The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-26

! where Washington delivered his fare
well address. followed.
The exercises were closed with the
singing of another patriotic song and
! the pronouncement of the bcnediction
/ by the chaplain OF 'he United States
Senate. the Rev Forrest J. Pretty
man.
AS the ceremonies came TO an end
salute OF twcnty-one guns was fired
by the warships in the Delaware River
Congress Hall is u two story. shin
gle-roofcd building. IT stands on the
southeast corner OF Sixth and Chest
nut Streets: or. in other words. in the
Square. To the east OF il is Indcpen-
denCc Hall.
The building was constructed for
county purposes. Two different funds
were raised to cover the expense. In
Colonial days it was the custom for
the Mayor of Philadelphia when going
out OF office, TO give banquet. In
stead OF doing this one of the Mayors
contributed the cost of the feast $50
pounds, TO the building fund for the
new county hall The other money
used in its construction came from the
sale of an old Jail and workhouse.
Gangs Of convicts. known then cas-
wheelbarrowmcn." begun It's construc-
tion IN 1857, and il was completed in
1883
ON March !. 1889. the Assembly Of
Pennsylvania acting for the County
of Philadelphia, rendered the use ot
the building as the temporary home Of
Congress. Congress. which was meet
ing then in New York. after much de-
bate, fixed the permanent location of
thc national government on the banks
Of the Potomac; and Philadelphia,
mainly through the efforts OF Robert
Norris and 10 the isappointmcnt of
b ha
seat of government for ten years. on
December &. 1890. the third session of
the First Congress met in the hall, the
first Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives being Frederick augustus
Muhlcnbcrg.
George washington was inaugurated
in the hall Gu March !. 1898, and in
il he delivered his farewell address.
john Adams was inaugurated as the
second President of the United States
within its walls, and Thomas Jefrer-
son was there sworn in as Nice-Presi-
dent.
While Congress sat in the hall, the
United States Mint and the United
States Bank were establishes, Yer
mont kentucky and Tennessee were
admitted to the Union, the army and
navy were reorgani2cd on :: permanent
basis; Jays historic treaty with Eng
land was considered and ratified: the
Whlskey InSurreCtion was suppressed :;
the wars with the Indians were sue
cessively conducted by Harmar. -.
Clair and wayne: The brief war with
France WAS Undertaken, and within
its walls was officially announced the
death Of George Washington in 1893
Congress Cthe FIRST session OF the
SiXthJ. sat III the hall for the last
time on May IL, 1900. The last act Of
the senate WAS 10 request the Presi-
dent 20 instruct the Attorney General
TO prosecute William Duane editor of
the Aurora, for defamatory libel
\ committee OF Congress recommend
ed AN appropriation OF 100000 10
Philadelphia. as compensation for the
Ten years use of the building, but the
expenditure was never authorized
After Congress vacated il. the hall was
used by thc courts. ana the voices OF
all Of The famous Philadelphia law
yeis rang through It's rooms. The
building was abandoned b. the courts
IN 1898. since which time several Co
ionial societies have used it as ,.ead-
quarters. The structure was twice
Threatened hy nae, III 1871 and In 1851,
but little damage was done