New-York tribune., 1908-05-31
BROOKLYN COURT HOUSE
Structure To Be Impoved as Re
suit of Recent Fire.

As the result Of the fire over the judges cham
bers in the county court house a few months ago
when several thousand dollars damage was done
the structure and furnishings and the library.
records and pictures. great changes have been
determined upon by The city officials IN the big
building at Fulton and Joralemon streets The
changes are extensive that they will make al
most a new building Of the courthouse For the
work the Board of Aldermen has set aside S.fe-
opD. but probably S15o.o0o or $9"Q'0 more viii be
required TO carry out the scheme.
Bids for the improvements were opened on
Wednesday in the office Of the Deputy Com
missioner Of Public Works and the lowest bid put
in by the Clark & Stone Company. was $4,000.
The only other bid. put in by the P J. Carln
Construction Company, was for s6A.9So- Whether
these bids will be thrown out, or the lowest ac-
cepted and the city called uron 10 make Up the
deficit. is still 10 be decided by Borough President
Coler, his engineer and committee Of Supreme
Court justices.
A difffcuIty which stands in the way Of the cheap
execution of the work that the fob must be
started almost Immediately and completed in
September. not to interfere with the courts
at the fall Coler and the architects Pardtt
Brothers, have been criticised for demanding 50
much but they have been bound by conditions
which they had no power 10 change
The plans do not affect the Fulton street end
of the courthouse. far as its exterior IS con-
cerned Twenty-Five feet behind the rear Of the
big dome two additional stories VIII be added 20
the building reaching 81 feet 10 livingston street
The appearance Of this end OF the building will
remain unchanged up % the tops Of the second
story windows. with the exception of a section
over the portcO which will be taken for PAL
ladian window. This Will occupy the space Of Two
ordinary windows.
The library will no placed in a specially designed
the fourth floor This room Is big enough
hold 100000 books in its three stacks The pres
eut library contains about S.0tn books There VIII
also he anterooms. for the trustees and
the other for the Judges. The one hundred or 80
pictures OF dead jursts owned by the supreme
Court will be hung here These rooms are each
Is by q feet. while the library will be 10
feet long by i5 wide The library Will be lighted
Ivy sawtooth roof. admitting only north light.
The present occupied b. the library will be
turned over TO the court steBoSraphers-
ON the fourth also VIII be nine jury rooms.
seventeen judges rooms and a large room for
chambers and large room. seCretary's room
and anteroom for the local members Of the
Court of Appeals. The latter Will also have
foyer entrance the library. The judges Will
have a special elevator take them their
rooms on the third floor there will be sis, court
and couple OF jury rooms. making seven
teen in the building. There will be twelve court
in the building devoted to the Supreme Court
work. Two OF the present court rooms the
second floor will be done away with. being
changed TO a fer the assistant district at
torneys and 10 robing for the Judges.
There will be several changes throughout the
building. All the floors be taken UP and
the wood replaced by rubber tiles aid in concrete
The court rooms Will receive new wainscotinS
) feet and 8 inches high. of marble. CON
venience that the visitors will appreciate will be
the installation OF four elevators. The heating and
ventlating system will be changed and improved
throughout. The entire structure viii be made
nearly possible hreproof. All the metal
work will be OF copper and the roof will be fat
and made OF promenade tile. The building Will
also have inclosed fire escape leading down
on the outside OF the building and only acces-
sble from metal platforms the exterior.
While the work is in process. the two lower
floors OF the building with their furnishings Will
he protected by a special roof OF timber and tar
! built four feet below the level Of the present
roof-the future third floor. This will be some
what soping, that any rainwater that falls
upon will be led off the street