The Romanesque style of all the buildings gave fine opportunity to introduce elaborate carvings about the entrance arches, and across the facades to chisel quaint faces above the windows, and grotesque heads out of corbels at the eaves.

The group of public buildings was finally completed and dedicated with much formality.  The city government unanimously adopted resolutions as follows:—­

“Resolved,—­That the City of Harrisville accepts, with profound gratitude, from Mayor George Ingram, the munificent gift of buildings for a City Hall and Public Library as stated in his letters of ——­; That the City accepts the three noble gifts upon the conditions in said letter, which it will faithfully and gladly observe, as a sacred trust in accordance with his desire.

“Resolved,—­That in gratefully accepting these gifts, the City tenders to Mayor George Ingram its heartfelt thanks, and desires to express its deep sense of obligation for the elegant buildings, for years of wise counsel and unselfish service, and for the free use of valuable patents.  The City recognizes the Christian faith, generosity, and public spirit that have prompted him to supply the long felt wants by these gifts of great and permanent usefulness.”

Similar resolutions were adopted by the county commissioners.

Nearly three millions were thus disposed of by the mayor and his wife.  Close attention to business, and the severe labors in behalf of the city, undermined the health of George Ingram, and his physical and mental strength failed him at the wrong time, for his ship was now approaching a cyclone on the financial sea.

Tariff matters had been drifting from bad to worse, politicians were seeking to secure advantages for their constituents by changes in the tariff schedule, speculation was running wild in the stock exchanges of the country, cautious business men and bankers in the larger cities discovered an ominous black cloud rising out of the horizon.  Bank rates of interest increased, more frequent renewals were made, deposits dwindled, country bankers weakened, and financiers in the metropolis were calling loans made to the interior.  With the financial cyclone at its height, the demands were so great upon The Harris-Ingram Steel Co. that creditors threatened to close the steel plant.

The cry for help went up from the Harris-Ingram mills, but their trusted leader was powerless.  George Ingram lay insensible at death’s door, the victim of pneumonia.  For a week, the directors of the steel company struggled night and day with their difficulties.  Gertrude could neither leave the bedside of her dying husband, nor would she give her consent to have the Harris-Ingram Experiment wrecked.  She had already pledged as collateral for the creditors of the steel company all their stock and personal property, and had telephoned the directors to keep the company afloat another day, if in their power.