The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-05-31
THE STATE CAPIE0L.
VIII II BE Renewed 70 Newark /? What
Will become Of the Present SITE .


win II BE Renewed 20 Newark what
VIII BECOME Of the Present sate ?
TRENTON, May so. Uomptroller Ander-
son said to-day in relation to the action of
the New Capital Building Commission that
it is not likely that the Commission will
retrace the step they took last week. It
will be remembered that at a meeting of
the Commission, il was decided to do moth
ing towards the repair of tho Capitol build
ing except to clear away the debris of the
late fire. The appropriation of $50, 900 is
totally inadequate to the erection of
building that will in any way answer the
demand of the State Bureaus for room.
Architect BrOome, whose plans pleas,ed
the Commission best, was forced, to keep
himself within the appropriation, to make
| the stingiest appointments of space to the
several departments, and even, on his
plans, the estimated cost of the building,
| finished in the plainest possible style and
making no allowances whatever for furni-
ture. will reach $4,000. An estimate
never covers actual cost. and so the Com
mission, unwilling to undertake work that
could not be completed with the money
at its disposal, decided that the safest
| course to pursue was to do nothing.
/ ~ IL ucA Va tl0 WOIk Us bu6 OOUmlSBlOu
| is willing to have done is almost complet-
ed. That is, the debris has been nearly
| cleared away. When the foundation of
the wings in which the Secretary of States
Office, the Treasurer's and the Quarter
master-G Generals Office were located, was
reached, it was discovered that the wall was
| only Is inches broad, and it is wonder that
| the wings did not fall before they were
burned, especially as the stones Of the
foundation were held loosely together by
| poor mortar.
The decision of the Commission will give
| fresh impety.s to the Newark movement
| for the removal of the Capitol to thas city.
Sentiment Is already being hoped up y
in that interest, and the legislature next
year will probably witness an exciting con
test on the question. It is questionable,
however, whether it can succeed. The
rural sentiment will oppose the location of
the Capitol in city for fear that the met
ropolitan sentiment with which members
would be surrounded there might rob the
aforesaid rural districts of their weight in
the halls of the State. AS it is now, the
rural counties control the Senate always,
and the House frequently and the location
of the Capitol in Newark might affect legis-
lative sentiment to such an extent as even
w A2l6A9 Q cuelAk5o III tuo DdciS VI b6udbOfldl
I representation possible.
Assemblyman Bell of Newark, who was
conspicuous in the fight against the move
ment last Winter--he was the only Newark
member who voted against the removal Of
the Capitol to Newark s'says that outside Of
few owners of property in Clinton Hill who
think that the value of their estates will be
increased by the location of the Capitol II
or near them, there ia no sentiment, ever
in Newark, in favor of the change in the
SITE"
The site on which the State Hous,
stands now, was given to the State man,
years ago by apublic spirited citizen named
Britton. 1t was of little value then, but i
has become very valuable now. It was ded
icated to the State only on condition that
it should be used as site for the Capito
building. If an attempt be made to use i
for any other purpose it viii revert to tn
Mr.. Britton's heirs. The family is in re
duced circumstances now. Some years ag,
MIR. Britton's daughter secured the passag
Of an act allowing her 5000 per year pen
sion, in consideration of her fathers mum
6cence. and when the Comptroller pays
to her in quarterly payments, she receive
it thankfully.