The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-29
WILL PERPETUATE.
OLD STATE HOUSE
. OF CONNECTICUT
Found by Architects to Rank
With Boston Capitol and
Liberty Hall.

Robert Day Andrews, Frank Miles
Day and II. billiard Smith, the archi-
stects employed by the citizens COM
mitteea to examine and report on the
physical condition Of the old city hall
have submitted a report which has
been given to the joint special COM
mittee consisting OF city building COM
mission and a committee of the board
of aldermen. Having this report as
a basis the committee will make a
Recommendation to the board OF al
dermen this evening that steps be
taken Tor the preservation OF the
building. The joint committed met
this afternoon to decide on the oe-
tails Of its report.
The architects say that they Sex
+ amined into the history Of the build
ing in Hartford recently used as city
hail and formerly as state capitol. ito
ascertain its capacity for present use-
\ fulness and its value as an historical
work Of art"
Bulfnch the Architect.
no doubt that Bulf1nch was the archi-
tect Of the building when they say:
.It is not longer doubted that Chas
Bulfinch. the most famous architect
Of his time drew the plans from which
the state house of 1892 was built It
is not strange that no scrap OF such
plans can be found, since none can be
found OF the Boston state house, be-
gun three years later. In those days,
d drawings could not be multiplied in a
few minutes, as now, and the original
were doubtless thoroughly worn out
.A- a e. ~ ~ - 1>AA -
John Trumbu1l, there is evidence in
the structure itself that Bulfnch es-
B, tablished it's main features and de.
termined its proportions The Bull
finch spirit would be much more in
evidence externally but for the DOM
nation OF the cupola, which so oh.
viously introduces the French note
found In the design of the New York
city hall, where at q later time the
cupola was borrowed"
Old Stairway Located.
The design and location of the main
stairway was one of the vexed ques.
tons OF the investigation, but the ar.
chitects have now indubitable cvi.
dence from the building itself which
decides all points in dispute. The
staircase had two lower flights which
started from the center Of the
building and. ran westward along
the side walls, turning towards each
other. meeting, and returning east
ward in a broader contral flight ter
minating before the center of the
second story hallway was reached.
The doorway to the gallery of the
court room was located at the head
OF the lower flight Of sairs on the
north side of the hallway; and there
was corresponding door on the
south making accessible the upper
portions OF the vault on that side of
the building.
THE stairway" says the report,
twas therefore at the western end
OF the hallway, and faced to the east,
where the main part of the. city lay.
The stair landing was high enough
to permit unrestricted passage
through the building. This arrange
ment OF stairs was in accord with the
traditions Of the time and was wholly
admirable. The material Of the stair
was doubtless wood, as there are no
evidences OF inserting stone in the side
walls.
Tho main staircase was not con-
tfnued above the second floor, and
restricted to the space above the Sec
Oud story hail, was secured by spir-
al stair placed to the north Of the
secretary Of states room, as indicated
on the accompanying drawings. Ac-
cess to the gallery in the house of re-
representatives. was had from the level
of the third floor
Conclusions
.
The architects conclude their re-
port by making the following state
ment:
"Your architects are unanimously
OF the opinion that the old State
House in Hartford is in every re-
spect worthy Of preservation, and that
It should be restored and used for the
benefit of all the citizens Of Hartford
and the state.
IA an historical ana architectural