The sun., 1893-08-14
THE NEW MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
The sharp Composition Among Architects
for the Prizes offered.

Tor the EriEcr onercd.
When an architect seeking to enter the com.
petition for the new municipal buildings ap-
piled somo time ago for the pamphlet OF in.
structions to architects issued by the Com.
missioners. he learned that there had been SOC
other applicants for the pamphlets This fact ia
not to be taken as indicating that 500 architects
have entered the contest, for doubtless many
architects have applied moro than once for the
pamphlet OF instructions. while many who ap-
piled did not enter the contest, and possibly
some persons asked for tho pamphlets out OF
curiosity. Neverth eless, the contest to close
on Sept l will probably include moro
competitors than any other such contest
in the history OF the city. When the city called
years ago for competitive plans for contem-
plated enlargement OF the City Hall, all sorts
Of am Litious architects entered the competi-
tlon. and some of the designs submitted were
crude to the verge OF absurdity The magni-
tude OF tho building now contemplated has
probably scared OF the least competent men.
but the lvo prizes OF $4,000 each have at.
tracted q great many some OF whom doubt
less shrink from undertaking the actual con-
struction OF the great building.
Competent architects who have q large busi-
ness and whose time consequently Is valua-
Bile. do not regard tho prizes as forming a
strong inducement to enter the competition.
such an architect would hire drauEhtsmen to
do much of the work. and when their wages
md his own time had been counted he would.
4 winner OF 5000 prize. clear scarcely half
tive ts t" younr arthitect % not yet bustd With
practical work. as he could do all the drawing
himself and SO make his wages and something
must put in fully three months of steady. hard
work upon tho design and plans 4 he is TO
he nrchitsets VIII" were invited to enter the COM
petition for the Cathedral OF st; John the Di-
vine were at work upon their plans one Of the
Busy ali day eF and
finally a, tho time for putting In the designs
drew near. a night force OF draughtsmen was
The designs and plans Of tho municipal build
ings will be made less elaborate than those Tor
rily rich in detail; but the building TO be eroct-
ed in the city will be one of the largest struc-
out in a straight line would extend more than
flve short city blocks. and. though 1t is to have
f6s % yE 5s a
The great fee and the wide reputation that
will come to the successful competitor have
made this competition attractive to the he st st
upon 'f whom the award Shall fall will find his
and his personal outlay for the work. not
counting his own time. may easily reach
$4,000 The Of s9Rs bs
drawings to be presented In competition for
the award will be useless in the, practical work
OF CONSTRUCTION anu VIII lnclEue Ouly u
percentage Of the detail! that must he CAREFUL y
wrought out in practice. II the award shall
fall upon nonresident architect. 1t viii
proba lily result in his permanent removal to
New York, He must. at any rate at once estah.
lish an Office here and maintain It for several
years to como. He must have the aid OF a
highly competent bu lding engi neer at u high
salary. and must equip his local office with 2
dozen assistants and drauRhtsmen some OF
whom must lie men OF technical education.
The architect himself must spend much Of
his time in this city looking after the work. and
for the first year. Mt least. he must neglect
other things to attend to II. There are few
non resident architects of sufficient business
to make it worth their while to maintai N a Sec
claims their attention here. Besides. the reru-
tation likely to come to the architect OF the
municipal building would be such AS to pro-
cure him plenty Of other work here. and as
New York il first in architecture as in other
arts. few architects could resist the attractions
OF a field ready to hand in this city.
Should the award fall to q resident architect
with largo business and a wel-elnipped
office the expense would he somewhat less
than in the case OF n non-resident Every
large and important firm of archit terts n New
York includes as partner or highly paid em-
ployeo a competent building engineer. The
employees OF sucn mn Office seldom number
than thirty These include dra uGhtsmen OF all
grades. from the unpaid apprentice who is
glad to work for year or two at the hardest
drudgery in order to Obtain a knowledge OF
tho business up to the skilled architect, with
taste and knowledge that enables his employ
work. Between these extremes are hraugh.s-
men Of varying powers some OF whom earn
only s. Il weck. and most OF whom probably
less than $50.