New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-28
THE NEW CAPITOL.

A CRITICISM OF THE PROPOSED ALTERATIONS BY
MR.. FULLER-A CHANGE OF HE STYLE OF HE
BUILDING THgEhTENED-THE COST INCREASED
Mr. Thomas Fuller, architect of the new
CAPITOL at Albany, has sent letter to Lieut-Gov'
Dor,beimer Chairman OF the New Capitol Commission,
tcisiug plan for alterations OF his design III com
pleting the building which has been presented to the
Commission. Mr. Fuller gives history OF his design,
and replies to the chief criticisms upon the bddng
IN that the legislative chambers have too large floor
area are CHER than recent experiments at Washington
hav shown to be safe acouscay and should be altered
in form allow free access between the east ana me
west ends of building 2 that the Court Of Appeals
room and the Governors rooms are too large, and II
separate provision for the Law Library not necessary
az it might be placed in the State Library; (3 that the
building will be too high; a. that the small towers Oh
the east and the west fronts are not required
In regard TO the alteration of the form and position of
the Senate and the Assembly Chambers, he would reply
that had always been considered advisable to have the
windows opening the floor If possible. but the pro
vision Of corridor for communication between the east
and the west end Of the building without interfering
with the chambers was considered Of more importance
as these chambers could be lighted quite as effectively
from the ceiling. that direct communication were now
considered necessary, the legislative chambers might OF
course he arranged accordingly but they ought TO be
treated In strict accordance with the style OF
the building. Concerning the proposition of the
Advisory Board TO change the kind OF ceiling
it was his opinion that the original plan of having hor-
zontal deeply paneed ceiling constructed OF iron ana
glass would secure acoustic properties we'll The pro
poed floor area OF the chambers greater than In the
plans heretofore approved while the efect OF descending
into the chambers would not he imposing III the court
OF Appeals too large there could be no oJec-
ton against removing It's iron columns aud the room
might be still furth reduced IN size IN manner that
had been already suggested.
The omission of the small towers above the roots on
the east and the front and also or the upper
stories of the pOrticOes all the fronts might give
greater breadth of effect but to carry out the treatment
as shown in modified plans 1t would be necessary not
only take down all the portion OF the building already
built above the sprngng OF the arches or the WINDOWS on
the principal floor, but also tine center portions OF the
east front eighty feet III length ON eacn
10 twelve feet below the spriugng or the arches ana The
twelve angles uf the pay0ns and the i've tow
es north and the south 'front.' would also nave 10
be taken down TO the level and the greater pOr-
ton OF the and ready for setting would have
10 be abandoned recut al very considerable loss lie
sye OF the proposed modification with their elaborate
surface and carved OrnamentatiOn was not applicable
10 granite and ought only to be applied on more free
cutting stone aud such decoration In no measure
expressive the purposes which the building
intended. Tie treatment OF the main tower was exceed
ingly unfortunate and out OF all character with the
building The elaborate decoration both OF tie Interior
exterior of the building were extremely out OF place
Mr. Fuller Incorporated in his letter one from McssIs
Richard NJ. Hunt, Henry Dudley, aud ID. Lenan, arch
tects OF this city, winch they state that they have con-
sidered the proposed alterations and unanimous in
the opinion that the suggested alterations are no I'M
proVement the original design ana frthernOie tnat
the style adopted is totally at variance with the portion
OF the building already erected Mr.. Fuller closes his
letter by replying objections that have been made To
the use OF various materials in the construction OF the
building and states That IN bis opinion the cost OF the
building will be considerably increased ~ tie mOGned
plans prepared by the Advisory Board are followed