d
symmetrical arrangement, beautiful alike in its general mass and
minutest details, and presenting a delightful appearance from whatever
viewpoint it is seen,--dignified, spacious and picturesque, a building
that seems to typify the serenity of mind and steadfastness of purpose
of those sturdy patriots who made it famous.

The structure comprises three parts; a large central building with
hip-roofed wings for offices connected with the main building by open
arcaded loggias. The present wings are restorations. Beyond the wings
are two buildings erected after the close of the Revolution, but forming
part of the group. That at the corner of Fifth and Chestnut streets was
erected as the Philadelphia County Court House, while that at the corner
of Sixth and Chestnut streets was the City Hall.

The entire group is of characteristic Philadelphia brick construction,
delightfully mellowed by age, with marble and white-painted wood trim.
The main building is two stories high with a decked gable roof, heavily
balustraded between large, arched quadruple chimney stacks at each end,
corners heavily quoined with marble and ends without fenestration other
than a round bull's-eye window in each. Across the one hundred and seven
feet of the Chestnut Street facade there is a range of nine broad, high,
twenty-four-paned windows with flat gauged brick arches and high marble
keystones, the central window being replaced by a simple, very high and
deeply recessed doorway with a broad stone stoop before it. Tying into
the keystones is a horizontal belt of marble across the entire front. A
similar belt is located immediately beneath the window sills of the
second story, and between the two belts and ranging with the windows are
nine oblong marble panels set into the brickwork.

On the Independence Square facade everything is subordinated to the
great square steeple-like clock tower, centrally located, which stands
its entire height outside but adjoining the walls of the main building.
In construction the lower two stories of the tower correspond to those
of the building itself, and the cornice of the latter is effectively
carried around the tower. Above, the tower rises two more stories of
brick with pedimented and pilastered walls in the Ionic order and
surmounted with classic urns and flame motives. Above this level the
construction of the clock tower is of white-painted wood, one story
with Corinthian pilasters and another balustraded, ris