Articles on cornerstone laying for Steinway Hall

 “The Laying of the Corner Stone To Day.

    The ceremony of laying the corner-stone took place between three and four o’clock. Mayor Hoffman officiated in behalf of the city authorities to show, as he said, an appreciation of the benefits of such an institution.

    The box placed in the corner stone contained American currency of every denomination, a copy of every newspaper in the city, and a parchment roll of the names of all the persons present at the ceremony.”

 “The corner stone of this grand hall on Fifteenth street, between Union square and Irving place, at the rear of the marble warerooms of Messrs. Steinway & Sons, will be laid this afternoon at three o’clock.  This edifice, which has long been a desideratum in the metropolis, will be built in the most substantial manner.  It will extend from the rear wall of the present building through to Fifteenth street—a distance of one hundred and twenty-three feet.  The ball will be seventy-five feet wide and forty-three feet high.  The basement walls are granite, three feet thick, the first story walls two feet eight inches, and the walls of the concert hall twenty-eight inches thick from floor to ceiling, with heavy supporting columns all laid in cement.  Two centre walls are running the entire length of the building, from the foundation directly under and supporting the beams of the concert hall floor, each wall twenty inches thick. The stage will be placed at the end fronting Fifteenth street and the main entrance will be from Fourteenth street. There will also be two doors of exit on each, seven feet wide on either side of the stage, leading directly into Fifteenth street, thus allowing the hall to be emptied in an incredible short space of time. Fronting Fifteenth street and alongside the hall on its westerly side an additional building is being erected, containing the artists’ dressing rooms, even with the stage. The upper story will contain the windchests and some of the heavy work of the organ.  There will be two galleries (one above the other) at the end of the hall towards Fourteenth street, which will extend on either side of the hall about one-third of its length only. The hall will be finely decorated and lighted and ventilated in the best possible manner that modern science affords. It will be heated with steam, the steam generator being located outside of and some distance from the building. The front on Fifteenth street is being built of the finest Philadelphia front brick, with brown stone trimmings and finely ornamented pillars and caps.  Connecting with the main hall there will be a large room in the second story of the front building twenty-five feet wide and eighty-four feet deep, affording room for four hundred persons, so that there will be ample and comfortable sitting room for two thousand five hundred persons. The organ, from St. Thomas’ church, of thirty-two stops, has been purchased and will be fitted up to serve temporarily until the grand organ is finished. The entrance through the present building on Fourteenth street is through a handsome vestibule, wainscoted and trimmed with black walnut. The floor is of Italian marble tile of mosaic pattern. When completed it will be the finest and most elegant concert hall in the country and worthy of our great metropolis.”

     “The ceremony of laying the corner stone of this building took place yesterday afternoon at half-past three o’clock.  Mayor Hoffman made a short and appropriate address on the occasion, after which the numerous company, principally composed of the musical profession, adjourned to the Messrs. Steinway’s Hall, where they partook of a sumptuous collation.  This music hall, already described in the Herald, will be ready for occupation by November next.”

“The past week was one of unusual excitement in the world of art. It opened sadly with the destruction of the Academy of Music, a building which had survived the errors of its youth, and had reached a happy and prosperous maturity. The gloom which was occasioned by this calamity was not in any way disturbed by the malicious giggling of a single paper, but it was partly removed when it was understood that the directors would positively rebuild the structure. May their intentions be speedily and prosperously consumated. By the 1st of November the bright and cheerful halls of the Academy will again resound to melodious strains. On this point there is no doubt, and here we have one consolation. Another was certainly afforded in the laying of the foundation stone of Steinway’s new music hall on Saturday last, an event which although anticipated, came aptly after the fire, and rounded off the week with buoyant thoughts of the future. It is no slight undertaking to build a music hall. The rewards of such an enterprise are by no means tempting. Messrs. Steinway & Sons, representing, as they do, the largest ari-manufacturing [?] firm in the world, have been moved by other than financial motives. They desired to furnish New-York with a hall of such dimensions that the greatest orchestral and choral works could be performed therein successfully. We can readily understand that the capital involved in such an undertaking exceeds the probability of a pecuniary return. The Messrs. Steinway do not expect even to receive the interest on their money. What they do they do frankly and freely for art. In a few years we shall feel the influence of this liberal and beneficial policy.  We have long needed a better style of concert music, but it was impossible to expect it while we lacked a suitable hall. Now that the entrepreneur knows that he can accommodate nearly three thousand persons he will not fear to augment his forces. Thus Mr. Bateman intends opening the hall with a grand orchestra, a full chorus and a double staff of singers, headed by Parepa. . . . The ceremonies on Saturday were of the usual kind. Our good-looking Mayor officiated with that modest and gentlemanly reserve which characterizes his every act. At the earliest moment he slipped out by the back door. The majority of those present did not exhibit the same precipitation.  They returned to the piano-rooms, where a collation awaited them. We have rarely seen a more brilliant representation of the arts, of letters and of science. Politics, too, were represented in the persons of Hon. Luke Cozzens and Senator Ives. Both gentlemen favored the company with speeches. Subsequently there was an impromptu concert, at which Mr. Steins, Mr. Campbell, Mr. S. B. Mills, Mr. Robert Heller, M. A. H. Pease, Mr. Robert Goldbeck ad [sic] others took part. The tact and bonhommie of Mr. William Steinway were alike inexhaustible, and contributed very materially to the pleasure of the occasion.”

“New Opera Houses.—The corner-stone of the new Music Hall, or Opera House, about to be built by Steinway & Sons, in 14th street, near Irving Place, was laid on Saturday, by Mayor Hoffman, in presence of a large audience. The Hall will be 75 feet wide and 43 feet high, and the building will have entrances on 14th and 15th streets. . . . . . The inauguration of a new Opera House on 14th street, near 6th avenue, also took place on Saturday evening.”

“The foundation for a new venue called Steinway Concert Hall was laid last Saturday. Mayor Hoffman, Mr. Steinway, senior, and several theater directors, proprietors, actors, singers, pianists, and journalists were present. The concert hall is supposed to open in November. It is located on 14th street and will seat 2500 people. The organ of the St. Thomas Church was purchased for the venue; however, the owner intends to have a large organ build specifically for it.”