New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-29
PUBLIC MEETINGS.
THE NEW CITY HALL.

The Committee Of the Board Of Councilmen on the
new City Hall met in the Chamber OF the Board on
Tuesday afternoon, to examine any plans which might
be presented to them for the new building. and to
listen to pytbrg which might be said in their favor.
The gre s,er portion Of the time was occupied in ex.
aiming the plans presented, Of which there we're
half-doIen Of various shapes and sizes.
The Committee then toek official eeais, and the
CHAIRMAN called upon any person who might have
an, thing to say to speak. None Of the projectors
seeu ed anxious to begin. All wanted to have the
last word. At length Mr.. IRA BucXMAy broke the
silence
He said III u he had an idea in his plan, Of COM
bnina many Of the different orders of architecture
as be could He had succeeded 10 this case in con-
bring the Doric with the Cornthian and the Ionic
which he thought made very beautiful fsksde.
He proceeded 20 deveoo bis plsu viii .h is TO dup-
cate the present City Hall Broadway, trplicsts II
on Chambers, quadripcate on Centre and then, If
oeemsd advisable hang dome over the enclosed
squsre. Built of marble, he said it would cost two
millions.
This is the plan which is ornamented with flock Of
bras birds. der the protection OF one oyershadow-
IL bird, their Democratic master.
Mr. GILBERT then spoke on behalf of the plan of
fered by himself and Hessrs. jackson s. Stuart. he
described the building as consisting OF aman build
il $50 feet long on Chambersst, with wings 30 feet
in nc IN on b. DAD way ard Cenrest all theee build
ipps to be lis feet deep The wings extend to within
IS feet of the ont of the old City Hail. and to within
TIE same distance of its ends. court OF two acres
W. uld be incosed which might be entered by car
rage way. The plan would give about go rooms OF
very large size In the basementstory the largest vas
90 by A. smallest 81 by 81 and thsre were about
As rooms on hoor Every room was well Lighted
and mig ht be well ventilated. II was ne. necessary,
in any case to rely upon borrowed light, as 1t was
called ard building erected upon this plan more
economical than upon any other There was no waste
room. In the old City Hsl for instaece, large
mount of room wss wasted, being of DO value ex-
cept for starcases. On Broadway and Certreets, 1t
was proposed to have coOnades 100 feet long.
large room immediately behind the broadway FROM,
was Intended as a reception-room. IL might ne used,
also rs gallery for the many historical pant
iDgs already belonging TO the City. Ihere were
four of these rooms, each nearly es large as
the room of the Astor Library, and they might
be applied to libraries or reading rooms %
the inner portion, the rooms were LEFT large tor tue
purpose OF accommodating the Courts. Esch Court
hsd suite of rooms large room for jurytri, anu
adjoining small rooms for jury rooms and for hearings
without jury. With reg ard 10 the proposed loo stou
In Madison sv be said that only on- el2hth on the
people of New. York lived above Fourteentnst 81,
while line tentbs of the business was done below
Cansl st Men found il convenient TO call and do
their business at the City Hall on their way to their
places OF business. He alluded 10 bill just orcugns
In for the consolidation of New-York and Brookyn.
If this was TO be done, and ne thought II quite
probable, even within five years, some reference
ought to be had to the popua OF BI0okb IN
determining the center Of the City The City
OF New York ought to lead pnblic taste, and
with reference TO its style OF architecture; II should
maintain its true dignity. IL was estimated that this
BUILDING could be built for 81, 500 oOo completed IN
marble in the most beautiful manner, and within two
yesrs and half IL necessary. 1t would excel any
thing in architecture In this country, even the aov'
erpn ent buildings at Washington and rival snything
he knew of in Europe. The present City Hall cost,
be believed, nearly a million, and when that was
oommoncod wo had only fifth of tho population
r. nd ba on oh M
look large to US. Was it good policy to keep our
Judges confined in such little close that
dangerous accept the office Of judge IL ths Com
mon Council preferred cheaper material than mar
BILE iron could be used.
In answsr to a question by one Of the COMMITTEES,
Mr. GILBERT said thst the number of rooms required
to accom- modste the Municipal Government was est.
mated at lss email rooms cay Of 25 feet square, and
IS large enough for Court rooms.
The Committee then adjourned to Thursday after
noon at clock.