OBSTACLES OVERCOME. 169 



a building committee, and authorized to proceed with 

 the erection of a building on the Montgomery House 

 estate, according to the plans and estimates of Mr. 

 Bryant, then submitted to the Society, and to make all 

 necessary contracts and agreements ; and that the com- 

 mittee having charge of the estate be directed to termi- 

 nate the lease on the first of May. It was then unani- 

 mously voted, that the whole matter of erecting a 

 building be referred to the committee, with full powers ; 

 and that such alterations in the plans and specifications, 

 as they should suggest, be made under the superintend- 

 ence of the architect, Gridley J. F. Bryant, and at a 

 cost not exceeding the sum of $105,000. 



Though there had been but one opinion as to the 

 eligibility of the site finally purchased over that of any 

 other offered, in securing it the committee met with 

 many obstacles, arising from the fact that the estate was 

 owned by several persons, and from the fears entertained 

 by many of the more timid or conservative members, 

 that, in purchasing with the intention of building, the 

 Society was assuming too great a risk. The committee 

 labored long and assiduously to overcome these obstacles ; 

 and their ultimate success is due to the persistent efforts 

 of Charles O. Whitmore, one of the members. In like 

 manner, the more cautious members of the Society were 

 doubtful of the expediency of building at the time this 

 enterprise was undertaken; but the perseverance and 

 determination of the president of the Society and chair- 

 man of the Building Committee, Charles M. Hovey, 

 triumphed over every hindrance, and carried the work 

 on to success. 



On the 5th of March the committee reported, that, in 

 accordance with the vote of the Society, they had made 



