the State House was finished. Originally the ceiling was arched,
but the acoustic accommodation was poor and architect Henry
Austin was employed to plan the second ceiling, which was hung
under the first one. Even with this and some other improvements,
it was always difBcult for every member of the House, to hear
distinctly what was being said either by the " speaker" or members
debating.

From a full report made to the Legislature, May 18, 183 1, by
William Mosely, Charles H. Pond, and John Q. Wilson, the building
committee, we find that they paid $2,935.67 for placing the marble
about the State House and doing other work ; $4,000 toward the
marble from Sing Sing; $509.50 toward the freight charges for the
marble and $272.30 for cartage from the wharf. To Mr. Town was
paid $24,000 in full of five installments and a further sum of
$1,979.55 toward alterations ordered by the General Assembly, in



i02 THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE.

May, 1829. â–  P^or seats in Representatives' hall $2,176.74, and this
also covered the payment for seats in the Senate chamber and for
furniture and grading about the building. There then remained in
the state treasury $4,432 ; unexpended from the appropriation and
in the treasury of the city and county of New Haven $868, a
balance from what was raised by taxation, for their part of the cost.
The state made three appropriations of money, amounting to
$31,500 ; the city and county $10,000.

The tax laid for building a new county court-house, made neces-
sary on account of want of accommodations in the " New City Hall "
on Church street, amounted to $168,100, the cost of the site being
about $48,000. The building stands next north of the present City
Hall. The entire cost of the building was about $120,000, and the
furniture, curbing and paving, together with a few extras, brought
the amount up to $134,000. The Court of Common Pleas held its
first session in the new building, January 20, 1873, and the Superior
Court, January 27, 1873. The front measures sixty-six feet, includ-
ing that part which unites it with the City Hall, and the depth is
about one hundred and twenty feet. Since the location of the law
school in the Court-house more than $17,000 have been given for
the librar)^, $10,000 being the gift of ex-Gov. James E. English.

A State House was built at Hartford in 17 19, and it was probably
occupied in May, 1720. The front of it stood on what is now Main
street. The next Hartford State House was completed in 1796. A
lottery was authorized, to raise money to pay for it, but the scheme
was not much of a success. In July, 187 1, the Legislature directed a
commission to procure plans and build a State House at Hartford,
at a cost not exceeding $1,000,000, half to be paid by the State and
half by the city of Hartford. The foundations were laid, but in
1873, the Legislature stopped the work and the architect, Mr. Up-
john, made new plans for the building, occupied for the first time
March 26, 1878. The site was furnished by the city of Hartford,
and cost $600,000. Buildings were removed from the plot of ground
on which it stands. Gen. William P. Trowbridge was one of the



THE HIS7VRY OF THE STATE HOaSE. 103

Commissioners, managing the business. Tn 1873 the Legislature
voted to make Hartford the sole capital, and the vote was ratified
by the people, October, the same year, the majority being 5,933.
The building is an example of modern, secular, gothic architecture,
and on its summit is the statue of a woman, said to be the "Genius
of Connecticut." Until the creation of that statue, the State may be
said to have had no reliable or visible genius.

It would be unprofitable at this time, to relate the particulars of
the struggle between the cities of Hartford and New Haven for the
honor of being the sole capital. Ever true to her traditionary con-
servatism in all matters pertaining to the public welfare, New
Haven, after some economical efforts to secure the prize, gave up
the contest. The State and county of New Haven kindly relin-
quished all interest in the State House here. In his semi-centennial
oration, 1888, Henry T. Blake, referring to the new Hartford State
House said: "Greatly to be admired is that spirited figure perched
on its pinnacle, a brazen daughter of Herodias, idealized as the
genius of Hartford, gracefully poised on agile foot, bearing in one
hand her own wreath of sovereignty, and triumphantly waving in the
other the crown or scalp that has just been plucked from her
decapitated rival." Now whether the genius is one of the emblem-
atic belongings of Hartford or of the State of Connecticut, may
possibly be determined from consideration of an episode connected
with Hartford's local transportation system. It is related that a
Hartford lady was riding in a horse car with a lady friend from out
of town. The latter caught sight of the figure on the top of the
State House and asked her chaperon what it represented. "The
genius of Connecticut," was the answer. "Genius of Connecticut! "
said the lady from out of town. " I did not know that the State
had one. What is this Genius or who was she — what did she do ? "
The Hartford lady said she could not tell exactl}-, but it had some-
thing to do with politics. "Mr. Edward S. Cleveland, who sits on
the other side of the car, knows all about such things," said the
lady, "and I will ask him.^' Addressing herself to Mr. Cleveland,



104 THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE.

the lady said : " Pray, Mr. Cleveland, who is the Genius of Connec-
ticut ? " The gentleman addressed, pondered a brief time and
gracefully lifting his well brushed silk lile from his head, politely
said : " Really, madam [a pause], modesty forbids " — [anoiher pause]
the conclusion of his answer, on account of the noise of the street,
not being quite heard. Had his modesiy been less pronounfed, he
might have named himself.

Charles A. Nettleton, a member now, of the Veteran Firemens'
Association, was chief engineer of the New Haven Fire Department,
when, July 22, 1853, the annual parade and inspection of the
department was made the occasion of a holiday remembered as be-
ing one of the most notable in the city's annals. Representative
fire companies were present from Hartford, Bridgeport, Guilford,
VVaterbury, New Britain, East Haven, Meriden, j\lidd!etown, Mil-
ford, Collinsville, Norwich and New London, this state; and from
Williamsburg, N. Y., Springfield and Chicopee, Mass., Providence,
R. I., and New York City. The stalwart, handsomely uniformed
men — the elegantly decorated engines, hose carriages, and hook
and ladder trucks — the richly colored signal lanterns and brass
and silver-plated speaking trumpets contributed to make the
show one of interest and splendor. Thousands of people of this
and other cities crowded to the Green. Chief Nettleton, who was
also chief-marshal of the day, was assisted by Thomas C. Hollis,
Tiiomas W. Ensign, Charles W. Allen (afterward chief), Amos
Thomas, George W. Jones, John Woodruff, 2d, and Philip Pond,
The line of march was in six divisions, and beside martial music
there were about twenty brass bands, among which was the famous
Dodsworth's, of New York. The line was formed for the parade on
the Green, the right resting on Temple street, and the route through
the streets was very long. After a grand review by the city author-
ities there was a fine dinner, under tents, on the west section of
the Green, at which Mayor Aaron N. Skinner, and other citizens,
made speeches. Then followed a trial of the merit of the respective
machines, the prizes being a salver and two silver goblets presented



THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE. 105

by the New Haven department. The enghies took water from each
other and played to see which could throw a stream highest, and
there was a fine display of muscle and endurance by the firemen.
Tremendous efforts were made for victory and there were some
warm disputes about technical matters. Such a picture as the fire-
men and their engines made on the Green that day, can never be
repeated. When the veteran firemen meet, they make mention of
this as a great event in the history of the New Haven Fire Depart-
ment.

But those who were on the Green at any time, beginning May 13,
and ending the 15th, 1873, saw much which they will never forget.
Preparations for the entertainment of President Grant, and the armies
of the Potomac and the Cumberland were commenced, when the
Common Council appointed committees of which Henry G. Lewis
was chairman. In the City Year Book for 1873, will be found a full
account of the grand doings, as written by Frank M. Lovejoy, at
present Deputy United States Marshal. The city was overflowing
with strangers from all parts of the Union. There were public and
private receptions and various exercises occupying all of the time
for three days. Mr. Lovejoy in his account of the proceedings
May 15, wrote : "At one o'clock, the Second Regiment, C. N. G.,
marched on to the'Green and took its position on the right of the
line which was to form the escort of the city's civic and military
guests, in a parade through the principal streets. Gov. Charles R.
Ingersoll in a barouche, accompanied by his staff, was escorted by
the Governor's Horse Guards and Governor's Foot Guards, from
the State House to a position in the line in rear of the Light
Artillery. The governor and his Guards were preceded by the
American Band of Providence, and on the Green, General Craufurd
and staff took a position in the line behind the governor's party.
Admiral Foote Post No. 17, G. A. R., headed by Gilmore's band,
formed to left of the line, which rested on Chapel street. A few
minutes before two o'clock the escort, led by two companies of
police, took up the line of march to the residence of Hon. Henry



WE ARE NOW PREPARED
TO SHOW THE

Largest Assortment



oi^



GlothihC

That can be found in the

eiTY.

LEIGH & PRINDLE

813 & 815 CHAPEL . ST.



THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE. lO/

.Farnam, on Hillhouse avenue, where President Grant and other dis-
tinguished guests were to join the procession. Passing out of the
south gate of the Green, the procession moved down Chapel,
through Orange and Trumbull streets, Whitney avenue, Sachem
street, to Hillhouse avenue, where it halted and with appropriate
military ceremonies received the guests seated in open carriages.
In the first carriage were President U. S. Grant and Mayor
Lewis; in the second, Vice-President Wilson and Governor Inger-
soll ; in the third, Gen. William T. Sherman and a member
of his staff, and Governor Perham, of Maine ; in the fourth,
Lieut. -Gen. Philip Sheridan and ex-Gov. Joseph R. Hawley, while
in other carriages were Generals Burnside, Hancock, McDowell,
Gibbon and Devens ; ex-Governors Buckingham and Jewell, Con-
gressman Kellogg and other distinguished gentlemer. The line of
march was again taken up and the procession proceeded down Hill-
house avenue, through Grove, College, Elm, York, Chapel, Wooster
place, Greene, Olive, Chapel, State, Elm, Church and Chapel
streets, to the Green, where the parade ended. The sidewalks all
along the route were densely crowded by an enthusiastic throng,
eager to see the honored guests and their fine looking escort ; the
windows of the houses all along the line of march were filled, and
cheering and handkerchief waving was indulged in bv all. As the
procession entered upon the Green, the artillery, w^hich had left the
line previously, fired a salute. The escort was then dismissed and
the review of the Second Regiment by General Craufurd, in pres-
ence of the guests, took place."

Thursday evening, there was a grand ball at Music Hall, Capt.
A. C. Hendrick and Miss Addie Taft, of New Haven, leading the
grand march. The appearance of the Green at night, was beautiful.
New Haven city appropriated $3,000 toward the expenses and a
very large amount was raised by private subscriptions.

Life and death have made a record on the Green. Ne-pau-puck,
a chief of the Pequot Indians, was killed by law, for several mur-
ders, in 1639, ^"•'-'^ head being cut off and set on a pole in the public



I08 THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE.

market-place, and within the past few years, Detective James P.
Brewer, of tiie New Haven police force, found a woman at the foot
of the liberty pole, with a newly born infant, and in a few months it
died.

There were many causes which led to the adoption of the
constitutional amendment, providing for but one capital. The
version of one politician hardly gives the whole matter. He said :
" The city spent about $30,000 on the lobby and then passed an
ordinance not to allow any more money to go that way. Another
cause was the attack made upon Joseph R. Hawley when he was a
candidate for United States Senator, which induced sixteen Re-
publican members of the Legislature, mainly from Fairfield County,
to join with the Democrats, and they voted for O. S. Ferry, of
Norwalk, for Senator. Hawlev had received the caucus nomination
of his party. After Ferry was elected, the Hartford and some New
London friends of Hawley, indignantly avow^ed it to be their de-
termination to defeat any project of importance which thereafter
might be in the interest of New Haven. And they kept their
word."

As this is a suitable place, we give a list of United States Senators
from the time of building the State House :

Samuel A. Foot, ...... 1827-1833

Gideon Tomlinson, ..... 1831-1837

Nathan Smith, ...... 1833-1835

John M. Niles, .... i835-i839-'43-'49

Perry Smith, ...... 1837-1843

Thaddeus Betts, ..... 1839-1840

Jabez W. Huntington. ..... 1840-1849

Roger S. Baldwin, ..... 1847-185 1

Truman Smith, ...... 1 849-1 854

Isaac Toucey, ..... 1852-1857

Francis Gillett, ...... 1854-1855

Lafayette S. Foster, . , , . . 1855-1867



THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE. IO9

James Dixon, ...... 1857-1869

Orris S. Ferry, ..... 1867-1875

William A. Buckingham, ..... 1869-1875

James E. English, ..... 1875-1876

William W. Eaton, ..... 1875-188 1

William H. Barnum. ..... 1876-1879

Orville H. Piatt, ..... 1879

Joseph R. Hawley, ...... 188 1

The year 1872 was one in which one event after another had
some relationship to the one capital question. January 24, the
Republican Convention, at Hartford, nominated Marshall Jewell
for Governor, and February 7, the Democratic Convention, at New
Haven, nominated Richard D. Hubbard, of Hartford. The Legis-
lature met May 2, and Hawley was nominated for Senator, by the
Republicans, May 10. O. S. Ferry was elected, however, receiving
the entire Democratic and some of the Republican vote as before
related. August 26, Ralph Isaacs Ingersoll, of New Haven, died.
October 4, Morris Tyler was nominated for Mayor of the city.
December 7, was established a weather signal station, which had
nothing particular to do with politics. The opposition to Hawley
for Senator, grew out of something which is not clearly known.
The vote May 15, 1872, was in the State Senate, for Haw^ley, 14;
for Ferry, 7. In the House, Ferry, 125; Hawley, 11 ; not voting 5,
making Ferry's majority 14. A gentleman active in Republican
politics, speaking of the, re-election of Hon. Orris S. Ferry, said :
" Later, the friends of Hon. Henry B. Harrison wanted him for
Governor in 1873. The convention was held at Hartford. Two or
three weeks before the convention it was well known that Mr.
Harrison's friends thought he should have the party nomination,
but Hartford and New London Republicans joined and nominated
Henry P. Haven, of New London. Then the New Haven Repub-
lican newspapers came out editorially and otherwise, hinting to the
Democrats that if they would nominate Charles R. Ingersoll, of



I lo THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE. â– 

New Haven, he could be elected. Of course they nominated him
and he was elected in 1873."

The last session of the Legislature held in the New Haven State
House was in 1874. It was late in 1872 that the war about one
capital fairl}- broke out. In that year Edwin A. Tucker, a journal-
ist, reported that some members of the Legislature had been bribed
with gifts of carriages, and this disclosure is said to have caused con-
siderable hustling around among the vehicles in the barns of some
of the representatives. Mr. Tucker was called to an account, and
satisfied some of the enquirers that he had grounds for his allega-
tion. He was afterward editor of the Hartford Post, and his remains
are buried in Fair Haven. It was the session of 1873 that the
necessary two-thirds vote of the General Assembly was obtained, to-
submit the one capital amendment to the Constitution to the people.
The bill had been passed at the New Haven session in 1870, by a
majority vote only. The people settled the matter in October, 1873,
the number of votes cast for the amendment being 36,853 and
against it 30.685. Referring to New Haven's mortification, Mayor
Henry G. Lewis, in his message to the Common Council, December
31, 1873, took occasion to say:

"New Haven was one of the orioinal colonies and has been from
its first union with the Colony of Connecticut, a semi-capital of the
State and in my judgment should have remained so for the welfare
of our old Commonwealth. We have lost it, however, simply from
want of unity on the part of our city government and our fellow cit-
izens, for which I do not hold myself respoiisible, and I desire to
place myself on record as not approving the action taken by your
honorable body." (Referring to the refusal of the Common Council
to appropriate more money.)

The version of the Mayor is as well entitled to credence as any
of the manv from analvsts of divergent views. Some li^ht is
thrown upon the subject, by the following, from the New Haven
Palladium , 1873.

" A Hartford correspondent of the New York Tribu}u\ who either



THE HISTORY OF THE ST A TE HOUSE. \ \ \

is a liberal Republican or more likely pretends to be one, to suit the
paper with which he corresponds, is indeed pleased to express the
opinion that a New Haven nomination will excite vigorous opposi-
tion in many quarters of the State. As, however, he brings in the
name of Senator Ferry and says that that gentleman was represented
last summer by those who favored his election, to be a liberal Repub-
lican, his object is apparent. His statement has not the slightest
foundation. . . . The Republicans of Connecticut were n£Lyer more
harmonious and have no intention whatever of quarrelling over can-
didates or reviving past issues. Nor vvill the capital question enter
into the selection of a candidate, as the Iribune correspondent
asserts that it will."

The same paper, January 13, 1873, said editorially :
" There are no reasons existing now which did not exist then [a
year before] why Mr. Harrison should not be an acceptable candi-
date to the Republicans of this State. The capital question, the
Hartford Coura7it now has found ' franklv,' was as much unsettled
then as it is now. And just here we may as well remark that it is
somewhat ungracious to see the capital question urged by a Hartford
journal as a reason why the candidate should not be selected from
New Haven. No one in New Haven ever ventured to do Governor
Jewell, of Hartford, the gross injustice and discourtesy of supposing
that he would not be strictly neutral on that subject. No one in
New Haven ever did Mr. Richard D. Hubbard, of Hartford, the
injustice of supposing he would not have been equally impartial iiad
he been elected. . . . The suggestion that any governor could do
so [show partiality] comes for the first time from Hartford and does
not come till Hartford, having had the candidates for seven years
and the governorship for four 3^ears, gracefully withdraws in favor of
S077ie other section of New Haven. As the Courant has introduced the
subject, it will perhaps see the propriety of ascertaining — if it has
not already done so — the views of the Hon. Henry P. Haven on the
capital question."

It was contended by the New Haven Republican papers that the



I 12 THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE.

capital question was never allowed to become a political one. At
the May session of the Legislature, 1873, Mr. Landers objected to a
postponement of the question and said he could think of no reason
unless to give a lobby time to operate for New Haven. He further
said he had his notion about the lobby, by reading New Haven
papers and reports of proceedings of the New Haven Common
Council. When the vote was given by the people, New Haven cast
about seven thousand against the amendment, and there were
between twenty and thirty votes in favor. Both before and after
the voting the Hartford Courant said that it was evident from
reports from all over the State, that there had been a hberal use of
money to defeat the amendment. On the other hand it was said
that Hartford spent much more money on the lobby than New
Haven. The truth appears to be that the voters in country towns,
not particularly affiliated with either of the semi-capitals, made up
their minds that one capital was enough, and that Hartford was
nearer the centre of the State than New Haven and therefore a
more convenient place for the seat of government. The vote in New
Haven County was 17,784 against the amendment and 1,564 in favor
of it. The reader will doubtless see that since there has been but
one capital, there has been more need than before for a Constitu-
tional Convention to kill what has often been denominated the
" rotten borough " system, and which allows New Haven no equitable
share in making laws or doing anything pertaining to the government
of the State. The theory that there should be no taxation without
representation led to the scattering of tea on the waters of Boston's
harbor and finally to the war which led to American independence.

The old County Court was abolished in 1854, and cases which
until then had been tried in that court, went to the Superior Court.
The docket was so large that the Court of Common Pleas was
created in 1869, with Samuel L. Bronson, a son of Dr. Henry Bron-
son, for Judge. He was succeeded by Judge Henry E. Pardee, and
in the fall of 1872, Judge Pardee refused to hold court in the State
House on the ground that the dampness and general unhealthi-



THE HISTORY OF THE STATE HOUSE.



113



ness of the building jeopardized his life. He therefore moved his
court into the new City Hall on Church street and occupied the Bar
library room, and also, at times, the Common Council Chamber, until
1873, when he moved his court into the County Building.

Daring the mayoralty of Henry Peck, a proposition was made by
Aaron Kilbourn, whose father was proprietor of an iron foundry on
what is now Audubon street, to bore an artesian well on the lower
part of the Green. He agreed to make the well for $800, and said
there should be from it a copious and never-failing supply of water.
His belief was that the elevations of East and West rocks were
sufficient to insure the success of such an undertaking. On con-
sidering his proposal by some of the city authorities, he was asked
if he would give a bond to execute the work, should a contract be
made. Mr. Kilbourn was either unable or unwilling to give such a
bond, and nothing more was heard about the artesian well.

The spaces under the State House steps were at one time made a
pound and stray cattle were for a short time impounded there, but
the place was not found to be convenient, as vagrant animals were
not often taken up so near the centre of the city. For some years
the pound was kept on Prospect street, in the rear of the medical
college, and was kept by a man named Cook. The basement of the
State House was at a later time made by a city ordinance, the depos-
itory for a set of baskets owned by the city and holding not less than
two bushels, which it was made obligatory for all dealers in charcoal
to use, in measuring out that commodity for selling to the citizens.
In those davs nearlv all families bought charcoal for kindlins: the
family fire, and charcoal sellers were generally suspected of not giv-
ing good measure. Whenever a dealer in coal came into the citv
with a load to sell, he was required to go to the State House, where
the proper official loaned him a city measuring basket for the dav,
and the basket was returned to the State House at night, or sooner.
Owing to the fact that it appeared to be nobody's particular business
to look after the baskets, they were soon permanently borrowed and
none have to this time been returned to the city. The introduction of



THE NOBLE ELM

On the corner of Chapel and Church streets will be