New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-02
Estimate Board Hears with
Wonder of Changes
in Specifications.
MAYOR WARNS HE'LL
FIGHT PRODIGALITY
Projects Defenders Assert That
Critics Simply Don't Know
How to Read Blueprints.

Trouble is brewing over the new
courthouse, and before it is over there
may be radical changes in the plans
ana specifications Superficial investi-
! Gauon by special committee Of the
/ board of Estimate has devcloped the
TACT there has been much prodigalitv
/ and extravaganza of planning. With
! Father hnlckerbocker down TO the last
lnyer IN ms billbook, those who never
ala Delleve IN sumptuous courthouse
/ are hkeIy TO get support for their
simple programme from other mem
Ders of the Board Of Estimate.
| Inc storm centres may be Tilden
/ Adamson, watchdog OF the Treasury.
and chief of the Bureau Of Contract
Supervision Of the Board of Estimate.
and Aianson T. Briggs, secretary OF
| the Court House Board. Adamson has
! been turned loose on the plans and
! specifications, and the fun commenced
! yesterday
Adamson intimated that Briggs had
| been permitted 10 run the Court House
/ board. Briggs retorted 20 the effect
that Adamson did not know an archi-
! tect's blue print when he saw it. At
| ITS weekly meeting. yesterday, the
hoard OF Estimate asked the Court
| House Board TO furnish explicit de
tails as to every part Of the plans and
! specifications. In other words. they
| want TO know exactly what every part
/ OF the building is designed for and
! just what IT is TO cost in detail In
| order TO check up on this report, the
| board instructed Tilden Adamson to
make q similar report from the origi-
nal data, which the board was asked
| TO furnish 20 him.
Adamson has been studying the
| project for a week, and has made a
verbal report TO the Mayor, which will
be supplemented to-day by written
statement on the part that has been
completed. Briggs states that the plans
have been passed upon by the Board
Of Estimate. Adamson has found that
many changes have been made since
the board passed on the original plans.
For instance, II w.s first planned
that the chambers Tor each justice
/ should contain 600 square feet Of
space. The plans now provide for 900
square feet. When the Board of Esti-
mate passed the plans they provided
for 1900 feet for the Bureau OF
Naturalization. Now the plans assign
lO,17S feet. Originally one large audi
forum was planned, which was to be
used for unusually important trials,
for meetings Of lawyers and for SINH
lar purposes. The present plans show
ten such rooms, although they are
called simply cOurtrooms.
IAN examination of detailed plans
shows certain eXtravagant features"
said President McAneny at the meet
ing of the Board Of Estimate, "such
as the justices chambers, the restau-
rant and the law library Reve. 'tions
Of this kind show opportunities for
this board to enforce economies. Not
a dollar will be spent where the ex-
pense is not justified"
"Thc superficial examination GER
tainly shows an extravaganza # plan
ming remarked Mayor Mitchell at
might be called prodigality. II the
plans are as eNtravagant as they seem
they viii not be Approved
"The resolution Of the Board Of
Estimate calling for detailed infor-
nation from the Court House Board,
said Mr. Briggs, lis based on a pre-
liminary report from Adamson. lie
does not know how 20 examine blue
prints, and probably has drawn all
sorts Of foolish conclusions.
"The fact is that all the various
combinations of rooms, their size, etc,
were defined in the programme Of the
architects competition which was APP
proved By the Board OF Estimate twice
in 1913 The competitive drawings
were under the careful scrutiny of the
Justices Of the Supreme Court for
some time
"The PLANS now before tho Board
Of Estimate are the working draw
ings, which must be used as the ha-
sis for contracts and specifications.
They must be approved before the
contract can be let"
Those who advocate going ahead
with the building at the earliest pos
sible moment argue that it is cost
ing the city 1881 DAY to carry the
property that is now idle.