, 1875-04-18
THE COURTHOUSE ARCHITECTS,

The Building Committee Of the Common
Council, in their report on the Court
House, which they submitted last Monday,
and which the Council will act upon
next Monday, accepts the dictates OF the
"Foreign. Know-Nothings by authorizing
the Board Of Public Works to employ tire
architects, who will be two foreigners and one
| American. In the Germanico-H Hibernian
| combination, the Ger7naqs fear to trust an
| Iishrnan with the work, and the Irish would
never trust German It is insisted, there
end an Irish architect, which secures division
| Of the spoils and patronage. The American
is simply added for sake Of appearances,
and he will be in the minority and without
power, unless as balance Of power in case
of quarrel between the foreign architects
A final struggle should be made in the Coun-
Gil to defeat this programme; but there is not
much likelihood Of even protest against it.
It is ridiculous that thera should be three
architects to do the work Of one, simply to
acknowledge the 'sclaims" of the Irish and
Germans rs against the Americans, who pay
four-ffths Of the taxes.
For the rest, the report recommends the
only lawful course, viz. to place the con-
sHuction of the City-Hal1 under tho manage
ment and supervision of the Board Of Public
Works. # the report be adopted as it stands,
it is entirely probable that the three architects
already agreed upon by the County Con-
missioners will be accepted By the Council.
Il there is any chance that the construction
Of the Courthouse may finally be given into
the hands Of single architect, We must insist
upon an opposition to the report in the C6un-
Gil, as this is the only proper and business
like way OF proceeding. But if this final
effort fail, and If there are to be three archi-
tects of different uationalities or no Court
House, We presume that Messrss EaAN,
KAR1s, and Bun11sa might as well be &C.
cepted as to wrangle over the matter longer,
only to get less competent men, perhaps, II
the end
The particular Recommendation in the re
port which should command the ready af
qniescence ct The Council. is the limitatio I
Of the architects pay to 2 per cent on Il l,
cost Of the building. The Board Of Publ i,
Worhs is authorized to pay SCI, 5,0o0 for t b
city's share e per cent on 81, ,25o, 000,-h al
the proposed cost, which the three archita ct:
may divide among them as they agree. L
this be agreed upon, the County Board va nld
scarcely pay less, and would hardly dare II
pay moro, The three architects-f wen lus
have three-wou1d then receive $50, ,0oo 81
their compensation, which il pretty fair .paJ
in these hnrd times, when money is sc9 arce
and the demand for architects not very b1 risk
The public ought not to be required ia pay
any more for given amount Of service sim.
ply because this se1vics is divided up an none
three instead Of being done by one pe rson.
And $4,000 will be conceded to be yer.
handsome pay for superintending the con
struction Of building
If this Recommendation Of the Conn mttee
ba adopted, and the city and county cez then
agree to adopt 3lr. Tu1EY's beautiful iesign
for the Court~House, limiting the @ ost to
So, 50O, 600, there will be no objection to the
undertaking OF the work. Mr. TEL Ell has
always claimed-aud we think rightly THAT
tbs Courthouse may be constucte' after
his model IS eheaply IS according to any
other plan submitted It exceeds M the
othsr. In Light, beauty, ventilation, AZ Il com.