New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-18
BAD WORK ON THE CEILING.
PLASTER PANELS IN THE ASSEMBLY
CHAMBER.
wHAT THE INVESTIGATION OF THE CONTRACT
WORK is EXPECTED TO DEvELoP-A
POOR DISPLAY OF ECONOMY.

POOR DISPLAY OF ECONOMY.
IrRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUrE.l
Albany, jan 1.-THE committee of the Assembly
in charge Of the reconstruction Of the Assembly
Chamber ceiling is determined that It shall know
tie true character of the work done by the contractors
before those gentlemen receive tho 100000 still
due them. To-day the members OF the committee,
Speaker Cole Assemblymen Enz, Gallup and sheehan,
held meeting to consider the subject 1t was
reported 10 them that Deputy state Engineer Hoertel
had been making an inspection Of the ceiling to
discover II Il had been made In accordance with
the contract This however, was but preliminary
examination Mr. Hoertel, in company with state
Engineer Bogart, would mako another examination
of the ceiling upon Monday next, and would then
make a reuort 10 the Assembly Committee
Assemblvman sheehan said this afternoon: aThe
yrhole ouestion OF whether the contractors have
fulfilled their contract rests whether or not the
panels Of the ceiling made Of oak. The panels
are faced with paper-mache; but that is according
to tho contract But are the panels back OF this
papier-mache oaki An Investigation VIII determino
the true fact"
The contract was Of an elastic nature, and threw
a great deal of power into the hands Of Charles
r. Andrews the Superintendent Of Public Buildings
The frat clause Of the contract reads
After ali iron work is In position the whole ceiling
shall be covered with first quality Kindred auafeIeu
white oak wrought and finished in accordance with
.ve,al sh,nos sizes and thicknesses called for By the
mans sections ana details and all carved work must De
done in an artistic and spirited manner oy hrstra'e
caryers who understand the motive and intent OF the
design.
It seems that Superintendent Andrews determined
mot 10 have ouartered oak for the whole ceiling"
but TO have the panels OF paplcrmache The follow
ing clause Of the contract permitted Mr.. Andrews
10 paper rmache:
The panels arc to be auartered oak as shown, prop
erly glued up and finished II paper mache is used
instead Of oak the panels 20 be formed high toward
the centre making a slightly vsued panel with inter
secng lines running the angles toward the centre
OF the panel the whole Of this work 10 be strictly IN
accordance with the detail drawings finished 70 matcn
the oak of the framing with the ornamentstons well
and elcanly cut and with sharp outlines The whole
wood work and panels TO b. well cleaned nee rom
stains and discooratons ready for the fnisherA
Assemblymau BatcheIler said to-day: II have
specimen OF the material used for the panels OF the
ceiling was here when the work was In progress
and climbed ladder up to tho ceiling and examined
II. One Of the workngmen cut of specimen three
feet long, of the panel. II Is not made OF papier
mache, but of plaster Of Paris run into moulds with
a backing Of burlaps. Then the burlaps are pasted
on the wood. Nor IS the beading of the ceiling Of
oak It is nothing but plaster Then certainly should
be investigation 10 determine II thScontractors have
fulfilled their contracts1
Charles p. Andrews, the Superintendent OF Public
supervising tho work Of reconstrueting the ceiling,
which makes his income from tho state this year
"a 900. II Is sample Of The economical methods
OF the Legislature that Capitol Commissioner Perry no
annual salary Of 81 800 to do the very work
which eaprcously given 10 Mr. Andrews: and
that the work not In the latier's province, bis
duty simply being TO got furniture for the public
buildings and have the buildings kept clean. Mr.
Perry IS the architect Of the Capitol and should have
a ~ Fpfe
construction Of tho Assembly Chamber ceiling In
that case State would have saved at least ~, 500
and Il IS to be suspected the Assembly Chamber would
have had a better ceiling. Mr. Andrews Is not an
architect and II the State has been overreached II
owing to that fact The contractors, 10 IS rumorod.
made 100000 by their contract The contract In
volved s27i ,OOO
This morning Senator Sloane introduced a rcsolu-
ton which in effect requests tho Capitol Commission.
which was appointcd last session 10 supervise tho
pairs 10 the State Library, TO examine the unfinished
portion Of the Capitol and report TO the Senate an
estimate OF the probable cost 10 com
plete the building This Commission consists Of
Edward F. Jones, president of tho Senate !;
Senator J. slost Fassett. who succeeds Senator Low
as president pro tenn; Fremont Cole. Speaker of the
Assembly, and Capitol Commissioner Perry. On the
introduction of the resolution. Senator Sloane ex-
planned that the Commission had performed the work
on the library efficiently and well and, as the COM
mission Is stil existent the additional work could be
performed now without any cost, and that Il would be
well 20 know Just what 10 do with the Capitol !;
whether 10 finish IL or not seems to bo the ques
tlon. Senator Sloane moved the adoption OF the
resolution .
This undoubtedly matter upon which the
present leader Of the Tamnany Hall Democrats soma
tor Cantor had received no instructions from his
master, the Governor, and ho wanted time to consult
with his chief before any action was taken. Ihere-
fore he moved 10 Law ths resolution and the no1on on
tho table Senator Sloane was In no hurry to press
tho matter and he accepted the notion