The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-16
STATE CAPITOL IS
A UNIQUE GEM
To Try to Enlarge it Would
be to Spoil it Architect
uraIIy
NO BUILDING ITS SUPERIOR

An Eminent New York Sculptor
Speking Of North Cardinals Capt.
tol. Says: II Would Consider it a
Piece of Sacrilege to Touch the. Old
State House Except to Restore and
Finish it, and a Grave. Mistake to
Reduce the Area OF Your Fin
Square by One Foot"
Mr.. i. w Ruckstuhl, the eminent
New York sculptor q in the city
Oh Friday to consult the Historical
Commission, which las in charge the
erection Of the bust of William A.
reported that the Dust was now be-
ing carved in the marble in Italy
along with a heroic statue which he
is making of John c. Calhoun for the
State of South Carolina, and destined
for Statuary Hall in the Capitol at
Washington. He expects to nave the
bust Of Graham in place in the State
House here, about September 10Th.
He goes to Italy about April 18th to
finish the carving himself.
In q conversation Mr.. RuckStuhi
was asked his opinion about the pro-
posed design for the enlargement Of
the State House. After some hest
fancy ne said: YOU must excuse
me if I refuse to give my opinion on
any proposed design, as it would be
highly improper in me to discuss any
particular design
But what do you think Of the
idea Of charging the State House at
all?' he was asked. All he re-
piled, that is another matter. What
the State Of North Carolina proposes
TO do with it's State House is none of
my business. Hence, for me to ad-
wise it would be impertinent.
But then, I am intensely interested
i'll the development of a love of art
in his country. In fact, to me, there
are only two respectable energies in
life-Love and Art. All else is mere
rubbiSh-Or a means to an end and
that end the Beautiful. My whole
life has been spent in the propaganda
of the Religion Of the Beautiful
Therefore,. when [ see a beautiful or
fine thing, be it q Poem or a Picture,
an Opera or q Building. it gives me
a thrill of Joy. And, as a natural
corollary, when / see q fine thing
threatened with destruction, I simply
cannot sit idly by and see it destroyed
without at least saying: What a pity
NOW, when ] was here a year ago,
l vas old that it was proposed to add
two wings to your State House-one
of the most unique architectural
gems tina has come down to is from
the early part OF the nineteenth cen
turY, n ar more tine than the
average citizen of your State knows. |
at once said: What going to spoil
his fine building?' Well it was said,
it is an old thing any how This
irritated me. For, it shoWed me that
ha,p a1cn yEo rife that shirt of DOSI-
tive u~nrespect, if not contempt, for
old things. 1t was bad enough to find
it in commercial New York-cold
as a wagOn-tire in Winter-at the time
when they proposed to pull down the
u~npretentious, but beautiful, CITY
Hall up yonder. But, | had not ex-
pected to find this disrespect TOR old
things in sunny and warm-hearted
North Carolina. Now, if a fine old
man is worthy of respect, or q fine
old woman-provided they are really
fine-Why not respect an old state
House, redolent with historical MEM
cries, especially a fine old State
House,
But We do not proposed to de-
stroy it-but only enlarge it"
Eyes. 7 know. But when o DO
that you bury it out OF sight, destroy
it's unique character and beauty, and
| reduce it merely to a part OF some
other neutrality-suspicious. good, per
haps bad-a scheme whose parts Will
not at all be in harmony with the old
part and, hence, you will have moth
ing but a patchwork. You will de-
stroy-practically-a fine old thing
and will not have a perfect n mar
monious new thing. To do this Will
be a grave mistake
DO you think the building SO
fne?"
"Indeed I dol consider h a there
is no building in the country, of its
! size. which, for color, for care in
construction and purity of style, is its
| superior. The only building which ]