New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-26

Let us feel at every turn the compul-
sions of r-inciple and of honor which
they felt"
Speaker Clark. who preceded the
President, made a patriotic speech, in
which he said that if the political CAL
endar had saint days, the Fourth Of
July would be known as Saint Jefferson
Day.
Speaks at College, Too.
From Congress Hall the President
went by train TO Swarthmore College,
short distance from Philadelphia,
where he spoke briefly at the annual
Founders Day exercises Of the insti-
tuition. Governor Tener, Of Pennsyl-
vania, also spoke.
The President returned to Philadel-
phia a few minutes before o'clock
tonight. and left Immediately for Mo-
bile. Ala, where he addresses the
Southern Commercial Congress on
Monday.
reception by a great crowd when he
arrived The railroad station was
packed 20 its capacity and the streets
about it were dense with people. He
was welcomed by a reception com
nittee headed by Mayor Blankenburg,
and after luncheon at a hotel was
driven through crowded streets TO Con-
gress Hall. in Independence Square.
The President and Speaker Clark were
the principal speakers at the exercises.
John Wanamaker presided.
Rain. which fell during the morning
hours and continued internationally in
the afternoon, did not interfere with
the patriotic exercises.
AS the President approached the his
toric hall a chorus of one hundred
voices greeted him with patriotic
song. Brass brands blared forth stir
ring music. and the great crowd OF
people massed in and about the square
cheered.
TIVE nty- one Guns Fired.
The old building is small. having a
width Of fifty feet and depth of about
seventy-hve feet. For this reason only
100 persons could be crowded on the
first floor, where the lower house Of
Congress met. The Senate held its
sessions on the second floor During
the exercises to-day President Wilson
sat in the chair occupied by John Han
cock when he presided over the Con-
tinental Congress at the signing of
the Declaration Of independence. 1t
was the first time the chair had been
used since President Grant requested
the privilege of sitting in it in 1876.
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, shingie
rooted building. 1t stands on the south
east corner of 9Th and Chestnut streets,
or, in other words, in the northwest
corner of independence Square. To the
east OF it Is Independence Hall.
The building was constructed for
county purposes. Two different funds
were raised to cover the expense. In
Colonial days II was the custom for the
Mayor Of Philadelphia when going out
of office to give a dinner. Instead of
doing this one of the mayors contrib
uted the cost of the feast. $50. to the
building fund for the new county Jail.
The other money used in its con-
struction came from the sale of an old
Jail and workhouse. Gangs Of convicts,
known then as "wheelbarrow men," be-
gan its construction in 1857, and ii was
completed in 1889.
On March 4, 1879, the Assembly for
Pennsylvania, acting for the county OF
Philadelphia, rendered the use of tie
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
the national government on the banks
Of the Potomac. and Philadelphia,
mainly through the efforts of Robert
Morris and to the disappointment Of