PROGRESS OF THE BUILDING. 173 



The box contained also the Transactions of the Soci- 

 ety from 1843 to 1864; the publications of the Society, 

 containing its History, etc., by Gen. Dearborn ; the 

 Boston Almanac for 1864 ; Catalogue of the Proprietors 

 of Mount Auburn Cemetery ; copies of Hovey's Maga- 

 zine of Horticulture for 1864, containing the Reports 

 of the Building Committee ; a copy of the Fruits of 

 America ; Boston newspapers of August 18 ; a silver 

 and a bronze medal of the Society, and an Appleton 

 bronze medal; and coins of the United States of the 

 date of 1864. Beneath it was placed the box, with 

 its contents entire, which was taken from beneath the 

 corner stone of the old hall in School Street. Both 

 boxes were placed in a cavity in the first vermiculated 

 stone at the north-west corner of the building, on Tre- 

 mont Street and Montgomery Place. After the laying 

 of the corner stone an appropriate prayer was oifered 

 by the chaplain, Rev. Dr. Lothrop. The whole audi- 

 ence then joined in singing Old Hundred, and the 

 ceremonies were concluded with a benediction. 



The erection of the building progressed favorably 

 during the summer of 1864 ; and early in January, 1865, 

 it was roofed in, and ready for the interior finishing. A 

 short time previously the Building Committee had been 

 authorized to substitute granite for wood, as specified 

 in the original contract, in the central attic of the Tre- 

 mont Street facade forming the pedestal for the statue 

 of Ceres, at an expense of not more than $2,500. On 

 the 1st of July the building was so nearly completed, 

 that the Building Committee was directed to make 

 arrangements for its dedication. At the same time, 

 the subject of discontinuing the weekly shows, on ac- 

 count of the expiration of the lease of Amory Hall, 



