Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-12-01
A NOTED ARCHITECTS
OPINION OF AMERICAN ARCHITECTS
uRE PAST AND PRESENT.

VI
uRE PAST AND PRESENT.
Pay of Observation-Disclosures In Building
Pians-Crazes In Residence Building.
Orr Government Structures-WiH tho
Monument Last-A New White House.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22-Mr. Smithmeyer,
the architect OF the new national library
building, is one of the most advanced men in
his profession. He is tall, gray whiskered, as
straight as a West Point cadet, an Austrian
by birth, and as courtly as a French diplomat.
He was sent abroad by congress to study the
great national libraries there. Sixteen years
ago he was employed by the government as
one Of its superintendent, and has since been
consulted in nearly every one of its great
architectural enterprises. Mr.. Smithmeyer
has been practicing his profession in America
for the past several decades, and he Is one
of the pioneer architects of the country. I
chatted with him to-day about his profession.
| Said he:
"Arohitsoture is fas. growing in the United
States. Twenty or thirty, years ago you
could scarcely find an architect outside Of the
large cities. Now there is an extensive archi-
tectural institute in the east and another in
the west, and there are many hundreds of
architects scattered all over The country.
The day will come when every city of 5000
or 5000 inhabitants will support a good
architect
aHow does the profession of architecture
pay"
SIT depends upon the man and the oppor-
tunities he has. i know architects who earn
more every year than the president of the
United States, and there are others who make
scarcely anything. The best architects can
do nothing if they can get 10 opportunities.
A painter can show whath he is if he has but a
little paint and canvas, but in architect must
have a client, and, il possible, a wealthy one,
before he can manifest his talent and embody
his idea in material shape. There are iarchi-
tects in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago
and Boston who make from $50, 900 to s75,0 o
a yearl The architect OF the Mills building
in New York, for instance, realized, / I'M
told, $780, 900 in legitimate fees. The schedule
of charges for professional services for MEM
bers Of the American Institute Of Architects
aud sor tbosa - tha Westsrn Assoc;at;on -
.S.L.sM =. - I0a.1
a''uise1S pei ceh'. On she cost u
tne pnnolng. ms includes tne Plan
ming and experimenting Its construction.
We get $500 for a house that costs $4,000;
$2,50O for one that costs $4,000; $25, 900 for
one that costs $500, 900, etc.n
aWhat do you think OF American archi-
tecturesp
4Thera 10 10 a;st,nct,va Amer;con .rcb;.
~ .As"A,u,Iss MlNllSa,.a
ee,' 49, 80 y k'nu =, ye'saculal s.y.e
ssa ~ = on1nen'a u uifaiie ssfucs
ures. Just no" we are passing tnfougn a
series OF stages which will unquestionably
develop our taste, and in time we will be
able to boast of much better results. As yet
architact,,ra Il 4 m.ttar of f..hion WITH ,,.
and onr arch;tect,,ro1 fastions obonaa a.
u,ostsas rsr;a,v 6 IN ,hnsa g AZ mda,s.a
ssass;
me sanoI' nasssr, eve. Due snere are COCO
reasons tor expecting greaS progress IN this
line. Our people are an eminently practical
people and we live In an age Of reason. Rea-
son dictates how the architect must be-
armed in his congestion and desipns Guided
NV MI. IA w,m h. .b1a1 - d;scrir,ina,a go
&c. I, -. -, -. s.A..ss..
:. "n ianeies anu
vasaf1es Oh 1ne IasnAon nsve lntroauced In
modern building; those notably which seek
to subverS utility and comfort in the at
Sempt To cony traditional forms Ha m,,sk