New-York tribune., 1891-01-30
ARCHITECTS NOT ALWAYS TO BLAME
CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH BUILDINGS ARE
ERECTED FOR HNBITATrON N NEwYORK.

CoNWTIONS UNDER WHICH BUILDINGS ARE
ERECTED FOR HNBITATION IN NEW-YORK.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
sir: have Just read your editorial. The American
idea Of Archt,cturc," I'm today's Tribune. May
have the privilege Of saving few word, i'm yOnr
columns on the points YOU 50 opportunely touch
/. The majority ~ " nas and other Dwellings arc
not designed by trained architects al all. but by spec
ulatitc builders. many Of whom little verS'd In
the habit, and dc-ldcrata Of the intelligent and
women oi whom You speak ard arr Therefore in
competent t. make Tr. per arrangements fpr thtm
. Wien trained architects ar, cnpoyel. with al
par~uty iucommcnsuratc results. ] tiink. with Tine
Record and Guide Tat ,uch failure a. there nalt
may DE- is mainly attributable 90 the inlunc'loh EH
on them Pos the owners 10 make the largest returns ID
cash the primary consideration in the process of d"
signing. AID. mo,c yer. uulc-, ln'lrl l. rlc1
enough. q, well a. ambition, enough to prefer mon
umeut n h.s own or Ll- architects honor u legitimate
return, on h, outlay don't 80" considering the aNe'
and assessments be a, 10 pay, and the various 'h-
hc h,s to run how he can afford 10 build dwelling
hou,. for renting purposes on any other pancpe'
.. agree. too. with the correspondent OF SCI
cucc~ that frequcntly the a.chlt ct pays TOO
much attention 10 cNtcri,rs," several OF thc
most prominent men Of the profession havni
been especially given q this meth u ~ ahVerusiuE
themselves instead Of sticking conscicntiousy to the
proper rule In the Of budins to be occupied uN
the uvinc-thc ralc. namely, Of designing o"'"'ruN
from tho i.t.ror lines from the plan and scctlon not
lDvarily "a, In the ca-c of structure built eXcu'VeF
AS a monument from tac facade to the plan.
T. am glad too. that hc call attention 10 inc
growing owl "a great evil ultimately for both the pnp
lie and tho pr.f.,..,n II not successfully di''oun
tenao,od bcforchaud-of exhibiting "pcturc'P"'
effects as bona ndc architectural drawings
T. Uut doubt whether he j. correct IN giving
much NOR, credit e. architects ot previous 'lH'' IVA"
~, Of our, f,r g., ,uccc--ful embodiment III thef
wor, Of the idea 4 art quality. Of utility ana a''
of ALL "of the natural effect Of cnV'iohi''h' -'"'
l,,, II for no other reason than because III MAJ"
cas-, . environments have. more or le>' successive"
changed with successive cp1ch'. some si''' ''i'''
have Il, ted p,rt,y because their construction was oi
the best ard paitly because successive s'''uo'l''
rr,.,,Illn, tha. fhcy best fulfilled the conditions
,.,r,i n,,c sn,roa them while destroying Others In
iehaU - tr. ,lrr.ut u-c of their sites. MA 50
doubtic- il Will bo with thr best o our
a. trt-i that every well educated anu 'NP'l
architect. with proper endowment VII" -, '
corn. ,, Ib, IN, .,li agree with yru most h'AIlN'
that bchuuvc, architect ~ j., u''. '',,t',,r
and other professional m'a by mran' m "i 49, tubld
and advance professional standards. sHch "rEitinnA
ton, already cNi-t after l""-; H'.,n t,,",r, ,, ,iJ
volunteer work on th' pait& & o.. nc c,, togrtbrr The
i,or. r. tv th,y avail themselves Of the Narou- ch
pcrcucc- they have arc' sancd. t' i"rc @ ' f,
they hold fast T. ti't "m'" j., s""r; i 'o hirh mo
f..onaI standard" lc reached. and the easier VIII u !"
for worthy practitioners ol "Fcfy sio oi ,',CI ~, ,c "
opportunity ) reap their cue It"''1 j @ yn sr,.
Z, thor profc ,ioud successors "iirh thril HNn
ui,tforn ~ assured aud mutually profitable under
standing ON which they and the publl' that cmp1NI
them may firmly stand n>tcau ol lhc IT," "u,.,,,i
and slippery Plinh- "h "hI'" t"o" ' + 'utnoV
career BEGAN. - - ~
New.YorS. Jan. -. 1891.