Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-11-20
The Report o. the sup~rvisip; Architect
he Ireasr:y De pa r,menl

The good taste, sound jndgme IT. ard thorou IN
knUwssCge-of the true Pr.nc pies OF aesthetics
In their application 10 the bCilders art, evineed
by Mr. B. MulIe,t, Supervising Arch sect OF
the Treasury Department, 10 the style ana
character of the de,ails and finish of the work
necessary for the completion OF the Treasury
Extension, the surroundings of the bliIding.
and The approaches thereto; which work eJ-
trusted 10 MS skill. Is beautiful in design aud
execution; entisle his opinions ana recon-
msndatons on matters pertaining 10 his arr 10
great weight. lis annual report for the ysrr
ending september 3Jn lsGs, is qui.s IoJs, but
very increasing. TpoSe portions of i; re'atiag
20 p-opOs. charge of the costrac; system. for
the sUpPly OF ma,sriaI for Governrn-nt bu'Id-
ings, WI a.t-act general a.lehtion. while his
sIgl1 st-ons and recon nendaso1. IN reIerea,-e
the Ire suIy buildiDg snd its Improvements
and the eDlarg M Mt and .Iuti.yrng o. tbe
grounds is OF eat Inferts 10 he pso pie o. this
D.sric
MIR. NAileti says the business OF his OH e
has Sc Idily inerrst J. and Is DOW gre It-r t1sn
At any ume nee is org 'nizltioD. No pans
have rren spared to hFS III the 20 nptepon of
toe various works now IN prO-T, 3, Iousn re
r-greis ~iare that the results have not D. a AZ
all cases SATISFACTORY, irOn eau - beyond the
control Of BIS once. Prominent a-nOPg th~se
HIS been the impOs-ibI.iy o.. COM I,el'iny coa-
tractors for ne snpply OF m2t.risl and Iaa au-
1aetupd wCTk VINO have taken ,oatrac1F at
rates nat they en- uDre.DupeTaiIye, TO CON-
ply wIh their Obligation :; the principIl having
bsrn with contractors for tue supply OF caI
stone, they having in many ca eS o%ned O.
controlled tie only quarries fTOm which asIp-
ply could be oolained, thus placing the de
pIItm- u, entirely at their mercy.
HOW HE EIChI-HOgR Law woEKs
On this subIecI Mr.. Muile,t sIys: .'Ano.hs-
serious embarrassment has been tue Adoption
of tne eight hour system on Government work,
which has greatly increased the cost aud re.
tafCsd the progress OF buildings uudsr charge
81 th's ONCE The ldSI taat as much Labor can
b. Performed In eight ss in ten hours has
proved 10 be utterly faliaCious; irdeei, the
~xPeTisnee OF tois oaliee Just ifs the asssrtoa
that less labor per DOUr n3s in most cases b-eu
obg1med under the eight ihau undeI the ten
hour system. 1tappeIrs TO me that the law IN
force up 10 tie pasSi-e OF The act in question.
whIch aUthCriZrd Government officers u con-
fVrm to the rules aud piIces c5tahlished ny
custom IN the DIFFERENT LOCALITIES, was not oni "
smInently Just, but liberal; the uniform practi, e
ON all woI ks under charge OF this dspsrtm,It
having ben 20 pay fuu markes rates Tor labor,
aad 10 give the mechanics and Iaborsrs en-
pIOyed tue IEll advantages OF the interpret tiL,oa
OF rhe local customs on sll pOtutS, aud TO AVOID
Interfering IN any maaper With ID se Ques sjons
II Is n so IN discussing TINS subject worthy U:
remark that = workman can eJrn a larger sum
pr annum when employed on public than on
private oolldIngs, al inc saVe per dien pay
there beng a much smaller Per cent 70 OF lost
time, and employment be. .ug more permanent.
l. is a MISTER OF no personal importance 10 m
whether rschanlcs and latoreTs WORK eight or
ton hours. but II appears manifest that the sys-
I'm Of paying TIE mechanic wfojs employ d
on Government work ihP same pr'ce for eight
hours that the ore employed by private par
ties receives ior ten hoUr's work, - unjust IL
has, at any rate, inc sd the cost OF public
buIlcipgs from twenty o tweoty five per celt
beyond toe amount for which colsent to
be he'd responsible. lean see TO reason why
the epTiee oflabor should be reguiIfad BY law
any rsOIe tfJu that of provisions or me.chc Il
die; or why the uecrauic Should re.ssive more
pTOfsctiOn than agricultural laborsTs, who-e
pay Is les, and who work more hours"
TIE CONTRACT SYSTEM.
On TINS subject tue report sIys:-'The expe-
rlrDce OF THIS Cffice has Justfed the de- srm.ra-
ton of the department. 40 make DO ron ract for
the erection OF buildings cave in exceps,opaI
cases. Tre supplies OF mstsriIl aud maa aafle-
tUrFd work have, however, teen obtain d after
due advertisement tberetor. and in no clsa bss
the contract been awarded to sny save the low
esi bidder. Could any system o, devised that
woald rs7trict composition TO- the erection of
public buildings 10 those only who are CONNIE
tent TO ssumafe correctly the Nalre OF the work
IeqUir,d ana sufficiently respousi oIe u meet
most desirable plsn for perfoi ming ,he work
THIs principle Gu he, aad r., clrr.Cd out by
pr.ya,e individuals, wao have The right 10
select their own BIDDERS; but can sea no
pIrd % pupIie works until it is deemed
proper 20 Ipt psG Gove~Pn-eIt ofdcers with
Ibe SINE discretion that IS exrrc;-rd by pri-
waite persons. Until .hat can Is done, or
some other remedy devised, see no alternative
except 10 continue The pre- se1t system OF exc
Gu ug the work under tee Immediate SUPER
eliminate bidding nece- sari!y allowed tor pub
hC works. TIE contract must be awarded 10 the
lowest bidder, although IL may be evident thar
H. cannot perform tue work for tue amount OF
his od. CT di7cre ION exere Eed that practi.
cally places the cispOsition Of the contract in
the banos OF tee Officers making the award.
The result is alroSt invsrj sbly tba, 10 enora 1t
ard incompetent bidde fiud the coatract q
source OF loss iPs'cad Of profit, delay and EN- :
narfsss Tue wort, snd ultmsteiy aoandoa IL
or involve the Department IN vexaiions s1d
truiilsss htisatlon. For the rasons tos sys-
ten OF doing tie work explained in my last
rspor: has been adhered to-
bCbLic BUILDINGS AT SAN FRANCISCO AND
NEW ORLEAys.
MT hullsu says the rcent severe earth
ltasss cn tie Pacific Coast have DE- no nstrAtei
he eoErec,Eess ci the opinions previously ex-