The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-07-03

ence hall should have been made ready for the oc
cupany of the Provincial assembly and the gov
ernor's council virtually at the exact time wnen
the colonies of Great Britain in America began
to feel their growing strength sufficiently to IN
duce them to insist more than ever before upon
the right be specially mindful OF their own IN
terests. 1t was only quarter OF century a1ter
the "old Liberty Bell" was cast by patriotc ar
tisans in this city that 1t used to gather the
people to hear the proclamation, by order OF the
continental congress- of the absolute political sep
aration of the 13 colonies from the mother coun-
try The state house sheltered not only the
continental congress during many critical ses-
sons but also the supreme council OF the feder-
alton of the United States. the constitutional con-
vention Of 1887 the supreme court OF the United
States and the provincial and state legislature
of PENNSYLVANIA in that long period OF the con-
ception, birth and infancy Of the western repub-
lic Every man of any distinction whatever IN
that great epoch. from Andrew Hamilton and
BENJAMIN Franklin to Lafayette and Pulaski,
passed through its portals 1t is the silent survtv-
ing witness of stupendous past. SO stupendous
indeed that hardly anything is more wonderful
than the absolute simplicity of the austere stage
setting of those dramatic actions which Indirectly
transformed the whole political world
William Penn's council of state first met in
George Guests unfinished house near the l-outh
of Dock creek, afterward called the Blue Anchor
tavern" Settlers at that time were living in
caves along the west bank of the Delaware riv-
er. 1t is also supposed to have met In the
Swedes' church at Wicaco down the river and
in William Penns house in Laetitia court, the
same which stands in Fairmount park. until
It removed to the new state house in 1747. The
Provincial assembly probably sat in the first
rough meeting house erected for the worship Of
Friends shortly after PENIS arrival and then in
the later Front street known as the Bank
Meeting house. But 1t also sat elsewhere some
times in houses that were erected for private use
It was in January, 1929, that the assembly,
awake finally to the need of a suitable provincial
capitol voted $4,000 ($10000), toward its cost
and appropriated the same out OF an issue OF pa
per money which it had just authorized. William
Allen who was afterward of Phfadelphtas
mJst famous mayors and became justice of the
supreme court, acted as the agent of the province
in the purchase of the lots Of ground on Chest
nut street, from Fifth to Sixth, and extending
halfway back toward Walnut street. which
formed the chosen site. 1t not until 1853 that
the remainder of the square was acquired Dr.
Kearsley, the architect of Christ church, aspred
also to design the state house. and is said to have
been disgruntled because he not permitted to
do SO. Thomas Lawrence. Andrew Hamilton and
Dr. John Kearsley composed the building COM
mittee.
The main structure, minus the great tower.
which had not yet been built, in rough
state when, in September, 1876. William Allen,
the mayor, gave a banquet and frolic in the Long
room in the second story which was to be the
scene of so many later revelres and solemnities
as we'll.
Public contractors were dilatory In those days
as in these, and 1t was not until 1745 that the
room Of the assembly in the state house was com
1t that time by means Of two open stoves. al