The New York herald., 1868-06-27
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T'iss Emsiias s6s sest HsDee ssns q piaea xssses
| 'e,snris 10 he Evcets,sl im the Csss Nail uerh-
= shnrp Reyiew OF the Architects, Plaus
sin5 Esisrustcs---Dcf6cts and Crnsitsicss--s aI-
~usntions--As Isxsesitios and "a Defence.
ieTewi.h ~ presented 10 the readers of the HERALD
an exposition and vesisw by A. n. Mulicr super
vsins architect Of the plans proposed for the new
government baiidng 10 be erected al the southern
end OF the City Hail Park, ana in which are TO be
placed cbe General Post Once Of this city and the
District Court Of the United States for the Southern
district Of New York. The snperne nding architect
handles bis fellows Of The profession. or rather.
their propositions, sharply, and, II must be con-
iessed, exposes their many weaknesses without
thonsht OF mercy. They. it would appear unwisey
assaed nm, and by garbling paragraphs OF his pre-
vi0usly published, sought 10 sustain their peculiar
notions AT his cost, making INN talk absurdy on
subjects with which he claims TO be practically
familiar His review win be read with extreme
interest by all who have, architectnrally speaking
the esthetc Improvement Of the metropolis at heart.
Mr.. Mnhers report is dated June "a, and Is adj
dressed to Schuyler COlfax Speaker OF the House OF
Representatives. 1t is az follows:-
INSTRUCTION ny RESOLUTION
SR--OD The 9th OF March last the Secretary of the
treasury was directed oy resolution OF the House OF
representatives ITO have detailed estimates OF the
sosL oi the proposed Post ONCE aud Court House
building IN the city OF New York, according to te
plIs subnitted by The commission to procure said
plans, and TO report at The earliest mOment with
any recommendations in regard TO the material aud
mode % CONSTRUCTION he may deem proper"
DUTY Az SUPERVISING ARCHITECT.
This duty devOved npon me as supervising archi-
tect, and IN accordance Herewith prepared u re-
sentatives on the 3Oth of March, and referred
70 the Committee on Post Ofnces and POST Roads
IL appears from the report OF that commit
tee, made on the 10th instant, that the seven
architects who prepared the plans, estimates and
April reply to my report which contains 30 many
statements at variance with the facts SO much as
representations, and insinuations against me
AMI my motives, that i am compelled to request
through you hearing before the House Of Repre-
Of rebuttng the assertions made by the architects in
question, or showing the falIacies, weakness and
rrelevancy Of their reply or OF sustaining the views
expressed In my report. Silence ON my part would
be an admission that my report incorrect or par
tlal and that the statements made therein were
THE SEVEN ARCHITECTS TO BE REVIEWED.
propose TO consider the communication Of the
seven architects In detail paragraph by paragraph.
The instructions prepared by the commission for
the guidance OF architects desiring to compete
for the premiums comprised a plot OF the ground,
showing proposed street the north side Of
the government property ninety feet In width, or,
In other words, provided for the extension OF
Park place 10 Beekman street. This plot was incOr-
rect, and new one subsequently issued by the Com
mission but no other modification OF the previous
instructions given than the note the plot that the
whole space might, II necessary, be covered or any
ntmation that the schedule previously given by the
commission was erroneous Ny statements are
therefore strictly correct.
AN OBJECrION UNANSWERED.
The objection made by me to building on the north
boundary OF the lot purchased by the government
has not been answered, ana the criticisms Of the
architects are but a paipable instrumentation OF
to be presumed that the city would take advantage
OF such location | called attention to the fact
that the government had no right thus locate the
building, AMI If located the right OF light and
way TO the north entrance would be exercised
Ia ae M w oi r ne fUrH renev fns S
recon- mendatOns that the necessary guarantees
should be obtained from the city Of New York that
the ighb and right Of entrance 10 the structure should
be nterfered with, OF the SIZE OF the building
duced. Az the same commission who present the
plans purchased The site, II would appear from their
statement that they have made the serious mis-
take OF purchasing lot too small for their proposed
building.
An examination OF my repor, will show that did
moi assert thai twenty eight rooms were ample for
the courts and the officers OF the judiciary, but
showed that " the plans under consideration provide
Tor building no larger tDan s required, the arch
iecs VINO were requested to compete. were not fnr-
nished with the niornaii0 necessary 10 an infe
geit competition aud That the commission were
either u,siniormed when tney advertised og designs
or are mistaken now.
~ OLA PopgiDA
am well aware that the plans on which report
was based were no. submitted under the ADVERTISE
mcnt inviting competition. AM also aware that the
! commission dit not make any award IN accordance
| with the terms of ther advertisement, hut adopted
mchod o procuring a design that mad certainly the
merit oi originality, anu resulted, as might have
been ioeseeu. IN an o'G iodi'od Of ideas so unsat
lsactorS even to selected architects thai they
p,eaded the ''or.rS ol the commission less than
Three lines IN tbe reps, under consideration tle
! only answer the, nave 10 oTer 10 tbe obtections
raised in my previous report. am, however unable
70 zee that Il * any answer to an objection 10 say
thai IN. error ~ due To the commission AMI not 10
| the architects
| QUESTION RIGHT.
The right of the commission, after wei! MA uing
the subject Ia order the prepa ration ''y the au-
thors Of The i've hest designs Of entirety different
plan han was called Tor In the advertisement, IL "a
question: which VIII prooably nteres, The forty -se, en-
aJciiteris VINO were inducea 10 risk their time aud
money ia the competition on the promises OF the
mission far mere tlsn any other parties.
PLANS AND EXPENSES.
| No allegation having been made by me that the
seven architects were paid Si64S6 ~ for tner plan
under consideration, II cannot well be untrue. |
stated that the plan had cost the government
sl6. 40 ~ that sum having been expended by the
commission for plans and incidental eypenses con
necled herewith. and for evidence of the correct
peSs OF my statement respectfully refer 10 The books
OF the Treasury Department.
SUM OF Sio,OuV on the nul-two pians received In
competition is shown by their own report be
true. IL Is beyond conirovesey tiat 500o divided
eqiaiiy among ht'lwo architects. would have given
Ia tacG $2sS 40 ~ stated 10y the gentieneu bnL
1 appears from the list ~ awards published by the
commission that the amount DIVIDED between
ony niteen of tisn, II VIII he thai the above
distribution ~ n hypotietica one-the thirty-seven
disappointed competitors receiving no return for
their expenditure ol time labor money. except
very practicai lesson the uncertainty Of human
| affairs AZ appied 10 the submission or designs for
pubic buildings 10 a cOmnssiou which viii, trust
he worth a. much 10 them the proportion OF the
! $4,000 they DID not yet.
ADMISSIONS.
desire 10 call special attention To the admission
o' the archects that tine number o Tks at pres
eat employed IN the departments which would occti-
py he nr-t noUr alone of the Post ONCE is 4sn .
whlrh would give an average 0f e. .rl0 superficial
! ieci to each, and. a. consequence that the New
ORR Post once viii require more room al than
can be furnished bv the nrst floor that the base
mtnt sori s npera iNely necessary, the business
| wii more man double IN ten years. after which for
it, further enlargement the third and attic stories
| viii have 10 pe used.
This Is direct admission of all asserted In regard
To the excessive ana Unnecessary of the build
ing proposed. u viii be noticed thai tBey 10 not
expect 10 Use the entire basement for a least ten
years anu THAT the tinrd and attic stories viii not
be needed until after the business of the Office has
DOUBLED. which n II supposed 10y the gentlemen viii
| tase place at The end or that time.
AIR. iiGHr AND HEAT.
They have, therefore, furnished more conclusive
evidence tnat the size OF the proposed huihng IL