New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23
OAK AND IRON FOR STONE
THE STATE CAPITOL MUCH IMPROVED.
A HANDSOME WOODEN CEILING REPLACES THE
OLD ONE, AND THE ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES
ARE DECIDEDLY BFTTER.

A HANDSOME WOODEN CEILING REPLACES The
OLD ONE, AND THE ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES
ARE DECIDEDLY BETTER.
uRow RreuI.,R CoRRSsr'SprSl or NV rWnoN'"-
Albany, Dec. 22.-Mr Andrews, the superintendent
Of the Capitol, who has had charge OF the repairs
of the Assembly Chamber. says that the room VIII
be ready for the occupation OF the Assembymen by
Tuesday next This will be fortnight III ADVANCE
Of the time OF the meeting Of the Legislature Doubt
less the Asscmblymen will Of the announcement
with q good deal OF satisfaction; especially the OLD
members, who remember that the last winter they
had TO emigrato to two different apartments, both
OF them uncomfortaby small for 1913 mems daily
work-the Assembly Parlcr and the Court OF Appeals
room Moreover the Assembly Chamber Itself was a
chamber Of borrtrss with its crumbling stone
ceiling weighing hundreds or tons hanging ABOVE
the heads OF every and threatening TO fai every
noment When the Assemblymen return to Albany,
however II will be with the prospect of passing
f,r nleasanter winter, far their life in the
Cau,tol is concerned, than they did last winter
Before they departed from Albany they put law
upon the statute books appropriatng S277,o0o for
the removal Of the stone ceiling and the substitu-
ton of a wooden ceiling for 1t, and for the repairing
of the grand stairway leading 10 the Assembly Cham
Der which in a condition perilous TO life, owing
10 the sinking of its foundation. The whole WORK
was put in charge of a commission composed OF
several Assemblymen, who appointed Mr. Andrews
as superintendent for the contractors 1t was the de-
sign Of Mr.. Andrews for the reconstruction of the
Assembly Chamber that adopted. That design
included not only the removal of the stone ceiling
but the improvement of the acoustic properties OF
the room by closing up cavern-like spaces in
the galleries, into which the words of eloquent AS
semblynirn disappeared and never returned to de-
light patient hearers. The removal Of the stone cell
ing was one of great delcacy and some peril The
ceiling weighed 1850 and II important that
no keystone should removed unless strong tmbers
had been placed in position previously oeneath the
arches TO be weakened TO uphold them. otherwse
the entire ceiling might tumble upon the heads OF the
workingmen. MIR. Sullivan, the contractor who re-
moved the ceiling SAYS that he never passed such an
anxious summer He remained in the Assembly
Chamber night after night studying the best means OF
removing this or that portion Of the ceiling safely
and although he had every portion OF the ceiling
,hored I'D with big timbes, he was always tearing
some catastrophe. 1t with great sense Of reef
that he saw the last pOnderous stone lifted by
derrick and swung out of the Capitol Washington
St which runs along the north side OF the CAPITOL
was half filed with the stone which had been taken
ont Of the Assembly Chamber and Albany people
razed with wonder upon the mass of rock which had
thus been removed from the Capitol without affecting
apparenty its bulk 1t could easily be thought that
inc product Of several quarries had suddenly poch
dumped down in the street
when the stone ceiling had been removed Mr..
Andrews substituted for II stcfkingly handsome
one of ouartered oak. The stone had been OF
cold gray color. giving the room, despite somewhat
cartsh ornamentation otherwise, a tonb-nKe ap-
pearance The substitution Of yellow oak impaired
a warmth of color that had been long needed All
visitors TO the Capitol will remember that the stone
ceiling was upheld by four MASSIVE, red granite
columns twelve and a half feet in circumference
Nv Andrews extended these pillars nine feet, max
ing their total height thirtynne feet -Four pillars
Of iron. eleven feet in length, we're imposed upon
each Of the four granite columns thus creauhg
column fifty feet IN height 1t should be slated
that the iron columns have been encased IN oaA-
which In curing Lines supports INF cclnng. ""en
the columns were finished two enormous glrders OF
DO, s,even feet in width wero placed upon THE
nillars and also extended into the side walls OF
In, buisj3ug Eighteen lateral glrdds were az
tachod to the great ones, and theh eye Ooahis
fastened the iron girders together There was thus
network Of iron formed above the Assembly Chamoer
and forming a fiat ceiling above It, Ne'tner 'he
AssemblymeD nor the public need be apVehensaVe Oh
tbe weight OF the ceiling. While the Stone
cen,,c weighed 1850 TONS the present ceiling weighs
only 400 tons But there will be nothing ponderous
in the appearance of the ceiling to those occupying
the room for all the iron-work has been "rapp0o
about with handsome oak um6ers' mess oAA
timbers cross each other at regular Intervals "in-
inc souare spaces The interior Of the square places
has been filed with paper mache, stamped WIN
beautiful design and then painted yellow 10 tie
eve the ceiling is OF solid oak, and with beautifully
carved oak panels The fiat ceiling 1t Is believed
will On improve the acoustics of the room that The
Assemblvmcu will now and then in the future DC
able to hear the speeches of their brethren on inc
opposlte side Of the Assembly Chamber But a.
wicyam for the speeches OF Gag
cbefs the room has been improved in other respects
spaces in the galleries have been closed Win STONE
curtains and other spaces beneath the galleries nave
bcen closed M with partitions Of mahogany Inc
tvo rooms thus created beneath the galleries nave
been provided with glass doors and glass WINDOWS
"a ,Io,. ,,c to he surrendered 10 the Assenblymen
in process OF delivery in The future the poreo ms
semilyman will have chance TO slip over 10 0ne
Of the smoking rooms and enjoy cigar. hoUai tnS
tbrourb the glass doors he will be able 10 Wa'ch
the proceedings OF the Assembly and be apie 10
decide when his presence In the ChshOcI 10 neNosS
sarv The stone curtain which has been construct
has upon its face notable ornament MI. Andrews W
had carved upon the curtain the arms Vi ne "a
NewYork In gigantic size, feet by ieec anu
then had the arms gilded so that !. ooAs "a has
mucb improved the lighting OF the room: There arc
ten windows each side Of the Assembly shamp pei
twenty FIVE feet above the moor; .atnod y1sss
been filed with the handsome cathedral stained glds
fax ny the place of some common glass. Nine haho-
some cleo olcurs. studded with electrical hgns' WI
hang from the oak ceiling. speaker Ooic nas aiso
has much needed and has range OF three Toon
for his In the separation of his visitors Inc Olu
carpet Of the Assembly Chamber has also pecn tahen
up, and an exceed ngy beautiful new one laid uoWh
In lis place The Assembly men when they lO0k over
their room cannot but think that 1t has Dech greatly
beautifed. 49,, -
General Hustled when here week ago tried .i his
clarion voice IN the Chamber and when us ieveroe,
rafions had died away declared that It's acoustic
properties had been greatly improved