New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-19
FOR A $4,000 CUPOLA.
WHAT COMMISSIONER BUSH SAYS WILL
sURMOUNT THE CITY HALL
THE APPROPRIATION DOES NOT WARRANT THE
ELABORATE STRUCTURE WHICH WAS SUI"
CEsTED-PRoGREss IN THE IMPROVE
MENTs WHICH ARE TO
BE MADE.

GEsTED-PROGRESS IN THE IMPROVE
MENTs WHICH ARE TO
BE MADE.
"There will be no cupoa on the City nan such
as was shown in the sketches published III 'he
papers on Sunday last" said Wesley I. busH'
Commissioner of the Department OF buildings u
a Tribune reporter yesterday afternoon IN the
first place. this cupola as shown measures Ninety!
two feet from the base above the roof OF the Han
TO the top of the dome, and the figure on the top
of the dome measures eighteen feet addltiohai'
and 1t would certainly be very incongruous TO
surmount a building Of the height OF the City
Hall with such n dome or cupola
Furthermore. this new cupola would acco'u-
ing to the lowest estimates cost at least szs''ooo
and the appropriation named for repairing t'e
damage done the City Hall by the fire last year
was 100000. This new cupoa was adop'eu ny
the committee of three architects appoi"'eu "
inspect plans and designs submitted by co'i-
netitors for the improvement Of the City Hall
after the cupola plan had been amended IN ac-
cordance with the committees desires. The
cuno,a suggested in the proposed plan Is of stone
throughout, and would require the carrying down
at least ten feet of foundation to depth below
.ho bosa NJ tho walls of the present building.
"you NAV safely say that such a design VIII
NOT he accented by the city officials In the hrst
nlace we have not the money to buid such an
ornamentation There Is no doubt ABOUT IL that
the cupola is a very fine work OF art. but IL
would overtop the building and make IL most
incongruous structure The work OF improving
the CITY Hall Is going forward steadily. Inc
original appropriation was 100000 since mat
time much more work than We looked LOT at the
time when the original appropriation was Wauc
has been called for for the reason that IL WAS
deemed necessary to make alterations IN ue
nlumbing work throughout the building as wei
as IN rebuild the stories above the main floor or
that on which the Mayors Office Is located
SOME CHANGES TO DE MADE
"Iudpc Neu's courtroom will be divided midway
between the ceiling and the floor. y new floor
NJ iron rafters with brick archways Intervening
will be put in The law library Will be removed To
the new floor. which will be arranged In mezza-
nine. with a gallery above where all the BOOKS OF
the Law Department will be arranged
THE present third floor Will be arranged ior
offices for the Department Of buildings and other
departments directly connected WITH city anairs
The entire building above the first moor VIII De
made fireproof. The roof OF the building no"
rests on wooden trusses which have rotted De-
carse of the heat from the tin roof, and we are
now nutting In iron trusses In the place OF
these old wooden ones. The ceiling of the Com
mon Council office will have to BE- removed Tor
the reasons that the wooden trusses on the third
floor OF the building on which this ceiling rests
must necessarily be removed and steel beams
put in their place
TT wes estimated ut first that SlooVoo
would be sufficient 10 repair the damage dohe
by the fire and put the City Hall building In
the same condition as it was before the uppsr
portion OF the building was destroyed by the
oonfagration of last year. The examination 81
the building showed as have said 10 you. that
much more would be required than the amount
approprated. In the first place, the cost OF
Iron and steel has advanced materially since
Il ese estimates were made, ard. furthermore
we have learned that there IL much more 10 De
done In the way OF fitting up the CITY Hall IN
ar appropriate style than was at hrst deemed
necessary.
budding Is utterly inadequate 10 the present
needs Furthermore, the steam heating apparatus
is in very poor shape; the boilers are wholly In
adequate, and II was necessary 70 mako repairs
in the basement OF the building.
A $4,000 CUPOLA PLANNED.
"All Of these improvements will cost fully
sl2O OOO and the appropriation allowed was only
500 600 but there has been bill introduced into
the legislature which will undoubtedly pass,
calling for an additional appropriation OF $50 900
This will allow for the special improvements and
the reconstruction OF the building required be-
cause OF the damage done by the fire. and also
for the building OF a cupola. But II Will not be a
stone cupola as suggested in the plans fled with
the committee Of architects. and a. published IN
the papers last Sunday. We Will put up new
cupola but 1t will not be one such as would over
top the present building. II will be one that Will
cost possibly $40 900 or $780, Will be moderate
in its dimensions. and yet Will be an Improve
ment on the structure that originally capped the
City Hall Building"
Mr.. Bush said that there was every reason TO
believe that there would be much more building
done throughout the city this year than for many
years past When asked whether this improve
ment was caused by he outlook for the anneXa-
ton OF Brooklyn. he said
II do not believe that annexation has anything
whatever to do with IT, These reports circulated
by the representatives, OF those who would like TO
this city annexed to New-York are fakes
People who live in Brooklyn know themselves Of
the advantages OF living In this city, and they
would not hesitate II they had the money TO In
vest In property.
I'm the Twenty-ninth Ward there are a con-
siderable number Of flats going UP. In New
Utrecht and BensOnhurst there Is also much
building. A large proportion of these new build
ings going up In the annexed districts are ncces-
sarlly frame buildings for the reason that the
fire limits are not extended To these wards at
the present TIM. and therefore builders take
advantage OF this fact. The real reason, | am
free to say. for this increase in the construction
Of new buildings IS nor dependent at all upon the
question of the annexation OF Brooklyn 10 New
York but rather upon the fact that this year a
Republican President will be elected, and. In
consequence, there will be n speedy return 70
more prosperous times for the people. Builders
realize this money Is fl Ger TO loan and so long
builders can borrow money they Will build.
THE only large building likely to be con-
sructed this year Is the ore 10 be built by the
Commercial Bank on the northwest corner OF
Montague and Court The building has a
front on Montague-st., as | understand OF 100
feet and on Court-st. OF forty-eight feet. George
r. Morse Is the architect Of the building, which
will be ten stories In height. Of modern arch-
lecture, constructed throughout OF steel frame
work with an outer facing Of stone and brick It
will be an up-to-date building throughout in
every respect. with elevators and all modern
improvements. The bank will occupy the entire
first floor Of the building"
JOHN H. Else MISSING.
notice was sent to the Fifth Precinct Police