Page:Historic towns of the middle states (IA historictownsofm02powe).pdf/72

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Albany

North Dutch Church, an exceptionally good specimen of the style which obtained in the beginning of the century; the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, with its lofty double spires emphasized by the site, and its spacious interior treated with taste and dignity; St. Peter's Church, with its noble lines, artistic windows and finely detailed tower,—"one of the richest specimens of French Gothic in this country"; and the Cathedral of All Saints, whose unfinished exterior encloses columnar effects and a choir-vista which remind one of an impressive mediæval interior and give the edifice a distinctive place among the churches of America.

These architectural monuments, however, and the city itself are overshadowed by the new Capitol. This massive structure, since its corner-stone was laid on the 24th of June, 1871, has absorbed over twenty millions of dollars. The enormous bulk, the difficult foundations, the obdurate granite, the elaborate sculptures, the mistakes and afterthoughts, sufficiently account for the money. The old Capitol, which stood in front of the southeast corner, well-nigh could be tucked into one of its great pavilions. The edifice is of such cost, size, and