Morning journal and courier., 1882-11-28
9ourna! al1b Gourier
Tuesday, Nov. 20. 1882.
The Old State House.

'AAs&SA- ~ ~s4o
relates to the State House, beg leave to re-
port
That they have given this subject some
faithful attention have learned all the facts
that were accessible to them; have given
patient hearing to all who chose to say any
thing publicly or privately in regard to it,
and have finally. given all the facts, opinions
and arguments candid consideration These
facts and the grounds of their conclusions
and their recommendations the committee
beg to briefly and clearly state
The committee began their investigation
of this subject with very little definite
kno Wedge of the fact, but with some general
but rather definite opinions like these:
1. That unless this building is now reason
ably strong, safe and practically fit for use
and
2. Unless it can be made decidedly and
specially useful to the city and the people
and be likely to be used for the next twenty
or twenty five years.
3. And unless it can, at moderate ex-
pense and within a reasonable time, standing
where it does and being what it is, be made
in appearance creditable to the city.
4. And unless it can now be so restored as
future repairs, it seemed to the committee
that the arguments for its removal would
have very great weight.
In appearance it was plainly crumbled and
decayed, and very far from creditable to any,
one.
The committee were and are unanimous in
the opinion that it ought, within reasona
BILE time, to be made presentable in appear
ance and fit for use and be used or it might
as well be removed. With these opinions
the committee began their quest for the facts.
They found the building occupied; in its
upper stories by the Society of Industrial
Art and the New Haven Historical society
in its basement by the Boys club, in winter,
by Professor Marsh with some of his collec-
tions and by the Superintendent of Parks
and Squares with the city's tools. The Soci
ETY. of Industrial Art were occupying under g
formal written lease, duly executed and re
corded, for term of ten years from March
1877, under which they had expended more
than $4,000 in fitting up. The Historical
| society had, with the consent and permission
of the city, gone into what they had beer
| led by the city to believe would be pernaa
| 7ee1t occupancy of their rooms in that build
| ing; relying on the good faith of the city
in this regard, they had already expended
more than So, 500 in fitting up their room
and were about to expend further large SUM
| in the same way when they were met by tn
proposition that this building should be de
stroyed and, consequently, that their expen
| ditures must be wasted.
These societies the committee found to b.
| decidedly opposed to the removal of tn
building They both insisted that it is ad
| mirably suited to their needs; that the
have spent their money confidently relying
| upon fair and honorable conduct toward
| them on the part of the city; that they ar
each doing work of great interest and pub
lie utility that they have some strong mora
claims to the assistance and support of tn
| city and the people, some strong legal claim
to be at least allowed to continue their pres
emit occupancy unmolestcd; that to be CON
PEELED now to move out involves vastly NOR
to them than the mere waste of the time an
money they have expended there that, t
the first named society, a removal wi
strongly tend to defeat the object and pun
pose of years of labor conscientiously don
for the public benefit and not for any privat
| gain, and be to it grave detriment if not
| decisive blow.
These claims, if they were really true
seemed to the committee to have some fore
4 and to justify some further examination @
their real substance and character.
/ The Historical society, strong in the mum
Der and character of its MEMBERS is tolera
bly, we'll known in it's object and purpose. ]
| has grown in numbers since it removed t
| this building from nineteen members to on
| hundred and forty members. The Socet
of Industrial Art, unknown and almost III
heard of by the committee before this inves
j tigation, seems to have been greatly misur
derstood; it has been supposed by some t
be catch-penny, wax figure sort of sho
maintained solely for the profit of its mans
gers, by others to be some new-fangled NJ
ton, i'll considered, inpractieable, withor
| precedent and aimed at no real need or pull
lie utility. 1t seems in fact to be BRAY
| and generous effort, mainly of one ma
| professor Blake), to supply the missing lin
L hAfwaan the ypnrEShnpC and ia h
tween the inventors and high class workme
| on the one side and men of science and I'll
| artists on the other to bring to all classe
, of the community some of the advantages
a museum here, similar to those which hay
long been freely offered and made eminent
| practical and highly useful at Kensington,
Berlin and at Paris in Europe, and in Bo
ton, New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati
| Chicago and other western cities in this coul
try. 1t seems to be an open secret that ever
manufactured article appearing in any ma
ket or exhibited at any fair is at once copie
or sent by sample or photograph and descril
ton especially to these European museums I
| be initiated, excelled or be artistically pc
| fected, the patents on them or the machine1
| by which they are produced to be studio
and understood or rendered public propert,
1t was suggested THAT if, at some centr
| point, our inventors, our young, ambition
| high class workmen, our manufacturers an
1 business men and purchasers we're able
| learn quickly and easily what is being dor
or attempted in idea, in artistic design or
high finish everywhere in the whole indu
| trial world it might afford hints to all col
| cerned that would yield both honor and prot
and save much loss, much poor work an
wasted energy. By a system of exchange
| between these museums, already far perfec
ed and in actual use, these things might a
be cheaply and quickly laid at our feet.
4 This at any rate is the claim of that soci
ty. The committee found that for lack
| private means such as Mr.. Sheffield poure
upon the Scientific school and Mr.. Peabod
tupon the museum connected with the co
| lege, without any support except from son
public spirited manufacturers who had loane
or donated their costly exhibits at the Cel
tennial, this society was and is bravel
| struggling with adversely, holding on firml
to its lease of this building; that it was NJ
| yet ready to despair of ultimately succeedin
in its great work Or at least of being u7ade
STOOD; that it had met and was meeting lit
| help and much neglect, much ridicule an
| wasted the energies of our Whitney an
Goodyear and Augur, such as have ofte
sent benefactors of the world as begga1
broken hearted to their graves.
, Your committee certainly did not join
that ridicule and that contempt; they we,
| not ready to recommend that any unneoe
| | sary obstacles should be placed in the pat
! | the law, the power of the city be turned
| the destruction of scheme like that, nc
| upon an enthusiastic, public spirited proje
. | tor like that
Then the basement in part is used by til
"Boys club" most excellent, humane an
| Christian institution of great and increasin
| usefulness. We are informed that in or
year more than 1, 500 boys were there gatl
cred and taught. The committee regrette
| to turn these boys again into the streets or I
| add needless burdens of rent to those who's
self denying labors had saved and are savin
l SO many of these street lads from lives {
| idleness and crime.
I These considerations seemed almost dec
sive to the committee-quite SO unless som
overpowering necessity, some grave oppt
sing considerations of public policy shout
appear in the case.
/ And there appeared before the c0mmitte
a considerable number of persons of til
highest responsibility and of most undoubte
zeal for the prosperity and beauty of tn
city, who earnestly claimed that the wiser
public policy does require the removal {
this building altogether from the publ
Green without any reference to any possib
plans for it's restoration, without regard I
its actual present and possible future usefu
| ness.