The new era., 1909-07-15

3 ence hall should have been made ready for the oc
cupany of the Provincial assembly and the gov
1t ernors council virtually at the exact time "hen
lie the colonies of Great Britain in America began
III to feel their growing strength sufficiently to In
Is duce them to insist more than ever before upon
er right specially mindful OF their own III
rs terests 1t was only quarter of a century after
up i the "old Liberty Bell cast by patriotic ar
or NJ sans in this city that 1t used to gather the
OBJ people to hear the proclamation. by order OF the
congress- of the absolute political sep
i a aration the 13 colonies from the mother coun
try. The house sheltered not only the
to continental congress during many critical ses
e sions but also the council of the feder
It United states the constitutional con
med vention of 1887 the supreme court OF the Unteo
this States and the provincial and state legislature
the of Pennsylvania in that long period of the con-
ception. birth and infancy of the western repup
ming lic Every of any distinction whatever IN
aess that great epoch. from Andrew Hamilton and
20 to| BENJAMIN Franklin to Lafayette and Pulaski
rvice passed through lts portais. IL IS .e n ., M
Per ing witness of stupendous past, so stupendous
All indeed that hardly anything is more wonderful
rsee the absolute simplicity of the austere stage
wasl setting of those dramatic actions which indirectly
randi transformed the whole political world
thd William PENIS council of state first met in
that George Guests unfinished house near the louth
lou4 of Hck creek afterward called the Blue Anchor
aveA" Settlers at that time were living in
thd along the west bank of the Delaware riv-
"a Es er. 1t is also supposed to have met in the
etan swedes' church at Wicaco, down the river and
n IND in William PENIS house in Laeta court, the
ns fol which stands in Fairmount park until
or I'd it removed to the state house in 1747 me
hd Provincial assembly probably sat in the nrst
rrn rough meeting house erected for the worship OF
frod Friends shortly after Penns arrival and then IN
cre1 the later Front street known as the BANK
rs affecting house. But it also sat elsewhere some
an 4tmes in houses that erected for private use
tn 1t in January, 1929, that the assembly,
h1awake finally to the need of suitable provincial
Ike sdcapito $4,000 ($10,OO0), toward its cost
ex1an appropriated the out of an issue OF pa
evenaper money which it had just authorized Wllam
deaqAllen who afterward one of Ph1ladelpha
is 4nost famous mayors and became a justice OF the
rein Supreme court acted the agent of the province
harsfn the purchase of the lots of ground on Chest
,itchfut street. from Fifth Sixth, and extending
halfway back toward Walnut street, which
Iormed the chosen site. 1t not until lf69 that
lhe remainder of the square acquired. Dr.
, earsey, the architect of Christ church, aspired
also to design the state house, and is SAID TO nave
T.. leen dsgruntled because he was not permitted 10
IN oF So Thomas Lawrence. Andrew Hamilton ana
ptt1ittee ''''' |'''''''N
md The main structure minus the great tower
e Ahch had not yet been built was in a rough
s4ate when, in September, 1886, William Allen'
OF pe mayor. gave banquet and frolic In the Long
hd3om In the second story which was to be tne
TO uene Of SO many later revelries and soemnitfes
are 4 we'll.
Public contractors diatory in those days
e ''I IN thSRe, and 1t not until 1745 that tne
has1om OF @e assembly In the state house was com
ans fted 1t Is curious to note that 1t was heated
hat time by means of two open stoves, al