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PROCEEDINGS 
 
 ON THE OCCASION OF 
 
 LAYING THE CORNER STONE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CITY HALL 
 
 OF THE CITY 
 
 OF 
 
 BOSTON,~ 
 
 
 DECEMBER 22, 1862. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 J. E. FAR WELL AND COMPANY, PRINTERS TO THE CITY, 
 
 No. 37 Congress Street. 
 
 1 8 6 2 . 
 
 BOSTON 
 
 COLLEGE HBRA RV 
 
 •K,.iT WILL. MASS. 
 
55851 
 
CITY OF BOSTON. 
 
 In Board of Aldermen, December 22, 1862. 
 
 Ordered : That the Committee on Public Buildings be 
 authorized to print among the City Documents of this year a 
 detailed account of the ceremonies of the laying of the corner¬ 
 stone of the new City Hall. 
 
 Sent down for concurrence. 
 
 THOMAS P. RICH, Chairman. 
 
 In Common Council, December 26, 1862. 
 
 Concurred. 
 
 JOSHUA D. BALL, President. 
 
 Approved December 27, 1862. 
 
 JOSEPH M. WIGHTMAN, Mayor. 
 
PROCEEDINGS. 
 
 The corner-stone of the new City Hall of the city of Boston, 
 was laid on the anniversary of the Landing of the Pilgrims at 
 Plymouth, December 22, 1862. 
 
 At the request of the Committee on Public Buildings, the 
 Mayor invited the officers of the Grand Lodge of Masons in 
 Massachusetts to participate in laying the corner-stone of this 
 edifice. The invitation was most courteously accepted, and the 
 Masonic ceremonies formed an interesting part of the proceed¬ 
 ings on this occasion. 
 
 The size of the new building allowed the foundation and 
 front wall to be erected and prepared for the corner-stone, 
 while the City Government occupied the old City Hall. A 
 procession was therefore formed, under the direction of the City 
 Messenger, in the room of the Mayor and Aldermen, which 
 proceeded to the platform erected for the ceremonies, in the 
 following order: — 
 
 Brigade Band. 
 
 Chief of Police. 
 
 Committee and Superintendent of Public Buildings, and Archi¬ 
 tects of the new City Hall. 
 
 Mayor. 
 
 Grand Master, and Officers of the Grand Lodge. 
 
 Past Mayors and Invited Guests. 
 
 Board of Aldermen. 
 
 Common Council. 
 
 Other Members of the City Government. 
 
6 
 
 The exercises commenced with the following 
 
 ADDRESS OF ALDERMAN FRANCIS RICHARDS, 
 Chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings. 
 
 Mr. Mayor : The Committee on Public Buildings 
 of the city of Boston, under the direction of the 
 City Council, have commenced the erection of a new 
 City Hall, and they have made such progress that 
 it becomes proper at this time, in continuance of an 
 old custom, to deposit some mementos and statistics 
 of the times in which its erection was commenced. 
 The Committee have directed me, sir, to request 
 you, as the head of the government which has in¬ 
 augurated this important and necessary improve¬ 
 ment, to officiate over such ceremonies as you may 
 deem proper for this occasion. 
 
 ADDRESS OF MAYOR WIGHTMAN. 
 
 Mr. Chairman : In conformity with the arrange¬ 
 ments of the Committee on Public Buildings of the 
 City Council, and in compliance -with your request, 
 we are here assembled in presence of the members 
 of the City Council, and of the officers of the Most 
 Worshipful Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachu¬ 
 setts, to lay the corner-stone of a building to be 
 erected for the use of the Municipal Government 
 of the city of Boston. 
 
7 
 
 Gentlemen of the City Council : The present 
 occasion is one of peculiar interest to you as the 
 official representatives of our citizens, inasmuch as 
 by your action the City of Boston, for the first time 
 in her memorable history, is to lay the foundation, 
 and erect an edifice for the various departments of 
 her government. 
 
 The full, clear, and comprehensive report of the 
 Committee, made on the 19th of June last, (City 
 Document No. 44,) upon this subject, received your 
 approving votes with an unanimity as generous as 
 it was deserved. The record of the action of the 
 various City Councils, from 1838 to 1862, presented 
 an array of facts, which not only show the wisdom 
 but the necessity of your prompt and decisive 
 action. 
 
 There are some interesting facts in connection 
 with the erection of the town houses and town 
 halls of the olden time, which may not be inappro¬ 
 priate to mention upon this day, the anniversary of 
 the Landing of our Pilgrim Fathers, and upon this 
 occasion. It appears that for n'early thirty years 
 after the first settlement of Boston, in 1630, although 
 the subject of a town house was frequently agitated, 
 the town was without any public building for town 
 purposes. In 1656 an influential and wealthy cit¬ 
 izen, Capt. Robert Kayne, died, and left a consid- 
 
8 
 
 erable legacy, # in his will, for the purpose of 
 building a town house. 
 
 In March, 1657, a committee, consisting of Captain 
 Savage, Mr. Stodard, Mr. Howchin, and Mr. Edward 
 Hutchinson, senior, w r as appointed “ to consider of ye 
 modell of ye Towne House to be built,” also of the 
 expense and location, and to take up subscriptions 
 “ to propagate such a building.” I have before me 
 the original subscription paper for the erection of 
 this edifice, with the following heading: — 
 
 “Whereas, thear is giuen a Considerable sume by Capt: 
 Kayn towards the Building of a towne house w ch sume will not 
 ataine the Building w ch he mentioneth in his Will, now Con¬ 
 sidering the vsefulnes of such a Structure wee whose names are 
 vnder written, doe ingage our selues our hey res executors for 
 to giue towards the aboue sd hous arid also a Condit in the 
 Market place, the seuerall sumes vnder written ” : — 
 
 The first signature is Gov. “Jo. Endecott, £2 
 10s.” Next is Deputy Gov. “ Hi. Bellingham in 
 country pay, £ 10.” Then follows : 
 
 Edward Tvnge, in corne, 10 00s OOd. 
 
 John Evered, in goods and corne, 10 00s OOd. 
 
 Peter Olliuer, in goods and provisions, 10 00s OOd. 
 
 James Olliuer, provided thare be a cundit with- 
 
 all, in goods and provisions, .12 00s OOd. 
 
 Timothy Atkins will give in hats, 5 00s OOd. 
 
 Hezekiah Usher will pay in English goods, or 
 equivalent, twenty poundes, provizo yt ye mar¬ 
 ket house be erected and a cundit, 20 00s OOd. 
 
 * £ 300. See “ Agreement for the Town House,” Appendix. 
 
9 
 
 In this manner three hundred and fifty-six pounds 
 was contributed, principally in goods, by one hun¬ 
 dred and twenty-two of the inhabitants of the town, 
 among whom were some of the most distinguished 
 of the New England Puritans. 
 
 The result of this effort was the building of a 
 town house of wood at the head of State Street, 
 where the old State House now stands, between the 
 years 1657 and 1659, at a cost of six hundred and 
 eighty pounds. This building was consumed in the 
 great fire which occurred in 1711. During the fol¬ 
 lowing year, 1712, another town house, of brick, was 
 erected in the same place ; this was also destroyed 
 by fire in 1747, in which “ the ancient books, early 
 records, and other valuable papers were burned.” 
 This was regarded then, as now, a serious calamity. 
 In 1748 the building now known as the Old State 
 House was erected for a town house, but appears to 
 have been occupied by the “ General Court of the 
 Commonwealth and the Supreme and County Courts.” 
 That town houses were generally used for the courts 
 is apparent from the fact that when, in 1742, Peter 
 Faneuil, a liberal and wealthy merchant, erected 
 “Faneuil Hall” at his own expense and presented 
 it to the town, it is described as containing not only 
 “ a large and sufficient accommodation for a Market 
 place, but has also superadded a spacious and most 
 2 
 
10 
 
 beautiful Town Hall over it, and several other conven¬ 
 ient rooms which may prove very beneficial to the 
 Town for offices or otherwise.” It is also a remark¬ 
 able fact that, notwithstanding he proposed to build 
 this at his own charge and make a present of it to 
 the town, the proposition was opposed to such an 
 extent at a town meeting held in Brattle Street 
 Meeting-house in July, 1740, that the generous offer 
 of Mr. Faneuil was accepted by a majority of only 
 seven votes — three hundred and sixty-seven being 
 in the affirmative, and three hundred and sixty in 
 the negative. Singular as this vote may seem to 
 have been which decided the erection of the most 
 celebrated building connected with our national 
 history, it would not be difficult to find similar in¬ 
 stances of the peculiarities of our people even in 
 the present day. 
 
 Faneuil Hall appears to have been the first actual 
 town house, as it was also the first city hall, in 
 Boston. From 1742 until 1822, a period of eighty 
 years, the. rooms were used by the selectmen, town 
 clerk, treasurer, and other town officers, while the 
 town meetings were held in the main hall. It was 
 here that the first city government was organized, 
 in May, 1822, and it continued to be occupied by 
 the city officers until September 17, 1830, when the 
 
11 
 
 Old State House was remodelled and dedicated as a 
 “ City Hall.” 
 
 In a few years, however, it was found that “ the 
 inconveniences to which the citizens generally, as 
 well as the municipal officers, were exposed by the 
 existing arrangements, — the constant and great 
 danger to important documents and records from 
 fire, and the insufficient space allotted to many of 
 the officers for the transaction of the business of 
 their respective departments,” — could only be rem¬ 
 edied by the erection of a commodious and suitable 
 building. This was reported by Mayor Eliot in 
 May, 1838, and it was then proposed to erect “ a 
 handsome, well lighted, and well ventilated build¬ 
 ing ” upon this spot, at an estimated cost of one 
 hundred thousand dollars. The Mayor and Aider- 
 men were, however, overruled by the Common 
 Council in relation to a new building, and finally, 
 in July, 1840, they concurred in an order to alter 
 the old Court House into a City Hall, at an esti¬ 
 mated expense of $ 14.475. Although the altera¬ 
 tions were skilfully and admirably made, the size 
 of the building was only adapted to the City Gov¬ 
 ernment at that time, and consequently, within a 
 few years, the same inconveniences, from restricted 
 accommodations, began to be experienced, which 
 had caused the removal from the former building. 
 
12 
 
 These difficulties continued to increase, and year 
 after year, since 1850, the most favorable reports 
 have been made, plans, specifications, and estimates 
 have been obtained, and each succeeding City Gov¬ 
 ernment has appeared to realize more and more the 
 need of a City Hall worthy of a great and prosper¬ 
 ous municipality. Since this building we are now 
 superseding was first occupied for a City Hall, the 
 assessed valuation of Boston has increased from 
 ninety-four and one half millions in 1840, to three 
 hundred and sixteen millions in 1802. In this prog¬ 
 ress of events, the increase in the population and 
 wealth of the City has added largely to the duties 
 and responsibilities of its officers. 
 
 To meet these exigencies, new departments and 
 officers have been created, and old departments have 
 been reorganized and extended. Among the new 
 departments are, the Police, Water Commissioners, 
 Directors of Public Institutions, Commissioners of 
 Public Lands, Trustees of the Public Library, and 
 Trustees of Mount Hope Cemetery. In addition to 
 these are the following officers: City Engineer, City 
 Physician, Water Registrar, City Registrar, Clerk 
 of Committees and Mayor’s Clerk; Superintendents 
 of Internal Health, Public Lands, Public Buildings, 
 Public Schools, Telegraphic Eire Alarm, and of 
 Lamps ; all of whom, except the Trustees of the 
 
13 
 
 Public Library, require offices for the transaction of 
 the public business. In all the old departments, the 
 increase of labor has been very great, particularly 
 in those of the City Clerk, Treasurer, Auditor, and 
 Assessors, and consequently a corresponding increase 
 in the number of assistants and clerks has been 
 required. 
 
 Under these circumstances, it is self-evident that 
 the accommodations furnished in the present City 
 Hall are now, and have long been, entirely inade¬ 
 quate for the proper performance of the public 
 duties. There are forty-seven standing committees 
 of the City Council, and but two committee rooms 
 in the City Hall, so that the offices of the City 
 Clerk, of the several Superintendents, and even that 
 of the Mayor, are obliged to be used for the meet¬ 
 ings of the committees. The rooms are generally 
 small, badly lighted, and without ventilation. One 
 of them is occupied by the recording assistants to 
 the City Clerk; another assistant is located in the 
 public anteroom used by reporters and other per¬ 
 sons, while the City Clerk and Mayor’s Clerk have 
 their desks in the room of the Board of Aldermen. 
 The Superintendents of Public Lands and of Sew¬ 
 ers, with their clerks, are crowded into another, the 
 Superintendents of Streets and of Internal Health, 
 with two clerks, attend to their office duties in an 
 
14 
 
 i 
 
 apartment which scarcely allows room enough for the 
 desks of the occupants, while the Superintendent 
 of Public Buildings and Clerk of Committees have 
 even worse accommodations; and I am confident 
 that if any one of our merchants who has deemed 
 this building unnecessary would go through the offi¬ 
 ces in the present City Hall, he would not only change 
 his opinion, but would be satisfied that the accommo¬ 
 dations, afforded to the chief recording officer of our 
 city, are inferior to those for the clerks in his own 
 store, and that the City Treasurer, the receiver and 
 disb.urser of six or seven millions of dollars annu¬ 
 ally, is crowded with his clerks, book-keepers, and 
 tellers into a single room, which for size and incon¬ 
 venience, probably, could not be equalled by that 
 of any other city treasurer in the Union. But the 
 City Treasurer is not the only sufferer from this 
 state of things ; the citizens, on the monthly pay¬ 
 days, are obliged to wait outside the office in the 
 cold, and sometimes snow and rain, for their turn 
 to enter and receive their money, which is not only 
 exceedingly annoying, but is an unnecessary waste 
 of time. This would be scarcely tolerated in a 
 country town in New England, and it is certainly 
 unworthy of the wealth and reputation of Boston. 
 
 But it may be said, admitting all this to be cor¬ 
 rect, was it expedient to erect a new City Hall at 
 
this time, while the country was struggling under 
 the pressure of a disastrous war? It is too true 
 that we are passing through a war terrible in its 
 consequences, and which may well make the stout¬ 
 est heart falter at the prospect before us, as to the 
 future of our country. But are not other works 
 and enterprises, both public and private, proceeded 
 with? Are we to sit down in despair, as if this 
 war was to culminate in a dissolution of the Union, 
 and the result of it was to determine whether or 
 not our city was to be destroyed by an earthquake ? 
 Individuals do not so regard it. Witness the mag¬ 
 nificent warehouses, the sumptuous stores, and the 
 palatial residences with which they are bordering 
 our streets and avenues. Nor is there any demur¬ 
 rer on the part of our citizens to the vast sums 
 appropriated and expending upon the Public Gar¬ 
 den, the City Hospital, the City Stables, and other 
 public improvements, not one of which bears any 
 comparison, in importance, to the City Hall. The 
 latter is to provide for the exigencies of the public 
 business; the former are for ornament, philanthro¬ 
 py, or convenience. Even the war itself has fur¬ 
 nished additional reasons for its erection, inasmuch 
 as it has been the cause of adding more than a 
 million of dollars to the disbursements from the city 
 treasury within the last six months, and it has also 
 
16 
 
 required the organization of a new department, 
 both ministerial and financial, and of a most labo¬ 
 rious character, to .disburse the State aid to the 
 families of our soldiers. 
 
 By procrastinating its erection even pecuniary in¬ 
 terests are sacrificed; because at no previous time 
 since the city was chartered has money been so 
 abundant, or could be obtained on such favorable 
 terms ; and the advantage of making contracts at 
 this time might not again occur for many years. 
 Besides, we must take into consideration the fact 
 that even if the war was to be closed forthwith, a 
 long time must elapse before the City would be in 
 any better condition to bear the expense; for, if we 
 feel the pressure during the issue of so much paper 
 currency by the government, what will hereafter be 
 our condition when, in common with other munici¬ 
 palities, we are called upon to furnish the means 
 for its redemption? Could we then have deferred 
 the building of a City Hall for ten or twenty years 
 longer, without compromising the public interests to 
 a far greater extent than the present expenditure of 
 $160,000, or even $200,000? To-day the public 
 archives of the city, belonging to many of its de¬ 
 partments, are exposed to remediless loss by fire 
 and other casualties, in ordinary buildings, rented, 
 from their necessary location in this vicinity, at 
 
17 
 
 high if not exorbitant rents. The most valuable 
 are kept in safes, but the great mass of papers and 
 public documents have no proper place for their 
 security or preservation. Is not this discreditable 
 to a city which is the most wealthy, in proportion 
 to its size, of any in the world? 
 
 There is an astonishing apathy, often amounting 
 to culpable neglect, in regard to the preservation of 
 public papers. As Chairman of the Committee on 
 Streets, in 1858, I accidentally learned that all the 
 invaluable plans in . relation to streets and the 
 public domain, involving rights, titles, and legal 
 questions of the utmost importance, the loss or de¬ 
 struction of which would be irremediable in many 
 cases, and the expense of restoring others by new 
 surveys would be more than the whole cost of a 
 City Hall, had not been kept in any place of se¬ 
 curity except that afforded by the City Engineer’s 
 office, which was then in the upper rooms of a 
 store on Washington Street. In 1859 I brought this 
 subject to the attention of the Government, and by 
 personal effort obtained the erection of the present 
 fire-proof office and repository, over the office of the 
 Registry of Heeds. 
 
 For the want of proper places for their pres¬ 
 ervation, our historical records and files of papers 
 have been lost to a deplorable extent. Last year I 
 
 3 
 
is 
 
 purchased for the City, from the estate of a de¬ 
 ceased antiquarian, nearly two hundred valuable 
 papers, originally belonging to the official files of 
 the town, dated from 1680 to 1775, including nearly 
 all the official papers in relation to the erection 
 of Faneuil Hall, the building of Long Wharf, and 
 other similar documents. These papers must have 
 been abstracted many years ago, as our present 
 City Clerk has no knowledge of their ever having 
 been in his possession ; and it is a remarkable fact 
 that there is scarcely a paper of any historical in¬ 
 terest, previous to 1800, now remaining upon our 
 files. Those which remain, and the printed docu¬ 
 ments which have been preserved, are arranged 
 in wood cases around the walls of the committee 
 rooms, exposed to loss by fire at any time. 
 
 To persons unconnected with public affairs, it is 
 difficult to appreciate the exceeding trouble and loss 
 of time, from a want of room to arrange the doc¬ 
 uments belonging to a department for convenient 
 reference. There is not an officer in the City Gov¬ 
 ernment that does not daily and hourly suffer from 
 this cause, and the number of valuable papers which 
 are thus mislaid or lost, is extremely annoying. 
 
 There is another consideration which is worthy 
 of our attention. It is that the erection of this City 
 Hall is to be commended on the ground of econ- 
 
19 
 
 omy and as a means of reducing the taxes upon 
 our citizens. There are now one half of the de¬ 
 partments located outside of the present City 
 Hall; the rent of the premises they occupy is eight 
 thousand dollars per annum. As the amount appro¬ 
 priated for the new building, (@160,000,) is to be 
 obtained by a loan for twenty years at 5 per cent, 
 interest, and as these bonds command from 13 per 
 cent, to 15 per cent, advance, the interest is reduc¬ 
 ed to less than 4| per cent., and amounts to but 
 little over @7,000 per annum; which is from @800 
 to @1,000 less than is now paid for rents. The 
 principal of the loan, or cost of the building , does 
 not form a part of the annual city tax , but is grad¬ 
 ually provided for from sales of public property 
 and other receipts, deposited from time to time in 
 the Sinking Fund, to meet the bonds at maturity. 
 
 But this is not the only saving. It appears from 
 the Auditor’s books that during ten years, from 
 1852 to 1862, the expenditures for repairs, altera¬ 
 tions, and improvements on the present City Hall 
 amount to @16,504.24, to which is to be added an 
 unexpended appropriation of @4,000 to repair the 
 roof, being a total of @20,000, or an average of 
 @2,000 per annum. Within the same time there 
 has also been expended for repairing and fitting 
 up rented offices @7,264.96, and for safes for these 
 
20 
 
 offices $3,144.89 = $10,409.85 ; which is an aver¬ 
 age of more than $1,000 per annum. We have 
 thus a grand total of $30,000, or $3,000 per an¬ 
 num, which average was not likely to be dimin¬ 
 ished in the future ; and I believe it will be no 
 more than a fair statement to say that under the 
 present arrangement for the rents and repairs of 
 the public offices, the citizens are taxed $11,000 
 per annum, while the interest on the capital to be 
 invested in the new City Hall will not exceed 
 $7,500. 
 
 I have thus, gentlemen, endeavored to present 
 some of the facts and reasons which, in your judg¬ 
 ment, and in my own opinion, were sufficient to 
 justify the erection of a City Hall at this time. In 
 a city like this, increasing so rapidly in wealth 
 and population, public improvements cannot remain 
 stationary. When, therefore, we consider the vast 
 expenditures which have been made in extending 
 the area of our territory on the South Bay, and the 
 Neck lands; in laying out new avenues, and widen¬ 
 ing and extending old streets ; in building the most 
 approved correctional and eleemosynary institutions ; 
 in erecting spacious and admirably arranged school- 
 houses ; in founding and supporting a public libra¬ 
 ry, in every respect worthy of the Athens of Amer¬ 
 ica ; and in establishing a City Hospital destined to 
 
‘21 
 
 become one of the most beneficial if not beautiful 
 of our public institutions, we cannot but be im¬ 
 pressed with the conviction that our action in the 
 present instance has been in strict conformity with 
 that solemn oath of office we have each and all of 
 us taken, “ to faithfully and impartially discharge 
 and perform all the duties incumbent upon us to 
 the best of our knowledge and ability.” 
 
 Most Worshipful Grand Master: I herewith pre¬ 
 sent to you a metallic box containing an engraved 
 plate, historical documents, and other appropriate 
 articles, to be deposited by you in this corner-stone, 
 according to the usages of your ancient order. 
 
 The Masonic Ceremonies were then commenced with some 
 preliminary remarks by the Grand Master, and the invocation 
 of the Divine Blessing, by the Grand Chaplain, Kev. Thomas 
 J. Greenwood.* 
 
 * The Brethren present were : 
 
 M. W. William D. Coolidge, Grand Master. 
 
 R. W. Marshall P. Wilder, Deputy G. Master. 
 
 R. W. Winslow Lewis, Senior G. Warden. 
 
 R. W. Peter C. Jones, Junior G. Warden. 
 
 W. C. C. Dame, G. Treasurer. 
 
 W. Charles W. Moore, G. Secretary. 
 
 W. T. J. Greenwood, G. Chaplain. 
 
 W. William H. Sampson, Senior G. Deacon. 
 
 W. C. J. Cleveland, Junior G. Deacon. 
 
 W. William D. Stratton, G. Marshal. 
 
 W. Isaac Cary, } 
 
 W. J. W. Barton, 5 G ' Stewards ' 
 
 W. Luther L. Tarbell, G. Tyler. 
 
 Also R. W. Benjamin Dean, of Boston. 
 
 Also R. W. William Sutton, of Danvers, and others. 
 
22 
 
 P E A Y E R , 
 
 Supreme Architect of the Universe ! Under thy 
 bending heavens, the broad canopy that covers all 
 our earthly interests, and earthly hopes, we come to 
 discharge the appropriate duties of the occasion 
 which has called us here. 
 
 We feel it meet, and needful for us, that we 
 should first of all invoke thy blessing upon the 
 transactions of the hour. 
 
 We come, by appropriate ceremony, agreeably 
 to the usages of our ancient and cherished institu¬ 
 tion, to lay the corner-stone of an edifice here to be 
 erected, for the use of this city and the conven¬ 
 ience of its civil government. May thy blessing 
 attend the rite, and thine approval sanction what 
 we do. 
 
 We acknowledge our dependence upon thee ! 
 and we bless thee that we are dependant, as upon 
 the Father of the spirits of all flesh! 
 
 From early time thy prospering smile has rested 
 upon our city, and upon our land. We have en¬ 
 joyed a goodly heritage. The feeble have become 
 strong; and the weak have become mighty! And 
 now, as indicated by their increasing prosperity and 
 enlargement, thou hast put it into the hearts of this 
 people to rear upon this spot another edifice, for 
 
23 
 
 their better accommodation, in the discharge of the 
 official duties of those who are called by the City’s 
 voice to places of trust and responsibility, as the 
 public servants. 
 
 Let the walls of the building rise upon this 
 foundation-stone, • under thy fostering care. And if 
 it please thee, Father, let those who are engaged in 
 its erection, be preserved in health and free from 
 all accident and harm, even till the cap-stone shall 
 crown it, amid shoutings of joy, and the structure 
 stands an ornament and an honor to the city 
 
 And here, Great God ! let the building remain 
 under the blessed aegis of our free institutions, to 
 subserve the public interests undisturbed, even to 
 coming generations. In the midst of the mutations 
 of time, and the changes of circumstance, let thy 
 blessing, we pray thee, rest upon this goodly city, 
 for its olden memories and its present devotion ; 
 upon all its interests, civil, religious, artisan, com¬ 
 mercial, and educational, and may the influence of 
 each and all tend to public good. 
 
 Bless, O God ! bless abundantly the civil govern¬ 
 ment of the city in its present and future labors. 
 Give thy rich blessing to the retiring and to the in¬ 
 coming Chief Magistrate thereof; the outgoing, give 
 the blessing which belongs to him, for the exceed¬ 
 ing faithfulness and devotion with which his many 
 
24 
 
 and arduous duties have been performed; and th e 
 incoming, inspire with like faithfulness and devotion 
 to duty, which is the greatest blessing we can crave 
 for his official labors. Let all who are or may b e 
 associated with them, receive the blessing of thine 
 approval upon their work, and let them thus be 
 strengthened and stimulated to still more earnest 
 labors for the common good! 
 
 Bless, we beseech thee, our ancient and glori¬ 
 ous Commonwealth. May thy grace be imparted very 
 largely to its Chief Magistrate, and all who are as¬ 
 sociated with him in framing, or administering the 
 laws. Let fidelity to the common good characterize 
 all their labors, and so let them, — and the people 
 through them, — receive constant favor from thy 
 hand ! 
 
 But while we are here, Great God ! in the midst 
 of the hum of industry, and the signs of prosperity 
 all around us, for the discharge of a pleasing duty, 
 let us not forget, we pray thee, our dear country, 
 under thy grace the fountain of all our blessings, 
 now torn and distracted by civil discord and strife. 
 Man’s folly, ingratitude, and wickedness stand darkly 
 against the prospering smile of God! Madness rides 
 upon the wings of the hour, and peril lurks in all 
 our ways ! Under the fearful cloud that has fallen 
 around us, and amidst the fiery tempest of war that 
 
25 
 
 hurtles through the land, thou alone canst be our 
 helper ! Thou alone art our hope ! O, stretch over 
 our land the arm of thine Almighty power! lift 
 over our bleeding country the availing shield of thy 
 protection and care! As thou wast with the fathers 
 in the day of their need, be now the gracious helper 
 of their sons. 
 
 Let thy hand roll away the cloud that darkens 
 our political heavens, and thy spirit breathe speedy 
 peace through all our borders •! To this end bless 
 the President of the United States, and all who are 
 associated with him in our National Government, 
 and councils. Give them very largely of thy wisdom, 
 and prudence to guide and direct the affairs of 
 State in this momentous crisis which we are called 
 to meet; that the Union and Harmony of the States 
 may be restored ; the glorious Constitution from our 
 fathers exert its mild and equal sway over all, un- 
 weakened, unimpaired, and our dear country still 
 hold on, and forever, her way of advancing great¬ 
 ness and glory, under the benediction of our God, 
 — the pride of our hearts, and the hope of the 
 nations of the earth ! Let rebellion, and faction, and 
 discord cease from our midst, and enable us now 
 and henceforth to act as in some degree grateful 
 for the unspeakable blessings thou hast conferred 
 upon us, moving under the hallowed beamings of 
 
 4 
 
26 
 
 the Religion of Jesus,* toward the degree of per- 
 fectability we may attain ! 
 
 O, God our Father ! remember in thy tender 
 mercy the thousands of our youth who have gone 
 out from their happy homes to endure the priva¬ 
 tions of the camp and to meet the perils of the 
 battle-field, in contending for the preservation of the 
 constitution, laws, institutions, and homes of our 
 land! Hold over them the shield of thy protec¬ 
 tion, and be thou their helper in every emergency 
 they are called to meet; and restore them speedily, 
 we pray thee, under the mild beamings of returning 
 peace, to the homes and hearts that are waiting for 
 them! 
 
 Bless, O God, as thou alone hast the power to 
 bless, the desolated homes, and the thousands of 
 bleeding hearts that have been, or may be called 
 to make the terrible sacrifice of yielding up their 
 loved ones on the bloody altar of this fearful strife! 
 Tenderly compassionate their condition, and help 
 them to bear all burdens, still trusting in thee for 
 that issue, which shall yet come, in which thy ways 
 shall be vindicated, and all their sorrows be turned 
 into joy, through him that bindeth up the broken¬ 
 hearted ! 
 
 And now, blessed Father, we again invoke thy 
 favor on the occasion which has gathered us. Re- 
 
27 
 
 gard in thy great kindness the work which is here 
 performed. Graciously smile upon this Grand Lodge 
 of our order. May its officers guide in the spirit of 
 wisdom and brotherly love. May its subordinates, 
 and our whole fraternity throughout the globe, re¬ 
 ceive that blessing from thee which shall make them 
 an instrument in thy hand for the promotion of the 
 excellent graces and kindly amenities of life among 
 men, and so let thy great name be glorified in all 
 our borders! 
 
 Let this building rise in its beauty and grandeur, 
 to its completion. Let the light of Christian Truth 
 be spread, and be borne to the hearts of the chil¬ 
 dren of men everywhere, until all mankind shall be 
 baptized into its holy spirit, and turned from all 
 error into all needed truth; — until at the name of 
 Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue con¬ 
 fess that he is Lord to the glor^ of God the 
 Father ! 
 
 Lead us in the way in which thou wouldst have 
 us to go, through all time, and when our brief pil¬ 
 grimage of mortality is ended, in forgiveness of all 
 our sins, bring us, and in thine own time, all thy 
 children home to the great temple of immortal light 
 and love, to go no more out forever and forever*, 
 and through Jesus, our constituted Eedeemer, accept 
 our praises evermore. Amen. 
 
28 
 
 After appropriate music by the band, C. C. Dame, Grand 
 Treasurer, read the description of the contents of the box, 
 which was then placed in the receptacle prepared for it, and the 
 corner-stone lowered into its place in the southeast corner of 
 the building. The R. W. Deputy Grand Master and Senior 
 and Junior Grand Wardens applied the proper jewels of their 
 office, the square, the level, and the plumb, and each declared 
 that the craftsmen had done their duty. The Grand Master 
 then striking three times upon the stone with his gavel, said, 
 “ I find this foundation-stone well laid, true and trusty, and in 
 conformity with the plan, in peace, love, and harmony.” 
 
 Deputy Grand Master, Marshall P. Wilder, then poured 
 corn upon the stone from a golden cornucopia, saying, “ May 
 the health of the workmen employed in this undertaking be 
 preserved to them, and may the Supreine Grand Architect 
 bless and prosper their labors.” Senior Grand Warden, Wins¬ 
 low Lewis, next poured wine from a silver vase upon the 
 stone, saying, “ May plenty be showered down upon the 
 people, and may the blessing of the bounteous Giver of all 
 good rest upon this place.” The Junior Grand Warden, Peter 
 C. Jones, followed by pouring oil upon the stone with a similar 
 benediction. The Grand Master then said : “ May corn, wine, 
 and oil,* and all the necessaries of life abound among this 
 people, and may the blessing of Almighty God be upon this 
 undertaking, and may the workmen be blessed while engaged 
 on it, and may the structure here to be erected be preserved to 
 the latest ages, and may it promote the object for which it is 
 designed.” The audience then joined in singing Old Hundred, 
 after which the Grand Master addressed the Mayor and City 
 Government as follows : — 
 
29 
 
 ADDRESS OF GRAND MASTER W. D. COOLIDGE. 
 
 Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen of the City Council : 
 In compliance with your invitation, and in conform¬ 
 ity to ancient masonic usage, we have now laid the 
 corner-stone of this new City Hall, and I have pro¬ 
 nounced the foundation-stone well laid, true and 
 trusty. Under your special care, and that of your 
 successors, let this edifice arise in all its magnifi¬ 
 cent proportions to be an ornament to the city and 
 a convenience to the members of its government, and 
 the pride and honor of her citizens. 
 
 On this 22d day of December our minds naturally 
 go back to the time when our forefathers landed at 
 Plymouth. This beautiful structure is an evidence 
 of the consummate skill and ability of our architects 
 and builders. Let it rise in its architectural beauty 
 to be in the sight of this people a joy forever. 
 
 The Mayor then continued his address, as follows: — 
 
 Most Worshipful Grand Master: I thank you and 
 the M. W. officers of the Grand Lodge of Masons, 
 for the valuable and interesting services you have 
 performed on this occasion. The invitation you so 
 kindly accepted was tendered from a profound re¬ 
 spect for your ancient and honored institution, and 
 I trust that hereafter, when this building shall be 
 
30 
 
 completed and become the pride of our city, your 
 participation in the laying of this corner-stone will 
 be regarded by you with pleasure and satisfaction. 
 
 Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Committee 
 on Public Buildings : Having thus performed a duty 
 most gratifying . to me, both personally and official¬ 
 ly, I am happy to know that so many of the mem¬ 
 bers of the Committee are to remain in the City 
 Council during the ensuing year, and I have reason 
 to believe that we may safely entrust to them, and 
 to our successors, the completion of a work which 
 has been this day so happily inaugurated. And, 
 Mr. Chairman, permit me to express my sincere 
 regret that you, to whom the City is so much in¬ 
 debted for the consummation of this great public 
 improvement, are not to have any official super¬ 
 vision over its erection, but — as these stones are 
 placed one upon the other, and as the beautiful 
 design of the architect ris developed — as its walls 
 and columns and cornices are finished — let it be 
 your satisfaction, as it will be mine, to feel that 
 our humble efforts were instrumental in adorning 
 our loved city with an edifice so graceful in its 
 architectural proportions, and so perfectly adapted 
 to the present and future wants of the government. 
 And if now our hearts are saddened at the present 
 
31 
 
 gloomy condition of our country, let us still cherish 
 the hope that when these walls shall be crowned 
 with its towering dome, we may see from the flag¬ 
 staff upon its summit the glorious flag of our 
 nation waving over it as the emblem of a restored 
 and reunited country. 
 
 The band then played the “ Star Spangled Banner,” and 
 the ceremonies were concluded with a benediction by the 
 Rev. Mr. Greenwood. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 

 
APPENDIX 
 
 Description of the Box, Plate, and other articles deposited under 
 the Corner-Stone of the New City Hall. 
 
 The box is made of sheet-copper, tinned inside and outside, 
 and is thirteen inches square by four inches in height. In this 
 box the annexed list of articles are enclosed: — 
 
 1. A silver plate measuring ten and three fourths inches by 
 seven and three fourths inches, upon which the following is 
 engraved: — 
 
 THIS CORNER-STONE OF A BUILDING, 
 
 For the use of the various Departments of the 
 
 of tl u of gogtou, 
 
 Was laid on the 22d day of December, 1862. 
 
 BY HIS HONOR, 
 
 JOSEPH NT. WIGHTMAN, Mayor, 
 
 Assisted by the 
 
 MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF FREE MASONS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 M. W. William D. Coolidge, G. Master. 
 
 City Government for 1802. 
 
 Mayor. 
 
 JOSEPH MILNER WIGHTMAN. 
 
 Thomas P. Rich, 
 
 Thomas C. Amort, Jr., 
 
 James L. Hanson, 
 
 Samuel R. Spinney, 
 
 George W. Parmenter, 
 
 John F. Pray, 
 
 Aldermen. 
 
 Elisha T. Wilson, 
 Francis Richards, 
 Joseph L. Henshaw, 
 Joseph F. Paul, 
 Calvin A. Richards, 
 Otis Norcross. 
 
36 
 
 Common Council. 
 JOSHUA D. BALL, President. 
 
 John W. Leighton, 
 Cornelius Murphy, 
 Dennis Bonner, 
 Matthew Keany, 
 Albert Bowker, 
 Richard Beeching, 
 George Hinman, 
 Augustus Reed, 
 
 John C. Tucker, 
 Philip O’Donnell, 
 Bernard Cullen, 
 
 John Glancy, 
 
 Seldon Crockett, 
 Elias E. Davison, 
 Benjamin E. Edmands, 
 Daniel H. Whitney, 
 John S. Pear, 
 
 Joseph A. Brown, 
 Linus M. Child, 
 Michael E. Wells, 
 Daniel Davies, 
 William E. Bicknell, 
 George P. Clapp, 
 George O. Shattuck, 
 
 Jabez Frederick, 
 Charles J. McCarthy, 
 James Riley, 
 
 Henry W. Eoley,. 
 Joseph Buckley, 
 
 John S. Tyler, 
 
 Morris C. Fitch, 
 Winsor Hatch, 2d, 
 William Carpenter, 
 Franklin H. Sprague, 
 Samuel G. Bowdlear, 
 William H. Ireland, 
 Joel Richards, 
 
 Loring B. Barnes, 
 Cyrus Hicks, 
 
 Horace B. Fisher, 
 William B. Fowls, Jr., 
 Joshua D. Ball, 
 
 John C. Fallon, 
 
 Lucius A. Cutler, 
 Sumner Crosby, 
 
 George W. Sprague, 
 Henry A. Drake, 
 Stanley Gore. 
 
 Committee on Public Buildings. 
 
 Francis Richards, 
 Samuel R. Spinney, 
 Joseph F. Paul, 
 John C. Tucker, 
 
 John C. Fallon, 
 George W. Sprague, 
 Daniel Davies, 
 
 John W. Leighton. 
 
 Gridley J. F. Bryant and Arthur Gilman, Architects. 
 
 Samuel C. Nottage, Superintendent of Public Buildings. 
 Samuel F. McCleary, City Clerk. 
 
 D. Bbiscob, Engraver. 
 
 2. Message of the President of the United States to Con¬ 
 gress, December, 1862. 
 
 3. Reports of Secretaries of the Treasury, of War, Navy, 
 and Interior, 1862. 
 
 4. Massachusetts State Register, 1862. 
 
37 
 
 5. City Charter and City Ordinances. 
 
 6. Boston Municipal Register for 1862. 
 
 7. Map of the City of Boston, revised to 1861. 
 
 8. Inaugural Address of the Mayor, January 6, 1862. 
 
 9. Report of the Committee on new City Hall, 1862. 
 
 10. Report of Committee on Boston Volunteers, 1862. 
 
 11. Ann ual Report of Boston Board of Trade, 1862. 
 
 12. Two Semi-Annual Reports of the Superintendent of 
 Schools, 1862. 
 
 13. Annual Report of the Trustees of the Public Library, 
 1862. 
 
 14. Annual Report of the Chief of Police, 1862. 
 
 15. Annual Report of the City Auditor, 1862. 
 
 16. Oration before the City Authorities, July 4, 1862, by 
 Hon. George T. Curtis. 
 
 17. Boston Almanac, 1862. 
 
 18. Boston newspapers, December 20, 1862. 
 
 19. A sealed glass bottle, containing two United States 
 Treasury Notes of the denominations of one and two dollars; 
 Postal Currency of fifty, twenty-five, ten, and five cents; also 
 a Treasury Note of the “ Confederate States of America,” of 
 the denomination of twenty dollars, an United States Cent of 
 1862, and an impression from the City Seal. 
 
 20. A photographic outline View of the new City Hall. 
 
 The box containing the foregoing articles is hermetically 
 sealed, and then put inside another copper box fifteen inches 
 square and six inches high, which is also closed hermetically 
 after filling the space between the two boxes with dry pulver¬ 
 ized charcoal. The cavity in the stone to receive the box is 
 eighteen inches square and eight inches high. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CITY HALL 
 
 It is intended, in this building, to provide for the due and 
 convenient as well as economical location of the several apart¬ 
 ments necessary for the accommodation of all the various 
 branches of the City Government. And it is believed that the 
 design now adopted is such as will render it a model of well- 
 matured and thoroughly suitable construction for civic purposes. 
 
 The new building is to be erected of the fine white granite 
 from the quarries at Concord, N. H. It is of three full stories 
 in height, exclusive of the basement story, (which will be 
 entered, as now, from the rear in Court Square,) and exclusive 
 also of the attic or mansard story, finished in the height of the 
 French roof which crowns the whole. The front, toward School 
 Street, is 138 feet in length, having a central projection 51^ 
 feet in length, and projecting 14J feet from the line of the 
 wings. This centre is somewhat higher than the body of the 
 wings, occupies the whole width of the Mayor and Aldermen’s 
 room on the principal floor, and of the Common Council room 
 on the third floor, and is finished above with a handsome dome, 
 square on plan, and surmounted by a balcony and flag-staff. 
 The depth of the building from front to rear is 95 feet in the 
 wings, and 109J feet in the centre. 
 
 The basement story contains a public office for the City 
 Physician, and a large operating room for vaccination, &c., 
 connected with it; a large waiting room in connection with the 
 office of Directors of Public Institutions, a clerk’s office con¬ 
 nected with do., a storeroom for Messenger, for documents 
 required to be immediately available, a storeroom for plans and 
 necessary articles for the use of the Superintendent of Public 
 Buildings, cellar for fuel, for heating apparatus, and a suit of 
 water-closets and urinals for the general use of the city officials. 
 
 The first, or entrance story, contains, on the left of the en¬ 
 trance, the large and important offices for the Treasurer and 
 Auditor, with a private room for each, and having large and 
 
39 
 
 commodious safes, with lavatory and convenient closets. This 
 portion of the building is strictly fire-proof, both above and 
 below, the floors being laid in brick and cement arches on heavy 
 rolled iron girders. On the right are the Water Registar’s 
 public room and private office, and the Assessors’ large office; 
 the Police general room and the private office of the Chief of 
 Police, with a private staircase leading to the Mayor’s inner 
 office on the floor above. In the rear, and overlooking Court 
 Square, are the offices for the Overseers of the Poor and the 
 Directors of Public Institutions, while the centre of the whole 
 building is occupied by a noble hall and double flight of stair¬ 
 cases, the hall being 32 by 76 feet throughout each story. 
 
 The entrance corridor from the School Street front connects 
 this hall with the front vestibule of the building, under the 
 central portico, and is 15 feet in width. 
 
 On the second or principal floor the landing at the head of 
 the two flights of stairs opens to the Mayor and Aldermen’s 
 large room, which measures 46 by 46 feet, and is 26 J feet in 
 height. On the left are the Mayor’s lobby, with accommoda¬ 
 tion for clerk, and the Mayor’s private office, and on the right 
 the City Clerk’s public office, a private office for the use of the 
 same official, and a third office for the recording of mortgages, 
 which comes under his jurisdiction. The City Solicitor is pro¬ 
 vided with two commodious and handsome rooms in the rear of 
 the City Clerk’s quarters. The Superintendent of Public Build¬ 
 ings occupies the similar offices on the other side, and a room 
 for the Messenger, and two large and handsome committee 
 rooms, complete the amount of accommodation on this floor. 
 
 On the third story are the Water Commissioners’ two rooms, 
 the offices of the Superintendent of Sewers and Superintendent 
 of Lands, each with a private room for the sessions of the re¬ 
 spective committees; the office of the City Registrar, of the 
 Superintendent of Schools, of the School Committee, of the 
 Superintendent of Streets, of the Superintendent of Internal 
 Health, and the Engineers of the Fire Department; for each of 
 
40 
 
 which branches of the city service ample and convenient quarters 
 are now for the first time provided. 
 
 The fourth story contains the Common Council room, directly 
 over the room of the Mayor and Aldermen, and of the same 
 * dimensions on plan, but considerably higher in section, as its 
 
 position under the dome enables it to be made. Connected 
 with it on the one side are the two offices for the Clerk of the 
 Common Council, with large safe and other suitable accom¬ 
 modations, and on the other the dressing-room for hats and 
 outer garments of the Councilmen, and a range of water-closets, 
 lavatories, and other desirable conveniences. Six committee 
 rooms of various sizes and accommodations complete the ar¬ 
 rangement of the floor. 
 
 In the attic or mansard story, made by the rise of the French 
 roof, are located a suit of fourteen rooms, of various sizes, sev¬ 
 eral of the largest of which are to be fitted with shelves, as 
 storerooms for the printed documents of the city from year to 
 year. 
 
 The story under the dome, and most of the area of the dome 
 itself, are to be used for the Fire and Police Telegraph, and for 
 sleeping-rooms for the operators. 
 
 The construction of the brick walls surrounding the large 
 staircase hall in the centre of the building, affords an opportunity 
 for the most thorough and perfect ventilation of every apart¬ 
 ment. Through a series of hollow brick flues connected with 
 each apartment by registers, and at the top with the main hot¬ 
 air shaft from the heating apparatus, a complete circulation of 
 air throughout the structure can at all times be easily main¬ 
 tained. The advantage of this arrangement will be particularly 
 felt in the Council Chamber, an apartment which is liable at 
 times, — such as the yearly organization of the City Govern¬ 
 ment, the conventions of the two branches, and the debates 
 upon matters of more than ordinary interst — to overcrowding 
 of its area, and the consequent ill effects of a heated and vitiated 
 atmosphere. Against such a state of things the system of ven¬ 
 tilation proposed would, it is believed, afford complete security. 
 
41 
 
 It is desirable to observe in this connection that the Council 
 Chamber is provided with deep and ample galleries, in a space 
 not readily available for other purposes, and which will afford a 
 complete accommodation for a large attendance of the public 
 without encroaching upon the floor of the Chamber. 
 
 The external style and appearance of the new City Hall will, 
 we feel assured, be a source of gratification and of just pride to 
 our community. The style selected is one which grows nat¬ 
 urally out of the character and requirements of the structure. 
 It will at once be recognized by all those conversant with such 
 matters, as the prevailing style of modern Europe,—a style 
 which the taste of the present Emperor of France, in particular, 
 has so largely illustrated in most of the modern works of the 
 French capital. Derived originally from Italian sources, and 
 particularly from the later edifices of the Venetian Republic, it 
 has now been so successfully naturalized in other countries as 
 to have become the prevailing manner for most of these edifices 
 of a dignified and permanent character, other than churches, 
 which are destined to be regarded as the best architectural 
 records of our time by posterity. The Committee on Public 
 Buildings have desired, in this respect, not to fall behind the 
 progress of art in other communities, but to bring forward a 
 design which, with a due regard to economy and convenience of 
 construction, shall yet stand as a fair memorial of our own ad¬ 
 vancement in the knowledge and the taste of the age. We 
 believe that it will commend itself alike to the approbation of 
 architectural amateurs and of our citizens generally, as graceful 
 and harmonious in proportion and detail — and particularly as 
 being light and cheerful in its prevailing character, and rich in 
 its general appearance, without any very elaborate or costly 
 decoration of its parts. Expressive in its outline and arrange¬ 
 ment of the purposes for which it is proposed to be erected, it 
 will be found to impress the spectator with a sense of fitness 
 and propriety for the principal municipal structure of an enter¬ 
 prising and thrifty community. And we are confident that the 
 6 
 
public in general will have good reason to be fully satisfied with 
 it as a permanent ornament to the central and imposing locality 
 on which it is to be placed. 
 
 The contract for all the cut granile work has been signed 
 with Messrs. Sheldon, Sargent, Hollis, and Penniman. The 
 brick-work and masonry are contracted for by Messrs. Adams 
 and Jacobs, and the carpenters’ work by Jonas Fitch, leaving 
 the iron-work, with painting and glazing, and some smaller and 
 unimportant matters of finish, not yet under contract. 
 
 The designs, plans, working drawings, and specifications, 
 for this most important work, have been made throughout by 
 Messrs. G. J. F. Bryant and A. Gilman, and the building, 
 when completed, will add another striking specimen to the 
 numerous memorials of skill and taste with which these gentle¬ 
 men have already adorned the streets of our ancient city. 
 
 Copies of original Papers in the possession of the Massachusetts 
 Historical Society, relating to the erection of Town Houses in 
 Boston in 1657 and 1711. 
 
 Power Conferred by the Committee for the Town house — 1657. 
 
 Wee whose names are vnder wrighten having full power 
 given vs by the Town of Boston to Agree with workmen, & in 
 their behalfe to Engadge the Town, In the Payment of any sum 
 or sums for the building Erecting & Compleating of A house 
 for the Town both for the forme & dimentions &c. according 
 as we shall Judge meet, They the s d Towne having Engadged 
 themselves to own & stand by vs and performe what promises 
 Covenants or Engadgm ts wee should make in order to the ac¬ 
 complishing of the premises, And to facillitate the s d worke 
 we the s d subscribed doe make choyce of M Edward Hutchin¬ 
 son & John Hull in o behalfe to Agree & Compound with 
 workmen & Engadge paym* in everie respect for the s d worke 
 & we doe hereby oblidge o r selves to stand by, own, & performe 
 what the s d M r Ed : Hutchinson & Jn Hull soe deputed shall 
 
43 
 
 doe or Engadge themselves in as iff it was the person all act of 
 everie one off vs & heervnto we subscribe oy hands, by this 
 binding o r selves likewise to own what the s d prtyes have all- 
 ridy done in the s d worke signed this 31 of the 6 th month 1657. 
 
 Tho : Marshall 
 Samuell Cole 
 • William Paddy 
 Josh : Scottow 
 Jer : Howchtn. 
 
 Agreem! for the Town House —1657. 
 
 Boston August 1. 1657. 
 
 Wee whose Names are vnder wrighten Being chosen by & in 
 behalfe of the Town of Boston, to bargain & Contract with some 
 able workemen about A house for the Town, we have Bargained 
 & Contracted, & by these presents doe bargain & Covenant 
 with Thomas Joy and Bartholomew Bernad of Boston; & the 
 s d Thomas Joy & Barth Bernad, are heerby bound & doe 
 oblidge themselves vnto the s d Town of Boston (& in vn[to] 
 In their behalfe) that they will Prepare & Erect, a very sub- 
 stantiall and Comely building In the place Appointed by the 
 s d Town ; The dimentions of w ch Edifice shall be sixty six foot 
 in Length, and thirty six foot in Breadth from out side to out¬ 
 side, set vpon twenty one Pillers of full ten foot high between 
 Pedestall & Capitall, & well brased all four waies, placed vpon 
 foundation of stone in the bottome. The wholl Building to 
 Jetty over three foot without the Pillers everie way: The 
 height of the s d House to be ten foot betwixt Joynts above 
 the Pillers, and a halfe storie above that, with three gable 
 Endes over it vpon each side : A walke vpon the Top fourteen 
 or 15 foote wide with two Turrets, & turnd Balasters and railes, 
 round about the walke according to A modell or draught Pre¬ 
 sented to vs, by the s d Tho : Joy, & Barth : Bernad. The 
 s d Tho : Joy & Barth : Bernad Likewise, finding all things 
 necisarje and meet for the s d Building, viz : Timber in in everie 
 
44 
 
 respect & of everie sort, substantiall & meet according to Pro¬ 
 portion & Art, Plank for the sides & ends three Inch thick,* 
 well groved one into another, and into the timbers allso an 
 Inch and halfe; well plained & smoothed one Both sides, two 
 Inch plank for the Lower floor, and full Inch for the vpper 
 floor, Both smoothed, and vpon the walk duble boarded and 
 well groved; the Rooff well boarded & shingled, with gutters 
 sufficiently made. 
 
 Bringing all to the Place, Erecting, finishing & Compleating 
 the whole Edifice viz The Frame, foundations, Floores, staires 
 (viz Two pair halfe paced staires & turnd staires vp into the 
 walke) doores, window Cases & Casements, mantle peeces, 
 Inclosures, Pertitions | &c The wholl Edifice to be Erected, by 
 the thirty daye of the fourth month called June next ensuing 
 the date heeroff; and Covered & shingled within six weekes after 
 that. The Town finding all the Iron worke, as nailes hookes 
 hinges &c. glass with glasing & Lead for the Gutters masonrie 
 worke as the chimnies, foundation of the Pillers with stone 
 brick & Lime belonging to the same the affo r s d Tho : & Barth : 
 all the other worke as affor sd The Town finding help at the 
 raysing. 
 
 In consideration of the premises we doe heerby obl’dge our¬ 
 selves (according to order & in behalfe of the s d Town of 
 Boston affors d ) To give & Assigne over vnto the s d Tho : Joy 
 & Barthol: Bernad, or to either of them or their assignes the 
 three Hund : Pounds w oh is that Part of the Legacy of Cap* 
 Rob* Keyne (deceased) designed & bequeathed vnto the 
 s d Town in his Last will for ther vse, and also one hund. 
 Pound more we heerby oblidge o r selves to Pay or Cause to be 
 paied vnto the s d Thomas & Bartholomew or their Assignes In 
 good English goods at prise Currant, and likewise to doe our 
 
 * Only we alow of Two Inch plank for the sids & ends above the Plates & 
 beanies. 
 
 f There is to be both Roomes from the chimnies closed one both sides and 
 one Cross partition in one of the Roomes; beside the stair Case. 
 
45 
 
 vttinost that one fiflfty pound of this above mentioned paym* 
 (viz out of the thre Hund d ) may be made in mony for the 
 more lively cavsing an end of the affo r s d worke. 
 
 The Time of w ch Payment shall be as followeth viz : one 
 Hund. Pound at the Bringing of the Timber to the Place A 
 seccond Hund: at the raysing A third Hund : at the Inclo¬ 
 sure & Covering A fourth at the finishing & Compleating vnto 
 all these premises aboves d we doe heerby Joyntly & severaly 
 mutualy & Interchangeably bind o r selves by o r hands & seales 
 this first of August 1657. 
 
 We doe also engadge that the three Hund : pound in the 
 Legacy aboves d shall be made good vnto the s d workmen 
 Thomas & Bartholomew. 
 
 Witneses heer vnto 
 
 Joseph Newgate 
 James Browne 
 Henry Powning 
 
 Relating to y e Town House Rents. Read March 10 th 1711-12. 
 
 Whereas the Rents reserved to the Town of Boston for seve¬ 
 ral spare Rooms in, under, and Adjoyning to the late Town 
 House beside all rooms made use of there for Publick 
 Occasions, did according to the Rates they were lett, or might 
 have been Lett at amount to Eighty pounds P r annum. 
 
 And the Great and Gen 11 Court or Assembly of this Province 
 haveing lately directed, That there be a House built in or neer 
 the place where the Old Town House stood, For Publick meet¬ 
 ings on Civill Occasions, For Province County and Town, 
 Viz* For the Meeting of the Gen 11 Assembly, The holding of 
 Councills and Courts of Justice and Town Meetings, the Charge 
 thereof to be born the One halfe by the Province, the Other 
 halfe by the Town of Boston and County of Suffolk in Equall 
 proportion, unto which proposal the Inhabitants of Boston have 
 Voted their Concurrance. 
 
 Edward Hutchinson [seal.] 
 John Hull, [seal.] 
 
46 
 
 And since there is prospect of as great if not greater improve- 
 m ts and advantage by such spare room in the s d new building 
 now to be Erected, it may not be unseasonable for the Inhabi¬ 
 tants of this Town now to make Sutable provision to secure 
 that priviledge and benefitt to themselves and their successors. 
 
 And altho other Arguments might be of weight for their 
 being so benefitted, Yet rather then forego and loose the same, 
 May it not be adviseable for them to agree upon bearing some 
 Additional Charge in y e s d building as an Equivalent, That so 
 they may be thereby Effectually Intitulled to the benefit and 
 improvement of all such rooms and spaices in under and ad- 
 joyning to the s d New building which shall be conveniently 
 capable of being inclosed and Improved for distinct uses, and 
 otherwise not needfull to be made use of for those afore men¬ 
 tioned Intentions proposed by the Gen 11 Court, and thereby to 
 Lessen the Charge of the Province, Town and County in their 
 respective proportions as aforesaid. The which additionall 
 Charge, together with the Charge of Incloseing and fitting of 
 shops &c. there, may (if the Town sees meet) to very good ad¬ 
 vantage be defrayd out of that their money w ch is the Effects 
 of Lands sold and in Equity ought to be so layd out as to raise 
 and perpetuate an income to the Town. 
 
 And in case sutable Application be made to the Gen 11 Court 
 on the behalfe of this Town relating to the premisies, under 
 the consideration of their Excessive growing Charge & Ex- 
 pences, & their so great a loss by the Late Fire, & that the 
 Late Town-House w ch was built at the Charge of y e Inhabitants 
 of this Town was for neer fifty years past made use of for all 
 Publick Occasions w th out any other Charge to the Public then 
 that for some of the Later years they have born part of y e 
 Charge of y Pepaires. 
 
 And that the Town of Boston being the true and proper 
 Owners of all that Land on w ch the said New building is now 
 to be erected. It is presumed that they will readily agree unto 
 so just and reasonable a proposal. 
 
47 
 
 Proposed By Joseph Prout Read at y e begining of y e Town 
 meeting y e l() h of March 1711-12. 
 
 Gen 1 ] Court directions ab l building a Town House — 1711. 
 
 1711 Octo. Committee Appointed by the GenJ Court viz 
 Eilsha Hutchinson Samuel Sewall Nathan 1 Payn & Thomas 
 Noyes Esq rs of the . Council, Samuel Appleton, Josiah Chapin, 
 John Clark & James Warren Esq rs Maj r Thomas Fitch, Cap 4 
 Simon Davis & Capt‘ Samuel Phipps of the House of Repre¬ 
 sentatives. 
 
 The Above Committee Advise that there be a house built in 
 or near the place where the old Town house stood for the uses 
 mentioned in the Memorial as convenient as may be without 
 incomoding the street the Breadth not to Exceed thirty six feet 
 the Length so as to be Convenient for the Ends mentioned in 
 the Addresse. That a Committee be Appointed by this Court 
 to take Care for the Building as speedily & prudently as may 
 be, The Charge thereof to be born the one half by the Province 
 the other halfe by the Town of Boston & County of Suffolk in 
 Equal proportion. 
 
 By ord r of the Major part of the Committee. 
 
 Elisha Hutchinson. 
 
 November 10 1711 Read & Accepted And a Committee 
 Raised and Directed to Advise with his Excellency and such 
 skilful Gent" as they may think fit to be Consulted with about 
 the Model of the House. 
 
 Copy of the Minutes 
 
 Is A Addington Seer?/. 
 
 Note. That the House is for J’ublick Meetings, on Civil Occasions ; for 
 the Province, County & Town, viz 4 for the Meeting of the General Assembly 
 The Holding of Councils, and Courts of Justice and Town meeting. 
 
j 
 
COPIES OF SUBSCRIPTION PAPERS. 
 

COPY OF THE NAMES 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 FAC-SIMILE SUBSCRIPTION PAPER 
 
 FOB THE 
 
 FIRST TOWN HOUSE IN BOSTON IN 1657. 
 
 “Whereas, thear is giuen a Considerable sume by Capt: 
 Kayn towards the Building of a towne house w ch sume will not 
 ataine the Building w ch he mentioneth in his Will, now Con¬ 
 sidering the vsefulnes of such a Structure wee whose names are 
 vnder written, doe ingage our selues our heyres executors for 
 to giue towards the abou sd hous and also a Condit in the 
 Market place, the seuerall sumes vnder written ” : — 
 
 Jo. Endecott 
 Ri. Bellingham 
 Edward Tynge 
 John Euered 
 Peter Olliuer 
 John Barrett 
 James Olliuer 
 Will. Paine 
 Richard Parker 
 Nathaniel Williams 
 Sarah Parker 
 Henry Powning 
 John Cogan 
 Theodore Atkinson 
 Tho. Howkings 
 John Hull 
 
 Thomas Clarke 
 Robert Turner 
 Richard Cooke 
 Robert Swift (?) 
 Samuel Hutchinson 
 Josh Scottow 
 Will 1 " Hudson 
 Hezekiah Usher 
 Wm Dauis 
 Thomas Buttolphe 
 James Penn 
 Jacob Sheafe 
 Thomas Lake 
 Isaack Waker 
 John Sanderline 
 Robt. Pateshall 
 
52 
 
 Thomas Matson 
 
 Jno. Joyliffe 
 
 John Williams 
 
 Amos Richardson 
 
 Thomas Edsell 
 
 Edmond Grenleff 
 
 Thomas Bligh 
 
 Edward Porter 
 
 Richard Gridley 
 
 Nicholas Phillips 
 
 John Button 
 
 Thomas Harwood 
 
 Benjamin Negus 
 
 Thomas Brattle 
 
 James Everill 
 
 Thomas Baker 
 
 Robt Batterly 
 
 John Biggs 
 
 John Coney 
 
 Jo : Marshall 
 
 Samuell Mattocke 
 
 Henry Alline 
 
 Rich’d Stanes 
 
 Hugh Drury 
 
 Rowland Story 
 
 John Collens 
 
 Ri. Wayte 
 
 Thomas Scotto 
 
 Phillip Whorton 
 
 Nathanell Thorn (?) 
 
 Augusten Clement 
 
 John Pears 
 
 Richard Woodde 
 
 William Reade 
 
 John Phillips 
 
 Will. Tay 
 
 Tho. Emons 
 
 Jo"' Blacklach 
 
 Thomas Littell 
 
 John Clough 
 
 Humphrey Bradshaw 
 
 Samll Davice 
 
 Joseph Bonde 
 
 Samuell Cole 
 
 George Brome 
 
 Christopher Gibson 
 
 William Paddy 
 
 Robert Nanney 
 
 Henry Kemble 
 
 Henry Bridgham 
 
 Thomas Makepeace 
 
 Thomas Waker 
 
 Joshua Hewes 
 
 Nathanell Raynolls 
 
 Frances Smith 
 
 John Hawkines 
 
 Francis Douse 
 
 Arthur Masson 
 
 John Pierce 
 
 Ann Carter 
 
 Simon Eire 
 
 James Dauis by Tho : Joy. 
 
 Comfort Starr 
 
 Daniel Turill 
 
 Henry Phillips 
 
 Thomas Fich 
 
 Henry Shrimpton 
 
 Edmund Jacklin 
 
 John Lowel 
 
 William Gibson 
 
 George Munioy 
 
 Jeremy Castine 
 
53 
 
 Bartholmew Cheever Henery Messenger 
 
 Edmund Jackson by Thomas Will. Colbron 
 
 Fay 
 
 Miells Towne 
 William English 
 Joseph Howe 
 Samuel Norden 
 Robert Nash 
 Mathew Barnes 
 Thomas Dewer 
 William Corser 
 
 Edward Goodwin 
 James Johnson 
 John Newgat 
 Thomas Bumsted 
 Natha: Duncan 
 Peter Duncan 
 John Wiswall 
 Joseph Wise 
 
 Another Subscription Paper for the same purpose is in possession of the 
 Massachusetts Historical Society, of which the following is a copy: 
 
 SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR THE BUILDING OF Y E TOWNS HOUSE. 
 
 Whereas thear is giuen a Considerable sume by Capt: Keyn 
 towards the Building of a towne house w oh sume will not at- 
 taine the Building w ch he mentioneth in his Will, now Consi¬ 
 dering the vsefulnes of such a Structure wee whose names are 
 vnder written doe ingage our selues our he ires executors for to 
 giue towards the Building of such a house and also a Conditt 
 in the Market place the seuerall sumes vnder written : 
 
 paid 
 
 Robert Raynals . . . . 
 
 1—0.0 
 
 paid 
 
 John Lake .... 
 
 . 01—10 . 00 
 
 paid 
 
 Robert Sanderson . . . . 
 
 01—00 . 00 
 
 paid 
 
 Raphfe Mason .... 
 
 . 01—00— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 Richard Carter by goodman Baker 
 
 01—00— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 M r John Anderson 
 
 . 02—00— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 Nathaniell: Greene 
 
 01—10 . 0 
 
 paid 
 
 Joseph Rocke six pounds 
 
 . 06—00— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 Gammaliel Waite . 
 
 01—00—00 
 
54 
 
 
 M r Ransford. 
 
 01—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 John Shaw fisherman 
 
 00—10—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Mical Willis cutler . 
 
 01—00—00 
 
 
 Thomas Leader .... 
 
 00—10—00 
 
 paid 
 
 William Whitwel . . . . 
 
 01—10—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Joseph Moore .... 
 
 01—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Bartholomew Barloe . 
 
 01—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Hene Williams .... 
 
 02—00—00 
 
 
 Marke Hams . ... . 
 
 01—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 John Sweete ..... 
 
 02—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 John farnam in worke or other pay . 
 
 01—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Tho : Clarke in Bondes at springe 
 
 10—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Evan Thomas will pay in literedg . 
 
 01—10—00 
 
 paid 
 
 John Baker ..... 
 
 01—10— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 John Lewes . . . : 
 
 Deacon Trusdell .... 
 
 1— 0— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 M r Dauid Eavens p r Cap* Oliuer . 
 
 2 . 00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 William Browne 
 
 2 . 10 . 00 
 
 paid 
 
 William Beamslleay .... 
 
 01—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Zakary Phillips .... 
 
 01—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Willm Wenborne .... 
 
 01-00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 William Cotton .... 
 
 01—10—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Alexander Becks .... 
 
 00—05—00 
 
 paid 
 
 John Richards three pounds 
 
 03—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Edward Lane p r mise to pay by the hands 
 of Lei* Rich. Cooke fiue pounds and 
 
 
 
 tenn shillings I say 
 
 5 . 10! 
 
 paid 
 
 Mr Bishop ...... 
 
 2 . 00— 0 
 
 
 M rs Richards Re 10 s 
 
 1—10— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 Alex : Adames promis 
 
 01—10—00 
 
 
 M r Edward Belcher p r M r Hill . 
 
 10—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Deacon Trusdell .... 
 
 01—00—00 
 
 pd 
 
 William Brenton in [ 
 
 10—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 Jo Checkley ..... 
 
 02—10— 0 
 
 
 Simon Lynde Fiue pownds 
 
 £5 „ „ 
 
55 
 
 paid 
 
 Henry Blake 
 
 . 02—10— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 M r Henry Webb 
 
 . 20— 0— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 Capte Pendleton 
 
 . 05— 0— 0 
 
 pd 
 
 Richard Taylor 
 
 . 00—15— 0 
 
 
 John Parker Shewmaker 
 
 . 01 — 00 — 0 
 
 paid 
 
 Abraham Busby 
 
 . 02—10— 0 
 
 
 M r Webb Shewmaker . 
 
 . 00—10— 0 
 
 paid 
 
 M r Houchin . . 
 
 . 05—00—00 
 
 paid 
 
 M r Alfford 
 
 . 01—10—00 
 


 
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