New-York tribune., 1841-11-17
THE NEW HERCHANTg EXCHANGE.
Some account Of that spacious edfce, Of which the
Rotunda IS to De opened to-day.

Legislature. We believe in the year 1923, with a
capital OF $1,000, 900, divided into 10000 shares
of 800 each. The former building known as the
Merchants Exchange was finished in the year
1927. 1t was one of the most substantial and COR
vcniently arranged pubic edi6ces in the United
States was bull; under the supervision 0; Its emf
nent architect Martin Z. Thompson, Esq, and
cos, the Company, including the ground, about
S2jO,90O. It's rents produced az annual revenue
of SOS, 900. 1t was burnt to the ground il the
great FIRE Of December 1916, 1885.
The site OF the present building comprises that
of the old one, ard abou: an equal amount of land
subsequently, purchased by the Company. 1t Is
situated in Wall street, aEd forms the centre around
which are located the principal Banking houses,
Insurance Companies, and other moneyed in.titu-
tons. It's 1873 feet on Wall street. 1876 fee,
inches on the rear, l4O feet inches on the right
flank on Hanover street, and 1870 feet on the left
flank on William street. And although the ground
i. of such rregula. shape, the architect mas skill
fully arranged the building, that there i. but little
il any appearance OF irrcgusrty in the apartments
into which ii is divided.
1t was built after the plans and under the super
intendence Of Isaiah Rogers, ESQ. architect,
tive Of Massachusetts. The exterior walls are
composed of blue granite, procured and wrought
in the highest perfection OF the the quarries
in Quincy, Mass. small town about eight miles
from Boston, whence i: is conveyed to the sea by
Railroad (the first constructed a.the Union) and
thence in vessels to New York.
The facade OF the building presents colonnade
Of twelve Ionic columns, the shaits Of which are in
single piece, thrty-two feet, eight inches high,
four feet four inches in diameter q, the base, and
weighs about 33 tons each. They are huted, and
the caps and bases OF the same material are so
finely hammered as to present surface almost as
smooth as il it were rubbed or polished. These
arc the largest columns ever quarred in America.
There are six additional columns in the recess in
the front entrance of the building.
The rear of the edfce has pilasters or anlns,
with bases and enriched capitals projecting about
one foot SIX inches from the face Of the building.
The sides plain, excepting the cornice and win
dow-frames, which arc richly moulded.
The anterior of the building on all sides is d.
vided into ofices, already occupied by Banks, In
surnrce Companies, Engravers, S,ationers, Brok-
ers, &c. The ceilings throughout of brick
formed into arches, and the floors are laid with
hydraulic cement; material similar to Roman
Cement, an ineshaustibe supply Of which may be
obtained from quafries ia the vicinity of Kingston,
near the Hudson, and about one hundred mile.
from this city. No wood has been used in the
construction of the building, and it is therefore
deemed entirely hre-Proof
The centre Of the ediice is to be occupied as an
Exchange This is peculiarly the department Of
the Merchants. Il is in the form of Romnda,
80 feet in diameter in the clear with four recesses
of 10 by 80 feet, situate at right angles The curb
of the Dome is 80 feet fiom the floor, and ha, a
sky-lght of / 10 feet in circumference, which az
fords the only light admitted into the Rotunda
The interior Of this room is finished in the rich
est, costliest and most beautiful manner E:ch of
the recesses have two Corinthian columns Of Iial-
ian veined marble, Al feet in height and 5 feet in
diameter. The antics at the angles, the wainscot-
ing around the entire room feet inches high,
and all the other trimmings, as well as the floor,
are Of the same material. The ceiling and walls
are of stucco, richly ornamened. The exterior of
the Dome is covered with copper roef and the
other sections Of the building with stone.
The erection of the building was commenced
in the Spring of 1886, since which time the num-
Der OF hands employed on it has averaged about
$50. At the time it was commenced, the late
William w. Woslsey was President of the Cor
poratioR he succeeded by John A. Stevens,
who still holds that citation.
The ground on which the building stasds cost
about $50 000 The entire cost OF the Exchange
will be about 81 600. The income from rents,
when all the apartments are finished and occupied
will be abou, 500, 600. That portion of the build
ing which was completed on the lst of May last,
and is now occupied, yields the current year about
$50 600.
% The HAMILTON LITERARY ASSOCIATION of
Brooklyn open their Course Of Lectures at the
First Presbyterian Church tomorrow evening, with
an Introductory by DAVID PAUL BRowS. Their
list of Lecturers for the Course i. hardly exceeded
by any other before the public In addition
10 many of those who lecture in this City they
have RICHARD H. DANA, OLIVER w. HOLMES,
the Tragic and Comic bards of New-England-
Rev. Drs. SPRAGuE and Cox, with Profs. Wool
SET, KNIGHT and EAMEs. Our many readers re-
siding in and convenient to Brooklyn viii find these
Lectures replete with interest and Instruction.
% RALPH WALDO EMERSON delivers Course
OF Eight Lectures on TIE TINES at Boston,