Our City Hall
 

This building is considered by architects and artists
one of the most successful examples of the Colonial
School existing in our country today. It was completed
in 1812, and succeeded the old Federal Hall, standing
on the corner of Wall Street and Nassau. It remains
as originally built, except for the cupola, which has un¬
dergone several changes. In 1834 the classic simplicity
of the first cupola gave place to one having a four-faced
clock, which necessitated the raising of the dome about
eight feet, and a few other minor changes. This was
done to satisfy the public demand for a municipal time
piece, and although the new cupola was not so chaste
as the first, it was still a very beautiful and appropri¬
ate structure. In 1858 this cupola was destroyed by fire,
during the celebration of the opening of the Atlantic
cable and the question of restoring the original simple
and classic design of the old Scotch architect, John
McComb, came up for discussion. The public, however,
were bent on having a clock and the cupola was restored
very much as it had been before the fire. Recently, and
at a rather inopportune time, just when the city was
entertaining its foreign visitors from France and Britain
the cupola was again destroyed by fire. The opportunity
presents itself once more to restore the cupola in all
the beauty and simplicity of its original design. The need
for a clock is no longer felt, as there are many in the
downtown section of the city and the public, if its de¬
sire leans strongly to the aesthetic and classical, may
see the beautiful structure of 1814 appear again.

The City Hall is built of white marble, but the rear
wall is of freestone, for the builders of 1812 surmised
that the city would never go beyond this. Today the
city limits are sixteen miles north. The Mayor's room
is on the first floor. Under one of its windows on the
outside is a tablet recording: "Near this spot, in the
presence of General George Washington, the Declaration

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