Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-10-25


was chairman of The committee 81
architects having charge Of the work.
Then followed the delivery OF tho
building 10 the city By the president
" the Philadelphia Chapter of the
American Institute Of Architects John
Hail Rankin, and its acceptance BY
the city.
The Grafton BY Speaker Champ
Clark and the address OF President
Wilson. who stood on the roslrum 81
the house whore Washington delit-
cred his farewell address. followed
The exercises were closed with the
singing 81 another patriotic song aud
the pronouncement Of the benedlc-
tion by the chaplain OF she United
States senate, the Rev. Forrest j..
Pretlyman.
a. the ceremonies came 20 an end
a salute of twenty-one guns was fired
by the warships IN the Delaware
river.
Congress hall Is two-story. shin
Ele-roofed building. II stands on che
southeast corner OF sixth and Chest
nut streets. or IN other words. IN the
northwest corner OF independence
square no the east Of Il Is tndepen-
dence Hail
The building was constructed for
county purposes. Two different
funds were raised 90 cover the ex-
ponsc. In colonial days II was the
custom for the mayor of Philadelphia
when going out Of office 20 give n
banquet Instead OF doing this one
OF the mayors contributed tho cost
Of the feast. i5O pounds to the build
Ing fund for the new county hall
The other money used IN It's construc-
tlon came from the sale OF an old
Jail and workhouse. Gangs 81 con-
vlcts known then as "wheelbarrow-
men began liz construction IN 1897
and n was completed in 1883.
ON March 4. 1899. the assembly ~
acting for the county
OF Philadelphia. rendered the use OF
the building az the temporary home
Of congress. Congress. which was
meeting then IN New York. after
much debate fixed the permanent lo-
cation OF the national government ON
the banks Of the Potomac, ana phil
adoiphia, mainly through the efforts !
" Robert Morris and 20 the disap-
pointment OF New York. was decided |
upon az the scat OF government for
Ten years. On December g.. 1890, |
he third session OF the First congress /
met In the hall, the first speaker Of |
he house Of Representatives being I
Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg. 4
Seorgc Washington was iuauguratod i
In the hail ON March 4. i793. and IN |
ID hc delivered his farewell address.
John Adams was lnaugurated as the
second president OF the United states
within It's walls and Thomas Jeffer-
son was there sworn In as vice presl-
Dent
While congress sat IN the hall the
United states mint ana the United |
states bank were established; Yer
mont, Kentucky and Tennessee were
admitted To the union; the army and
navy we're reorganized on "A pcrma-
lent basis. Jays historic treaty with
was considered aud ratified;
he whiskcy Instruction was sup
pressed. the wars with sthe Indians
we're successfully conducted by Iiar-
mar. 81. clair and Wayne the brief
var with France was undertaken. and
within its walls was oicially am
tho death of George wash
ngton In 1893.
Congress Ohc first session Of the
.iNthl, sat In the hall for the last
lime on May -. 1900. The last act
II the senate was 90 request tho pres
dent To instruct tho attorney general
% prosecute william Duane. editor Of
ne Aurora, for defamatory libel
committee of congress recon-
nendod an appropriation OF $780,
100 60 Philadelphia as compensation
or the ton years' use Of the build.
ng. but the expenditure was never
authorized After congress vacated
I, the han was used by the courts
ma the voices OF an Of the famous
Philadelphia lawyers rang through It's /
oomS. The building was abandoned /
~ the courts In 1895 since which L
Tine several colonial societies have
used II as headquarters. Tho struc
ure was twice threatened by fire. In
S2l and in 1851, but little damage