Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1SS6. 493
Heniy Alexander, Jr., Henry Re^niolds, and Samuel AVebbcr. All
of these were democrats but Mr. Webber, who belonged to the
American party.
The new City Hall was dedicated Jan. 1, 1855. The architect was
Leopold P^idlitz, of New York ; Baker & Graves, masonry contrac-
tors. Chauncey Shepard did the carpenter and joiner work, niid
AlmoQ Parker built the foundations. The corner-stone had been laid
June 4, 1854, by ]Mayor Tyler and by Mayor Rice ; Judge (). ?>.
Morris delivered an address. Mayor Trask, who had been a member
of the building committee, had energetically pushed the work for-
ward, but it was found that the city had a $100, 00() building rather
than a $40,000 structure, as first planned. On the dedication night,
with a hall over-warmed through the zealous concern of the janitor,
Mr. Trask and Mr. Rice, and Dr. Osgood and Dr. Holland, and
members of the city goverement, all on the platform, proceeded with
the programme.
Dr. Holland, the historian-orator of the occasion, was introduced
b}^ Mayor Trask, and after the dignified hour had i)assed there was
dancing until a late hour, while in the basement-rooms refresh-
ments were served. The City Hall was considered an architectural
triumph in its day, and the tower was a fit companion to the
First Church spire, both of which are destined to stand for some
tirhe.
The new city government was organized with no incident of note,
except it was a little struggle for the presidency of the connuon
council, which fell to James Kirkham, who received the votes of all
the democrats, and of Dr. Nathan Adams, a Imnker whig, thus
beating G-eorge Walker, republican.
People on the Hill and at the Watershops and Indian Orchard
wanted to separate and form the town of Delano, in 185(3 ; E. A-
Fuller circulated a petition to that end, and public meetings were held
at Gunn's Hall, on the Hill. A committee (Otis A. Seamans, Joseph
Lombard, Nathaniel Gate, Lyman Wolcott, and John Brooks) was