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building, present the best safeguard, and render impossible the terrible calamities which have more than once resulted in our schools from the neglect of this precaution.

The second floor is identical in its arrangement with the first.

The third floor is exclusively devoted to the lecture hall, the staircases which flank and give access to it, and two ante-rooms, one on each side, accessible both from stairs and lecture hall. This lecture hall is, without exception, the grandest room of the kind which has yet been seen in this part of the world. Its entire dimensions are 83 feet by 68 feet, irrespective of the galleries, which are ingeniously arranged over the ante-rooms, and in the space gained between the ceiling of the ante-rooms and that of the lecture hall, the height of the latter being 25 feet. The effect of these arched galleries at the end of the room is very fine. At one end of the room is a raised platform, occupying in length the entire width of the room, and in the centre of this end of the hall is a wide and lofty arched recess. The appearance of the hall, with its windows of rich Gothic tracery, the arched galleries, the ceiling formed of oak leaves crossing each other with handsome rosettes at their intersection, and deep-sunk panels of a dark blue color, the

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rich wainscotting of the walls, and handsomely devised doorways, present altogether an appearance of unusual beauty. The artistic peculiarities of the Tudor style of Gothic have been faithfully carried into the minutest features of this structure, both internally and externally; and the total absence of any admixture of other styles produces that charming effect of harmony and unity which is the prevailing characteristic of this building.

The enclosure of the area, on the Franklin street or main front, is formed of a rich iron railing, of Gothic design, resting upon a bold plinth of Dayton stone. The piers which flank the enclosure at each end, and the central gate piers, are also of Dayton stone, of beautiful design, and richly carved and ornamented.

The cost of the building was very near $44,000, including four furnaces for warming, gas fixtures, &c.

The entire cost of the structure, including fence, walls, railing, grading, &c., was $53,000. It was designed and superintended by J. R. HAMILTON, architect, and erected by DANIEL LAVERY, contractor, under the foremanship of JOHN TAYLOR,-all of Cincinnati.

XV. THE PETER COOPER UNION.

THE following is the Act of the Legislature of New York, giving corporate powers to the Trustees of Peter Cooper's Munificent Gift to Science and Art.

SEC. 1. Peter Cooper, of the city of New York, is hereby authorized to convey or devise to the body corporate hereinafter created, that certain block of land in the said city, with the edifice thereon erected, with its appurtenances, bounded north by Astor place, east by Third avenue, south by Seventh street, and west by Fourth avenue, upon such trusts and conditions as would be held valid if made by testamentary devise, for the purpose of founding and establishing a public institution in said city, for the advancement of science, art, philosophy and letters, together with such scientific and historical collections, chemical and philosophical apparatus, mechanical and artistic models, books, drawings pictures, statues, and other means of instruction, as may be useful for that purpose.

SEC. 2. Peter Cooper and his assigns shall be, and are hereby constituted, a body corporate, by the name and title of "The Peter Cooper Union for the advancement of Science and Art," and its corporate existence shall commence when the said Peter Cooper shall convey or devise to it the block of land and edifice above mentioned.

SEC. 3. The said institution shall possess all the powers and privileges of a body corporate, and shall be subject to all the liabilities and restrictions contained in title third, of chapter eighteen, of part first of the Revised Statutes, except that it shall be lawful for said institution to organize and commence the transaction of its business at any time within three months after such convey. ance or devise shall take effect.

SEC. 4. Its affairs shall be conducted by a Board of Control, which shall consist of not less than thirteen members, and it shall be lawful for the said Peter Cooper in the written act by which he may convey or devise the land and edifice, as aforesaid, to prescribe the terms and conditions of membership of said institution, to designate and appoint the first members of the Board of Control, to prescribe the terms of office of themselves, respectively, and of their successors, and to provide for filling any vacancy or vacancies that may at any time occur in the said Board by the expiration of the terms of office, or the resignation, death or disability of any member or members thereof, by the selection and appointment of one person to fill each vacancy by the members of said institution, or by such societies incorporated by the laws of this State, as the said Peter Cooper may designate for that purpose, in the said act of conveyance or devise. And it shall be lawful for the said Peter Cooper to prescribe the conditions upon which the selection and appointment shall be made, and to desig nate, respectively, the vacancies that shall be filled by appointment by each of the several societies that may be designated as aforesaid for that purpose; and the said Peter Cooper, if he shall so elect in and by said act of conveyance or devise, shall also be a member of said Board during his natural life.

In case the said Peter Cooper shall fail to provide for the selection and appointment of persons to fill the vacancies that may occur in said Board, then the said Board shall be composed as follows:

Of the oldest male descendant of lawful age, for the time being, of the said Peter Cooper.

Of the Mayor of the city of New York, and the President of the Board of Education of the city of New York, for the time being, by virtue of their respective offices.

Of the other individuals that may be designated as Trustees by the said Peter Cooper, in the written act by which he may convey or devise the land and edifice as aforesaid. If the said Peter Cooper shall have so elected, in and by said act, he shall also be a Trustee of said Board during his natural life.

Of the Trustees so to be designated by the said Peter Cooper, the two first named by him, and designated by the numbers one and two, shall hold their offices until the first day of January of the first political year succeeding that in which such conveyance or devise shall take effect: the two next, named and designated by the numbers three and four, until the first day of January, in the second political year; the two next, named and designated by the numbers five and six, until the first day of January, in the third political year; the two next, named and designated by the numbers seven and eight, until the first day of January, in the fourth political year; the two next, named and designated by the numbers nine and ten, and all others hereinafter named, until the first day of January, in the fifth political year, succeeding that in which such conveyance or devise shall take effect.

At the expiration of said respective terms of office, or in case of any vacancy in either, by resignation, death or otherwise, during the term, such office shall be thereafter respectively filled in the following manner:

The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number one, by such person as the Governor of this State may appoint:

The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number two, by such person as the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen in the city of New York may appoint, and in such mode as their by-laws may prescribe:

The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number three, by such person as the Judge of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York may appoint:

The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number four, by such person as a majority of the Governors of the Society of the "New York Hospital" may appoint: The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number five, by such person as a majority of the Judges of the Superior Court of the city of New York may appoint:

The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number six, by such person as the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce in said city may appoint, and in such mode as their by-laws may prescribe:

The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number seven, by such person as a majority of the Trustees of the Astor Library may appoint:

The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number eight, by such person as a majority of the Directors of the Mercantile Library may appoint.:

The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number nine, by such person as a majority of the New York Society Library may appoint:

The vacancy in the office of the Trustee number ten, by such person as a majority of the Trustees of the New York Historical Society may appoint: Every Trustee, to be appointed in the manner specified in this section, shall hold his office for the five years next succeeding the appointment, ending with 31st day of December, in the fifth year; and all vacancies occurring subsequently to the first appointment, shall thereafter be filled respectively by the authorities indicated in this section:

Every such act of appointment of a Trustee shall be in writing, and shall be duly filed in the office of the Clerk of the County of New York, and a duplicate thereof shall be delivered to the Board before the Trustee takes his seat.

In case any of the courts, corporations, or public officers specified in the preceding section shall cease to exist, or shall omit to exercise the authority therein committed to them, the said Board of Control shall apply to the Legislature to substitute such other court, corporation or public officer as the Legislature may deem expedient.

The seat of any member of the Board of Control, who may absent himself without its permission, unless prevented by sickness, for five regular monthly meetings in a single year, may be vacated by a majority of the remaining members.

SEC. 5. The body corporate, hereby created, may take and hold the property above mentioned, and may lease such portions of the building as they may deem most conducive to the interests of the institution, and may receive its

XV. THE PETER COOPER UNION.

THE following is the Act of the Legislature of New York, giving corporate powers to the Trustees of Peter Cooper's Munificent Gift to Science and Art.

SEC. 1. Peter Cooper, of the city of New York, is hereby authorized to convey or devise to the body corporate hereinafter created, that certain block of land in the said city, with the edifice thereon erected, with its appurtenances, bounded north by Astor place, east by Third avenue, south by Seventh street, and west by Fourth avenue, upon such trusts and conditions as would be held valid if made by testamentary devise, for the purpose of founding and establishing a public institution in said city, for the advancement of science, art, philosophy and letters, together with such scientific and historical collections, chemical and philosophical apparatus, mechanical and artistic models, books, drawings, pictures, statues, and other means of instruction, as may be useful for that

purpose.

SEC. 2. Peter Cooper and his assigns shall be, and are hereby constituted, a body corporate, by the name and title of "The Peter Cooper Union for the advancement of Science and Art," and its corporate existence shall commence when the said Peter Cooper shall convey or devise to it the block of land and edifice above mentioned.

SEC. 3. The said institution shall possess all the powers and privileges of a body corporate, and shall be subject to all the liabilities and restrictions contained in title third, of chapter eighteen, of part first of the Revised Statutes, except that it shall be lawful for said institution to organize and commence the transaction of its business at any time within three months after such conveyance or devise shall take effect.

SEC. 4. Its affairs shall be conducted by a Board of Control, which shall consist of not less than thirteen members, and it shall be lawful for the said Peter Cooper in the written act by which he may convey or devise the land and edifice, as aforesaid, to prescribe the terms and conditions of membership of said institution, to designate and appoint the first members of the Board of Control, to prescribe the terms of office of themselves, respectively, and of their successors, and to provide for filling any vacancy or vacancies that may at any time occur in the said Board by the expiration of the terms of office, or the resignation, death or disability of any member or members thereof, by the selection and appointment of one person to fill each vacancy by the members of said institution, or by such societies incorporated by the laws of this State, as the said Peter Cooper may designate for that purpose, in the said act of conveyance or devise. And it shall be lawful for the said Peter Cooper to prescribe the conditions upon which the selection and appointment shall be made, and to desig nate, respectively, the vacancies that shall be filled by appointment by each of the several societies that may be designated as aforesaid for that purpose; and the said Peter Cooper, if he shall so elect in and by said act of conveyance or devise, shall also be a member of said Board during his natural life.

In case the said Peter Cooper shall fail to provide for the selection and appointment of persons to fill the vacancies that may occur in said Board, then the said Board shall be composed as follows:

Of the oldest male descendant of lawful age, for the time being, of the said Peter Cooper.

Of the Mayor of the city of New York, and the President of the Board of Education of the city of New York, for the time being, by virtue of their respective offices.

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