with lead or copper, and the trustees have already directed lead to be procured for this purpose.

Most of the rooms, with the exception of those occupied by the Governor, the Legislature, the courts and the library, are in a very bad condition, and require some repairs, together with additions of furniture, to render them fit for occupation by the committees of the Legislature, the use for which they are supposed to have been originally designed. The executive chamber itself demands, to a considerable extent, re-furnishing, and the carpet, especially, must be renewed, before another annual meeting of the Legislature.

The grounds about the Capitol are at the present time in a worse condition than the Capitol itself. Several parts of the park fence were blown to the ground by the winds during the last summer, and the whole has become so entirely rotted as to render repairs nearly useless. The trustees are fully satisfied that an entire new fence in the course of the present season will alone prevent this park from becoming an open common. The condition of the gate and gateways is daily under the observation of the members of the Legislature, and the Trustees need only to say, that they are favorable samples from which an opinion may be formed as to the present state of the whole fence.

No estimates have been obtained as to the cost of the construction of a new fence, similar to the one now enclosing the Capitol park, nor indeed, are the Trustees able to state, with any precision, what will be the expense of enclosing these grounds with any description of fence. The fact, however, is palpable, that a new fence of some soit, must be built, and, under this conviction, they feel bound to inform the Legislature, that they have been advised that measures are taken by the corporation of the city to reduce and level the academy park, and to surround it with a plain substantial iron fence; that when that improvement is progressed in, it will render necessary the reduction of the capitol park upon Washington-street, and that there is a strong desire in the city, that the State, in enclosing its park, should authorize the adoption of some plan by which the two public squares, situated side by side, as they are, may be made to possess an uniformity of appearance, and one which shall be creditable to the city and the State. The subject of ornament as connected with this public work, is one appropriately confined to the jurisdiction of the Legislature only, and the Trustees

would not consider it becoming in them to remark upon it. The only question they wish to discuss, is that of economy to the treasury, and security to the Capitol and the grounds around it. The construction of an iron fence must involve three items of expenditure, rather separate from each other. The first is the sinking of a suitable trench upon the line of the proposed fence, and filling it with a wall of ordinary mason work, raised sufficiently above the surface of the ground, and to the proper levels, to receive the coping stone. The second is the coping stone, which must be of marble, or some other firm cut stone, of sufficient width to cover the top of the wall, of sufficient thickness to sustain the fence, and properly drilled to receive the irons of which the fence is to be composed. And the third is the iron, and the fixing it in its place, to constitute the fence.

The coping stone properly prepared are said to constitute at least one-fourth of the whole expense of such a fence, and it has suggested itself to the Trustees that, should the Legislature come to the determination to construct an iron fence, it would be expedient to insert provisions in the bill requiring the Agent of the State Prison at Mount-Pleasant to furnish these stone, upon the order of the Trustees, or of the persons in whose charge the construction of the fence shall be put. In this way the cost of the coping stone to the State would only be the support of the convicts who should quarry and cut them, and the transportation.

The Trustees have not the information necessary to a correct comparison between the cost of the iron fence and of an ordinary fence constructed of wood, from which comparison only, accurately made, can a correct opinion be formed, as to the economy of the one course or the other, for enclosing these grounds. Still they have been inclined to believe, from such information as they have casually collected, that it will cost the State less money to build and maintain a substantial fence around this park, by making the structure at once firm and durable, than by attempting to do it in a temporary manner; as it should be borne in mind that the State, in the contract with the corporation, has bound itself to keep this ground forever a public park. These fences are in a situation of entire exposure, both to the weather and to accidents and injuries, and unless durability of material and great strength are united in their construction, it can not be reasonably expected that the same fence will last but a few years at most. The constant necessity for repairs and the frequent

repetitions of entire new building would, in the opinion of the Trustees, in a short term of years take more money from the treasury than will be required to build the fence proposed.

These, however, are mere suggestions thrown out for the consideration of the Legislature, as the subject is one upon which the members of that body possess equal advantages with the undersigned to form correct opinions, and the determination rests solely with them.

No provision now exists for clearing the walks around and within. the park from snow and ice, in the winter season, or for obeying the ordinances of the corporation in relation to the care of the streets at any season of the year. An appeal has been made to the Trustees, during the present session of the Legislature, growing out of a penalty imposed upon the Superintendent of the Capitol, for a neglect of one of these ordinances, which requires the possessor of property to clear the walks adjoining it. The complaint related to the walks out side of the fence, and where the Trutees did not expect that the Superintendent, without compensation, would undertake this duty. It is also believed that the experience of the present winter has shown to every member of the Legislature the necessity of some more systematic arrangement, by which the walks, as well within as on the outside of the enclosure, should be kept in a condition to be passed with comfort and safety. What portion of this duty should be imposed upon the superintendent of the building, as a consideration for his house room, is a question which the Legislature may properly consider; but the Trustees have believed that if this agent kept the halls of the Capitol clean and in order, cleared the front steps and the walks immediately adjoining the building in front, and attended to the necessary supervision of the building itself, he would render to the State at least a full equivalent for the privileges he enjoys, under the present arrangement between him and the Trustees, and whether it is beyond that point, the Legislature will de. termine. They do not believe it would be equitable to him to require that he should be charged with the labor or expense of clearing the two long walks through the park, and much less that he should be held responsible, without compensation, for the care of the extensive side walk around the park, and for the proportion of the adjoining streets. With a proper compensation for the expense, he may be the person most conveniently located to perform these duties, but without a compensation the Trustees are apprehensive that [A. No. 196.]

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no individual can be found who will accept the house room occupied, as an equivalent for the service to be rendered. They, therefore, recommend this subject to the attention of the Legislature, as necessarily connected with any bill they may think proper to pass in relation to the Capitol, and the grounds connected therewith.

The foregoing relation of the payments for ordinary repairs, within the current fiscal year, will have shown the means at the com- mand of the Trustees for any future calls, but it may not be amiss to recapitulate, that no misapprehension may be entertained upon this point. By the law of the 17th April, 1830, the Trustees are authorised, "from time to time to cause such repairs to be made as may be necessary for the preservation of the Capitol," but the amount to be thus expended in any one year, is not to exceed two hundred dollars. It has been seen that $162.44 have been already expended since the first of October last, the commencement of the present fiscal year. Hence but $37.56 remain within the power of the Trustees until after the 30th September next. It will, therefore, be fully apparent that unless the Legislature act upon the subject, this property must remain in its present situation substantially, for the residue of the present year; and that even repairs now known to be required to the roof, to prevent the introduction of water at every shower into the supreme court and other rooms, can not be made upon the strength of this appropriation.

The law of the 26th April last will be found to have been limited in its duration, to the meeting of the present Legislature, and therefore, no expense, not incurred before that period, can be paid under that law. The consequence is that, without further legislation, the powers of the Trustees, as to the preservation and protection of this property, until the commencement of the next fiscal year, will have been fully expended, when the further sum of $37.56 shall be paid out; and after that period their powers, for the succeeding year, will only extend to the expenditure of two hundred dollars.

All which is respectfully submitted.

Dated Albany, 7th March, 1832.

SILAS WRIGHT, JR.

A. C. FLAGG,

E. T. THROOP,

EDW'D P. LIVINGSTON,

CHA'S L. LIVINGSTON.

IN ASSEMBLY,

March 7, 1832.

REPORT

Of the committee on trade and manufactures, on the bill entitled "An act to amend the Revised Statutes, regulating the inspection of flour in the city of New-York."

Mr. Seymour, from the committee on trade and manufactures, to which was referred the Lill entitled " An act to amend the Revised Statutes, regulating the inspection of flour in the city of New-York," REPORTED:

This bill, introduced on notice, proposes a very material alteration in the law regulating the inspection of flour. No petitions on the subject have been presented, either for or against the measure; and the committee have, therefore, had no direct expression of the wishes or opinions of those more immediately interested in the question.

It appears, however, that this subject has been brought before several preceding Legislatures, and undergone considerable investigation. Various petitions and remonstrances were then presented, from different sections of the State. To these papers, and the several reports on the Journals, your committee have referred, before coming to a conclusion on the propriety of the amendments to the law embraced in the bill now under consideration.

That part of the Revised Statutes regulating the inspection of flour, was passed upon the most mature deliberation, and met the approbation of the manufactures and dealers generally. By its provisions, the desirable object of giving a high and permanent character to the principal staple of our State, was supposed to be attained; and so far as the committee can judge, these expectations have been [A. No. 197.]

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