New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-10-26
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
THE CITY HALL

q
Mid September 90 A. d., 1893 by ha""'u i"'
then Mayor of the city, accompanied " '"o DU'o
.,.o "A o,bs,s The Architect mentions IN his
80. 5;.,y that A hundred dollar was given by the
- - ~ occasion for banquet and plenty Of
Arink for all the workmen.
The Architect according TO the inscription on the
.o,ney stone, was John McComb jr lie died in ISIS,
having lived TO be eigh,y-four years Of age.
claim 10 TIE merit of the design Of the building Tas
unde by Mr.. MagDin. His claim, however, eeems
40 have attracted but little attention and passing
reference TO it in McCombs diary, shows that 1t
troubled McComb himself very little. We have been
favored with view Of the original pars Tor the Cty
Hall and a great number Of drawings showing tue
different mt dfcstons which the dssgn underwent be-
fore the building finally completed, together with
many interesting memoranda connected with them.
The Hall was completed some time in the year a. d.
1914 II was therefore eleven years IN building. 1t
cost the city altogether $j3s 33 49, AZ the plans
being constantly varied TO please the changing hrmors
Of the Building Committee, and drawings were
consequently needed and a. these all apparently
ty the same bond il seems either that Magnin nc
NAMED with McComb until the completion Of the work
IN fpte Of the Injustice he asserted done him, or
else that McComb fully able TO, and probably did,
Sesign the building himself He appears to have been
one Of those who, to natural gift for their cali
ing, added indouabIe energy and perseverng study
and who have thus deseryedly riuDphed over the dis
advantages Of want Of opportunities OF cultivation
in earlier year,. The profession Of the Architect per-
baps more than any other calls for self culture and
self education. The three years spent in on architects
Office in acquiring tolerabe facility in drawing and
in picking up scraps Of knowledge and precepts which
perhaps have TO be afterwards unearned but the
frst steps in the ladder he has to climb
II. l. ID T,.
absence Of facilities Of study only add to the credit of
hcComb in trumpbing over difficulties to the extent
that he did. His tack, however, easier than ct
first sight itappears. His studies confined almost
to style-an offspring of the Renaiseanceat that
time the only style in vogue in America and the study
Of this style made still easier, because every de-
tail very exactly laid down in the works Of which
evermaster il proposed TO follow McComb seems
especially to have studied the works of Pallado-the
illuttriOus PaladO the first of modern architects as
he has been called The City Hall is sometimes spoken
of not only in the style of Palado, but direct
copy Of Of his designs. The only building Of Pal
lsdio which recall, which may have given rise 10 |
this remark is the Library of st. Mark in Venice But
If We compare good photograph Of the Library with
the City Hail. shall not only great differences in
general plan and in details, but must confess that in
some particulars the Hall is SUPERIOR as for instance
of the Hall is ugy-ow and lynct itself gives some-
hing Of Its own character to general impression
Of tie whole building. 1t probably part of the
original design, but after thought, called for by
some alteration in the arrangements of the interior
The newspapers, which describe the laying Of the
ner stone, mention two stories only So many differ
ent drawings made for finishing this part Of the
building, that il is now impossible to decide what
the original design, but Of them were so bald as
what was afterward carried out. The Building Com
nittee insisted also on steepie, similar to the one
just burned down. although foreign to the style and
injury to the appearance of the building In some Of
the designs for the attic story, is connected by scup
ture with the seepe that the latter should not rise
unmeanngly from the roof The steepie as afterward
built in the style Of Sir Christopher wIvuS et0oPioS
was well enough in its way, but was always out OF
place. Next TO the attic story, and the steeple the
least pleasing features in the front ofthe City Hall are,
perhnps, the divisions with square-headed windows,
with square panel above. But these serve as fols to
give prominence TO the richer and more beautiful ar
Iangen ert Of the central building and wings The
latter are especially beautiful, and the whole compost
ton has much Of that air of elegant repose which Is,
perhape the greatest charm Of the designs OF Paado.
Like all the buildings of that school, it should be
viewed from in 'front.' Unfortunately il is 80 placed |
that il is usually either from Broadway or Chat
ham street the two worst points of veg AT the time
the corner stone WAS laid the city lay entirely below
it, and the building placed so as to face toward
the city, The rear of the building, We know, is OF
brown stone while the rest s Of marble, the Building
Con mittee being that the city would never e1
tend beyond it, and the back, therefore, would never
be seen. Had the Hall fronted on Broadway, instead
Of fronting it does, rothug in particular, 1t
would probably even now, when Now-iork can bosSt
of many costly edifces, be of the most admired
Of them oil.
Almost before the Hall was completed the accom-
mediation which it afforded found inadequate TO
the wants of the city. For years the long building in
Gle Park, on Chambers street. which was used for
court rooms and public offices, in supplied
the deficiency. After this building was burned down
IN 49, architects were invited to compete for prize
Tor plan Of City Hall. Most Of the plans sent
IN were by amateurs and of these was selected,
md resolution to carry it into execution passed
by the City Fathers; but it afterward vetoed by
che Mayor on the ground that architects Of suhic
ept reputation had been represented in the competition.
Architects Of reputation seem to have horror OF COM
petitions nor can this be wondered at when we con-
Eder the vexstions disappontment and suspicious of
unfairness, which ere apt to attend them. In this
case strange to say the vetoed plan the only
which designed in the same style as the present
building. 1t proposed to build three buildings Identical
with the present one, and forming with it Greek
cross with an open space in the center-a form which
great amount of expenditure would have giveRsvsry
small amount Of architectural effect. Afterward,
Wien the Police or Central Park Commissions We're
appointed by the Governor of the State, City Hall