New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-11
THE ARCHITECTS And THE POST-OEfICE
COMMISSIONERS,

COMMISSIONERS.
The Commissioners appointed TO make ar
rangements for the erection of new Post
Office in this city have profited by the
experience of the General Government In
the matter Of the proposed building for the War
Department. and by the similar experience
of tho State of New-York in its attempts
to get a design for the new Capitol at Albany.
Both the Federal and the State authorities
found that no architect of any ability or stand
ing in his profession would so much as con-
slider the terms of their advertisements, both OF
which, although differing in form, were
identical in spirit, and were based
on the assumption that our architects
are not in such condition, as respects employ
ment or pay, that they can afford to reject any
chance of adding few hundred dollars to
their meager incomes; and that they would be
only too glad to compete, on any terms that
might be offered them, for any prize, however
small.
Although these gentlemen at Washington and
Albany proved to be very much out in their
calculation it will not do to forget that the con-
dtion of architecture in this country has changed.
Perhaps they could not be expected to know
all that had been done in architecture within
the last few years, nor could they be blamed for
not being aware that the standards Of the
profession are much higher now than
they were ten years ago, and that
it contains a small but steadily increasing body
of men whose attainments would be recognized
az considerable even in older and more exacting
communities. 1t takes time for growth in
special direction, as in the arts, specially to
ola lntQTaatpn
watching it; for the reason, among others,
that by its very nature this growth is in itself
imperceptibly slow, and works in by-ways, and
deals with matters not directly related, or not
seen TO be so related, to our material life. In
this matter of architecture, there are those who
knew that our architects were growing, as In
dividuals, and as society, but perhaps many Of
US were as surprised as the Commissioners, at
the evidence Of the fact contained in the
spirited and sensible protests OF the architects
against the action of these well-meaning but
mistaken gentlemen.
Therefore, when we say that the Commits
sioners of the new Post Office have evidently
learned something from the ill-success OF the
commissioners from the War Department office
and the State Capitol, we do not mean to reflect
upon these latter gentlemen, nor to intimate that
they have shown less intelligence than the
others. They simply made a serious mistake,
for which there is great excuse i'll the cOndi-
ton Of architecture, and the uncertain, i'll
defined position of architects in this country.
Until very recently architecture has been
in sort OF epicene cOndltlon-being
neither an honest craft like that of carpentery
or masonry, nor yet a Fine Art; and our
architects have been kind of bastard builders,
without the technical knowledge Of those call
ing themselves such, or the learning, taste,
and creative power that alone entitle them
70 a higher name and greater eOnsld-
Grafton. And considering what Wash
ington is, and what the public men of
Washington have shown themselves 90 be-
whenever they have been called upon to act
with reference to Art; considering also, what
manner of men our legislators at Albany are,
in education and culture, it was not to be ex-
pected that their action would be different
They took the view of the matter the general
public took, and acted as they had been accus-
toned to act.
Nor should it be forgotten that the very ap-
pointment of Commission for the new Post
Office is, in itself, a marked evidence of adj
vance toward proper appreciation of the
respect due the Arts, and especially to
Architecture, the mother of the Arts.
Whenever, heretofore, the Government has
thought q new POst-Oflice necessary in any
city of the Union, the War Department has in
structed its architects to take a certain pattern
which had been found good practical work
ing one, and either reduce or enlarge it to suit
the needs of the smaller' or larger city
in which il was to be built. This having been
done, the Department proceeded to buy piece
Of land and put up n building, without
troubling itself as TO whether the citizens liked
it or diliked it, whether it was convenient or
ncOnvenient. The notion Of appointing a
Commission 70 treat with the architects, OF Of
making any effort whatever to get a
building that should be thoroughly planned
and agreeable to look at, is one that
never till now, entered into the
brain of the Department to conceive, and
its action in the present case certainly marks
an important change in its way of looking at
the subject. For our part, we rejoice in this
change, and wish it may be lasting, and
be followed by other official bodies,
State and Municipal We owe TO the ap-
pointment of Commission our Central
Park, u public work most thoroughly
we'll considered in design, and car
RED out in every detail with cOnscien-
tious care: we owe to the want of a Commits
sion the new County Court House in The rear
of the City Hall, ugly in design and made
quate in plan,. and built with such shameless
squanderiug of the public money as to make it
Il disgrace 20 every one concerned with it.
Counting the ClOtOn A0ueduct first and the
Central Park second, the Post-Ohicc viii be