New-York tribune., 1883-06-03
THE WORK OF AN ARCHITECT.

aYou think have an easy time, do you Y
said leading NewYOrk architect recently to TRIBUNE
reporter
The reporter's remark was excusable one for the
worthy designer leaning back in quaint japanese
wicker placed the open window OF room 10
which the blue and white plaques, the peacock-blu
freze and dull green wall gave the look ratherof adys
boudor than business-room.
sAn easy time" went ON the apparent sybarite. Il
Ike that You like nine hundred and ninety
out OF every thousand people meet II is perfectly as
tonshng to me how little the lay, II may so call
them know of the duties and work OF an architect
eome peope think we are a sort Of boss bricklayer,
others that we only know how make pretty pictures
and entirely ignorant of all things practca but both
extremes Of popular judgment solid on one point,
and that that ovepad for the amount OF work
we do. Let me tell you something as to that.
"Two years ago had large and important building
TO design and superintend while being built received
the usual per the amount OF the contract some
extras which amounted to considerable sum, not being
included in the amount on which my commission was
paid keep a diary in which every man In my oiiice
puts down the number of hours he works on any
particular Job. the myself, when the work
was done and I had paid in full divided the
amount by total number OF hours spent on the work.
II averaged IL cents an hour for myself my chief
draughtsnan, to whom paw $40 aweek, and the two
others who get $25 and $50 respectively Good pay Is
itnot
his money I'll tell you. You to me and tell me
you want house TO cost so much Well, set to work
and draw a little sketch of the plan to a scale Of one
eighth of an inch to foot That is, every inch on the
paper represents eight feet OF the actual building
von don't like il draw another When you finally
stsed and my assistants set to work and make plans
Of every floor elevations of each side OF the house. ana
sections through II to the scale OF fourth OF an men
to a foot. An elevation is view from which all per
spectiye effect is eliminated Then write "a long
specification describing exactly how everything to be
CONSTRUCTED and what materials are 70 be used These
drawings and specification are handed To the Duld-
era w no base them. When the lowest
up and signed by you and the builder Then my hardest
work begins have make drawings tc various scales
most OF them fun size. of all the various details inside
and out stonework carving. DOORS windows, plaster
hundred and nifty drawings made for small house
have 90 the building every day and see that the
work carried out. and have TO conduct every trans
with the various sub contractors and keep an eye
on them all till the work is finished Then am allowed
to my money, which, as tell you Is per cent OF
the amount paid to the builder Oh we get lots OF fun
for money!
which straight horizontal lines are drawn, setsqares
for perpendicular lines and bow pens and pencils io
drawing circles; but great deal OF artistic hand
work Is Our assistants usually work for
couple of years at a nominal salary and then receive
from $l5 $50 week according TO their ability. A
managing assistant receives about lO and tf at Is tue
highest salary paid; $40 $50 Is the usual figure AZ
10 architects in practice, they make anywhere from
G2 800 TO $1,000 year. seldom than II much
the latter Nowadays IL s becoming essential Tor an
architect travelled in Europe for some time ann
TO have filed goodly number OF sketch BOOKS with
iotings and sketches OF classic. medieval and renas-
ssnce buildings Modern architecture Is to an appre-
cabe extent archaeological ecclesiastical architecture
being entirely so If artistic"