New-York tribune., 1872-11-16
ARCHITECTS IN COUNCIL.
CONVENTION OF THE AMERICAN INsTI
TUTE AT CINCINNATI.
SKETCH OF THE ISsTITUTE-THE CHICAGO
nnsrnN EIREa--,a u 49,.

| tFR0A THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THg TRIBUSRI
| CINCINNATI, Nov. t3.-0ne seldom happen.
upon assembly OF men whose counensnces are more
intellectual than those the dele gate. TO the Aner
can Institute OF Architects now holding lts sirfb animal
session in this city. This body has grown In few year.
from twenty members to membership OF one hundred
and fifty skilled architects, and In importance from
| an almost unknown local body 10 an tnnu.
enal national organization. Is Object has been stated
IN circular issued by the President and seoretary In
which It is said the Institute ia intended 10 include
| every architect in America who may he in synpathy
with its purpose, which d 10 bring the profession Of
architecture into reputable recognized ana influential
position. The influence Of the Institute will away. DO
throwR upon the side OF strictly professional practice
which forbds architect from accepting any fee com
mission, or remuneration oi any kind from any person
interested in the work be lbs charge Of other than hs
employer The Institute will also endeayoT 10 brng about
| general agreement between architects az %
proper ways Of conducting business definition Of proes
siona duties amounts OF professional charges ami tb,
Ike tending TO advance the interest OF all parties en-
gagged in building Its organization Is federal Il b..
six chaptcrsour in the East each in the cities OF
Boston, Now-York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, ami
two in the West nt Cincinnati and Chicago Its members
consist OF practicng members juniormember honorary
members for fe ranking TO powers and privileges in
the order abeyo designated. Hgh professional ability
and standing are requisites for membership Each ap-
plicant is carefully examined TO bis qualifications
and to be elected must receive the vote OF 0f
the members present at meeting.
| DISTINGUISHED RECOGNmOa.
The recognition which the Institute has obtained from
the leading Of the profession all Europe, eyi
denced in their accepting the honor Of complimentary
membership, and through the interchange Of CORE
spOndence with sister societies in the Od World, has
given importance 20 the Institute not 70 be over
| rated, and a consequence In 'he public estimation
which, il only has the wisdom to turn TO account viii
tend make it power whose impress will be felt In
OF the z forth
every declaration of its principles whether from the
mouth of speaker or the letter OF its constitution IL;
Improve the architect, and architecture must I'm
prove"
THE CHICAGO AND BOSTON FIREs-TuE LEssOs TO Ar
CHITECTs.
Yesterday Mr. BloOr who represented the NcwYcrN
Chapter after speaking OF the failure Of an attempt
by the Chapter Last winter to secure aid from tho
Legislature in establishing polytechnic school, the cur
riculum OF which should include thorough preliminary
training in the theory and practice OF architecture con
cludel his report as follows:
1t is evident that the best course for the New-York
Chapter for all the other chapters IN the Institute 10
pursue, Is To do ats part IN making an impression on mo
higher toned port Of the community, ana helping for
ward state Of things in which the legislative ana e1
ecuye servants or the people Will hn1 n lncumDent on
them TO reflect the dominant feeling OF their lnnnen!aI
constituents toward the architectural practionerip ID
common with professions of other liberal arts resden
among them. But 70 produce this good impression on
whom architects hnd their patrons 10 ls obvious some
thing more iI required than 2Dii{ 70 ne1s ssdseto @
NewYork Chapter, TO the institute ne alluded 70 & we
destruction that had recently fallen the great NORM
Western City Of Chicago through tho constitutional
defects Of the buildings destroyed such defects being
aeeSaneai hoSderaft. and the shorsishted seshnesa
commercial speculation not being guided aud tempered
by the judicial ana benn authority Of thorolghY ana
broadly educated experts But while he Is writing these
words, undetaied but only too sure Information IS ro
ceiyed that OF the Oldest and IN all respects, bOth
physical most stanal cities IN the coun ry
created such disaster Chicago ana in ali business,
relations Is months ago. The imperfect accounts a. yet
received convey the general Impression tat th0uGh 30
Tse' ~ ct,ras i1st Ieyeled by ire IN Bos
ton yet that all rendered or no account by tue
of he bnr,t dsTricf NV II fbis be so the blane-hoW
ever, should shared by employers for imposing the
caprices Of building fashion ON their architectural adYl
sers-wil undoubtedly be laid by the pubic chiefly on
the latter and moral to be adducod, Tor the Now
York Chapter as well as for I'll rs following CLaper
nom these reourrent aud dlsastefs - tnaI
architects, by thoroughly rounded, ana not Ohcsued
education either IN themselves individually, or IN con
cdttedrd stand IN their dealings with their employ
ana to insist Oh having their own way in tue bud
ing5 mtIustcd to them falling to their employ
ers concurrence be able TO hold the latter diitnctyto
structOn may befall their structures.
This afternoon, the Committee Professional
Practice sustained IN proposition 10 pro
pare series OF questions TO be presented TO tho
various chapters this Winter for simultaneous
discussion during the interval between tho annual
yenions. This in accordance With the aims OF the Ia
stituto. 1t will afford them occasion for intellectual
tiyty. and rpcn them for discussions at annual
ngs. which must lay the foundation for the establish
ment OF system of definite principles OF professional
practice. This afternoon Mr.. " H. Hutton Of Baltimore
read paper Ccments which, whio It has little iu-
teres Tor the general reader, WILL in the printed report
OF this year. proceedings, be priced by architects and
builders for the tests il names FOR determining tho
quality Of ccmcnts. This, he said, not easy
the hdifeducated supposed. Cemonts
were injured ana generally made worthless ~ under
burning or oycrburning.
AWAY WITH bANSAED ROOFS
The meeting proved ripe for the following oppOrtuns
resolution, offered by Gail Pfeiftr OF New-York and
adopted with will:
R,so'rd That the experience o Boston and c es 70 o-
that Is d ne greatest nta 10 me eonMuty it 'le mi %
& this important salject."
The news Of the action OF the NewYork underwriters
this subject had reached the members Of hebOdy
It's intrinsic fitness IA concurrng with the feelings
and convictions of the hour, secured the resolution
spontaneous welcome from members and outsiders
manifested by prolonged cheering. Wm r. Ware dele
gate from the Boston chapter. arose amid profound
silence aud spoke The conha grafton Boston Lc said
was not unexpected at that city, would % at any
time since the Chicago fire have been surprise There
had never day Of desoltion 10 the Lake city.
been high wind which did not make Bos-
tOnians apprehensiye that their hour had CONS
All over the ruined section Mansard roofs were prcYa
lent The streets were narrow, the houses high. fun ~
windows the vertical Of which were often sspa-
rated by columns OF granite. Over hundreds OF
west OF it, these lofty walls supports Tor contiguous
wooden villages. The prevention OF the recurrence or
repetition OF these ealantes lay In the suggestion o. a
resolution. But Tor these vicious roofs the cry OF Bos
ton wOnd have been spared tins wasting nery ysiauoh
He believed that the demand for the security or ht Guy
against another such desoatou would be answered OuY
by a removal OF the Mansard roofs from the houses IN
West Boston, and the substitution OF much ''i' "'''"
Mr.. n II. Hutton OF Baltimore. upon special cll oi