Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-10-26
old congress HALL DEDICATED
WITH IMPRESSIVE Ceremonies
High Officials Speak in Old
Building llIIIlII Of Historic
Memory

Philadelphia, Oct. 25.-Congress
hall In independence Square, the
building where Congress met from
1890 10 1909, was rededcated today
after having undergone restorations
to almost its original appearance. The
president of the United States, the
vice president, the chief justice and
associate justices Of she supreme
court Of the United States, members
Of the senate and house Of represent
tatives, ambassadors from foreign
lands; governors of the original tlir-
teen states, and leading, citizens of
Pennsylvania and Philadelphia parti.
cipated In the ceremonies.
Philadelphia, as 1t has on many oc.
casions when patriotic ceremonies
were held at the historic square, prac.
tically.-took q holiday. The. spectacu
lar of the celebration was q big par
ade, in which was represented the two
arms OF the national military service,
the Pennsylvania national guard and
patriotics societies whose members
are descendants of those who helped
either on the field OF battle or in
legislative halls to found the Ameri-
can government.
Wilson And Clark Speak.
The exercises included an address
by President wilson and the orator
ufs tie das, Jliaalnp Clark, & speaher'
Of the national house OF representa-
.tives. .'es. NJ !, .,s,.s 81 ~
President Wiison arrived here in
the early afternoon and was officially
welcoed by a large e'reception commit
tee composed of some of the leading
men of the city. With the president
came Vice President Marshall, Speak.
er Clark, Chief Justice White and sey.
eral associate justices, senators from
the thirteen original states, and mem.
Ders Of the house Of representatives
equal to tae number of members sit
ting in congress in the latter part of
1899 and, the beginning of 1900. Am
bassadors and ministers of European
and South American countries who
had accepted invitations were In the
Washington party as were also the
chaplains Of the senate and house.
Luncheon was served at the Belle
vue'Stratford hotel at which were
present the president and vice presi-
dent, all the other invited guests
from Washington, the governors of a
number of states, and the several
committees having charge Of the
ceremonies.
-. -
After the, luncheon came the par
ade with President Wilson near the
lead of the lines. In the procession
were all the sailors and marines sta
toned at the. Philadelphia navy yard: I
four companies OF coast artillery from
Fort de- Pont and Fort Mott on the
Delaware, river. a provisional brigade
Of the PENNSYLVANIA national guard;
the Philadelphia cavalry commands at
tached to the state militia and the
patriotic societies. The parade ,
wound its way through the business
section Of the city to Independence
Square, whence Presidest Wilson was
escorted to Congress Hall. He was /
attended by the first troop, Philadel-
phia cavalry, which has escorted every
president who has visited Philadel-
phia since the tie Of George Washing
ton.
As the president approached the his
toric hall chorus of one hundred
voices greeted the nations chief exc
cutive with a patriotic song. Brass
bands blared forth stirring music and
the great crowd Of people massed IN
and about the square cheerel.
The old building is small, having a
width of fifty feet and a denth Of
about seventy-fve feet. For this rea-
son onlv 750 persons. could be crowd.
ed on tae nrst hoor where the lower
house OF congress met. The senate
held its sessions on the second floor. {,
During the xeercises today President
Wilson sat in the chair, occupied by,t,
John Hancock when he presided over
the continental congress at the stgn-.
ing of the Declaration. of Indepen-
dence. It was the first time the chair
had been used since President Grant
requested the privilege OF sitting in it
IN 1876.
Hall Columbia.
The invocation was delivered BY
Rev. Henry n. Couden. D. D.. the chap
lain Of the house of representatives at
wAshinkton. This was followed ~
tAs sing.nk o. HAL. Columbia
Frank Miles DAY, Of Philadelphia,
read, . brief statement concerning the
restoration d the building. Mr.. Day
was chairman 4 Of the committee OF
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