Name/Title
Waterworks building Cornerstone Box and contents, 1880Entry/Object ID
2021.40.1Description
Acc. No. 21.40.1 A-N
Subject Category: Utilities - Waterworks
Date or Period: 1880
Object: Box and contents
Description: A blackened copper box, with lid which has been previously soldered, and paper contents.
History of Object: Cornerstone Box and contents from the Waterworks building on Park Street. The building was erected in 1880, under auspices of the Oak Grove Lodge, the box was placed in a hollowed out cornerstone, on July 3, 1880. The box was cut open on July 7, 1955 by Mr. Ernest Carrai, of the City of Alameda, in the Alameda Historical Room.
The objects were donated to the Historical Society, and the ones described here have been on display in a case donated by the First Savings and Loan Association.
The objects on display are:
A. Cornerstone box with lid.
B. Copper plate engraved in commemoration of laying the corner stone of the Water Works Building on Park Street July 3, 1880 by Oak Grove Lodge of Masons #215 F. & A.M.
(The following names were mentioned,
President of the United States R.B. Hayes
Hydraulic Engineer H. Bloomfield
Owner and Proprietor R.R. Thompson
Architect William Pallon
Builder J.H. Cory
Population of Alameda Township 5,700
Newspapers Weekly Alameda Argus and The Encinal).
4 objects (3 publications) related to the Masonic Order:
C. Proceedings of the Grand Lodge Masons dated 1879.
D. A book of by-laws of the Oak Grove Lodge F. & A.M. printed in 1877.
E. Book of constitution and regulations of the Grand Lodge Of Free And Accepted Masons printed in 1878.
F. List of officers and members of Oak Grove Lodge #215 F & A.M. Alameda, dated July 5, 1880.
G. Copy of the Declaration of Independence dated 1776, printed on parchment paper
7 newspapers:
H. Daily Alta Californian, the oldest paper printed in California founded in 1848 and dated July 3, 1880.
I. The Morning Call dated July 3, 1880.
J. San Francisco Chronicle dated July 3, 1880.
K. The Alameda Encinal of March 1, 1869.
L. The Alameda Weekly Argus published by T.G. Daniels
(Every Thursday morning) dated July 1, 1880.
M. The Alameda Encinal of July 3, 1880.
N. The Alameda Post Dated September 6. 1869, the first newspaper ever printed in Alameda.
It is unknown at this time where the other objects reportedly found in the box are - a masonic emblem, grains of wheat, and coins.
Acquired from: Mr. William Davis and Mr. Stuart Davis, July 1955
Catalog Date: May 13, 2021Interpretative Labels
Label
5/13/2021 MvL:
two labels are in the display case, 1 for the copper plate, and one for the total contents.
Total contents:
----
THE ARTICLES DISPLAYED WERE FOUND IN A COPPER BOX WHICH WAS SEALED IN THE CORNERSTONE OF THE WATER WORKS BUILDING ON PARK STREET.
THE CORNERSTONE WAS LAID ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 3, 1880, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE OAK GROVE LODGE OF MASONS.
THE BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED JULY 6, 1955, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BUILDING TO HOUSE THE ALAMEDA BRANCH OF FIRST SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION.
THE ARTICLES FOUND WERE:
- COPPER PLAQUE COMMEMORATING THE LAYING OF THE CORNERSTONE.
- A FEW GRAINS OF WHEAT.
- BOOK OF M. W. GRAND LODGE OF MASONS DATED 1879.
- BOOK OF BY-LAWS - OAK GROVE LODGE - PRINTED IN 1877.
- BOOK OF THE CONSTITUTION AND REGULATIONS OF THE GRAND LODGE OF FREE MASONS - PRINTED IN 1878.
- LIST OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF OAK GROVE LODGE NO. 215 DATED JULY 3, 1880.
- SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE DATED JULY 3, 1880.
- ALAMEDA ENCINAL DATED MARCH 1, 1873 AND JULY 3, 1880.
- MORNING CALL DATED JULY 3, 1880. ALAMEDA ARGUS DATED JULY 1, 1880.
- DAILY ALTA CALIFORNIA (FIRST NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN CALIFORNIA DATED JULY 3, 1880.
- ALAMEDA POST (FIRST NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN ALAMEDA) DATED SEPTEMBER 6, 1869.
- COPY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
- ELEVEN VERY OLD COINS.
-----
Sign for the copper plate:
COPPER PLATE ENGRAVED IN COMMORATION OF THE LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE OF THE WATER WORKS BUILDING, PARK STREET, JULY 3, 1880, BY THE OAK GROVE LODGE OF MASONS, NO. 215.
THE FOLLOWING NAMES ARE MENTIONED:
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: R. B. HAYES HYDRAULIC ENGINEER: H. BLOOMFIELD PROPRIETOR: R. R. THOMPSON
ARCHITECT: WILLIAM PATTON
BUILDER: J. H. CORY
POPULATION OF ALAMEDA TOWNSHIP: 5,700
NEWSPAPERS: ENCINAL AND ARGUS
