The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-15
: Our Albany Correspondence.

q Our Albany Correspondence.
ALBANY, May Is, 1854.
Repairing the Capitol and Old State Hau-7he
Building for the Pubic Library-State Idiot
Asyium-Ihe Northern and .Susguehanna Rail
road.
The Legislature at its last session made liberal
appropriations for the purpose of erecting complet
Ing and charging several public buildings at the
capital The rear wall Of the Assembly chamber is
10 be extended some twenty feet, and other extern
Hive alterations are to be made for the convenience
and accommodation of legislative committees, the
want of which has long been seriously felt. But
instead of these alterations and patchngs provision
should have been made to demolish this ancient
Structure of three years. and erecting upon its
site a Capitol worthy Of the great Empire State
and modelled upon the modern plans of American
architecture. The time will shortly arrive when it
wiH be done.
The old State Hall, another venerable pile of pub
lie property, is to be enlarged and essentially i'm
proved. This building, for number of years has
been occupied as geological museum, and
also as deposit for specimens of the useful
articles belonging to the State Agricultural Society
The vast yearly increase of materials intended
Tor public gIatuitous inspection, and many of very
valuable and interesting character, has rendered It
necessary that more ample accommodations should
be provided. The main building is to be raised a
Story, and two wings to be added in the rear at an
expense OF OO0 appropriated at the request of the
agricultural portion of the community. Specific
amounts have been appropriated for both these OBJ
lects. amply sufficient for all the purposes designed
by the Legislature, and to be expended under the
direction Of certain State officers, the righteousness
Of which already excites suspicion, from the manner
in which favoritism is being displayed.
Although the library building expected to
have been completed within the year, when the sum
OF $50, 900 was applied, and for that amount still it
mas dragged three years, and cost already more
tham hundred per cent above the gnal estimate
Legislature, with which the trustees state they will
be able to finish the building and remove the library
into i before the meeting of the next Legislature.
This is extremely doubtful, unless the snailke pace
which has existed ever since the corner stone was
laid, is greatly increased and degree of activity
INFUSED into the loungers and per diem loiterers
years in being reared, could have been easily COM
pleted In six months, il competent and energetic
managers had been in charge.
The Idiot Asylum located in this vicinity is also
being constructed. The Legislature of 1858 granted
. sum of money for its erection. The persons
having the matter in charge possessed very expand
ed ideas in relation to this State institution. They
saw that the city of New York possessed elegant
and magnificent establishments for the deaf, dumb,
and blind; they visited Utica and there also beheld
Q noble shelter raised by the munificence of the
state for the ameoration of the condition of those
weak minded mon and women who become mad
and crack Drained through the influence of Judge
Edmonds' spiritual rappngs the Millerte doctrine,
love. jealousy disappointment, by their opposition
TO the prohibitory liquor law by the more natural
causes Of legitimate religion potics-these COM
missions decided that the State should endow as
literally either of those, the Idiot Asylum now in
such rapid increase Of its unfortunate vctims and
30 they selected spot of ground just outside Of the
Albany city limits, and for merely site of small
capacity these phlanthropic wiseacres paid for it
all the money which the Legislature appropriated
for the ground and building together This act was
strongly condemned, and the last Legislature passed
an act compelling review Of the matter. The con-
sequence is, that year OF delay will occur But no
matter; the institution is to be erected at cores
ponding expense eventually, with either of those
similar establishments in New York, Utica, and else.
where.
The Northern Railroad with all its appurtenances,
Equipments, and implements, is shortly to be sold,
under foreclosure by the second mortgage bond
holders in default of the payment of interest. Ne.
Eotiatons nave been on foot several weeks in which
ahe stockholders auditors and directors were en-
gagged, by which arrangements were endeavored to
pc perfected which would obviate the necessity of
Bale. But no agreement arrived at, and the
Bale is to take place. The persons holding the
second mortgage-some 6O000O-have regularly
paid the interest on the first mortgage which is
held in England and has some twenty years to run;
and when the sale takes place, the amount of the
second mortgage will be bid and the road purchased
by the holders of the second, giving them ample
time to redeem the first bonds The consequence is
that the original stockholders and the auditors of the
road will lose every dollar invested expended
towards the construction Of the road. As soon as
SnS SAFE IL perfected, then the road Will be put IN
running condition, probably consolidated with the
central line, and become a paying concern to the
new owners
Six months since, it was supposed that the con-
struction of the Susquehanna road, leading from |
Binghamton to this city, was fixed fact" The |
surveys have been completed, and contracts have |
been made with responsible parties for the entire |
completion of the road, its equipment Of cars,
locomotives, station houses and every thing to put
It in running ORDER within two years. Several |
stations have already been graded, and Others are
progressing; and lately it seems controversy has
arisen among several subscribers to the stock, as to
3heir liability for further payments of instaments as
called for This question is now in the courts; the
contestants aege that their subscriptions were
made upon the assurance that the entire cost of the
road would not exceed certain amount; that
whereas the contract for building, &C., is to much
larger extent. Several Of the stockholders have
petitioned the directors to suspend the work. on
account Of the supposed extra cost, and one, too,
Eh0 has received in cash from the company as high
q sum as ten thousand dollars, claimed as damages
for running through his lands. Having pocketed
fhis amount, he il now extremely anxious to stop
4he work. Such is the present position Of the two
railroads entering this city from the north and
the southwest.