Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-07-10
[From the Monthly Rainbow.
OLD INDEPENDENCE HALL.

try. none equals in interest the State House
or, as it is now more generally styled, "In-
dependence Hail.
This venerable building was commenced
in 1929 and completed in 1884. The ar
chitect who furnished the plan of the edi-
fee was DR.. John Kearsely, who also drew
that of Christ Church, where Washington
worshipped, when resident of Philadel-
phia. E. Wooley was the builder. In its
first construction, it is stated, no place was
assigned for the stairs, and to remedy the
mistake, the great stairway was made so
disproportionate. The original cost of the
building was f5,6OO.
In l774, the base of the woodwork Of
the steeple being found in a state Of decay,
it was deemed advisable to take it down,
and only a sma belfry was left to cover
the bell for the use OF the town clock
Thus it remained until 1928, when new
steeple was erected as much like the for
mer as circums,a ,ances would admit. With
in this s,ceple there is now an excellent
clock, the four da plates being Of ground
glass. At night these plates are illumna-
ted. The hours are struck on heavy
clear-loned bell
On bright Summer day, the panoram
ic views of the city, from this steeple are
exceedingly diversified and beautiful-the
bright waters of the Delaware sparkling in
the sunlight and whitened with CANVAS
the iomes, spires, cupolas, turrets, and
towers--the green lovely squares--the IN
Vulnerable lines of brick and stone build
ings, with here apd there fresh green trees
peeping up towards the blue canopy--i,ese
together with the bustling crowds in the
streets, present scenes far different from
those which might have been witnessed
with the aid of balloon) from the same
height and the same locality in 1877. when
a ship. on her first cruise from England to
burlington, veering in here, "siruck the
trees with her sails and spars." The site
of he present beautiful apd prosperous city
OF Philadelphia, was at that time described
ok Ii is stated, however, that the pas
sengers on board this vessel, as soon as
they saw this charming site. exclaimed,
"Wiat fine place for town. Ii was un-
doubtedly, even at that time, the finest por-
ton Of the immense domain of forty thou
sand square miles which Penn received as
an equivolant for claims due 10 his father
The east room of the first story Of the
Old State House is now very appropriately
called the "dall Of Independence" The
west room has been for many years occu-
pied by the Court Of Common Pleas Tie
east room of the second story is convent
emily fitted up for the Select Council The
former was the Senate Chamber of the firsi
Congress: in the latter. the Committees OF
Congress IN l776, met to prepare their va
rious reports. The Lobby" on this floor,
(which at that time extended the entire
length of the whole building east of the
landing) Immediately after the Battle of
Brandywlne, was fitted up as temporary
hospital for those who were wounded in the
fight. This same Lobby" too, subse-
quently served as prison for the Ameri-
can officers who were captured at the Bat
tie Of Germantown. The whole Of this sto-
ry was for many years leased by the Gene
raj Government, and used for the sttngs
of the United States Circuit and District
Courts for the Eastern District of Pernsvl-
vania. l. WAS also ON this floor, we NAV
here add, where the Convention which met
to form the Federal Constitution held lis
Its sessions, the street pavement along
Chestnut street having been covered with
earth to silence II c rafting of wheels.
When the regular sessions Of the Penn
sylvania Assembly were held in the State
House, the Senate occupied this floor and
the lower house the Hall Of Independence.
These halls Of legislation and litigation
We're not, however, always restricted to
grave deSate and legal rule; but they were
occasionally devoted to joyous banqueting,
on which occasions the long tables "groan-
ed' with fat and sweet things; to say moth
lng Of strong and fiery waters. Some of
these fast fcaslings are recorded by Mr.. |
Watson, in his "Annals," among which
are the following:
In 1876, soon after the ediGce was COM
Plcied, William Allan, the Mayor, made
least mt his own expense. TO which all stran-
gers of note were invited This was de-
scrlbed as "the most elegant entertainment
ever given in these parts
In 1866 the Assembly then in session,
on occasion of the arrival of the new Gov
ernor Denny, gave him great dinner, at
which were present "the civil and military
officers and clergy ofthe city,"
And. in 1774, when the first Congress