Page:1883 Annual Report of the German Society of the City of New York.djvu/14

Rh the diplomas, for which fourteen guineas were paid him, "because he would not do it for less."

. Baron Von Steuben donates to the Society three plantations, each of one hundred acres, situated in Steuben County. [From later reports it appears that this donation was never realized.]

1789. The annual festival took place in Fraunce's Tavern, corner of Broad and Pearl Streets, and was attended by the Mayor of the City, and the officers of the St. George's, St. Andrew's, and St. Patrick's Societies.

1790. January 6th. Stephen Van Rensselaer, Patroon of Albany, is proposed for membership.

. The Treasurer is commissioned to purchase eight chances in the Lottery of this State.

. Peter Schuyler is admitted to membership.

1791. . Social festival in Corre's Hotel, in which, among others, General H. Gates took part.

. Twelve cords of wood are bought for £18, for charitable purposes.

1792. . Arrival of a number of Germans "who were brought over from Hamburg in the ship 'Henry and George,' by the Genessee Association, and had been engaged under uncommonly hard and unfair conditions." This is the first recorded case in which the German Society had occasion to interfere energetically in behalf of its emigrant countrymen.

1794. . At a special meeting, it was resolved that the Society should, on the 5th of the ensuing month, contribute its labor to the fortifications in process of erection on Governor's Island. This event is recorded in the Minutes as follows:

"The members of the Society, together with a large number of other Germans and their friends met this day at 9 o'clock at the Lutheran School-house, and marched, to the sound of music, and with flying banners, along Broadway to Whitehall, where boats were lying in readiness to convey them to Governor's Island. On their arrival there, the necessary labor was assigned to them by the Mayor of the City and the engineers appointed for the purpose. After working industriously for