Fraley.] ' ) ' y - J [March 15, 



which each party was to choose two, and in case they 

 could not agTee a fifth referee was to be chosen by the 

 four referees and his concurrence in an award by any 

 two and himself made the award binding and conclu- 

 sive on both parties. It so happened that when the four 

 referees met three would not concur in any award. The 

 fifth man was chosen and he would not agree with any 

 two of the other referees and so the project of a sale 

 fell through. 



While these negotiations were in progress the mem- 

 orable financial troubles of 1 837-1 842, were in full 

 operation, the city declined to carry out the conditional 

 bargain that had been made and the Society was 

 plunged into the depths of financial trouble, which for 

 a long season threatened bankruptcy and even ruin. 

 The sequel of this melancholy story was that the 

 Museum building was sold under a paramount mort- 

 gage of comparatively small amount against which it 

 was supposed the Society was protected by a valuable 

 lot on Chestnut street, adjoining the Museum prop- 

 in June a botanical garden was started on the Arch Street lot, which was sub- 

 sequently rented to Mr. Rittenhouse, and finally, after some years, sold. 



In December Mr. Vaughan reported that the Library Company were dissatis- 

 fied, and that he had presented to the Legislature merely the petition of the Phi- 

 losophical Society. 



The petition was granted, and the lot on Fifth Street obtained ; for, in 

 A.pril, 17S5, it was again resolved to open subscriptions for erecting a building 

 on the newly acquired ground ; and in 



June, Mr. Vaughan presented the plan of a house, substantially such as was 

 built; except that the north half was to be divided into two rooms, instead of 

 the south; and that vaults beneath the cellars were discarded as too costly. 



November came, and Mr. Vaughan asked authority to " shoar " the cellar 

 walls against the frost, at a cost of ^3 16s. 6d. 



1786. The following November, Mr. Vaughan's committee had expended 

 ^365 10s. 4cL, in building, and asked authority to protect it against the winter, 

 and to [nit an " area " around it, at a cost of £2 5s. 



17S7. In May a subscription of /"-jOO for carrying on the building was 



