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Library Company Minutes vol. 3, September 3. 1789, p. 178: "The building Committee reported, That the first stone of the edifice
was laid on the thirty =first of August last;- that upon the suggestion of Dr. Benjamin Franklin a large stone was prepared
and laid at the south=west cornor (sic) of the building with the following Inscription, composed by the Doctor, except so
far as relates to himself, which the committee have taken the liberty of adding to it:-`Be it remembered,/In honor of the
Philadelphia Youth,/then chiefly Artificers/ That in MDCCXXXI,/They cheerfully,/At the Instance of Benjamin Franklin,/one
of their Number,/Instituted the Philadelphia Library;/which, tho' small at first,/Is become highly valuable and extensively
useful,/And which the Walls of this Edifice/Are now destined to contain and preserve;/The first stone of whose Foundation,/was
here placed/The thirty-first day of August,/Anno Domini MDCCLXXXIX,/ Benjamin Gibbs, Josiah Hewes, John Kaighn, Mordecai Lewis,
Thomas Morris, Thomas Parke, Joseph Paschall, Benjamin Poultney, Richard Wells, Richard Wistar, then being Directors-, Samuel
Coats, Treasurer, William Rawle, Secretary, Zachariah Poulson, Junr., Librarian'". Vol. 3, September 3, 1789, p. 179-180 describes
the coins and medals placed inside the cornerstone. Vol. 8, May 7, 1880, p. 332: "On motion, the matter of the removal of
the cornerstone of the building at 5 & Library Sts was referred to Mr. Biddle as a Committee with power to act".
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