, 1873-05-16
THE CITY HALL PLANS,

Some OF tho Merits and Defccta OF In
tcrnnL Arrangement Pointed Ont.
Since the consideration Of tho Court-Houae
plnns began, nearly all tho criticism has been
devoted to external appearances, and worry little
OF It to internal fitness, except in eomo cases
whore the faults Of construction were 30 gross
as to challenge notice. But, now that tho num-
bor of plans has boen cut down from forty odd
to half . dozen, 1t may not DO auisa
Dc Gefsets 'usA ot in.orn., lu arrangomont' % for, @
after all, tho Court-Houso ls to live in, not to
no looked at Tho mechanism Of watch Ia Of
moro importance than tho oases, md the brain
than the face. Il matters worry little II tho
building Is IN architectural moustrosity;so long
as tho Offices 1t contains n1e conveniently ar
ranged, woll lighted ind yentilntod, md of easy
aocsBs.
Randall, in hts plan, has provided for four
oourts, a foaturo which Ia Objectionable, among
other REASONS, because 1t consumes good deal
Of space. Even with them. however. ho has q
great doal Of unnppropriatod room, which, can DO
used III future contingencies, so TINT tho amount
Of space takon up In courts 10 not SO lurtful af-
abling him to Light all hIa inside
doing 1t through other rooms, or aoroAs cor
ridora. Tho arrangement Of tho rooma IN re-
gard to one another ta very convenient, aud 10
competitors tho requirements Of the di1orent
boarils and officers. There nre two rooms In tie
City Hall with which especial care should bo
taken, since they orc 30 much frequented-the
Collectors and the Water Ronta. Mr. Randall
haa made thom apaoioua, Of easy ecoesa, and Ak
collontly lighted. The Paymastor's olllco, which
is also crowded several times yoart 10 furnished
with two approaches, ono tor entrance and ono
for exit n the courtroom Il th9 Judges aro with
walls, SO that the sun mny not fall into
tho faces Of tho lawyers. Tho vaults arc car
riod directly up from tho bottom, and thoro arc
mons which arc supported upon posts, to fall
with the first nro. It is unfortunate that some
of thecorridors end nowhore, run against blank
walls. OF exits and entrances there arc plen-
ty. This architect has oonformed very closely
to tho specifications of tho Board Of Public
Worka, from which aome oshors hayo widely
Dixon d Hamilton have ono contral. court,
100 feet square, aud, since they. use up leHa
ground In that way than Randall docs, havo oyon
more spare room than he. Their plan differs
from most Of tho otlors in having, q sub. .base:.
WITH viii excellent asrangemonts for tic receiving
and moving Of fuol. aonorally, tho rooms aro
woll apd conveniently placed. aud this and tho
preceding pIau aoom to DO tho bost OF the lot, 10
far OF course as internal aFrangemeptg ore sol.
is that some Of their rooms will bo too
dark, Some, Of subordinate Importance,
like the Harbor Masters, get -, 4
poor light, from the corridor. The
Wator Dooarkment and Colloator's Office get
light only from = for windows at one eud Of the
room, and will not, therefore, be fully satisfao,
tory 4 tow slight changes would remedy most
Of tho defects ia this plan.
Mr. Gay seoms to hayo room enough, but ho
too has failed to furnish au1Noent light TOR all
ri l,ie Eooma. Rot49 Of tho 1ury.roo1". are hosH