The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-25
Is Celebrated in Elaborate and
Patriotic Manner.
PRESIDENT WILSON is THERE
With the Governors of the
Original Is States.
Speaker Champ Clark Is Orator
of the Day.


hall in Independence square. the
building where congress met from
1890 to 1900, was rededicated today
after having undergone reservations to
almost its original appearance. The
president of the United States, the
vice president, the chief justice and
associate justices of the supreme court
of the limited States, members of the
Sa,ata and house of representatives,
onobassadOrs from foreign lands, gov
arnors of the original thirteen states
and leading citizens OF PehnsSlN et ~.
and Philadelphia participated IN the
ceremonies. ,- 90,
Philadelphia, as it has on many oc-
casions when patriotic ceremonies
were held at the historic SQUARE
practically took a holiday me spec
tacular feature of the celepratoI MaS
a big parade in which was represent
ed the two arms of the national mill
tarv service, the Pennsylvania ma
tionaI guard and patriotic socletles
whose members are descendants o.
those who helped either on the heIu
of battle or in legislative mains W
found the American government
The exercises included an ADDRESS
nv President Wilson and the orator VI
the day was Champ Clark, speaker ol
the national house OF represents e.
The Washington Party.
president wilson dTIlNSh AANAN
the early afternoon and was oflclally
'oIoo-,ed nv a large reception COM
Toittee composed of the leading men
of the city With the presluent caIilc
Vice President Marshall, SPeaher
clark, Chief Justice Whlte anu seN
oraI associate justices, senators from
The thirteen original states, and mem
bers of the house of representatives
equal to the number of members SIT.
ting in congress in the latter par. ol
1893 and the beginning OF loou. ~.
bassi doris and ministers OF European
and South American countries VINO
had accepted invitations were IN tne
Washington party, as were al9o '
chaDlains of the senate ana mousse.
luncheon was served at the Belle-
- C+ratford hotel, at which were
present the president and vice presl-
dent. all the other invited guests from
Washington, the governors OF null
Der of states. and the seVeral coI,l--
,,,it+ees having charge of the cere-
monies. +1,, de
After the luncheon came the para
with President Wilson near the hedu
of the line. In the procession were on
the sailors and marines statloneu d.
the philadelphia navy yard; four corn
,1arias of coast artillery from Fort du
Pont and Fort Mott on the Delaware
river; a provisional brigade OF tne
PENNSYLVANIA National Guard. the PM
adelphia cavalry commands attached 10
the state militia and the patrlotlc So
cieties The parade wound It's way
through the business section OF the
city to Independence square. whence
President Wilson was escorted to Con-
gress hall He was attended by the
First troop, Philadelphia city cavalry
which has escorted every president VINO
has visited Philadelphia since the time
of George Washington.
Cheers for Wilson.
AS the president approached the ms
toric hall a chorus of 100 voices greeted
tho nations chief executive with a
patriotic song. Brass bands blared
forth stirring music and the great
crowd of people massed in and about
the square cheered-
The old building is small, having
width of 80 feet and a depth of about
as feet For this reason only $50 per
sons could be crowded on the first floor
where the lower house of congress met
The senate held it's sessions on the sec
ond floor During the exercises today
President Wilson sat in the chair oc-
cupied by John Hancock when he pre-
sided over the Continental congress at
the signing of the Declare ton of indie
pendence 1t was the first time the
chair had been used since President
Grant requested the privilege of sit
ting in it in 1876.
The Invocation was delivered by Rev
Henry r. COuueHI u L., the ChapletAil
of the house of representatives at
Washington. This was followed by the
singing of Hail Columbia
Frank Miles Day, of Philadelphia,
read a brief statement concerning the
restoration of the building. Mr.. Day
was chairman of the committee of
architects. having charge of the work.
Then followed the delivery of the
building TO the city by the president
of the Philadelphia chapter of the
American institute of architects, John
Hall Rankin, and its acceptance by the
city.
The Grafton by Speaker Champ Clark
and the address of President Wilson.
who stood on the rostrum of the house
where Washington delivered his fara-
well address, followed.
Salute from Warships
The exercises were closed with the
singing of another patriotic song and
the pronouncement of the benediction
by the chaplain of the United States
senate. the Rev. Forrest ]. Prettyman.
AS the ceremonies came to an end a
salute of twenty-one guns was fired by
the warships in the Delaware river.
Congress hall is a two-story. shingle-
rooted building. It stands on the
southeast corner of Sixth and Chest
nut streets or in other words. in the
northwest corner of Independence
square. To the east of it is Independ-
ence 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 a banquet. Instead Of
doing this one of the mayors contrib
uted the cost of the feast, $50 pounds,
to the building fund for the new coun-
ty hall. The other money used in its
construction came from the sale of an
old Jail and workhouse- Gangs of con-
victs known then as ''wheelbarrow-
men, began its construction in 1877