Morning journal and courier., 1882-07-21
The Old State House.


 had examined several hundreds of volumes recently in the old State House, and found them perfectly dry and free from dampness and in good order. The books, he said, were in the historical rooms.
 l.. w. Sperry thought the old building had served it's purpose, and any effort to change it into a building for another purpose would be futile. He said he had been informed by gentlemen qualified to speak on the subject that to change it into 8 building for other purposes would be 8 useless waste of time and money. He thought the old structure had served its day and generation, and for one he would say let it be demolished.
 Charles E. Graves, of the Young Mems Institute, was the next speaker. He thought there no need of new public library, as we have the use of the Yale College library, He contended that the old building was not suitable one for such purpose. If public library to be established it should be located as near the center of the city as pos sible, where it would be available to all classes.
 Ex-Governor Ingersoll advocated the re- moval of the old building. He said as it stood now it was blotch upon the city and should be removed. He thought we should be guided by experience in this matter. He referred to the removal of the old Methodist church on the northwest corner of the Green many years ago, and the removal of the old State House previous to this structure, and said that no one would be willing to place these buildings back where they were. He said he failed to see how the old building | mi tn ypb ha put. If the time ever came for 8 public library for New Haven there should be 8 suitable place selected for it, and the building should be provided with all the modern con- veniences for such purpose.
 Judge Luzon B. Morris was the next speaker. He said he occupied room in the old building for five years, and there was not worse room outside the county jail. He said the courts vacated the building because public sentiment was against holding courts in the building. If, said Judge Morris. you associate public library with that building you will never have any library. Every in stitution that has located there has eventually moved out They talk about the historical 1 connections with the building, and I say l these connections are source of humiliation ! and there is nothing connected with it to ask ! for it's retention. If removed very much would be added to the beauty of the Green. 1 Ex-Mayor Lewis said he believed the re- moval of the old building would add four fold to the beauty of the public square He ! said that the previous voluntary contribu- | tions for the removal of buildings from the l old Green amounted to at least 1850, 1000, the city paying $5,OO0 of this amount. He said l that he formerly occupied an office in that | old building, and it was his custom when he l went to his office in the morning to kick the door open and run, the air was foul He | said he desired to see free public library ! with 8 hall in 1t for public city meetings, but ! ypa for he | Historical society should have rooms and | those rooms should be in public library building. If that building is torn down il ! would further the building of free public library. and he would use his best endeavors for the furtherance of such an end
 Judge Samuel A. York said he thought the Green would look much better if the old ! building was removed. He regarded the old \ building @ monument of lack of energy \ and public spirit He did not think it ir
 any way suitable for public library. It it ! located in an unsuitable place and it would \ be better to let it fall down or become
 ruin. In order to establish library there
 $15, 900 or S2O,O00 would have to be expend
 ed on the building alone, and then library ! would have to be purchased costing $50, ,O0(
 or $6O, 1000 more to make it any way respect
 able He thought it much cheaper to givt
 the money to the Young Mems Institute, be ! lieving as he did that the money would bt
 much more economically expended. They
 have already got the start and if they re ! ceived encouragement from the city would
 he doubted not, make their library fre
 one.
 Captain George M. White, representa-,
 Admiral Foote Post advocated the remova ! of the building and in very sarcastic man
 ner compared it to the beautiful Temple o | Minerva built of marble and then called at
 tention to the crumbling succeed walls o 1 the old building on the Green. The remark
 of Captain White in regard to the old struc
 ture, which were read from manuscript, wer ! very amusing and provoked great deal o
 mirth. In closiug the speaker seriously ad ! vocated the removal of the building and tn erection of soldiers monument on the spot ! Professor Dwight was the next speaker He said he had long since ceased to admir- ! the architecture of this old structure. H , thought an entirely different building wa
 needed for public library and that 1t wa ! entirely unfitted for such purpose Again , he said, the building was and had been fo ! many years a nuisance to everyone who live ! in the neighborhood. He had no doubt tha ! the removal of the building would be sourc
 of rejoicing to all here and those who ma 1 come after them.
 General George H. Ford opposed the re
 pair of the old building He said it had lon ! been looked upon by him as a nuisance an
 g blot to the beauty of the Green. H
 thought soldiers monument should b
 erected on the spot.
 1 William Parsons, editor of the Register l advocated the removal of the old building
 He said it was blot upon that part c
 the Green, and something of an ornaments { nature should be erected in it's place.
 s. Harrison Wagner objected to any none being expended to repair the old State House | He thought iG entirely unfitted for 6 publi
 library, and no money should be expende
 on such an old barn like structure. Let U remove the old pile of mortar and stone, sai ! NH,, %bo
 look better.
 1 General s. D. Merwin said he was totall
 opposed to spending dollar on the old Stat
 House. He said he did not blame the socis ties occupying the building for wanting t remain, but he thought if they would spend
 little money they could secure better qual
 ters elsewhere. He said the people needle every foot of ground they could get on tn public square, especially on the lower part (
 it, and there never should be an obstructio
 put upon it. If soldiers monument was
 be erected, and he thought there should t one, the site of the old State House was tI
 place for it, and not the lower part of tt ! Green.
 Philip Pond thought failure or mistaA was made that the old building was not rt moved at once when New Haven ceased to |
 a semi capital of the State. He urged ths , l not dollar should be expended upon it fe
 repairs. He thought it the widest schen possible to appropriate money for an ol : building that would be of no earthly use anyone. He hoped the old building shoul Q ! be removed at once.
 A. w. Phelps advocated the retention the old State House. He said if it was r : moved he would feel like putting on mourn : ing Let New Haven" he said, keep
 least one relict of antiquity"
 Colin M. Ingersoll advocated the takin
 down of the old building. He said that had heard it stated that General Trowbride :; had recently examined the old structure an had pronounced it as in an unsafe cond tion.
 8 Charles L. Chaplain favored retaining tl . old building. He said If the building WI 1 removed the next move would be the remov of the churches and finally the abolition the Green altogether. He thought $500 8 l would be well expended in it's repair, and tn I it was suitable for library and other pract ! cable purposes.
 Simeon E. Baldwin said he regretted vel
 much to see the antagonism exhibited b . | friends of the Young Mems Institute to public library. He referred particularly
 the remarks of Judge York, and said that l , ! was surprised that he should take the pos r | ton that he did. Mir. Baldwin continued
 ! lanoth in favor of the retention and repair ,