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

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Title
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.
Author
Power, John Carroll, 1819-1894.
Canvas
Page 20
Publication
Springfield,: Illinois state journal print,
1871.
Subject terms
Springfield (Ill.)

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"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." In the digital collection Making of America Books. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/aaw4247.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 30, 2025.
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