The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-18

by the appropriations for the ''Palace"
and for its maintenance; and that Tryon
merely gratified his vanity, and made an
elegant monument TO his taste and politi-
cal influence, at the expense of the colony,
and also of his personal honor in chang
ing the plan of province house to that
Of palace worthy the residence Of a
prince of the blood.
From the Colonial Record we learn that
the palace" was first mentioned in 1866.
and that during the same year bill passed
the Legislature appropriating some five
thousand pounds for it's erection. In
January of the following year Tryon
writes the Earl of Shelburne saying:
The act for erecting an edifce for the
Governor and his successor was carried
by great majority in the Assembly.
The money appropriated for the house
and offices will be short of the expense
of erecting them. The public have en-
trusted this building to my care and
MANAGEMENT, and | have contracted
with Mr.. Hawks to superintend this work.
He agrees to finish it in three years from
the laying of the first brick which will
be in May next | shall send as soon as
possible, the plan and elevation Of this
house fer His Majestys appreciation.
John Hawks, the contractor above re-
ferred to, was Moor from Malta, who
had been educated in England. His
salary was six hundred dollars per year.
The contract was made in 1867, brick
and material were imported from Eng
land, and in the same year the work was
begun.
By hard work and intrigue each sue
ceeding Legislature was induced omake
appropriations, until, in the year 1870,
Tryon writes to Lord Hillsboro: "The
palace being in such forwardness as to
afford me residence, | am just removed
into it from Brunswick The whole
structure, ] am in expectation, will be
completed by next Christmas. | still
wish furniture may be obtained and
precedent cease to be bar to so well
directed liberality."
The accompanying picture was made
by j. B. LOSING, from the original draw
ings which were in possession of Rev.
Francis Hawks, grandson of the archi-
tect, and rector of Calvary Church, New
York. The main or centre building is
the palace, and contained the Leg
islatiVe halls, and public rooms
for government use. By contract it was
TO be 1.-TWO stories high, of brick, eighty
feet front and fifty nine feet deep" The
building on the right was the secretary's
Office and laundry, while that on the left
served for the kitchen and servants
quarters. Covered, curved colonnades
| of five columns each connected the wings
an0 palace proper, and the rear accord
ing to the picture, but really the 'front.'
was finished in the style of the mansion
house in London. The third story shown
in the plate was omitted and the roof,
surrounded by parapet walls with a
balustrade, was made fiat for prone
made and had a aquarium on it,
Ebenezer Hazard, Postmaster Gene al
of the United States, visited the palace
in 1777, and writing of it, says:
Upon entering the street door you
enter a hall in which are four inches
for statues all nicely wrought. The
chimney breasts for the Council
chamber, dining hall and drawing
room, and the cornices of these rooms
were all of white marble. The chimney
breast of the first was most elaborate;
being ornamented by two Doric columns
and four columns with beautiful entab-
lature architrave and prize. Over the
inner door of the entrance hall, or ante
chamber, was tablet with an inscrip-
ton showing that the palace was dedi-
Gated to Sir William Draper, the con
querer of Manila; also the following lines
by Draper himself who was at the time
on visit to Tryon:
| "Rege po felix diris inimica tyrannis,
| VIRTUE has aedes liberia terra dedit
/ Sfnt domus ct domfnus
Hic artes, mores, jura legssque colant."