FIRE AT THE ROOMS IN CORNHILL. 145 



ing a lease of the whole building from the owner, 

 Ebenezer Francis. It was while the Society occupied 

 these rooms, that the separation between it and the 

 owners of lots in Mount Auburn Cemetery took place ; 

 and the meeting on the 4th of October, 1834, for the 

 choice of officers, into which this question entered, was 

 held at the Old Common Council Room, Court Square, 

 to accommodate all who wished to attend. The meet- 

 ing at which the report of the committee to arrange 

 the terms of separation was made and accepted was 

 held at the hall over the Tremont Bank, then, as now, 

 at the corner of State and Congress Streets. 



On Tuesday, March 15, 1836, a special meeting of 

 the Society was held at the store in Cornhill opposite 

 to that formerly occupied by Messrs. Hovey, to take 

 such measures as might be necessary in consequence of 

 a fire, which, during the preceding night, had nearly 

 destroyed the building in which was the Society's room. 

 This was one of four incendiary attempts* the same 

 night, three of which were successful. The library was 

 but partially injured (somewhat by water) ; but the pic- 

 tures and ornaments of the room were mostly destroyed. 

 The damaged books were rebound and cleaned ; but 

 some of them, among which are the costly folio vol- 

 umes of the New Duhamel, still show the discoloration 

 by smoke. The amount received in settlement with the 

 company by which the Society's property was insured 

 was $850. 



At this time another effort was made to obtain better 

 accommodations, the Executive Committee being au- 

 thorized to engage them if possible ; but they reported 

 that, after diligent search, they had been unable to 

 obtain a room, which, on all accounts, would suit the 



