The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-04-05
nobert MINIS, the Architect.

/ distinction at home and abroad. Robert Mills
was the first of them, and we are glad to see J:
that his name, so identified with the public
works of his native State, has become known,
throughout the Union. The following notice
! of his career is from the Pottsvile Emporiumse
Public Buildings in Washington.--As agen..
eral thing, the appearance of the public build
| ings in Washington city is calculated to pro-
duce in the mind of the stranger visiting them
a most favorable impression, while to an Amer,
lean, at least, there are unpleasant and norti-E5
flying exceptions. The Smithsonian Institute
building, queer and incongruous bination
of various orders Of architecture, was so badly:
constructed that portion Of Il fell, and other
parts were considered unsafe, even before the
completion ofthe building. In addition to this
the extension of the Capitol, nowin course of
construction, is deemed BY many scientific and
experienced gentlemen as very defective, par.
tculary as regards the quality Of the materials
used, which certainly ought not to be in an ed
ifce built for this great nation, and for the nss
of future ages far down in the lapse of time. s
There are other buildings. however, of vel
ry different character, among which are those
chaste elegant, and truly substantial edifces,,
the Treasury building, the Patent Office build
inc, and that in which the General Post Office,
with its numerous extensive departments is SO
admirably accommodated, These were plan.5
ned and erected by Robert Mills, esq, of that
city, whose estimable character as q man, and
widely acknowledged skill as an architect in
4 duced President Jackson to confer upon HIM
the appointment of architect for the general
government. That he was not continued IN
that important position has been misfortune
to the country, as is shown by the defective
buildings since erected.
Up to the time he entered the service of the
government the practice, had prevailed OF con
structingFt the public buildings irrespective Of
security from fire, and to him is the country in
.debted for the Recommendation and introduc-
! tion of the fire-proof system, which has ever
since been acted upon as most important to
the security Of the public archives and the
buildings generally.
Our admiration for, and entire confidence in
Mr. Mills, (whom we have known for full
quarter of a century, as man Of sound judgs
ment and extraordinary skill in his profession,
has been recently confirmed by a brief sketch
of his professional career, furnished by an esti-
mable friend, from which we learn that the ev-
idence of his worth as an architect is by no
means confined to Washington city.
He had charge of the construction ofcustom
houses in Middletown and New London, in
Connecticut, New Bedford and Newburyport,
Massachusetts, all arched and made fire. proof
marine hospitals in Charleston, South Carolina,
and in New Orleans, besides other buildings.
Previous to his connection with the general
| L. l,l o1 nd
private buildings in Pennsylvania, Including
our chaste and handsome capitol at Harrisburg,
of which Pennsylvanans are 30 justly proudly
Maryland, and South Carolina In Philadel-
phia, when student in the Office of the cele-
brated architect, B. H. Latrobe, esq, he was
charged with the erection of the Bank of Penn
syvana very intricate design of bold con.
struction and fire-proof character. He also
erected the fre-proof wings to the old State
House, Independent Hall; and church ofim-
mense dimensions-the admiration of oil who
saw it-ior that celebrated and eccentric d.
vine, DR.. Stoughton, being circular room
covered by dome, capable of accommodating
four thousand persons.
To Mr.. Mills was Philadelphia indebted for
the plan of that wonderful structure, the single
arched bridge of $40 feet which spanned the
Schuylkil river, built by Lewis Wernwag, the
renowned bridge builder. In Baltimore he de-
signed and erected the monument 10 Washing.
ton, a marble pillar the largest in the world
He erected the Baptist Church, a circular
structure OF eighty feet diameter, crowned by
dome, and had charge of the water works.
| there.
MIR. Mills designed and erected the Monu
mental Church in Richmond, Virginia, the sad
memento of an awful visitation in that city Of
the Washington monument now being erected
| by Virginia he was appointed the architect
while he designed and erected the splendid ad-
ditions recently made to the University of Vir-
ginis.
In South Carolina, his native State, he was
appointed in 1920 engineer and architect ofthe
State, where among other works ofinterests he
designed and erected many of the public build.
Jugs in that State, all of the 6re.proof chsrac-
ter. lie enjoys the honor, too of giving to his
native State the credit of being the first to in-
troduce the railroad system in the construction
of the Charleston aud Hamburg railroad-the
first of any extent erected anywhere, even be-
fore the construction of the experimental rail-
road in England, the Manchester and Liverpool.
While in South Carolina he executed gr eat
work IN the publication of an atlas of the State,
on grand scale, companied by statistical his.
tory Of the State.
Mr. Mills was the first American who stud.
led architecture in this country, and his views
are altogether American, having never travelled
beyond the limits of his native country. His
first studies We're at Washington, during the
first year of its being made the seat of the gov.
ernment He possessed the friendship of Mr.
Jefferson, at that time the President, and SUBJ
sequen,ly Of President Jackson, by whom, as