New-York tribune., 1902-02-16
srpFRTNTENDENT FINEGAN IN A
FAR AWAY CORNER OF ATTIC
Of BIG STATE
BUILDING.

Ahanv Feb. Is CSpeciaD.-Those citizens OF the
sat. who think that after expenditure or some
20, s Oo the Capitol building is completed ana that
Tror basement 10 garret not another trowel OF
,lossr or bucket Of varnsh is necessary 10 aod 10
,,s Auish would find themselves quickly disilusion-
led Il they ever made a visit TO the once OF
Thomas E Finegan the superintendent OF eXanh-
ratons Of the State Department Of Public lnstFuc-
ton
The misunderstanding process would be also greatly
Heightened by 2 visit 10 the Senate Chamber ana
! glimpse Of its onyx and velvet. With the splen-
Cor OF still fresh in his MIND the VISITOR
should then take the Senate elevator and ask for
he to2 floor Such request Will invariably bring
q ssDrpr,sed look from the elevator mans face and
IN all probability the query:
And who do you want 10 see up there?
I,the answer is MIR. Fiuegan." the elevator man
win pull back heavy door at the fifth landing
and pointng into a sepulchral realm OF uarAneSS
beyond. he Will answer by saying:
Turn TO the right and follow the string.
Then the heavy door viii be shut on the visitors
tsck with a thud which will re-echo from one end
Of the dark garret 10 the other. In the dim light
which filters into the chamber where the visitor
finds himself il will be that the walls are bare
brick which the mason did not even conceal with
a coarse coat Of plaster. An iron stairway leads
up somewhere the right, and at its top is fast-
ened a coarse hempen string. the further end OF
which is lost from sight around an abrupt corner.
There are TWO tenants IN this huge attic whom
the visitor may visit. They occupy the towers
which flank the north and south ends OF the CaPi-
tol The south tower is occupied by Hugh Hastings
State Historian. and the north one by Mr.. Finesan
The former is not far from the Senate elevator,
but 10 reach the Office of Superintendent Finegan
in the north tower requires a walk through such
labyrinth Of arches that one who desires to Flsit
him will soon understand the meaning OF the
string which the elevator man always calls out by
way Of direction and which begins at the top OF
The ~ string now stretches along the rough stone
- lon sim ed on
aoo~ g5sTe fb4 ysuted roof is of great height In
following the string one must travel distance
nearly as long a city block.
Where the light from some skylight comes
through il can be seen that the garret has been
used n court OF last resort for multitudinous
varieties OF rubbish Here is 10 be found everything
from off silk hat Of last years lobbyist to
me torso OF a statue o. Iipe "hc ca mas @ qol.e a.
also evident that further appropriations II wisely
Fpent could reclaim this wilderness of brick and
mortar and furnish office room for several hundred
more State employees.
been reclaimed is TO be found in the office of Mr..
Pnegsn. At the furtherrnost end Of the string.
Pleasant and comfortable and with high studded
VIII soon discover the fact that they are plain
brick covered with several thick coats OF buff
oolored paint. flooring iof pine board has been
put down on the rough stone pavement. and around
the edge Of the room pipes have been laid and
The sdperin;ehdent's duty is to supervise the
Bureau Of Examinations by which candidates are
tested as TO their ability TO teach. It happened the
ether morning that a visitor who had almost lost
without through inability to follow the string
seated himself by the superintendent. and said:
II I had 10 work in this God forsaken, out of rhe
world hole I'd throw up the job.
Why. this is the best room in the building" re-
Piled the superintendent as he leaned back in his
swivel chair and looked out or the window 1T Is
eood, healthy exercise getting here and when YOU
ere here you look all over the New England
states. Why. in summer ] SIT up here with a
.airly thick and watch the town szzle
uhdsrnesth II you look 10 the east you can
see over the Berkshires, away off there in Massa-
ggansetts. and you follow the stream of the
HUDSON UP far Fort Edward. In winter it is
cenfortabie. too
sut 7 should think that you would get lonesome
epnere. persisted the visitor.
My isolation is the best feature Of ALL" was the
resoy reply. You don't have to put up any sign
tesh ,h as To-day is my busy day. or Out viii
In after lunch my door Nobody comes 10 see
~ ~ unless he comes On important business It's
20 ambitious a climb for idlers"
me ne superintendent said that he furnished his
quarters with appropriation of only 81 COO being
roa-pelied TO move up into the attic from little
sforn y.a, on the ground floor, which is used
NEW DEFINITION OF JUDGE
IL "a. hearing before the Senate and Assembly