall street site occupied
since 1923 by the United States Assay
ONCE was written yesterday when Car
ter Glass. Secretary OF the Treasury. and
william @. McAdoo were the chief fig
ures in the ceremony of laying the cor
ner stone OF the new Assay Office build
Ing. The ceremony took place at noon
and was watched by several thousand
persons, who filled the streets in every
direction from the Sub-Treasury corner.
Verne NJ. Bowie, Superintendent of the
Assay Office, was In charge of the cere-
monies, and after brief opening adj
dress resigned his position as chairman
Of the gathering to Mr.. McAdoo. who in
a short speech introduced the Secretary
Of the Treasury. Mr.. Glass spoke at no
great length. confining his remarks
chiefly to the position which the United
States occupies in the world and setting
forth the successive steps by which she
has been brought to her present high
place.
Following the addresses Mr.. Glass and
Mr.. McAdoo participated in the actual
work OF laying the corner stone and with
silver trowel designed and cast in the
the huge marble block the mortar which
will hold 1t in place. Considerable
amusement was given the spectators at
this point in the ceremonies by the re-
marks made by the present and past
Treasury officials, Mr.. Glass said that
no could do the work In pretty good
fashion inasmuch as he has been a
Mason for upward OF thirty years.
Embedded within the big marble block
was n good sized copper box, in which
documents. coins and medals were placed.
Among the articles sealed up in the box
were all OF the documents pertaining to
the erection of the new Assay Office, in
Guiding the act of Congress which made
the building possible, and its amend
ments, letters from the President and
Secretary of the Treasury bearing on the
building, picture of tho old Assay
Office, which stood on the site of the
new one from 1923 until RACED to give
place to the new structure, list Of Of
officials of the Treasury Department and
Assay Office and a list of all employees
of the Assay Office, one Of each OF the
coins now used in the United States.
from the twenty dollar gold piece down
60 the humble cent, all OF which coins
were contributed by employees OF the
Assay ONCE; a medal struck off by the
Philadelphia mint for President Wilson,
a special medal struck off by that mint
to commemorate yesterdays ceremonies.
message from Raymond T. Baker. Di-
rector OF the Mint, expressing his regret
at his inability to be present; copies OF
all New York papers Of yesterday MORN
ing and of the New York evening papers
of last Saturday, chronicling the signing
OF the peace treaty, a brick taken from
the old Assay ONCE. in which the figures
1S23-1919 were engraved and painted in
gold. and a miniature copy Of the peace
treaty. presented by the New York
Times.
Engraved on the corner stone was the
Inscription: civilian G. McAdoo. Sec
rotary Of the Treasury; Raymond T.
Baker. Director of the Mint; York &
Sawyer. architects James A. WetmSre.
supervising architect: MCMNVI1I."
The new Assay Office when completed
will contain the largest vaults of their
kind. They will he able, 1t is estimated,
TO hold $4,000, 900, 900 OF gold. There
is at present in the local Assay Office
more than 5000, 600, 900 in gold and more
than 500, 100000 In silver. The new
building will be eight stories in height
fiye of them being beneath the ground
and three above the ground