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1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration | |
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CHAPTER IORIGIN OF THE HUDSON-FULTON CELEBRATION Two Ideas in the CelebrationTHE Hudson-Fulton Celebration in the State of New York’ in 1909 was the result of two separate but closely related ideas. The first of these ideas sprang from the approach of the 300th anniversary of the third and most famous of Hudson’s four historic voyages, the realization of the importance of that voyage as a factor in the opening of the North American Continent to civilization, and the instinctive desire to commemorate the anniversary in a suitable way. In like manner, the second idea sprang from the approach of the 100th anniversary of the first practical application of steam to navigation by Fulton. One anniversary came in 1909, the other in 1907; but as Fulton’s demonstration of the practicability of the use of steam as a motive power for boats was made upon the river which Hudson had explored, the close relation of the two anniversaries was quickly perceived and the movements for their independent celebrations were merged in the creation of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commission. The course of events leading up to the union of these two movements was as follows:Earliest SuggestionsThe earliest suggestion of a Celebration of the Hudson: Ter-centenary appears to have been made by the late Rev. J. H. Suydam, of Rhinebeck, N. Y., who, in a letter printed in the New York Tribune July 31, 1893, commenting on the Columbian celebration, proposed the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the discovery of the Hudson River in 1909. He inquired: “Will such organizations as the St. Nicholas Society or the Holland Society of New York deem this of sufficient importance to begin the agitation?“The records of the Holland Society, eight years later, contain the following minute: “At a stated meeting of the Trustees of The Holland Society, June 13, 1901, the Secretary (Theodore M. Banta) called attention to the fact that the 300th anniversary of the discovery of the Hudson River by Hendrick Hudson will occur in the year 1909 — and offered the following preamble and resolution which were adopted: “‘Whereas the three hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the Hudson River by a Dutch ship under the command of Captain Hendrick Hudson will occur in September, 1909, and it is eminently fitting that the tri-centennial of that momentous event in our history should be celebrated in a suitable manner, therefore “‘Resolved, That the President of this Society be requested to appoint a Committee to take into consideration and report as to the best mode of enlisting the sympathy and securing the co-operation of all citizens of the State and of the country in a suitable commemoration of the ter-centenary of the discovery of the Hudson River.’ “The President appointed as such a Committee the following gentlemen: Augustus Van Wyck, Warner Van Norden, Theodore M. Banta, Robert B. Roosevelt, Henry Van Dyke.”
Hudson Tri-centennial AssociationIn November, 1901, a number of citizens of New York City met with a similar object in view, and on June 3, 1902, formally organized as the Hudson Tri-centennial Association with Mr. Thomas Powell Fowler as President; Messrs. J. P. Morgan, James Stillman and J. Edward Simmons as Vice-Presidents; Mr. Talcott C. Van Santvoord as Treasurer; and Captain George A. White as Secretary.This Association suggested the construction of a Hudson Memorial Bridge from Inwood Hill to Spuyten Duyvil Hill across Spuyten Duyvil Creek near its confluence with the Hudson River. Different projects had been discussed, but the Association finally decided upon the plan for a bridge designed by Mr. A. P. Boller and presented the matter to the Hon. Seth Low, who was Mayor of New York in 1902 and 1903. The members of Mayor Low’s administration regarded the idea of a memorial bridge with favor, but no definite action was secured during his incumbency, as the Mayor did not wish to commit his successors to a project the cost of which might exceed the debt limit. The City did, however, make an appropriation of $10,000 for the necessary engineering investigations and the Park Department was approached with a view to the provision of sufficient land for the construction of the bridge. Since then the project of the Hudson Memorial Bridge has been accepted by the municipal authorities as an important link in the great Riverside Drive of New York City along the shore of the Hudson, although the financial requirements for other and more immediately necessary public improvements have, as yet, deferred the consummation of the plan. World's Fair Suggested in 1902 the suggestion for a ten-centenary celebration was renewed in another form by Dr. George Frederick Kunz in an article in the North American Review for September, in which he said: “There should be a World’s Fair in 1909 on Manhattan Island in honor of the ter-centenary of Henry Hudson s arrival in the Half Moon, as has been suggested by that able Dutch-American, Jan Theodore van Gestel.” Hudson Ter-centenary Joint CommitteeAnother important step was taken in the evolution of the organization of the Celebration when, on February 15, 1905, the late Hon. Robert B. Roosevelt, uncle of the then President of the United States and the descendant of one of the old Dutch families of New York, invited to his residence at No. 57 Fifth avenue representatives of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, the Empire State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Holland Society, the Hudson Tri-centennial Association, the Municipal Art Society, the National Arts Club, the New York Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, and the Saint Nicholas Society, for the purpose of organizing themselves into a Joint or General Committee on the Tri-centennial Celebration of the Discovery of the Hudson River by Henry Hudson. This committee organized with the Hon. Robert B. Roosevelt as President, Mr. Theodore M. Banta as Vice-President, Col. Henry W. Sackett as Secretary and Mr. Warner Van Norden as Treasurer.The Committee asked the Hon. George B. McClellan, then Mayor of New York, and the late Hon. Francis W. Higgins, then Governor of the State, officially to name a committee of citizens who should act jointly in arranging for a Hudson celebration; and those officials selected 150 gentlemen to compose the Hudson Ter-centenary Joint Committee. The first preliminary meeting of this Committee was held in the Governor’s room of the City Hall on November 16, 1905, when the Hon. Robert B. Roosevelt was elected Temporary Chairman, and Col. Henry W. Sackett, Temporary Secretary. A second preliminary meeting was held at the same place November 24, 1905. On December 5, 1905, at the same place, a permanent organization was effected by the election of the following officers: President, Gen. Stewart L. Woodford.The necessary working committees were also appointed. Hudson Tricentennial Association WithdrawsAt the meeting of the Hudson Ter-centenary Joint Committee held December 5, 1905, the following letter was received from the Hudson Ter-Centennial Association:NEW YORK, November 20, 1905. To the Plan and Scope Committee, Hendrick Hudson Celebration:GENTLEMEN. — In pursuance of the request of the officially appointed Joint State and City Committee on the Hendrick Hudson Tri-centennial Anniversary, on September 9, 1909, the association which was formed by a few public spirited citizens in 1902 to further the creation of an appropriate memorial of the historic event, so fraught with the destiny of the “new world,” respectfully begs to report as follows: First. — That they regarded their organization simply as a preliminary one to incite the public interest for a celebration worthy of the occasion and the city of New York, and to advocate the idea that the occasion was one for a great civic memorial, which should not only add to the adornment of the city, but also be of a utilitarian character in the line of the development of Riverside Drive, the pride of our city and matchless in any city in the world. Second. — That they have succeeded in creating great public interest, not only for an appropriate celebration, but also for the character of the permanent memorial proposed. Third. — That they have interested the city authorities in the proposition, which has culminated in an appropriation by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment to have the surveys and preliminary design prepared with cost of construction. This work has been accomplished, and the report of the Commissioner of Bridges is now before the Board of Estimate. Fourth. — The association, believing that they have gone as far as an informal body could go in furtherance of so important a matter, take pleasure in giving way, for the large work which must now be done, to the officially appointed joint committees of the State and City, trusting that what they have accomplished in a preliminary way will have the approval of their successors, and their active and immediate support before the city authorities in the permanent memorial proposed. Fifth. — As a matter of record, the association submits herewith a report made to it by a sub-committee, April, 1903, which had its unanimous approval. Sixth. — While the association regards its organized work as finished, its members will be glad to aid their successors, who have officially taken up this work, in any way in their power. Respectfully submitted, This courteous letter of withdrawal from an organization which had already done so much for the celebration and had paved the way for a great public improvement was accepted with the Commission’s high appreciation. The next step was to elicit suggestions concerning the form of the celebration in 1909, and in order that the people might offer their views on the subject, the Hudson Ter-centenary Joint Committee held three public hearings in the Governor's room of the New York City Hall on December 29, 1905, January 19, and January 26, 1906. At these hearings many valuable ideas were offered. Fulton Centennial Celebration CommitteeDuring the course of these meetings it developed that there was a committee in existence, appointed by the Mayor of New York, to arrange for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first practical application of steam to navigation by Robert Fulton. That committee, entitled the Fulton Centennial Celebration Committee, was appointed in response to the request of the New York Board of Trade and Transportation, made through its special committee consisting of Hon. William McCarroll, then President of the New York Board of Trade and Transportation, and now one of the Public Service Commissioners of the Second District; Mr. Frank S. Gardner, Secretary of the Board of Trade, and Mr. Aaron Vanderbilt, Chairman of the Committee on Maritime Affairs.At their suggestion, Mayor McClellan invited a number of gentlemen to meet at his office in the City Hall on July 13, 1905, to concert measures for celebrating in 1907 the centennial anniversary of the first trip of the Clermont on the Hudson River. The Mayor opened the meeting and asked Hon. Oscar S. Straus to act as Temporary Chairman. At the same meeting, Mr. McCarroll was elected Permanent Chairman and Mr. James H. Kennedy Permanent Secretary. The necessary committees were appointed, Mr. Aaron Vanderbilt being Chairman of the Plan and Scope Committee. Hudson Fulton Ideas UnitedThe Fulton Centennial Celebration Committee went to work actively and was formulating plans for its celebration, when it realized, as did the Hudson Ter-centenary Joint Committee, that two celebrations so closely related in their significance and so near each other in point of time might be combined to the advantage of both. With this common feeling, the officers of the two organizations conferred informally, and on January 24, 1906, the President of the Hudson Ter-centenary Joint Committee wrote to the Mayor as follows:
The Hon. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN, DEAR SIR. —We have learned from the Secretary of the Committee appointed by you to arrange for the celebration in 1907 of the Centennial Anniversary of the first steam navigation of the Hudson river by Robert Fulton, that such Committee is to make its report to you on Thursday morning of this week, respecting the form of such celebration. In discussing the matter with other members of the Hudson Ter-centenary Joint Committee, appointed by you and the Governor of the State of New York, it has occurred to us to suggest to you the propriety of merging these two committees for the purpose of celebrating both events in 1909. Our reasons for this are briefly these: These two events in the history of the Hudson River are so intimately related that their commemoration can with great propriety be combined in one celebration. Not only are the two events mutually related by their connection with the Hudson River, but an interesting coincidence of dates adds to the propriety of celebrating in 1909 the centennial of the beginning of steam navigation, for it was in 1809 that the Legislature of the State granted to Fulton the exclusive privilege of navigating the river — out of which action grew the famous case of Gibbons and Ogden, establishing the right of free navigation. We believe that the union of these two observances will strengthen each. It will not only allow the municipality and the various civic interests concerned to focus their energies on one great observance, but will more effectually concentrate upon itself the public attention of the world. If the suggestion which we have made meets with your approval, and it should prove acceptable to the members of the Committee appointed by you for the Fulton Celebration, we believe that it would be a conclusion which would not only be cordially received by all the members of the Hudson Ter-centenary Committee, but would serve in every way the best public interests, Yours truly, On January 25, 1906, a committee of the Fulton Committee consisting of Mr. McCarroll, Rear Admiral George W. Melville, U. S. N., Mr. Aaron Vanderbilt, Mr. L. T. Romaine, Mr. Colgate Hoyt and Mr. James H. Kennedy called on the Mayor, and made a similar recommendation. The Mayor approving of the suggestions, steps were at once taken to secure a charter to combine both movements. These steps were effective in securing the enactment of Chapter 325 of the Laws of 1906 creating the Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commission which became a law by the Governor’s signature April 27, 1906. (See next chapter.) Robert Fulton Monument AssociationIn order to prevent a confusion of organizations, it may be added that while the events before recorded were taking place still another body, entitled the Robert Fulton Monument Association, was formed by a number of leading and influential citizens of New York. This association effected a temporary organization in January, 1906, with Major-General Frederick D. Grant, U. S. A., as Temporary President, and in May effected a permanent organization with Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt as President, the late Samuel L. Clemens (“Mark Twain”) as First Vice-President, Mr. Hugh Gordon Miller as Second Vice-President, Mr. Richard Delafield as Treasurer, Mr. W. H. Fletcher as Secretary and Mr. H. W. Dearborn as Assistant Secretary.The specific object for which this Association was formed was the erection of a monument to Robert Fulton, and in 1907 it secured an act of the Legislature (Chap. 676) authorizing the City of New York to enter into an agreement with the Association in reference to the filling in and improvement of the land under water and the upland on the Hudson River opposite Riverside Park, New York, bounded by 116th street, the Hudson River Railroad, 114th street and the pierhead line, “for a water gate and monument to Robert Fulton, the inventor of steam navigation.” The four grandchildren of Robert Fulton gave their consent to the removal of the inventor's body from Trinity Churchyard to the proposed monument and the Association planned to lay the corner-stone of the monument in 1907. In the expectation that the monument would be ready in 1909 and therefore an object of great interest in the Hudson-Fulton Celebration, the Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commission appointed a committee with Mr. Charles R. Lamb as Chairman to confer with the Robert Fulton Monument Association with a view to friendly cooperation and to giving the Robert Fulton Monument suitable prominence in the ceremonies of 1909. On February 15, 1908, the President of this Commission addressed a communication to Mr. Robert Fulton Cutting of the Fulton Association, asking him to outline how that Association felt about participating with this Commission in the ceremonies in 1909, and received from Mr. Vanderbilt, President of that Association, under date of March 2, 1908, a reply in which the latter said in part: “As you know, it will be necessary for us to eventually apply to the public for the funds necessary to erect the same” — (the Water gate and tomb). “We feel that as the purposes of the two Associations are so different in character that it would be well to keep them distinct so that there may be no confusion on the part of the public at large in making their contributions. . . You will readily appreciate that in a public matter of this kind where no personal interests are involved, that it is both the intention and desire of all to act in the most perfect harmony and accord, but as you request in your letter a candid expression as to the relation of the two Associations, we, after careful consideration, feel that because of the different methods proposed of honoring the memory of Robert Fulton and the uncertainty as to just when we can carry out what we have undertaken to accomplish, that it would be better for the two Associations to act independently of each other.” In deference to the foregoing expression, there was no further effort on the part of this Commission to coordinate its program with that of the Robert Fulton Monument Association. |