History of Springfield, Illinois, its attractions as a home and advantages for business, manufacturing, etc. Pub. under the auspices of the Springfield board of trade, by J. C. Power.

20 SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, AND
of the Supreme Court in September, it A stone was prepared, eight feet long,
was too late in the season to do anything four feet wide and three feet deep, with
more than prepare for active business a recess for receiving such articles as it
the next year. Their first act after the was thought desirable to deposit. A
decision of the Supreme Court reinstating catalogue of them would fill one of these
them, was on the 8th of November, when pages.
they issued an advertisement for sealed The day was bright and cheerful, and
proposals to do the excavating, and fur- the procession the largest that had ever
nish certain descriptions of stone. been seen at the capital of the State, exJanuary 14, 1868, John C. Cochrane cept at the obsequies of President Linwas appointed architect and superintend- coln in May, 1865. Masons were present
ent, and a contract entered into for that from all parts of the State, of all degrees,
purpose. January 18, a contract was from Master Mason to Knight Templar.
made with N. Strott, of Springfield, for After the corner stone had been tested
the excavation; and January 20th, with by the implements of the order, and proR. W. McClaughry & Co., of Hancock nounced well formed, true and trusty, it
was placed in its proper Dosition at the
county, for stone to build the foundation. was placed in its proper position at the
northeast corner of the building. An
Broken stone for concrete was purchased
ready delivered, of J. J. & W. H. Mitch- eloquent oration was then delivered by
the Hon. John D. Caton, of Ottawa.
ell, of Alton. March 25th, a contract
was made with Barnard & Gowen, of The ceremonials having closed, the craft
t and others present were called from labor
Chicago, to do the mason work.'Chicago, to do the mason work.to refreshment, and all repaired to the
MAGNITUDE OF THE WORK. "Rink" to partake of a sumptuous collaThe magnitude of the enterprise may tion prepared by the Lelands. After
be inferred from the fact that the parties dinner the multitude dispersed to their
who furnished the foundationstone, gave homes, to treasure up the memories of
security in the penal sum of $550,000 for the day as one of the most pleasant waythe performance of contract, and those marks of their lives.
who do the mason work a penal sum of
DESCRIPTION OF TEE NEW STATE HOUSE.
$200,000. Excavating was commenced
early in the spring, but owing to the ex- Without regard to such technicalities
as would be pleasing to architects,
cessive rains, the ground was not in a
proper condition to commence laying I shall endeavor to describe the edifice,
stone until June 11, 1868. From that in such language as will be most easily
time until cold weather put a stop to it, understood by the common reader. The
the work was prosecuted vigorously, and ground plan is in the form of a great
a part of the foundation was lbrought to cross, and the superstructure is in the
a level with the surface during the month style called the classic order of architecof September. ture. It so blends the ancient and modern art of building as to secure the greatLAYINGI CORNER STONE. est strength and solidity and yet preserve
The Grand Master of Masons for the an exterior appearance so light and airy
State of Illinois was invited by the com- as to be very pleasant to the eye. The
missioners to assemble the craft for the grand outlines are, total length from
purpose of laying the corner stone cf the north to south, 359 feet, exclusive of
New State House, with the imposing the porticos, which adds twenty feet to
ceremonials of the order. The invitation each end. From east to west it is 266
was accepted, and October 5 set apart as feet, with twenty feet additional in the
the time at which it was to take place. grand portico at the east end, which is