The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-12
TWO NEW STATE HOUSES.

The legislative bodies OF two states, Con
necticut and New York. convened during the
past week in tho new buildings which those
States have erected for the various uses OF thoir
respective Governments. That costly and lux
urlous cdifces. commensurate with people q
own estimate Of Its consequence and dignity,
arc essential to the proper conduct OF that poo
pies common administration would appear
to be an inherited feature OF our civilization.
Tho architectural exploits Of n nation have n
well defined relation to marked cpochs Of its
existence but the precise nature Of that rcla-
ton is unfortunately. only clearly discerniblo
with the aid Of time. which. if il obscurcs much.
also eucdates not n little There is doubtless
a limited application OF this truth in the narrow
instances " our own period. that would be in
tercsting and instructive could We hut perceive
il. But for us tho chief interest OF our archi-
tectural achievements lies in practical consid-
erations Of political economy in their immediate
purposes and in their relation to the prevailing
condition Of art.
Tho architectural interest OF both these state
Houses is sufficient to justify some general
consideration OF them in the aspect in which
they VIII present themselves to the ordinary OBJ
server, and without any moro reference to tho
details Of their local history than happens TO
b. requisite to explain certain peculiarities u
ccrned merely with the architectural signin-
canoe and Importance OF the buildings. it is
only Of incidental note that the one has been
very fairly completed At an expenditure Jess
than originally contemplated and provided for.
and that the other, one-iour'h Of which Is not
completed. has cost already millions In excess
OF the first estimates. There are great many
unpleasant considerations connected with tao
building at Albany. which the Governor OF the
State has formally characterized as u public
calamity" and Il undoubtedly is m example of
gross and crm.naily reckless extravaganza. 1t
10 n painful inheritance which va have been
forced to assume. and which has remained to
US M a costly memcnto OF bygone period OF
popular insanity. But mono OF these things
should deter Us from showing n proper ap-
probation Of what has been done toward It's
redemption. nor blind US to how much Of actual
value IL contains.
In its original conception II was an extraordi-
nary cXaggernt,on Of a style Of architecture
with which. unfortunately wc shall all be- IA
milinr while many OF our public buildings con-
tnue 10 stand. And that particular style is
inseparably associated with the public career Of
one man. OF whom it may DO said that. for what
there was of him and OF what he WAS pleased to
call his art no certainly eXertsd most vicious
and pcrnicipus influence To an ambition that
was strongly abetted by tho circumstance in
which he was placed. he Joined profound.
dcnsr and unconscious Ignorance. and pro-
cccdei. during the brief duration OF hi. archi-
tcctural notoriety. 10 work an nralculable
amount OF mischief He holucathed o. the proc
iessiou be- SO deeply honored that which urchi-
te t. have learned to term Mulcuism. quail
ity OF architecture which obtained To- most
conspicuous and painful degree in our state
Capitol. Us originally designed. and 10 suppress
and ohliteruie which the present administrators
OF that work have been az some grlcyous pains.
There is little profit in dwelling upon the
State Capitol rs II was but is previous COM
dition ANA charaeter have t. be- borne in mind
in order to fully Ut lerstand why certain pecu-
laritos and certain departures from good
tas;c and expe llcncy exist in the arrangements
oithe present building 50 lar Is completed.
Tho Connecticut Capitol. too. had u past but
1t WIS Of q very different nature ana simply
involved such a change ~ the plan as WAS re-
qured - make OF fairly good building ono
much more extensive. elaborate. and ornate.
and one very much better adapted TO tho pur-
poses for which it was d, signed.
People who have fclt a pleasant recognition
OF certain forms Of architecture that have ono
10y one intrudcd upon our thoroughiaros.
whether because they had learned 10 ike them
in pictures or IN their personal experience. or
because they had hereditary disposition to-
ward them. or otherwise intultiyoly knew that
they were good and III things. will lind fuller
and more majestic express ION ot such ideas and
purposes in the completed section OF the
building at Albany Viewed from the
river or the railroad. as one APP
proaches the city it promises to impart
to Albany a picturesque appearance such as no
9TH tif. y.
cities mas any very strongly marked pictorial
character when regarded from a distance. a
fact that Is due perhaps as much TO the sites we
have chosen rs 20 our architectural deficiencies.
There are half u dozen towns on the Rhine that
are known all over tho world by some such
distinctive feature. For instance. the pictorial
experiences OF most schooiboys would lead
them 10 recognize Cologne or Strasbourg with
cat moments hesitation if they wcrc dropped
from balloon in tho vicinity Of either pace.
Our cities do not boast such grand and stately
piles, each distinctive ana special in It's charac-
tor and imparting 20 all about it Il certain undc-
Enable but unmstakahlo quality.
OF course. Washington has ms features. and
they are rs obvious and aggressive as those Of a
trade mark. and OF almost ns little avail to rest or
please the eye After il san Fran iscan may
point 10 his cathedral iurrets. u Baltimorcan to
MS bhpt llWNI ana I hlfdgoan 10 ms stand
pipe. A to New York. tho immense buildings
that have OF lato years been erected. whatever
their merit when viewed from the street. have
given by thor towering masses great variety
and character TO the aspect that tho city presents
from tho river or tho opposite shores. Under
certain conditions Of the atmosphere it becomes
picturesque to surprising degree. Albany
however, has acquired a group Of severe and
lofty roofs, relieved with bright gray towers and
dormer windows. and massive quality Of deco
ration that will be- as distinctive Of the city from
landscape point OF view as any LANDMARKS
could possibly be-
Such ia tho impression that the Capitol
makes upon ono in It's present condition
an impression which. IA ono approaches.
It's superb upper exterior tends To- con-
arm. Tho lower stories are the Capitol
of tho original architects. tho uppcr that of
Mossrs. Richardson and Eidutz The transit
ton to the lofty cornlce. Notwithstanding tho
rich and classic intermediate detail, is not ma
abrupt as ono would naturally suppose. Nor
does il seem rs II 1t would he a work of Crsut
difficulty TO devise some system Of exterior
treatment that would relieve and in a measure
redeem the lover stories. Probably the chief
difficulty would be tho determination Of a plan
NVh % not a ..