l^^o S /farrts i Sci^ utl Ph la ISSUED BY Tlie Commissioners forte [rection Of the Nev^PubucBuildings 1890. mnmissimiers for th \mim of i\\t : 3uWic iiultlinus TH E NEW City Hall PHILADELPHIA. •'861890 DIRECTORY OF Offices Occupied ; or Allotted and in Pro- cess OF Completion, with Diagrams OF Various Floors, And Other Miscellaneous Information Appertaining to the Building. OCTOBER 7. 1890. Printed for the Commissioners; 1890. Commissioners for tlie Erection of the Public Buildings. JANUARY 1, 1890. Wm. Brice, Isaac S. Cassin, Maiilon H. Dickinson, Edwin H. Fitler, ex officio, Mayor. Thomas E. Gaskill, James R. Gates, ex officio, President Select Couucil. Samuel C. Perkins, President John L. Hill, AViLLiAM M. Smith, ex officio, President Common Council. Hiram Mii.ler, Richard Peltz, William S. Stokley, William H. Wright, OFFICERS. President, Samuel C. Perkins. Secretary, AVilliam B. Land. Treasurer, John Bardsley. Solicitor, Samuel Pelt/. . T -. . fTbe late John McArthur, Jr. Architects, |j^^^^ q^^^ Successor. Superintendent of Construction, Wm. C. McPherson. STANDING COMMITTEES. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee consists of the President, ea'-oJ?c?o, with four members of the Commission, who rotate nionthly in the alphsi- betical order of their names. Heating and Ventilating. Mahlon H. Dickinson, CJnn. Isaac S. Cassin, Hiram Miller. Fitting Up and Furnishing Rooms. John L. Hill, Cli77i. Richard Peltz, Thomas E. Gaskill. Elevators. Richard Peltz, Chm. Isaac S. Cassin, Thomas E. Gaskill. Lightning Protection. President, Architect, Superintendent. Water Supply. Isaac S. Cassin, CJim. Wm. Brice, Wm. S. Stokley. Electric Lighting. President, Architect, Sih'erintendent. Tower. Samuel C. Perkins, President, Chairman. Isaac S. Cassin, William Brice. '■4 8 PHILADELPHIA. DirVTENSIONS OR BUILDING. From North to South 4Sf)ft. (Jin. From East to West 470 ft. Area 4)^ acres. Height of Main Tower 547 ft. 3^^ in. Width of Base 90 ft. Centre of Clock Face ."{(U ft. above pavemenl. Diameter of Clock Face 20 It. Height of Upper Balcony 296 ft. Number of Rooms in Building 7-^0 Total Amount of Floor-room is 14)^ acres. Height of each Centre Pavilion 202 ft. 103^ in. " corner Towers Kil ft. Basement Story IH ft. 3X in. " Principal Story 38 ft. « in. " Second Story 35 It. 7 in. " Third Storv, Centre Pavilions 26 ft. 6 in. Third Story, Wings 24 ft. 3 in. Third Story, Curt;iins 20 ft. 5 in. " Attic of Centre Pavilions 15 ft. " Attic of Corner Towers 13 ft. 6 in. " Crowning Statue 37 ft. " Figures on Centre Dormers 17 ft. 6 in. " Figures on corner Dormers 12 ft. 10 in COMRAR.ATIVE HKIGHXS OF THE PpineipExl Buildings in the WoMd. Washington Monument 550 ft. City Hall, Philadelphia .547 ft. SVg in . Cologne Cathedral 510 " Great Pyramid 4S0 " Strasburg Cathedral 468 " St. Peter's, Rome 4J8 " St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna 441 " Salisbury Cathedral . . 404 " Torcacio of Cremona 396 " FriburgCatiiedral 3h5 " Amiens Cathedral 3»3 " Ciuircl) of St. Peter, Hamburg 380" The Cathedral, Florence 376 " Hotel de Ville, Brussels 371 " Torre Asinelli, Bologna 370" St. Paul's, London 360 " Church of St. Isaac, St. Peter.-burg 336" Cathedral, Frankfort on ^Main 326 " Bell Tower, St. Mark's, Venice 323 " Hotel des Invalides, Paris 310 " U. S. Capitol, Washington . . 287 " Masonic Temple, Philadelphia 230 " ARRANOKIVIKNX — FOR — NUMBKRING THK ROOMS- The buildings from the exterior on each of the four fronts, exclusive of the centre and corner pavilions, present a base- ment story or ground floor, with three principal stories, the uppermost one being a mansard story. These stories, above the basement, are in portions divided by mezzanine or half- stories, which are specially to be noticed from the court-yard. The centre and corner pavilions rise above the adjacent wings and curtains, with attic stories; the corner pavilions being occupied by octagonal staircases. Including the sub-basement and the mezzanine stories, there are seven floors in the building, the rooms in each floor being on the same level. To each of these floors an even one hundred numbers have been assigned, commencing at the north entrance and following round the buildings to the east, south, and west fronts, and returning to the north entrance; twenty-five numbers being assigned for each quarter of the building. The rooms facing the streets will have the even numbers, and those overlooking the court- yard the odd numbers. Ihe numbers in each one hundred will be assigned to the rooms of corresponding numbers im- mediately above and below upon the other floors. Thus, for example, rooms numbered 40, 140, 2-10, 340, 440, 540 and 640 will be immediately one over the other. -^I- IDH^ECTO^Y OF OFFICES -r^ ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED. Nos. Board of Health — Chief Clerk, Health Officer, " " House Drainage Inspectors, Milk Inspectors, " " Nuisance Inspectors, " " Ketristration of Births, Deaths and Marriages, . Board of Revision of Taxes, . Clerk of Court of Quarter Sessions, Commissioners — City " Fairmount Park, " New Public Buildings, Controller, Courts — Common Pleas, No. 1, Room A, No. 1, Room B, No. 2, Room C, No. 2, Room D, No. 3, Room E, No. 3, Room F, No. 4, Room G, " No. 4. Room H, " Criminal (Princii)al) Court Room, '' Orphans' Court — Records, " Police Court Room, " Supreme Court Room, " Prothonotary, Department of Public Safety — Boiler Inspectors, *' " " Building Inspectors, " " " City Property Bureau, " " " Detective Bureau, " " Director, '" " " Electrical Bureau, " " " Superintendent of Police, Department of Public Works — Director " " " Highway Bureau, " " " Survey i3ureau. District Attorney, .... Grand Jury Room, Mayor, National Guard, Pa. — Headquarters, Police Matron, .... Register of Wills, .... Tax Office, . . Tax Office — Delinquent Taxes, AVater Rents, . Treasurer — City, .... Directory of Offices on First Floor. Nos. 10"2 Receiver of Taxes, General Office. 104 " " Chief Clerk. 10(3 " " Private Office. 108 Assessorsof Real Estate. 110 Delinquent Taxes. 112 114 Water Rents. IK) 12S Department Public Safety, Markets and City Property Store Room. loO Department Public Safety, Markets and City Property General Office. 134 City Commissioners, Pi'ivate Office. 136 " " General " 138 " " Clerks' '' 140 City Controller, Auditor's " -lAO ii" " »' " 144 " " " " 146 •' " General " 148 " " Private " 1()2 Register of Wills, Private 162 A " " State Appraiser. 164 " " Deputy's Office. 166 " '' Clerks' 168 " " Record Room. 170 " " Hearing " Nos. Ill Board of Revision of Taxes, Private Room. 113 '^ " '• Board 11.5 '• " " General Clerks' Room. 119 " " " Search 121 Ladies' Toilet Room. 127 Commissioners of Fairmount Park, Engineer and Su- perintendent. 129 Comuiissioners of Fairmount Park, Board Room. 133 City Treasurer's Clerks' Room. 143 " " General and Private Office. "Diagram of First Floor of the }^cw City -Hall Thila^olpbia. X o I- t Ix iforth Entrance ,r 190 1 192 _J Xoj'th 0_i II II A 100 A II II II II Tower H Court Yard 168 171 ^ 167 _._ f^ ISTj B 153 163 Open Area •§1 r Fro rn t H Corridor Ic in B 112 i t South Cori^idoi* fc 127 (^ 129 B 1 |l39 1+3 133 1 Open Ai'ea rr ^- 126 !»« , ,^r. South _1 South Entrance Front ISTO TE. A Stairrasps. C „ Ventilating Shafts. B Elevators. D Fubfic Toilet rooms. Directory of Offices on Second Floor. Nos. 210 Department Public Works, Director's Private Room. 212 " " " Clerks' Room. 214 Mavor's Clerks' Room. 216 '' Reception" 218 " Private " 280 Department Public Works, Licenses and Sewers. 232 " " " Chief Com. Highways. 234 " " " Street Cleaning. 236 '• " " Highway Com. Room. 240 242 " " " Boiler Inspector's Clerks. 244 Dept. Pub. Works, Boiler Inspector's Private Office. 246 Architect's Draughting Room. Temporary. 248 " Private " ' " 2o4 Court of Common Pleas, No. 2, Room C. 262 r Temporary Offices of the Commissioners for the Erec- 264 \ tion of the New Public Buildings. 266 Court of Common Pleas, No. 3, Room E. 280 " " " No. 4, Room G. Nos. 213 Department of Public Safetv. Clerks. 215 217 " " " 219 " " " . Director's Private Room. 221 " " " Director's Room. 225 " " '' Lieut's Hearinu" Room. 227 " " " Supt. of Police Clerks. 229 " " " " " Private. 243 Courtof Common Pleas, No. 1, Room B. 253 " " " No. 2, Room D. 275 " " " No. 3, Room F. 285 " " " No. 4, Room H. Note. — Eooms Nos. 230 to 248 inclusive a'e now in use temporarily. Nos. 230 to 242 having been allotted to the permanent oflftces of the Pro- thonotary of the Courts of Common Pleas, and Room No. 24fi to the Court of Common Pleas, No. 1, Room A. Diagram of^ccon^Floor of tfK Xqyj City Hall 9f)Ua5olpbia. NorO-i Entrarvc jSr o r t h 288 28S Kortlx 281 r DC A F "r o rL t Corridor .1] (c PF tn OpenAi'ea. "b! 23 7 P^ * '-Met f>pei\ Area [H S o nth Gorx'idLox S O T_t "t K- A 226 r r o IT. t bi isro TE. A staircases. C Ventilating Shafts. B — Elevators. D Public ToilH- rooms. 10 Directory of Offices on Third Floor. Nos. 310 Mayor's Office Store Room. 312 Survey Bureau " " 316 318 Nos. 313 Building Inspectors. 315 317 Boiler 319 321 Department of l'nl)lic Safety Police Station Supplies. 325 " " " Large Store Room. 327 " " " Store Room. 'i)iaijram ofThiv^Floorof the Xow City Hall T[)ilac)olpbia. • North North B A m 11 p63A|36lfe Open Area Tower T"" r o n I n (•oipidor- A B ^ :r. g] S o T 1 1 It C o j • r- i d o i • South •336 Front A Stuircasps. C _ Ventilalinfj S/ia/Ys. B Elevators. D Public Toilet rooinfi. 12 Directory of Offices on Fourth Floor. Nos. 406 Board of Highway Supervisors' Draughting Room 410 Registrar Survey Department City Plans 412 Registry Bureau 416 " " Assistant Engineer 418 " " Chief Engineer Sewers, Etc. 420 Board of Surveys Committee Room 450 Supreme Court Justices' Consuhation Room. 452 " " " Toilet Room. 454 " " Room. 456 " " Prothonotary's Office. 458 460 468 Law Library. 476 '• •' • 480 >^5 ^pq Diagram of Fourth Floor of the Xew City Hall 5^f)ila5(?lpbia. ¥ o r t K IT Fr on t No r- til Co r r i d O T bI 4-91 495 497 409 ^ 1 Tower h r 401 103J405i j 411 |b] 487 413 4-85 415 V A / 417 481 4-19 ~^ 477 ^ [c 421 473 425 ^^■ 471 a P 427 1-^ O 4B7 r 457j |_B_ 453 B 1 (4ffl 443 n 429 465 463 A ^''l 459 :jf^435 AJ433 •iSl Lc J cl 1 OpeTLArea A Open-Area B] 455 451 445 441 fB w Soia-t"h_ Corriciov IL S o 11 t Jx 444 4421440 -1 F 1^ O IT t T«^0 TE. A Staircases. C Veniilating Shafts. B Etevators. D Public Toilet- rooms. 14 DiRECTOEY OF OfP^ICES 0\ FiFTH FlOOR. Nos. 530 Orphans' Court Record Rooms. 582 " " " " 534 536 556 Supreme Court 558 560 Nos. 513 Board of Health Milk Inspector. 515 " " Re^^istration Bureau. 517 " " ' " 529 Detective Bureau. 531 533 535 537 Diagram of Fifth Floor of the Xm City Hall T[)ila5clpf)ia. N o r t h r r (.( n I X o !• t h ()i) rr i d or F 59c 1 .597 1 539 ^ L 501 5113 505 r B 587 Tower 5\:i 5H.-. 515 \ A y 517 581 A 577 C] [C g [c 521 575 525 571 527 567 r — T f^ 557| 1 B 553 B 1 [53a 543 -I 529 1 565 563 A 561 sS 537 5'^'' A SM 5il Lc J ^ 1 pen Area A Open A ve i SoutK Corrido: S o LL 1- K Jl t^l'O Tl L A staircases. C Veniilatiny Shafts. B Eleva to rs. D Pa blic Toilet ro oms. 16 Directory of Offices on Sixth Floor. Nos. 610 Board of Health, Chief Clerk. 612 " " Clerks' Room. 616 " " Board Room. 618 Electrical Bureau, Chief's Priv. Room. 620 " " Clerks' Room. 626 " " Operatino; Room. 628 " " Inspectors' Room. 630 Dept. Pub. Safety, Reserves Roll Room. 634 " " ^ '• Sitting " 636 " " " Toilet^ " 640 to 688 Criminal Courts and Offices. 646 Criminal Court Room. 650 Counsel's Conversation Room. 654 Criminal Court Room. 676 682 Offices of District Attorney. 684 688 Nos. 613 Board of Health, Inspectors of House Drainage. 615 Boardof Health, Health Officer. 617 " " Inspec. of Nuisances. 621 Police Magistrates' Private Room. 625 " " Court Room. 627 " " AVitness' Room. 629 Police Captains' Room. 631 Lieut. Reserves' " 633 Sergt. 635 Matron's 637 639 Turnkey and Surgeon of Police. 643 Police Prisoners' Cell Room. 653 Court Prisoners' Detention Room. 657 Turnkey's Room. 659 Officer's Room. 661 663 Witness' Room. 665 667 675 Grand Jury Room. 677 Offices of the Clerk of Quarter Sessions. 681 685 687 Diagram off?>\xth Floor of \i}Q ]^ew Cilv ^all 'Jpf)tla5(>lpf)ia. North- IT 690 1 692 694 I I Y~r o rvt Novth. CorT'idor Q B 1 693 695 601 607 TbI —'687 Tower 613 685 615 v^y 617 681 A 677 cj ic 621 675 625 671 cl [^ 627 667 f^ rT^ 629 R B 1 [639 6-i3 JAfeeTjgii 653 iiTJessj 1 ■ 6tt5|b6l a[633 B31 LCJ Lcj 1 Ope TL Ai-e 3L A [Ipen Arfcc 1 Soath Coi^T'iior IL S O XL t K 652 I o Froixt IvTO TE . A Staircases. C Venitlating Shafts. B Elevators. D Public Toilet- rooms. AN ACT FOR thp: Ereetion of the Publie Buildings. An Act to provide for the erection of all the Public Buildings required to accommodate the Courts, and for all Municipal purposes, in the City of Philadelphia, and to require tJie appropriation by said City, of Penn Squares, at Broad and Market Streets, to the Academy of Fine Arts, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute, and the Phila- delphia Library, in the event of the said Squares not being selected by a vote of the people, as the site for the Public Buildings for said city. Section 1. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same : That Theodore Cuyler, John Rice, Samuel C. Perkins, John Price Wetherill, Lewis C. Cassidy, Henry M. Phillips, William L. Stokes, Willlvm Devine, the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, and the Presidents of Select and Common Councils, for the time being, are constituted Commissioners for the erection of the Public Buildinos required to accommodate the Courts, and 20 for all Municipal purposes, in the City of Philadelphia, who shall organize within thirty days, procure such plans for the said buildings adapted to either of said sites hereinafter named, as in their judgment may be needful ; appoint of of their own number, a President, and from other than their own number, a Secretary, Treasurer, Solicitor, a competent Architect and assistants, and other employees; fix the com- pensation of each person employed by them, and do all other acts necessary in their judgment to carry out the intent of this act in relation to said Public Buildings; fill any vacan- cies which may happen by death, resignation, or otherwise, and if in the judgment of said Commission, they shall deem it advisable to increase their number, they may, by a vote of a majority of their whole number, increase said Commission from time to time to any number not exceeding thirteen. The said Commissioners are hereby authorized and directed to locate said buildings on either Washington Square or Penn Square, as may be determined by a vote of the legally quali- fied voters of the City of Philadelphia, at the next general election in October, one thousand eight hundred and seventy, and the Sheriff shall issue his proclamation, and the City Commissioners and other proper officers of said City, shall provide all things that may be needful to enable the voters to decide by ballot, their choice of a site for said Public Buildings, and the Return Clerks shall certify to the Pro- thonotary, the result of said election in the usual form required for other elections. And as soon as said choice is determined by a vote of the people, as provided in this act, the said Commissioners shall, within thirty days thereafter, advertise for proposals, and make all needful contracts for the construction of said buildings, as soon thereafter as may be found practicable, which contracts shall be valid and binding in law upon the City, and upon the Contractors, when approved by a majority of the said Board of Commis- sioners; and the said Commissioners shall make requisition on the Councils of said City, prior to the first day of December 21 in each year, for the amount of money required by them for the purposes of the Commission for the succeeding year, and said Councils shall levy a special tax, sufficient to raise the amount so required. Provided, That said Councils may at any time make appropriations out of the annual tax in aid of the purposes ot this act. And provided furtlter, That the amount to be expended by said Commissioners shall be strictly limited to the sum required to satisfy their contracts for the erection of said buildings, and for the proper and complete furnishing thereof; and as soon as any part of said buildings may be completed and furnished ready for occu- pancy, they shall be occupied by the Courts, or such branch of the Municipal Government as they are intended for by said Commissioners; and upon the completion of a sufficient portion of said buildings to accommodate the Courts and Municipal Officers, the buildings now occupied by them re- spectively shall be vacated and removed, and upon the entire completion of the new buildings, all the present buildings on Independence Square, except Independence Hall, shall be removed, and the ground placed in good condition by said Commission as part of their duty under this act, the expense of which shall be paid out of their general fund provided by this act, and thereupon the said Independence Square shall be and remain a public walk and green forever. And be it further provided, That in the event of Washington Square being selected by a majority of votes as the loca- tion for the said Public Buildings, then and in that event, the Councils of the City of Philadelphia are hereby author- ized, empowered and required to set apart for and convey by proper deeds or grants of conveyance, or by proper assurances of the right to occupy said squares, which the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia shall duly sign and execute under the seal of said City, the four squares of ground, known as Penn Squares, located at the intersection of Broad and Market Streets, in the City of Philadelphia, as laid down on the present map of said City, one to each of the following insti- 22 tiitions : the Academy of Fine Arts, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute, and the Philadelphia Lihrary, for the purpose of allowing them to erect thereon, ornamental and suitable buildings for their respective insti- tutions. The location of such buildings and the plans thereof to be approved by the Conmiissioners appointed under this act, and their successors in office, together with the time of erection, and all other matters appertaining thereto : Provi- ded, hoiuever, That all expenses connected with said convey- ances, plans and other information requisite for the said Commission to have, shall be paid by the institutions respect- ively. In the event of the ultimate selection of Penn Squares as the site for said Public Buildings, the said Commission shall have authorit}^ and they are hereby empowered to vacate so much of Market and of Broad Streets, as they may deem needful; Provided, however. That the streets passing around said buildings, shall not be of less width than one hundred feet. It shall be the duty of the Mayor, the City Controller, City Commissioners, and City Treasurer, and all other officers of the Cit3% and also the duty of the Councils of the City of Philadelphia, to do and perform all such acts in aid and promotion of the intent and purpose of this Act of Assembly, as said Commission may from time to time require. All laws and parts of laws restricting the uses and purposes of said Squares, or any of them, that may be in conflict v.ith the intention and purpose of this act, be and the same are hereby repealed. B. B. STRANG, Speaker of the House of Eepresentativcx. CHARLES H. STINSON, Speaker of llit Senate. A})proved the fifth day of August, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and seventy. JOHN W. GEARY. SUMIVLARY OF LEGISLATIVE AND MUNICIPAL ACTION RELA- TING TO THE WORK, WITH A BRIEF HISTORY OF EVENTS PER- TAINING THERETO. The earliest movements relating to the present under- taking consisted in the passage of an ordinance by the City Councils, approved December 31, 1868, providing for the erec- tion of Municipal Buildings on Independence Square, and designating Commissioners to carry the same into effect. The first meeting of the Commission was held in the Select Council Chamber, January 7, 1869. Architectural designs were advertised for on the 5th of April, 1869, and on the 1st of September following, plans and drawings had been received from seventeen different archi- tects. At a meeting of the Commissioners, held September 27, 1869, the first premium was awarded to John McArthur, Jr., architect of this city, and on the 27tli of the following December, Mr. McArthur was appointed Architect of the work, and proposals for labor and materials were ordered to be advertised for. Contracts were awarded on the 16th of January, 1870, and arrangements made for commencing the work. A strong opposition to Independence Square, as the site for the Municipal Buildings, had existed in the public mind from the earliest movements in that direction, and as the Commission proceeded with their preparations for carrying out the provisions of the ordinance under which they were 24 acting, the opposition became daily more intensified, until it culminated in the passage of a law by the Legislature of the State, approved August 5, 1870, providing for the erection of the Public Buildings, either on Washington Square or on Penn Square, as the legally qualified voters of the City of Philadelphia might determine, at the general election to be held in October, 1870. The election resulted, out of a total of 84,450 votes, in a majority of above 18,800 in favor of the site on Penn Square, which finally disposed of the question. The passage of this law rendered the municipal ordinance of no efl'ect, and relieved the Commissioners acting under it, of farther duties. The fiist meeting of the Commissioners, under the new law, was held on the 27th of August, 1870, at the Mayor's Office. A temporary organization was effected by the election of the Mayor, Daniel M. Fox, as President, and Eugene G. Woodward, Secretary. September 15, 1870, John Mc Arthur, Jr., was elected Archi- tect of the work. October 4, 1870, a permanent organization was made, and John Rice was elected President, Charles R. Roberts, Secre- tary, and Charles H. T. Collis, Solicitor. The removal of the iron railings which inclosed the four squares on Broad and Market Streets, was commenced on the 27th of January 1871, and this may properly be consid- ered as the date of the actual beginning of the work ; and August 10, 1871, the ground was formally broken by the President of the Commission. October 12, 1871, Francis De Haes Janvier was elected Secretary, in place of Mr. Roberts, resigned, and John Sun- derland was elected Superintendent. April 7, 1872, the original plan for one building on the intersection of Broad and Market Streets, instead of four buildings, divided by these streets, was finally resolved upon. 25 The first stone was laid on the 12th of August, 1872, in the southwest angle of the foundations by the President. On the 17th of April, 1872, Mr. Rice resigned as President of the Commissioners, and Samuel C. Perkins was elected in his place, and has held the office continuously ever since. The contract for the granite basement was awarded Novem- ber 19, 1872, for $515,500 ; and work was commenced at the buildings, under the contract, March 24, 1873. The contract for the marble work of the superstructure was awarded on the 7th of October, 1873, for $5,300,000 ; and the first block set at the southern entrance, July 3, 1874. The corner-stone was laid in the Northeast angle of the Tower, July 4, 1874, with Masonic ceremonies, by the R. W. Grand Master of F. and A. M. of Pennsylvania; and the last block of marble was set in place May 7, 1887, on the Tower at the Southwest angle, 337 feet 4h inches from the ground. November 4, 1873, Wm. C. McPherson was elected Super- intendent, and entered upon his duties November 10, 1873, and has been continued in office ever since. December 2, 1884, Chas. H. T. CoUis resigned his position as Solicitor to the Commissioners; and Samuel Peltz, was on the same date, elected to fill the vacancy. January 5, 1885, Francis De Haes Janvier, Secretary, died ; and on February 3, 1885, Wm. B. Land was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Janvier. January 8, 1890, John McArthur, Jr., the Architect, died. January 15, 1890, John Ord was elected Architect, and en- tered upon his duties February 1, 1890. The appropriations, by Councils for the prosecution of the work have been to January 1, 1890, $12,891,609.88. 27 Descriptioii of the Buildirigs. THE EXTERIOR. A tendency exists in the public mind to seek to classify every considerable architectural design, under the head of some " order" or " style ;" but modern genius and taste deal so largely in original adaptations of classic, and other forms, that we often find no small difficulty in deciding under which, if any, of the heretofore established orders or styles many of the most important structures of the present day can properly be classed. The architecture of the New Public Buildings is of this character. It is essentially modern in its leading features, and presents a rich example of what is known by the generic term of the " Kenaissance," modified and adopted to the varied and extensive requirements of a great American municipality. It is designed in the spirit of French art, while, at the same time, its adaptation of that fiorid and tasteful manner of building, is free from servile imitation, either in ornamenta- tion or in the ordonnance of its details. This immense architectural pile is located on the intersec- tion of Broad and Market Streets, in the City of Philadelphia. It covers, exclusive of the court-yard, an area of nearly 4^ acres, and consists of one building, surrounding an interior court-yard. The north and south fronts measure 470 feet, and the east and west fronts 486J feet in their extreme leniith. 28 The four fronts are siniilar in design. In the centre of each, an entrance pavilion of 90 feet in width, rises to the height of 202 feet lOo inches, having receding wings of 128 feet elevation. The fronts terminate at the four corners with towers or pavilions of 51 feet square, and 161 feet high. Tlie whole exterior is bold and effective in outline, and rich in detail, being elaborated with highly ornate columns, pilasters, pediments, cornices, enriched windows, and other appropriate adornments. Archways of 18 feet in width by 36 feet in height, opening through each of the four central pavilions, constitute the four principal entrances, and at the same time afibrd passages for pedestrians up and down Broad and Market Streets, directly tlirough the buildings. The basement story is 18 feet 3i inches in height, and stands entirely above the line of the pavement. Its exterior is of fine white granite, of massive proportions, forming a fitting base for the vast superstructure it supports. The exterior of the building, above the basement, embraces a principal story of 33 feet 6 inches, a second story of 35 feet 7 inches, and a third story in the centre pavilions of 26 feet 6 inches, with an attic over the central pavilions of 15 feet, and over the corner pavilions of 13 feet 6 inches, all of white marble, from the Lee Quarries, in Berkshire County, Massacliusetts, wrought, in all its adornments, in forms of exquisite beauty, expressing American ideas, and developing American genius. Ihe small rooms opening upon the court- yard are eacli sub-divided in height into two stories. In the centre of the group a court-yard of 200 feet square affords light and air to all the adjacent portions of the build- ing. From the north side of this space rises a grand tower, which will gracefully adorn the Public Buildings, and at the same time will be a crowning feature of the city, from what- ever point it may be approached, as Saint Peter's is of Rome, and Saint Paul's is of London. The foundations of this tow^er are laid on a bed of solid concrete, 100 feet square 29 8 feet 6 inches thick, at the depth of 23 feet 6 inches below the surface of the ground ; and its walls, which at the base are 22 feet in thickness, are built of dressed dimension stones, weighing from 2 to 5 tons each. This tower, which is so deeply and so strongly founded, is 90 feet square at the base, falling ofi' at each story, until it becomes, at the spring of the dome, an octagon of 50 feet in diameter. A statue of the founder of Pennsylvania, 37 feet in height, will crown the structure, and complete the extra- ordinary altitude of 547 feet 3j inches, making it the highest tower in the world ; while at the same time it possesses the elements of firmness and stability, in a higher degree than any known structure of a like character. THE INTERIOR. The entire structure will contain over 750 rooms, giving convenient, and stately provision for the accommodation of " the Courts, and for all Municipal purposes in the City of Philadelpliia," including a vast amount of surplus room for use in the classification and preservation of the archives of the city, for storage, and for increased accommodations, which will undoubtedly be required from time to time by the natural increase of the public business, and the accumu- lation of the public records. Every room in the building will be well lighted, warmed, and ventilated, upon a thorough, effective, and approved system, and every part of the structure will be absolutely fireproof. The several stories are approached by ten large elevators, located at the intersections of the leading corridors, so as to facilitate the intercourse of citizens with the public offices, courts, and other branches of the government. In addition to these means of approach there are large and convenient stairways in the four corner buildings, and a grand staircase in each of the centre pavilions on the north, south, and east fronts. LIBRPRY OF CONGRESS 3 014 314 841 5 ^