Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-03-09

HarperS The only diScOrdant arch1-
tectJral note at Jackson park is the
Government Building. 1t may have
been built by the best man in the world,
by good stoTy-teller and racOnteur,
by an able lawyer, or by a brilliant
veterinary surgeon; it is not in harmony
with the other buildings, and seems to
have been erected according to the
spirit OF tn Federal government, with
ont consultation with the architects.
The United States is spotted all over
with government buildings, custom-hous-
eS, poSt-Otfices, and court-houses, voted
by q generous and lOg-rolling people,
and built by Il Federal superintendent
Some of these buildings are hideouS;
some are simply commonplace; near
ly every one is embarrassing (Scme in
Washington eXceptedD, and incapable OF
OF responding to the demand Of art that
that it should raise 4 sentiment Of plea
sure in the breast of the spectator Now
anu then then superintendent may
| have been IN architect, and an honor
to his profession. But it WAS clearly
impossible for one man adequately to
cover so vast Il field, on have sufficient
variety Of conception to satisfy art or
! to meet the requirements of Il country
so varied as ours in climate, atmosphere
and sites. The consequence has been
monCtory, when it has not been some
tling more offensive. There are scores
! Of buiidigs as much alike in architect
ural ugilnesS as lOaVeS Of bread turned
i out OF 4 bakers oven. This is manu-
f1cture; it is not art; and it is not NyOr-
thy of an enlightened cOutJy that has
mOey to spare, and the whole ancient
and medieval world to draw on for
instruction, to say nothing of its being
the most inventive and ingenious of
nations. Now, if the construction Of
these Federal buildings had been given
to different architects Of genius and rep
utatiOn in the different states. we should
have not only variety, but noble edifices
scattered over the country, many Of
them worth q considerable journey to
see. There was q man by the name
OF -, who was the architectural boss
| when the Federal government was
spending millions annually in costly
constructions. 1t was probably lust
an accident that he didn't build our
War-vesseIs also But we were not
building many at the time It will take
years and years, and perhaps conf1ag-
ratlOnS, to get over him But think of
the presumption of in making the
design for a Federal building in Boston,
| for instance, while Richardson was
alive! Millions Of money wasted, not
even for revenue only, nor for protec-
| ton, but on the theory that q clever
man can play the fiddle, or twenty fid-
dies at the same time, although he
has never had fiddle in his hand And
not only that These miliOs might have
zoe into buildings that would not only
have been lasting credit to the conn
try, but would have been an instruction
to the people, would have educated and
raised the public taste, and been the
most powerful stimulent to the growth
Of high art in this country When the
President is sick, it is noticed that he
does not call in his supervising architect,
but summons the best medical skill
When Uncle Sam wants any more
buildings, we trust he viii allOt them
here and there, to skilled architects
who will each. thus chosen, have a no
bic ambition to serve the country with
his talents, and by the aid Of the al
He'd arts to erect buildings which shall
be admired and praised Alas Jackson
Park too late shows us how beautiful
we might have been If the talent of
the country had been stimulated and re-
warded by important public commits
sions, it is quite certain that the country
would have no reason now to fear com
parison Of It's architecture with that
Of any contemporary.