The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-14

1916, the convention began its session. clos
ing its work on the 18th of the same month.
CONSTITUTIONAL ELM.
The sittings of this convention made fam
Gus wonderful tree, which is standing in
all its grandeur to-day. Most of the meet
ings were held under the shade of a gil
gantic elm the banks of Big Indian
creek, several hundred feet northwest of
the old Statehouse. The Constitutional
Elm" spreads its branches 12i feet from
tip to tip, and to-day is greatly priced by
the people of Corydon.
Soon after the convention elections were
held and Jonathan Jennings was elected
Governor, Christopher Harrison lieutenant
governor, and William Hendricks member
of Congress. The first session of the Leg
islature of the State of Indiana was held
at Corydon on Nov 4, 1916. Isaac Black
ford was elected speaker of the House.
The next notable event in the history of
the State was the founding of Indianap-
oils. At its session in 1920 the Legislature
appointed ten commissioners to make
selection of lands. In May of the same
year the commissioners met at the house
of William Conner on the west fork of
White river, in what is now Hamilton
county, for the purpose of selecting site
for the capital. In their report to Governor
Jennings they enumerated the reasons fer
choosing the site finally settled upon. The
chief reasons being the fertile soil it was
on the west fork of White river, then d
navigable stream; it was in the center OF
the State and in the future would be the
central point of all political action. How
true was the reasoning of these commits
sioners has been amply demonstrated On
June the site was formally selected. 1t
was confirmed at the next session of the
Legislature and the name Indianapolis
was given to the new city to be built in the
wilderness. The new town was laid of and
lots ordered sold, but the Capitol not
moved from Corydon until 1925.
When the city was laid off and declared
to be the capital of the State the Legisla-
ture gave TO the county a plot of ground
on which to erect a courthouse and had
appropriated $500 toward the erection of
a building condition that the State
should have the right to use the building
for a meeting place of the Legislature Tor
the period of fifty years. But the State
grew so rapidly that the necessity for
building of its own soon became plainly
apparent. In 1882 the sum of $5S,000 was ap-
propriateo for the erection of a Statehouse.
1t completed in time for the session
of the Legislature in 1885, Prior to this
time the Legislature had been holding its
meetings in the Marion county courthouse
NEW STATEHOUSE.
The old Statehouse was erected on what
is now Square So of the city of Indianapolis,
and was used until work was commenced
on the present Capitol.
But again the State grew so fast that it
was found after forty years that a new
Capitol was a necessity. An act of the
Legislature, approved March IA, 1877, made
it the duty of the Governor TO appoint four
Statehouse commissioners, two from each
of the leading political parties of the State.
who together with the Governor, should
constitute the Board of Statehouse Com
missioners. Each commissioner gave a
bond of $4,000 for the faithful performance
of duty, in addition TO taking oath.
The cost of the building was not to ex-
coed 81 900, and the Governor, James d.
Williams, appointed John Love and Thomas
A. Morris, of indianapolis; Isaac d. G.
Nelson. of Fort Wayne. and William R.
Mexican, of Terre Haute. These met at
indianapolis May "a. 1871 and were duly
organized as a board. The board secured
the services of Francis d. Lee, of St. Louis,
as expert architect: Major Jared A. Smith,
United States Engineer Corps. civil
gineer. and Francis d. Allen of Evansville,
as expert builder. Twenty-four plans were
examined by these men and the board, and
the plan submitted by Edwin May, of In
dianapolis under the motto 'Lucidus
Ordo," was adopted. The bid was given to
Kanmacher & Denig, who underbid all by
S64 g.SS. The first work commenced Oct.
2 1878. The cornerstone was laid Sept. Is,
1880. The building was completed Oct. 2,
1883, at a total cost of 81, $50 is, and bear
ing the distinction of being the only cap
itol in the United States built within the
appropriation for the purpose.
The total length of the Statehouse, south
to north. through the center. is 1876 feet;
the width, east and west, 2s3 feet. The
height of the first story is 20 feet: OF the
second story. 20 feet inches; of the third
story. 16 feet inches; of the dome, 235 feet.
The building is fireproof.