New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-23
NO OAK IN THE CEILING.
THE ASSEMBLY BEGINS TO INVESTIGATE
THE CONTRACTORS CONDUCT.
GENERAL BATCHELLER SAYS THERE isN q
PARTICLE OF CARVED OAK IN THE CEILING
1.-THE COMMITTEE DIDN'T KNOW OF

GENERAL BATcHELLER SAYS THERE Ism a
PARTICLE OF CARVED OAK IN THE CEILING
THE COMMITTEE DIDN'T KNOW OF
THE PAPIER-MAcHE CLAUSE.
WON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or 4IiE TRIBufN-i
Albany jan ao.-An the rumors current during
the last month that there fraud III the con-
structou Of the new ceiling Of the Assembly Champer
viii now be investigated. There has not Deeh tue
slightest suepcion It should be stated, at any inie
that the Assembly Committee who ostenslDly hau
charge of the work in any way implicated ID inc
fraudulent execution of the contract for the ceng
Every one conceded that the members OF me COM
mittce Fremont Cole, william +. Sheehan, george
Weed Frank j. Enz and W. IL. Gallup were mon
Of the most honorable character, Incapable Oh any
dishonesty; but there was suspicion that tney
might have been deceived by those who actually had
charge of the work OF removing the stone ceiling OF
the Assembly Chamber and replacing IL with wooden
one
Al these thoughts were in the heads OF the Assem-
blymen this morning when Speaker Cole cailed
Hamilton Fish, Ir to the chair. The speaAer I'M
mediately addressed the Assembly, and III low
words told It's members what had been done oy l's
committee in the way of providing now oeinhs
for the Assembly Chamber.
Mr. sheehan thon referred to the statements III
newspapers lately that there suspicion that the
Assembly Committee had been overreaehed- ana tIla'
the contract had not been faithfully execu'eu' MT
sbeehan said that the committee desired thorousu
investigation of their acts. The STATE IN any oo 10
said was protected from loss, as inc coh"''oo ne1
osorvrd $4,000 stilI due the contractors, and the
contractors had given bond Of SooooO "nion "ss ~
the possession of the State He wouin suggest ,n@'
a committee be appointed to make the INVESTIGATION
consisting of an architect chemist anu ons''00''
none of them residents Of Albany.
General George s. Batcheller' OF Saratoga su Is
Oestod that the Committee Appropriations shouiu
ort IN the Assembly the names Of three civilians 70
soe az a committe of investigation. He then creased
a sensation by saying 4, TIA
last october / inspected the work going on IN .ne
,samby Chamber L climbed TO the ceiling ano seeing
80 work going on there which considered curious
aed xorkinc1nan to cut on strip Of the beading
,vneh yuns along oak timber there Here 10 'he p
which the workman cut OF for me- and as any melDss
can see Il IS made Of plaster OF Paris ana % h0' w
oak 4. A.. ,-o,r ~ HE
feIou Assembymen piece of plaster Of Paris ABOUT
a foot long. Then, continuing his Speech Ienera&
Batcheer said 49, ,.r,s
Now while It may be oontenned that uosr lne V.ia ,
a, the contract With contractors they had the g'
70 nut material they called paper maehe. but which
~ =, a,,,v nlas,er Of Paris with a backing into the
ceiling as panels they certainly had no right 20 use
master Of Paris part OF the beading OF te ceihs'
for the contract aaty says that the whole OF inc es
shall be of oak and that after all the iron Worh IN
tho whole ceDinB snhA w NVfNiNN 49, -
quality kilndried quarserea white oak wrought out anu
anihed I'm accordance with the several drawings In hrs
rate cabinet fashion. 49, ali
ing Moreover by an alternative provision OF the CON
tract the contractors are permitted with the permission
:, chsrAa n Andrews the Superintendent Of Public
Buildings to use papiermache IN the panels Here Is
! the provision
The uane,s tof the cenng) TO be qusrtered oak a.
shown properly glued up and finished or OF
,fcndan
msehe is used instead Of OAK the panels are TO DC a
nigh toward the centre, making slightly vauted panel
with intersectng lines running from the angles ~"Au
the centre Of the panel.
This remarkable statement was made oy speaher
| Cole when his attention was called TO TINS it'si
section Of the contract: 81 do not remember 'na'
| the term 'papier-maohe' was used In the contract
signed Indeed do not have the slightest recollection
of such term and / think Il remarkable do not re-
member it,
Mr. sheehan also said al looked over the contract
and cannot recollect that the term 'papler-macno
| was used IN itn Mr. Gallup, another member OF tl'
committee made third statement TO the same ehect
This testimony excited suspicion In the mino'
OF the Assemblymen that some one subsututeo sn"e
Of the contract containing the words paper-machc o
one that did not contain st. The contract was OF
| separate shees of paper ana was
Typewriter characters. It would have been an easS
Meter to substitute one sheet for another
| While the contract was under eAaihha"on VT, -
| hate continued General Hustled expressed tne y,
uef that the sole question at issue was 10,
| contractor had fnlfiled his contract aI' sS -
| aereed with Mr. Hustled that there was no need .
widening the Investigation and that Il should pe con
| centrated the contractors conduct az. 1asu =
Insisted upon broad investigation slr. Asplns al, -
| Rrooklyp thought that the Assembly commute WHY
lad cbaTaa OF the Ieconstruction of the ceiling Shout
tself mako the investigation. speaker Soe Iep De-
that they did not want to be judges IN their own ca
| Mr. Van Corder. OF wyoming County, sugeessu 'a .,
The Committee on Appropriations should maze 10 =, IN
| tfraffo ard IA
sistanco an architect, chemist and an engineer ml
Hustled nut this suggestion IN the form OF mouOh ~
| N was adopted by unanimous vote The Assemol
also directed that the contract should DO pflh'eu
The Committee on Appropriations VIII begin ips III
vesngatlon at once -, ...o
The Appropriation Committee met this aftgrnoo
and began Immediately the examination into the ~
sembly ceiling matter. John Smith, the conuactol
was before them, and subjected TO rigid examlns
ton. Ho declared that the ceiling was construct
according TO the contract and stated mat the paPe
mache used was moro expensive and better maieri'
COR that purpose than Quartercd oak This materia
| he said was used IN the Metropolitan Opera House
New-York Tomorrow afternoon the committee WI
| examine Commissioners Andrews ana he VIII DE ca
| amined "a 10 his part In ihe work.