Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1893-02-23
GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
At the worlds Pair and Elsewhere Not
Architectural Beauties.

Architectural Beauties.
| The only discordant architectural note
at jackson Park Is the Government
Building. 1t may have been built by
the best man In the world, by good
story-teller and raconteur, by an able
lawyer, or by brilliant veterinary sur
geon; 1t Is not in harmony with the other
buildings, and seems to have been erected
according to the spirit of the Federal
government, without consultation with
the architects. The United States Is
spotted all over with government build
ings, custom-houses, postoffices, and
court-houses, voted by a generous and
log-rolling people, and built by FEEDER
al superintendent. Some of these build
Jugs are hideOus; some are simply COM
monplace; nearly every one Is uninter-
esting (some In Washington excepted),
and incapable Of responding to the de-
mand of art that should raise a senti-
ment of pleasure In the breast of the
spectator. Now and then the superin-
tendent may have been an architect, and
an honor to his profession. But it was
clearly impossible for one man adequate
ly to cover so vast field, or have suffi.
Gent variety Of conception to satisfy art
or to meet the requirements Of a country
so varied as ours in climate, atmosphere,
and sites. The consequence has been
monotony, when it has not been some
thing more offensive. There are scores
OF buildings as much alike mar chitectur-
al ugliness as loaves of bread turned out
OF bakers oven. This is manufacture !;
it ia not art; and it is not worthy of an
enlightened country that has money to
spare, and the whole ancient and
medieval world to draw on for instruc-
tion, to say nothing of its being the most
Inventive and ingenious of nations.
Now If the construction Of these fed
eral buildings had been given to differ
emit architects of genius and reputation
In the different states, we should have had
not only variety but noble edifices scatter
ed over the country, many of them worth
a considerable journey to see. There was
man by the name of -, who was the
al chitectural boss when the federal gov
eminent was spending millions annually
In costly constructions. IL was prob
ably just an accident that he didn't
build our war vessels Also, But we were
not building many at the time. 1t will
take years and years, and perhaps con-
ANe oSoAOhos w 6OO oSOi 1uG Ullluh
of.the presumption of - in making
design for federal building in i Boston,
for instance, while Richardson was alive?
Millions of money wasted, not even for
revenue only, nor for protection but on
the theory that a clever man can play
the fiddle,so twenty fiddles Fat the same
time, although he has never had fiddle
in bis hand. And not only that. These
millions might have gone into buildings
that would not only have been a lasting
credit to thelcountry,f but would have
been an instruction to thespeople. would
have educated and raised the public
taste, and been the powerful stimulant
to the growth of high art in the 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 will allot them,
here and there, to skilled architects, who
will each, thus chosen, have noble am.
bition to serve the country with his tai
ents, and by the aid of the allied arts to
erect buildings which shall be admired
and praised. Alas! Jackson Park too
late shows US how beautiful we might
have been. II the talent of the country
had been stimulated and rewarded by
by important public Commissions, it ia
quite certain that the country would
have no reason now to fear comparison
of its architecture " it'll that of any con-
temporary.