Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-08-04
PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
PENN MANOR HOTEL,

Ed. Tet:-We, that is my wife,
lady friend and myself, reached here
last night, by the way of Washing
ton. As yet have had but little
time to look around, but a great
plenty to sweat. This latter com
plant is so prevalent that nearly all
visitors have left the city. The
heat is oppressive.
This morning, as a fitting place
to start, visited Independence Hall.
Its history, long and full of interest,
is briefly told in this inscription,
copied from one of the walls in the
hall. 1t is without punctuation, on
ly as indicated:
''This building commenced 1872 A. U.
G. 30 Andrew Hamilton Architect and
Legislative Assembly of Pennsylvania
1876 1899 The Supreme Court 1743 to 1775
The Congress of the Union 1775 to 1871
Peasles Museum 1902 to 1928 The Coun-
ellis of Philadelphia from consolidation of
the liberties 1854. ?"
The brick of which the Hall was
built were brought from England,
the ed1fce cost 5000 pounds ster-
ling. You pass beneath its door
way into the hall and feel that you
are on hallowed ground. Here came
Washington, the Adamses, Hancock,
Jefferson, Franklin, Morris, all the
fathers of the Republic-and took
council, and because their councils
were wise and their determination
answering, Philadelphia stretches
out over miles of territory to-day and
her nearly a million of people give
entertainment to the world; because
they fought and suffered, we are
free and happy.
Turning to the left of the hall you
enter Independence chamber, it is
not large room, but is said to pre-
sent much the same appearance as
hundred years ago. The only i'm
portant change is the old wood floor
has given place to one of marble.
here are the table and chair ccou-
pied by John Hancock, President of
the Congress of 1776. The chairs
of many of the members also remain.
They are strongly made of wood,
with seat and arms covered with
leather. Here, in a case prepared
for the purpose, is the original declar-
alton of independence. 1t has been
so many times copied that the names
are nearly obliterated. In the same
case is the silver INK stand used in
signing the Declaration, and the
Constitution of the United States.
On the wall are many portraits of |
distinguished patriots, civil and mil |
itary, of the revolutionary period. |
Among these that of Washington is |
conspicuous. The chandelier which |
lighted the fathers in their nightly |
sittings, still hangs from the ceiling,
reminding one of the days !
of the tallow chandeliers, for |
there are no lamp fixtures connect
ed with it. They burned the "tal-
low dip" Several banners, with the
device of the serpent, and the motto:
"Don't tread on me-" are also to lie
seen.
Across the vesGbule from Inde-
pendence chamber, you enter the
"National Museum" a room the
same size as the other, into this are
being collected relicts of early and |
more modern history, hence its
name. Pictures of various kinds,
portraits of the Georges and other
English monarchs, nd of American
and French celebrity, are on the |
walls Old Independence Bell with |
its original hangings of heavy TIM
hers, has its appropriate place, and |
though it no longer rings, its tones |
are not dead. The manuscript of |
the firsgrayer in Congress; the or
iginal clsarter of the City of Philia- |
delphia, written by Penn himself; a
portion of the lightning rod put up
by Franklin, on the West mansion,
built in 1867; bed quilt pieced in
l745; the table on which Mason
wrote the bill Of rights of Va; the
drum beaten by George Esher, then
u years old, at the battle of Ger
mantown, and scores of other OBJ
iects of great interest are to be
found here.
Above are two large rooms, IN one
of which the Common Council Oh
Philadelphia meets, in the other the
City Council meets. There is no /
betierplace to begin the Centennial
survey than at independence Hall,
| think shall find it the place to
end one. a.s -ol ybeeJ Zri.lcc .ss--s.
The copying of another. inscription
must close these notes, 1t is found
at the first landing as you pass the