that of Thomas Jefferson, and on the far as they have been examined by side facing the lobby are the heads of competent judges, are considered good General Scott, and General Zachary representations of the distinguished Taylor. Flanking these last-named subjects. heads are those of General Wool and "The material employed in the conGeneral Thomas. On the inside of the struction of the staircase is mainly of piers in view when descending the Corsehill freestone, which is of a soft steps, is the head of J. Fennimore light-red color, and was selected on Cooper, with smaller heads surround-account of its uniform close texture ing it, representing the subjects of and solidity, together with its suitamany of his writings, and Americus bility for carving, and being of a color Vespucius. "On the opposite piers of the east corridor, between the capitals of the piers, which consist of a variety of flowing foliage, are also historical heads. On the inside of the righthand pier looking across the steps is the carved head of General Schuyler, and on the opposite pier that of General Jackson, and facing the corridor the heads of Benjamin Franklin and DeWitt Clinton, and flanking the same on the right and left are the heads of Henry Hudson and Champlain. On the inside of the piers, as viewed when descending the steps are the heads of John Jay and Silas Wright. The abacus of the carved capitals return around the same, and are recessed and rest upon the carved heads. The piers are embellished below the necks of the carved work with flowing foliage, all making a very rich setting for the sixteen carved heads on the four piers that have been completed. Several competent judges have made favorable mention of the heads, and it is hoped and believed that they are creditable to the memory of the various distinguished people they represent. "A portion of the models have been prepared for the capitals of the clustered columns of the third story, consisting of the late President, Abraham Lincoln, William H. Seward, Alexander Hamilton, George William Curtis, the scientist Joseph Henry, and Robert Fulton. These models are on exhibition at the Capitol, and so best adapted for the greater portion of the work. Tests show that it is capable of carrying 7,000 pounds to the square inch. "The steps are of Medina freestone, from quarries near Albion, Orleans county, reddish brown in color and of very close texture, and regarded as one of the best-known materials for steps from the fact that it will resist wear almost equal to granite, and possesses just grit enough to prevent it from becoming slippery. The color of the steps form a pleasant contrast with the stone of the main structure, producing harmony of color. The lintels in the second story, heretofore referred to, are of 'Bay of Fundy' polished red granite. The lintels in the third and fourth stories, and the granite beams that support the paneled-stone ceilings in the corridors of the third story are of what is known as 'Stony Creek' granite, from quarries near New Haven, Conn., of a deep reddish brown and somewhat ununiform in its color, and produces when polished (as is the case of the lintels and beams of the staircase) varied shades, and the charming contrast with the Indiana limestone, which is of a light-drab color, resting upon the beams, and together with the walls and corbels on which the beams rest, producing a charming harmony. The molded bases on which all the supports of the stairs and stonework of the corridors rest in the first story are of 'Fox Island' granite from quarries near Hallowell, Me.” THE EASTERN APPROACH. be richly embellished with carving. From this platform there are 16 additional straight steps landing on a platform which is also on a level with the continuation of the terrace, and from which the next run of steps start to the second story. Resting on a great pier at the junction of the terrace and the upper run of steps, is a great cap 4 feet 11 inches by 7 feet 3 inches, rising about 16 inches above The eastern approach to the Capitol is the chief one. It looks down State street; and the visitor approaching the Capitol from the lower part of State street can not fail to admire this grand entrance to the State's Capitol. William Henry Russell, the famous London Times correspondent, declared the Capitol to be the finest building in America. Since the eastern approach was designed by Capitol Commissioner the platform. This cap is designed to Perry, and carried to completion under his care, this declaration of Mr. Russell has been eminently true. Mr. Perry, in his annual report to the Legislature in 1895, thus described this grand eastern approach: "The eastern and principal approach to the Capitol provides for an entranceway to both the first and second stories, through an arcade in the first story and through a portico over the arcade in the second story. The foundation was laid in 1891, since which time the work has been steadily progressed each year when money was available for that purpose. be carved, and will support pedestals with molded bases and carved caps, which will receive the strings, balustrade and rails, and form a proper platform for supporting statuary, bearing electric lights, as contemplated by the drawings. This terrace extends along on either side of the upper runs of steps to the roadway. Opposite the terraces are those along the east front, and on the north and south sides connecting with the porticoes of the side entrances on Washington avenue and State street. "The road passes through an archway, forming a porte-cochere to the first story of the Capitol. This archway is 24 feet in width by 57 feet into three bays with stone groined ceiling supporters on piers with columns in the angles, the caps of which are designed to be carved. "The plans of the structure are on a liberal scale, and the eastern approach extends out from the build-along the roadway, and is divided ing a distance of 166 feet 7 inches, and connects with the central and projecting section of the eastern façade. The first section is 111 feet broad, measuring to the outside of the pedestals. The strings and steps curve outward at the lower ends and terminate in richly embellished pedestals, on which is designed to be placed statuary bearing electric lights. 46 The foundations were built up to a height of 20 feet with granite cut to parallel thicknesses, constructed in the most thorough manner, requiring 4,000 yards of concrete, 9,000 cubic feet of granite, 8,981 cubic feet of limestone and 11,133 cubic feet of rubble masonry of limestone and granite, between the piers. "The first run of 16 steps are 100 feet 7 inches broad and are constructed on convex curves, the radius of each step being increased from the lower to "The four piera resting on the abovethe upper step, and land on a broad named foundations are constructed of curved platform, at which point there finely wrought granite and have been is a great corbel supporting pedestals carried up to a level of the under side of at the ends of the platform; both the the pavement of the porticoes, ready corbels and pedestals are designed to to receive the superstructure. The piers on either side of the roadway wall, provides a broad entrance to are carried up on a rectangular form the roadway leading across from to the height of eight feet, from which strect to street. These copings termipoint the piers are circular in form, nate in a low round carved stop, each flanked by four columns, cut on located on a line with the inside of the solid and crowned with a block the sidewalks. of granite preparatory to carving. The piers and columns have molded bases and represent a very great amount of work and produce a substantial and beautiful appearance. "Starting from the platform and terraces are two runs of steps to the second story. The first run containing 22 steps which extend to a platform, making in all 23 risers 59 feet 6 inches "East of the arched driveway or wide to the outside of the pedestals at porte-cochere to the first story, are the bottom, and 52 feet 4 inches two sections divided into three bays wide at the top. This run of steps is each, with elliptical granite groined constructed on convex curves, the ceilings between the main elliptical radius of each step being increased arches, supported on piers flanked from the lower to the upper step. with columns and surmounted with landing on a platform 65 feet broad blocks of stone preparatory to carving. by 11 feet wide, from which there are The effect of these arcades is substan- 21 straight steps to a great broad plattial and grand. On the west of the form 24 feet by 57 feet, the height of driveway next to the building and which is within one step of the paveopposite the roadway, is a fourth bay, ment of the portico. This platform treated in the same manner as the is to be constructed with granite slabs, ones above described. each piece being the full length of the width of the platform. The section of the terrace next to the roadway is curved outward, greatly increasing the width of the platform on either side, forming a spacious and attractive feature, especially in the colonnade and the construction of the steps from the terrace to the second story, also of the colonnade. The pilasters and columns which support the terrace connect with the retaining walls of the roadway on the north and south sides, which extend at right angles to the terraces. These retaining walls are embellished with pilasters with molded bases, the pedestals resting upon the pilasters and wall, and extend up above the balustrade and are finished with molded bases with ornamental caps. From the lower pedestals of the retaining wall is a carved console, which ramps down from the under side of lions' heads on the pedestals to a low coping constructed on curves, which, together with the opposite same. the two upper runs of steps leading The rails and balusters are connected from the broad terrace to the second with the projecting front of the buildstory. The corbels are richly carved ing and continue along the terrace with a well-sculptured head of Jupiter and down the steps from the sidewalk on the south, and Mercury on the north, and connect with the newel posts, and in the upper sections, surrounded along on the north and south sides of by foliage, and the lower section is the building and connect with the carved in ribs of various forms with porticoes. The rails start from the foliage at intervals lapping over the pedestals of the two upper runs of steps and continue up and around the bays formed by the great corbels, and up to and connecting with the projecting walls of the building. The total length of the balustrade is 1,150 lineal feet, each baluster being nine inches in diameter. The balustrade will be one of the prominent features in this great work, viewed from the various points. The various slopes, curves and levels of the balustrade to the roadway, terraces and steps, when viewed from all positions, will present a most charming appearance. "It will be borne in mind that all the material used in this great approach is of finely-wrought granite from the Hallowell Granite Works quarries, and that the work has been done with the greatest care and precision and superior to any other granite work in this country. "Commencing at a point of the pedestals at the junction of the outer limit of the circle of the terrace and the balustrade of the roadway on the north and south sides, the balustrade extends a distance of 78 feet on each side to the lower pedestal of the roadway, and each is divided into four bays filled with balusters. On the opposite side the total distance is 130 feet. From thence to the north and south porticoes the distance is 146 feet, making a total of 552 feet of terrace. "The entire work of the approach and the center section of the eastern façade when completed will add dignity and prominence to the structure." THE FOURTH FLOOR. In the fourth floor of the Capitol are the five offices of the Regents of the "The balustrade commencing at the University, of the Capitol Commispedestals at the foot of the first run of sioner, the Board of Mediation and steps is carried along between the Arbitration, the Civil Service Commispedestals and along the terrace and sion, the Forestry Commission, the down the retaining wall of the road-State Entomologist, the Factory Inway to the lower pedestals on the spector and the Commissioner of the north and south sides of the approach. | Bureau of Labor Statistics. POPULATION OF THE STATE. The Growth of the State From 1880 to 1890. According to the United States census of 1880 the population of the State of New York was 5,082,871, Under the United States census of 1890 the population returned was 5,997,863, an increase of 914,982, or 18 per cent during the decade. The following summary shows the population of each county according to the censuses of 1890 and 1880, together with the increase or decrease during the decade: The following figures give the returns of the enumerators filed with the various County Clerks. |