The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-24
Our City Architecture.

To the Editor of the indianapolis journal:
Your remarks on "City Architecture" were
timely and truthful.
Did it ever strike you that in the aesthetic
buildings Of cur city, which have been construct
ed during the last four years, but two patterns
have been taken9 If one looks closely he will
find the hay stack and gun-boat only have been
attempted Sometimes one sees the hay-rick or
hay-stack with a sprinkle of the potters furnace
of the French chateau at the angles again, one
has the hay stack in the center with hay-cocks
all around it. In many of the recently built
frame houses one sees the front room projecting
like the prov of an old-fashioned Mississippi
river steamboat rounded off in front and shielded
over the guards as if for protection of cattle,
while behind this and on each side project wings
like paddle-boxes. Sometimes the lower part is
armor-plated, just like gun boats, with
rams in front; or, again. like Dutch
gaiots. But rarely is this naval architecture
fully carried OUT instead of this one meets with
the composite. which is both naval and rural,
gun boat style below and some one or more of
the hay stack orders above.
1t is my opinion latter conversing with and
obtang the views of many Of our town people
on this subject) that this order of things is the
result of purely patriotic motives on the part OF
doubtless looked and looked in vain for some
thing to be done by our national legislators
toward the building up of navy of which our
people need not be ashamed; so, having been dis
appointed in this they nave resolved that the
nautical spirit shall not die out in our city, even
though it has In other parts of our country 1t
must also be remembered that but short time
ago the position of Secretary of the Navy was
held by citizen of our own State, whom we
delight to honor.
The patterring after hay-stackS hay-rickS
and hay cocks by the patriots before mentioned,
is that our memories may be kept fresh con-
corning the times when it was fashionable for
all who truly loved their country and it's various
offices to sprinkle hay-seed in their hair and
upon their garments, in order to procure the
sufrages of them So that it is readily
seen that this object teaching may be conveyed
to future generations by our style of architect
ure. What a relief it is to one, after perambu
lating our city, and INDUCING in these pleasures
of memory and of the Imagination to come upon
grandly and purely plain structure as is the
one two doors south of Vermont street. on Me-
rdian, facing our University park.
But the best criticism of this kind of architect
ure has been made by an architect himself on
building little to the south of the just men
residence on the roof OF which he has plainly
shown to his brethren of the profession that if
he wished, he could easily have competed with
them; but instead Of doing so he has placed on
each gable gargoyle in the shape of a dragon or
other fabulous creature in squatting position,
with its respiratory muscles drawn in and its
ribs projected its mouth open and it's neck
dropped. straining itself to death in the effort to
puke out its very entrais in token of its disgust
for ccntemporaneous architecture.
Being only an artist in music, of course do
not pretend to a scientific criticism of the various
styles of architecture, having only partially