The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-02
WASTE SPACE FOUND
IN NEW COURT HOUSE
Plans Held Up by Estimate
Board for Sharper
Scrutiny.
pRODIGAL, SAYS MAYOR

MI
BOARD has put into the plans for the
new County Court House expensive and
unnecessary features which might crowd
thu cost beyond the prescribed 100000 |
400 limit was heard In the Board Of Es-
innate yesterday. II was the FIRST sug-
eestionI Of possible extravaganza.
Mayor Mitchell said: "A superficial
examination Of the plans shows a SEEM
ing extravaganza. perhaps prodigality Ia
a better word. But We want v~erifcatlon
before We act"
In order that specific information
might be obtained the Estimate Board
passed a resolution requesting the Court
House Board to submit a complete state
ment of all work and material to go into
the building. with detailed estimates Of
each specification. The Court House
Board must also give this Information
TO the bureau OF contract supervision,
whose chief Is Tilden Adamson. The
statement must show the use to be made
OF every room.
This resolution was based on an In
vestigation that Ia being made by Mr..
Adamson and his stan. the results Of
which were verbally reported to the
Mayor yesterday and will he the sub
ject Of a written report to-day. Mr..
Adamson has been studying the III
prints for several days and comparing
them with the court house preliminary
plans as approved.
Mr.. Adamson has found what he thinks
are a great number Of expensive changes
made under the direction Of the Court
House Board. He has told the Mayor
that instead OF all the space being used
TO the best advantage there is a vnst
amount Of waste.
Two Dining Rooms Now.
He finds that instead OF one dining
room for all the Judges there Ia one for
the members OF the Supreme Cour and
another for the City Court. Where the
original scheme called for an allotment
Of 500 square feet for the chambers Of
each Judge and the quarters OF his secre-
tary the apportionment Is now 900 square
feet.
Where one large auditorium wa
protested, to be used for hearings and
meetings OF Judges and lawyers, there
are now ten. On the blue prints zach
OF these Is labelled ''court room." These
ten big assembly halls appear in the
plans in addition to the many regular
court rooms.
TIT preliminary plan gave 1900
square feet 10 the naturalization bureau.
The Anal plans now under Mr.. Adamson's
scrutiny raise this area to 1918 square
fest.
These are a few OF the point to be
ld-cSi III MT <tltmsDn = REPORT To the
Mayor. In view of his tentative Ind
ings George McAneny. as chairman OF a
special committee that liz lnqulring into
tse court house cost. reported to the
Board OF Estimate yesterday
THIS committee cannot proceed until
II gets exact estimates. Our superficial
examination shows certain extravagant
features OF detail. particularly In the
libraries. certain of the Judges cham
harS anl tho ltsnaH rnn,,. Db.. -
construction OF these various rooms IL
called for in the act, the detail OF such
construction lies finally with this board.
although the Judses and the court house
board have prior opportunity to pass OIL
them.
Revelations of this kind chow oppor-
tunitiss for this board to enforce econ
om.es. The court house board has al
ready been informed that this board viii.
not permit the total building cost to en-
coed $4,000, 000, But all OF that amount
need not he expended, The examination
10 date shows opportunities TO save and
not a dollar will be expended II the ex-
pense is not justified"
Alanson T. Briggs. who as executive
secretary Of the court house board does
a large part OF its work. appeared at
city Hall after the Board OF Estimate
had passed Us resolution and said 10 re-
por,ers:
This resolution Is based on Tilden
Adamson's preliminary report, Mr..
m IL unable TO understand blue
prints and has probably drawn all sorts
Of foolish conclusions. Thu fact Is that
all the court house accommodations. the
uses and sizes of rooms. including lib
rarS and everything else. was defined
in the programme OF the architects COM
petition. which the Board of Estimate
tw.ce approved In 1873.
"The competitive drawings were under
Amusement for a year and under the
careful scrutiny OF the Supreme Court
Justices. on July 2. 1914. the Estimate
Board approved the preliminary plans
for the building. which contained all
these accommodations"
Has Had TINS with BrigGs.
Mr. Adamson has had several tins
with Mr.. Briggs over the plans. When
he heard OF Mr.. Briggs's remarks yes
terday he said
mir. Briggs told me the other day
that | had no business making a study
Of the final plans. He also said to me-.
II won't make any difference what you
report. for I've got thirteen OF the SIX
teen votes in the Board of Estimate
Borough President Marks, who has
Joined Senator william NJ. Bennett in
etimating the fnai cost for court house
'N' ~
900, was pleased by yesterdays events
in the Estimate Boar meeting. He
said last night
when a man is in such financial
condition that ne Is compelled TO con-
slider the cost Of every item OF food
coming upon his table, and deny his
family some Of the comforts and even
necessities Of daily life. he Is not in a
condition to build a marble palace.
80 the city, hesitating to continue
simple, proper. service to the masses or
the people, should halt any e~xtravagant
plans begun in good times. but now
against common. conservative. financial
policy, My figures demonstrate that
me whole court house and civic centre
scheme IL far beyond our power, under
present financial conditions"
The Court House Board figures that
ne city is paying S2,33l a day carry
ing charges on the site. 1t has been
'rylng To rush the work so as to end
mat expensive delay. The board menu
oers are: Morgan ]. O'Brien, chairman |:
I Aan!n Kellogg. secretary; e. Clifford
ro'ter, Edward NJ. Grout and Charles
s,eckler, They get : 5000 a year apiece.
"r' brlggs has the same salary.