New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-26


of the building will he fonnd below 1t appears
that the building has been very much redeemed In
many respects. but is not entirely above criticism.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING.
A CRITICISM UPON IFS ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER.
FIoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or TIE TRIBCNE.l
ALBANY, Dec. 24-The Capitol building at AL
bany 50 far adyanc d toward completion thattwo
ready tor occupancy. and the central binding
Of the north side in which these two rooms are Situated
is rooted and virtually flushed Abstrac'ly consid
cred this progress not TO be accepted very salts
factory hut there Is way looking at II which makes
the delay The work being done AT Albany Is
of such immense, OF such National Importance ana
the growth Of taste and knowledge IN matters con-
nec;ed win architecture and with the arts OF decoration
rapidly advancing that 10 would he just now ms
fortune II the public mpateuce. reasonable as II IT,
should persuade hurry IN tters. Even as 1t is,h
may be feared that this public impotence his ben
allowed its way too much In the last few wceRs.
and las been demanded OF oyerwOrked artists ana
decorators than was reasonable pOlnc. We need TO
remember tnat Art is long, that every step In tue
urOgress Of work OF this magnitude shond be taken
with dclibera,ion. There ia too much readiness
on the rart ever Il artists themselves in Judging
what has been DONE console themselves with the r.
Election that If there IS anything wrong IL can be rem
eed later; that tie chise the sponge can restore
fresh Held for the thought OF the future They
forget who thus, that nOtninH IN NOih Oh
can ever replace first intention. give that unity
which WAS come in the beginnings and 1t Ia as
surfing know that the intelligent public officers who
this matter OF the CdPitO in hand are work
ng harmony with the architects and artists 10 make
every step valid thai snail not need TO be retraced
nor repenled.
We shall let by-gones be by-gones. say
more than is needed about the lament
ole beginnings of work. winch In
s completion will there every to hope, re-
douni TO the glory OF the State ana reflect honor upon
all who are concerned IN H. suffice II tat the Capitol nj
Albany wa. in ITS inception az crude aud unfcasonlng
project "a undertaken in this country Of ours
srewn all 1t Is with the bleaching bones OF build
ngs, horrd, huge aud formosS and that onl
the rapid growth OF public Intelligence prevented that
project being carried out 10 the same fatal result
As in the otner structures that dIscfcdt us. The
building was, ON the FIRST planned on too SCALE
larger than cOud under any circumstances
necessary ami the plauning was o. such !ugcrOus
ncOmpetency aud Inconvenience that only tue crosses
ignorance the part OF the arcaect. and tho greatest
Aeedlessness the part OF those TO whom the Stale
committed the charge OF supervision. can explain the
acceptance OF the desigu-if design 1t may be called
where design was none.
There would indeed, be need 10 refer TO the short
comngs of tue original plan II had been possible TO
undo them or TO hide them altogether from present
sight As il well known, when tho defects OF the bud
mg. as first designed, were Uncovered and
.apdly developing public taste insisted on their
being corrected there were two strong parties
ormed and strife waxcd fierce two OPP
posio Unions. One party Numbered cut It's DcicHda
est Curdgo ana would raze the building TO the ground
~ far AS earned up cover up the foundations and begin
IaIn another The other, but necessarily the
weaker party though s strong and ably led WAS for
going on and completing the ceslgn as begun. II was
impossible mat this latter project should pevail but II
was equally impossible that the former should be cIricd
aud al luo mi ~ IA, reed
upOn winch Ike all compromises. mad It's serious draw
Jacks mOre serious In this case than any
advantages that could cnsue. IL was decided
20 stop the work where II was, TO put the
whole matter into commission, and to do what
might be possible TO bring good result out Of bad
uegpping A commission WAS appointed, aud It's mem
oers called into cOnsultatiou-Messrs Leopold Eidtz.
II. II. Richardson and r. L. Omsed-io whom was en-
trustd the aborous OF carrying the building Of
,he Capitol after designs Oi their own.
The original architecture OF the Capitol was OF no
lyle In particular IT. chief characteristic was entire
want Of character. 10 did not even belong TO that
"ugy" style to which Paris courier In blouse and cap
once assigned In our hearing the new Opera House
i'm Pans. II had ali the absurd ties Of the style
which has now become known rs the Nudet-
nan, hut II not 50 aFgreSsively impatient.
The architect was not Lord John Russell taking charge
of the Channel feet Ave minutes notice. he
Denis Kcsoy, Jumping down from his dray TO seize tue
,Iler OF Iassachu cts politics. lac WAS rather like an
dcrIy respectable men, diztrustful OF her capacity.
who finds herself evil hour IN charge Of brood OF
IncEngs on the edge Of pond. The magnitude OF tue
lob ovcrcrowded his spirit and unneryed his hand And
The weakness resulted most painful In build
ing OF such dimensions Us the Capitol 1t was
far moro Offensive fact than could have been Tue
ravaglnces which pubic puryeyors OF tas have
so unnappiy accustomed VA. SUI 1t cOu.d not be-
altogether reformed. and the two lower stories OF
Che Capitol must remain 10 tell US what the
whole was Intended to be like. The only hone.
these lower stories concerned that the sius
4 our youth may be concealed lies In the pOrcbes which
VIII project from the central divisions OF the facade on
the soulhern and northern sides and Of which
ar. Richardson may confidently be expected TO make
toning eaturcs On the eastern side Is earnestly TO
he hoped that the Commission Will insist against all
opposition taking down OK building over the central
WALL with heavy piIasters. its nches and bullseye
windows for adding Of a porch can ever make
us wholly forget these defOrmes OF design These at
east are not negative, they positive and however
handsome the closet that Mr. Richardson may design for
| lhem they will always be the skeleton within It,
when VIE leave the lower. prehistoric portion OF the
building, and come to consider tho stories we
lind much that Is satisfactory are ready To forget
the bad csinnngs, aud to ticat them treat the
inevitable. The pOrches will make substantial amends
In part and the rest what may not masking Ivy and
trees do that's Perhaps too II we cannot get rid Of
The inches aud bullseyes MI them with
sculpture. ana 30 MAKE OF Dtter
han AN eyeless skull Above the second story however
no apology IS needed willing soc. aud have
no wish to hide after n deliberate study oil the work
give opinion that not only Is The junction be-
the old work and the not Ill done. r is posi-
lively well DONE and that 1t Is not possible, IN view
Of the line results obtainrd on the exterior
north 'front.' only exterior peted and the
side Of the central court to fee the force OF
any objections made 10 "nrOngfuity" and mixing OF
styles or the result is not entirely satisfactory
thai could never be. where strong has take up
weak cncs work rafry IL on but may fairly ana