Identifier: historicalaccoun01etti (find matches)
Title: An historical account of the old State house of Pennsylvania now known as the Hall of independence
Year: 1876 (1870s)
Authors: Etting, Frank M. (Frank Marx)
Subjects: Independence Hall (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publisher: Boston, J. R. Osgood and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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unately the objections, thus made, prevailed. Another plan wasobtained from Mr. Strickland, and adopted. In this, the two storiesof brick were dispensed with, and the steeple restored very nearly toits original. Openings, however, for the four faces of the clock weremade, and thus practically the views of both sides were accomplished. The completion of the new steeple was celebrated upon 4th July,1828, and a grand raising frolic was given, in the long room of theState House, to the workmen, and there was a verj^ good time. Ac-cording to programme Lukens made the clock, and Wilbank, the bell,— the latter was completed and placed in position on 11th Septemberfollowing. It is stated that the dimensions of this bell were scien-tifically calculated previously to being cast, and so accurately, that theweight was in excess only seventy-five pounds, its total weight being4,275 pounds, and cost $1,923.75! i ^ This bell was short-lived, lint like its great predecessor proved so unsatisfactory
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EFFORTS AT RESTORATION. 163 This vaunt, however, is not sustained by the estimate submitted inadvance to Councils, as its weigiit was to be 4,000 pounds. Still, asthe increase, over the intended, weight of the original bell was buteighty pounds, it would not appear that our more modern bell-foundercould plume himself on any progression in scientific calculationin the intervening seventy-five years. Mr. Lowbers words fell upon fallow ground, and we find that inJuly, 1830, petitions were sent to the Councils to restore the old Hallto its original condition, and to require for the future that the cham-ber should be used for dignified purposes only. In the early partof the following year, a plan for restoring Independence Chamber wasaccordingly submitted to, and approved by, Councils. It was drawn byMr. Haviland, and as he confined himself to the reinstating such por-tions of the paneling as had been removed (but fortunately preservedin the attic of the State House), and only eked out the

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