Notwithstanding the space provided by the additional story
completed in 1855, the need of more room for the arrangement of
the collections was again becoming urgent. A committee of
forty was appointed in December, 1865, to solicit subscriptions for
the erection of a fire-proof building on a lot of ground not less
than three times the size of the one then occupied and as close
to it as possible. In January, 1867, a Board of Trustees of the
Building Fund was elected by the subscribers, Dr. Ruschenberger
being made Chairman, George W. Tryon, Jr., Secretary, and
William S. Vaux, Treasurer. Without the least forgetfulness of
the loyal service and the courageous perseverance in the face of
many discouragements of the other members of the Board, it may
be claimed with justice that to these three men was due the success of the undertaking.
After an ineffectual attempt to secure possession of one of the four Penn Squares at the intersection of Broad and Market Streets, and the rejection of propositions to move to Fairmount Park and elsewhere equally undesirable, a lot of ground of adequate size on the southwest corner of Nineteenth and Race Streets, was purchased in 1868 for $65,298. A plan submitted by James H. Windrim, in competition with Messrs. Frazer, Furness and Hewit, and John C. Trautwine, was adopted, and Mr. Windrim was appointed architect. It was not, however, until May, 1872, that the Building Committee was authorized to commence the edifice. The cornerstone was laid at noon on Wednesday, October 30, addresses being delivered by Dr. Ruschenberger, Rev. Elias E. Beadle, Dr. J. Aitken Meigs, Dr. Horatio C. Wood and Rev. George Dana Boardman.
So untiring had Dr. Ruschenberger been in the fulfillment of the trust confided to him as Chairman of the Board of Trustees
