The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-02-15
CALLS T|NT|NS A BOTCH'
Mayor Seymour Doesn't
Like Artistic Work in
Newark Library.
Especial to "The Jersey city News.'l

lSpecldl 10 Ine Jersey Olty news.
NEWARK, Feb. Is, 1901.-Mayor Sey-
mour made a few sharp remarks yester-
day about the much discussed tinting job
in the public hall of the new Free Public
Library building. The Mayors remarks
were based on the effect produced by the
Philadelphia painters, to whom the trus-
tees of the library awarded the tinting
contract.
Somebody told the Mayor that the col
oring effect produced by the painters was
bad, very bad, and he wanted to see for
himself. AS he stood in the main hall
at the foot of the magnificent grand stair
way of massive, glittering marble We'd
nesday afternoon and gazed around and
above him his face assumed an aspect of
disgust
The more he gazed and studied the
deeper became the look of dissatisfaction.
He saw blending Of deep yellow and
light blue. The yellow was of garish
orange hue and the blue was sky-b1ue, a
sort of azure, with washy, faded effect.
1t was an utterly incongruous blending
of unmatched shades. that was not only
displeasing to the eye on first sight but
grew in responsiveness as the effect was
magnificent marble work which giorifies
the interior architectural scheme.
After taking in the whole plaster aspect
OF gaudy inconsistency, the Mayors face
relaxed somewhat and his face assumed
a sarcastic appearance. Turning to Lii
brarian Frank P. Hill, who stood near
him, the Mayor said, in effect
And is this the wonderful art work
that compelled the trustees to go to Phil
adelphia to have done? If it is, I do not
wonder at their not being able to find a
local painter to take the contract. I don't
believe there is a Newark mechanic who
would be guilty of perpetrating euch
botch work upon the city,
The Mayor spoke without reserve. He
was disgusted, and said so.
The workmen employed in the building
overheard him. They paused in their
work and listened 1t is recorded that
their sympathies and their sense of the
artistic were in consonance with Mr..
Seymour's.
The Mayor expressed the frank opinion
that unless the gaudy yellow and the
washy blue were obiterated and replaced
with a combination more pleasing to the
sense and in closer sympathy with the
interior of the building, the public would
be disgusted.
Mr. Hill did not have much to say
He defended the color scheme He main
tanned that fair, competent criticism
cannot be made until the work has been
completed and the coloring has became
thoroughly dried into the plaster of the
side walls and ceiling.
He explained that when the yellow was
first put on it appeared deep reddish in
hue. Every day since has witnessed a
gradual fading away of the garish effect
and the contrast with the blue of the
ceiling has become more and more in
sympathy with the artistic proprieties.
Mr. Hills explanation did not satisfy
the Mayor. He decided to go further, and
yesterday he held a conference in his
office with Trustees Richard c. Jenkin-
son and Edward H. Duryee
The officials had lively discussion
concerning the obnoxious tinting
The Mayor spoke as plainly to the trus-
tees as he did to the librarian. He said
it was bad in effect and cheap and mar
tiStic in design.