In an impressive afternoon ceremony, the cornerstone of the new building of the University of St. Mary's of the Lake was laid in Chicago.  The procession numbered around 8000 members of groups from all around the Chicago Archdiocese.  Four bishops participated in the cementing of the cornerstone and Bishop Thomas Rosencrans spoke.  St. Mary's had opened its doors as a seminary in 1846.  It was forced to close in 1866 due to finances but reopened in 1921.  (By John Osborne)

Three separate instances of fire kept the Chicago Fire Department busy on this Sunday.  The first was a pre-dawn conflagration at a foundry in Clinton Street, the second broke out in a stable in mid-morning and destroyed large sections of Wells and Van Buren Streets, including several saloons and at least one "house of ill repute."  The third, in the afternoon, burned two houses in the Carrville area. Damage from all three fires was extensive but no serious injuries were reported in any of them.  (By John Osborne)  

On the Jersey City waterfront, an evening fire destroyed a large portion of a dry-dock and some adjoining workshops in a ship-building yard.  The yard was engaged in building three warships for the Government - the monitors Tecumseh, Mahopac, and Manahata - but the fire was contained before it reached them.  The yard had been busy preparing for an imminent official visit from the Vice-President and the Secretary of the Navy. (By John Osborne)

A massive fire completely destroyed a five-story brick building on Pearl Street in New York City, wiping out several concerns doing business there.  The early afternoon fire began on the top floor in a chair manufacturers when a young workman was trying to light a lamp.  He was injured fatally in an explosion and the fire spread rapidly to a bookbinders on the next floor and then to a book printers on the lower floors. No other serious injuries were reported.  (By John Osborne)

A destructive fire started near a workshop in an alley between Dearborn and Washington Streets in Chicago in the early afternoon.  Several businesses suffered extensive damage but the First Unitarian Church, which backed up onto the alley in question, was completely destroyed.  Built in 1841 and one of the earliest public buildings in Chicago, the church was engulfed and burned almost to the ground in half an hour.  The fire was then contained and no injuries were reported.  (By John Osborne)

The Transylvania Medical College at Lexington, Kentucky was severely damaged in a noon-day fire that caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage.  The facility was being used as a military hospital but all the military patients were removed safely and no serious injuries were reported.  (By John Osborne) 

The Indiana Democratic State convention met in Indianapolis around the state capitol and a large gathering heard from some prominent party leaders.  Most of the speeches were in powerful opposition to Lincoln Administration policies and they went off mostly peacefully, although some scuffles were reported.  Among the speakers were Daniel Wolsey Voorhees, who also served as president of the meeting, and Thomas Andrews Hendricks.  (By John Osborne) 

The eastern press reported that intelligence had reached federal forces that Southern sympathizers in Elizabethtown, Kentucky were hiding and preparing to ship to the Confederacy the household effects of Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner. A raid was made and Union forces took possession of a collection of fine furniture, china, silverware and other belongings, enough to fill two railroad cars, and carried it away to nearby Louisville.  (By John Osborne)

The small Hadfield's fireworks factory in East Williamsburgh in Queens County, New York suffered an explosion that killed one man and seriously burned two others.  Several structures were completely destroyed and the damage was estimated at around $1,500. The cause of the explosion was not reported. (By John Osborne)