New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-03-30
CAPITOL COST $27,00O,00O
Work Begun on the Great Build
ing in 1867.
CONSTRUCTION A SCANDAL
When Completed 1t Had Cost Two
and a Half Times That Of
Capitol at Washington.

OHUlCOl DIV w dSuluS WI.
The present state capital building at AL
bany had been in some stage Of construc-
ton ever since 1867. When practically com
p!eted it had cost about 100000. over
two and a half times that Of the Capitol
at Washington. Around its walls lowered
| for years a cloud of scandal.
1t was I'm 1877 that the state Legislature
| first met IN Albany in the Siadt Huis. at
broadway and Hudson avenue. Later II
moved to the oh Capitol on State Street
Hill. In 1860 was begun agitation for new
building. In 1868 a committee was APP
pointed and plans submitted. but two years
more passed before any action was taken
II was not till December g. 1857. that
work was actually begun with the first
shovelful OF earth from an excavation at
Hawk and state streets.
In tile spring Of 1865 $25oOo0 more was
appropriated and TO the Capitol Commits
sion was added James S Thayer. Alonzo
r. Cornell, William A. Rice, James Ter
wllligcr and John T. Hudson. They were
authorized To buy more land and after
plans as long as the ultimate total cost
should not exceed $4,000 600. In case that
limit should be passed the revised plans
should be submitted To the Legislature for
approval.
In the spring Of 1869 the enlarged plans
prepared by Fuller & LAYER were finally
approved by the Legislature. allowing the
81 00c. 600 limit 10 be passed. and on july
OF that year the first stone OF the foun-
daton was laid by John " L. Pruyn The
cornerstone was laid on June "a. 1871.
In 1888 the office Of Capitol Commissioner
was created at salary Of 5000. and
Isaac G. Perry was appointed 10 the place
which lie held for eleven years. Thomas
Fuller. the old architect had been sue
ceeded in 1875 by an advisory board con-
sisting OF Frederick Law Olmsted. Leopold
Eidlitz and Henry r. Richardson Up to
this time the plan for the exterior had
been Italian renaissance. 1t was now
modified to Ronanesque. but work had
gone only a little way along the new lines
when the Legislature directed a return TO
the old plan. The result is known as free
renaissance. The interior is largely the
work ~ Henry II. Richardson. Leopold
Eidlitz and Isaac G. Perry. Mr.. Richard
son designed the Senate Chamber, M Ed
litz the Assembly Chamber. Eidlitz and
Richardson the Court Of Appeals and the
Executive Chamber. and Isaac q. Perry
| tie western stairway and the northeastern
stairway Mr. Perry also designed the
eastern approach 10 the Capitol and TIE
western facade.
The total cost Of the building and land
up TO September so. 1899. was S24, PCS .0S2 81.
It is estimated that sums spent since In
completing details and repairing defects
bring the total 10 S27.000.000. Many
charges of graft have been made in con-
nection with this expenditure. but no
prosecutions have ever resulted.
The new building was first occupied by
the Legislature on January I. 1879
The structure stands l55 feet above the
level of the Hudson. It Is 400 feet long
and 800 feet wide, covering in all three
acres Its walls, Of solid white granite. rise
los feet In the centre is a court 1877 by %
feet Above are red-capped towers.
The Governors room, in the southeastern
corner. is wainscoted 10 the height Of Is
feet with mahogany, and from there to the
ceiling are hangings OF Spanish leather.
on the third floor are the Senate and
Assembly chambers. connected by cor
ridor lined and vaulted with gray sand
stone with sandstone columns in the
centre In the Assembly chamber was
originally a stone ceiling. but this proving
unstable there was substituted for il the
famous ceiling of oak and PAPER mache.
But one of the most magnificent rooms
I'm the building and the one whose loss.
with It's contents. IS greatest because large
" irreparable, is the State Library. ex-
tending completely across the western wing
on the third foor. In a central hall. which
had high ceiling painted with flying
Cupids with garlands. We're chairs and
tables for readers. Here was the central
administration Of the library. where refer
ence books and other books could he ob
tanned from the Librarians. The state
Library had 1900 volumes. Part of these
we're law books The law library occu-
pied the northern wing of the State
Library. while the south wing was used
for the books Of general literature. The
oak book shelves and steps and mezza-
nine floors in all OF the library were OF
great beauty.
The State Library. which contained many
important records and relics of great value
from a sentimental standpoint, was founded
in ISIS with a collection of six hundred
volumes De Witt Clinton was one Of the
original board of trustees. His colleagues
were Governor John Tayler and James
Kent The following year, in compliance
with legislative order there was procured
a complete set of printed Colonial and state
laws from 1891 to that year. The laws OF
,bo Colonial Assemblies enacted between
1853 and 1891, were not in print and were
supposed TO be lost. However. manuscript
copy OF these Jaws was found, together
with the original charter from Charles III
to the Duke OF York in 1864. and the
Dukes Laws Of 1874 and the laws OF
Leisler's administration passed in 1859 and
1899 To these were added Congressional
and state papers and journals ana the