The Jersey City news., 1891-09-21
PALACES OF State.
Nearly Half a Million Co.
ing into improvements
at Trenton.
NO POLITICS IN THE CASE.
The New Assembly Hall and the
Public Library-WhO All the
Contractors Are.
NO POLITICS IN THE CASE.
Special to the Jersey city Mems.

Special to the Jersey City News.
TRENTON, Sept 81. 1S91.-At the present
time upwards of $500, 900 is being spent by
the State of New Jersey for improve
ments to the public buildings at Trenton.
The contracts are s145, 900 for the new
Assembly chamber; s34.5Oo for the en-
larging of the old Library building and
the Executive chamber; $4,000 for
the enlargement of the State
Normal School, and s25,oO0 will soon
be spent for the improvement of the
Girls Industrial School, and $4,000 for
the new electric lights and the elevator
in the State House. 1t will take about
$15,0 900 to returnish the new Assembly
chamber and its committee rooms, and
about $40 GOO more to furnish the new de-
partment offices in the old library build
ing.
These are great permanent improve
ments, from which lasting benefit will
accrue to the State. There is, of course,
no political significance whatever in
them. The contracts are shared about
evenly between Republicans and Demo-
Gratis They were all ided to lowest
bidders, anyway, after full public adver-
tisenent
The principal contractor Of the Assem-
Dly OudutOeT 10 JdAlCS lLhanluS, q 4hCA-
Ger county Democrat. He suhcQutracted
for particular work to Michael Hurley OF
Mercer county, who removed the Assem-
bly, building and dug the cellar. John
Barlow of Trenton did the mason work;
VIM. Brumaker. a Trenton Republican,
the plasteYing. Hunt Brothers OF Newark,
Republicans. will put in all the hand
some marble finishings. The Phoenix
Iron Company supplies the from Wilson
ID. Haven, who was the Democratic
candidate for Congress against Judge
Buchanan, is at the head OF the corpora
tion. J. Congo OF Bergen county and q
Republican, supplies the ventilators. f.
S. Katzenbach & Company are doing the
tin roofing. plumbing aud steam heating,
and the common thing comes from the
Trent Tile Company. This company also
furnished the gorgeous panel now to be
seen in the main entrance of the state
House, which has caused a division
among the art connoisseurs of the depart
ment.
THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDERS.
The enlarging of the old Library build
ing is being done by Patrick Corrigan, a
Democrat. The Edison Electric Com
pany is putting in the plant, apd has
wired the entire building for the new
light, and Mr.. Edison is put down as a
crat. has the work of building the new
$40, 600 addition to the State Normal School.
and the improvements of the Girls
Industrial School are new in contemp.a-
tiou, the advertisement for fhe bids now
running In the Trenton papers. The gem
eral superintendency OF all this WORK mas
been given to Assemblyman Moylan, OF
Jersey City. He gets no regular per
diem. but is paid the usual architect's
percentage.
The members of the State House Com
mission deny the charge which some Re
publicans make, that there has been any
fayorltism in the matter of awarding
contracts. They cite as an instance where
an intimate friend of Governor Albeit,
residing in Jersey City, wanted the work
OF enlarging the old library and the Ex-
ecutive Chamber, and wanted the Gov
ernor to favor him with the contract II
possible. He was encouraged Co present
bid, but his figures were too high and
he was left out.
The work of improvement is not done
by special appropriation. The Governor
has now authority to spend such sums OF
money as he thinks circumstances JUS
tify.
THE NEW ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
The cost of improving the Assembly
original estimate. 1t was thought in the
beginning that S45, 900 would enlarge the
Senate chamber, and the plan was
to have that used by the lower
House. This was abandoned, and
improvements were made to the
old Assembly Chamber by tearing out
the committee rooms and extending the
southern wall, but the scheme grew, and
it resulted in complete demolition OF
the old building and the rearing of a new
structure. This was possible, because
the resolution that authorized the I'M
proving of the old chamber was broad.
There Is an unexpended appropriation of
1E nfo FOR th a aplarOament Of the clark'S
room. but it is Cancelled by the present
improvement.
The new chamber will be a gorgeous
affair, and ought to be, considering 1t
will represent $3.50, 900. The expenditure
of this large amount on the Judgment Of
the Chief Executive is by many regarded
as dangerous. The Governor can .pract1-
cally do as he pleases with the fund in the
State Treasury. His expenditures
are unlimited An extravagant
Governor could keep the State
cash box very low. On the
other hand, it is argued that the i'm
provement had to be made, and 1t was
waste of money to attempt TO patch up a
suitable chamber. The work when COM
pleted will be finished for a half CEN
turv or more The new Assembly cham
ber is so commodious and will be so ele-
CANT that it will answer all the demands
OF the State for the next century.
sition now. The boilers are set up and
the dynamoes have arrived. This work
is being pushed so that the State House
can be lighted as soon as possible.
There is great pressure to get the ele-
vator running to the Library. 1t
is probable that Cooper. Hewitt & Co. OF
Trenton viii get the contract. At pres
ent the contractors are working at night
in the Assembly chamber, which is now
under roof and four arc lights have been
nut in to give light so that seas of men
can be kept at work. The entire State
House, both the new and the old parts,
are ready for the current. The introduc.
tion OF the light will enable the finishing
work to be done in all the departments.
It will take pressure TO bring the work to
close by January.
David IT, Bumstead's Funeral.
The funeral services of Mr.. David I.
Bumstead took place Saturday night
from his late residences No. 81 Monticello