The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-12
GOVERNMENT ARCHITECTS.
A COMPARISON or THEIR WOHH
WIN That or THE PROFESSION.
The Public Bindings ara Inferior In Design
and Appointment, and tho Cost 10
Much Greater Thsn a should he,
Richmond. Va. Aug. I. 1891

that have been designed ana erected ~
the members Of the Architectural pro-
| fessiOn has been so rapid ana rehiai
| able as 10 call for frequent cofnp'li''
tary notices in the foreign press anu
| ARCHITECTURAL magazines, ana inehue,S en-.
! that profession abroad nave IN sI, he
| stances been sent over 10 sec W.,.@,o.ion
| progressive spirit Of AugIi D ,@,,rlohablv ac-
| had already DONE or WOMB UT """-'s .i|,i
| complish "a the artistic anu Pl'es-.,-
| application Of newly discoVeIcu 1"' vi"
| fences and methods % constr uc LII ,trge
That our national gov efhHi',,"'se n"t k~pt
| with but few exceptions, "a lll ~ ,
| apace with this spirit ~ lnI,ty,h ,bo.e
| and compare TO disadVah'LSc 80 - r.
Of the sapne class IN otH'f a.
Wel~kuoWu fact evident pv4H IT, -
! Observaut traveller sud to thS '.,,,rl.
! OF ARCHITECTURAL publications. ana nv a',',
That they are inferior Ia dF.lsn, ~ IL
appointments 10 q great nyliDr' ~ nv
| municipal and public nuiio'''s ,nH Aatlv
! size and class al home, r. Dt'oi''''2 800 o.
more apparent to the pubic ~ 20
! I'm artistic matters ana d"llltg ~ i'''
| Intelligent criticism has lHlpt Toy ''..,,,,., 80.
For years the architects 81 IN -
/ have protested against the Ci"t ot'5,,ge
design shown IN government w ,,.t
| as q disgrace 20 the country anu ~
ness men have qucsii0nfi w ~, no.
sary cost and great Length oil uHle
qJircd 20 build such structures d.. a.
cOrdance with the rules anu ~. , .,'t,'.
followed in the ONCE u the SupetVlSHs
architect, and which differed SO N' ,..al
from the expeditions and 'con' mic"l VIZ
IN which such work was aH WI a. ~,
better done nlthe Offices 81 competent
architects IN private practice. t,,o,.,,s
The members u 'oh{ I,sa' ~ 80
little about such matters have peen siOn
I'm being awakened % proper uu1Si
standing Of what was being 1one Wy Ini9
government office. and nenee, 0!.5 ~
for years took no dernlle dDty,i 80
CO. t.
the House and Sen9ts 'piniIllt' ,,.,,.1
Public Buildings and Grounds nave a"'t u
an appreciation Of the a"uNe - 49,
protests Of the members ahu Si,.f 49,
the American Institute ~ Art ~ "a
have received both attention fhh I"''
consdcration--aud biz DIS D,1oie '.n
pross the passage ~ "nlcn wa 1p'n ~,
way for the public buildings pl li't 81.
try being in the future de igheI ty 1.r
best brains of the architecture, tc-
instead Of by goyernnseIt NV.
and in bureau under poiluc'l f''''
control. .,t-.,. ,,,.
Government Pudding ANON aftulI D,-
selected from inc pI0fo 5sion ono
standing, experience end sulGt5s W me
previous work shall Doe n SUN .irn, H""'t
antee Of Their ability 70 carry 0ut sue"
huillirgs @s may be aWaIdru oI O..
trusted TO them. .,.
Con1ifh MS Under which g0Ftlntnt Ii "C'h
ItS lefn ana Ir NOW l'i.ia
the Office Of the supervising architect
shall quote frame ard use the d1la '9i
locted by Mr.. Glenn Brown. al ~ a0h7
tngtou, u. c., and which were lun'.'i-.
number of the American Archit' 'i
this issue. and 60 the cCmIattsuiS 'ny
bv II stltutcd. the attention II me puhhc
f. invited. Mr.. Brown has prepared
some tables Of oomUarfon le'W',h '."e
Of the best Buildings that nave oeeu
erected by the government In the Ii7l
twenty years. from $50 "a lN-' ana
those Of similar size. character. ma
signed and erected under the care ana
supervision Of architects in private pr7c-
ticc
This period covers an era IN which
more large AMI handsome public ana
private buildings have been erected in
This country than IN any Ike number
Of previous years, and the conditions
therefore. as to time when me same
prices for both materials and labor pro-
vailed are such as 10 Offer good oppor-
tunities for comparisons be'"ee" '''e
two classes of work.
These tables and the data contained
IN them are complied from ne Yefry
Official reports of the supervising arcn.-
tect TO the Secretary OF the Treasury:
n majority Of which are In the oihce
Of the writer. ana who, while drafts
man in that office in 1874 and 80 Was
engaged on some of the buildings r.
in these reports
If IS hardly go BIZ supposed That the
head OF a Bureau would submit reports
as to the effective and economical work
ing Of IT'S several departments which
did not make The best showing for ils
efficiency that the office records wouin
allow. and these reports may mere
fore De taken as authentic ana reNatlr.
Mr. Brown has also secured from use
architects themselves. reliable data o.
10 costs Of office w0rk-Cost for cr'io
foot ana time spent I'm execution OF
some Of the best constructed Dull 'lnt~
that have been designed hy arc1iHci-
in private practice. and erected unirf
their supervision within tho time men
toned. which include court nous
chambers Of commerce. exchange hbiil-
ires Office buildings and public ihrlil,+
and are Of u class 20 he fairly compared
with government court houses. custom.
offces and post offices, in the kind and
amount Of materials used and th"
methods Of construction.
These buildings arc divided into fhr"-
classes the first OF which includes thof
0f-fre proof construction thnlueuIui
and best material and finest finish, ana
q consideration Of which above "4l
suffice for the comparison 10 Wlich Do
is desired to draw the attention ~ uNse
who pay the taxes and contribute m"
money out Of which the government
buildings are erected.
The second table In the article referred
e. includes twenty-five On mst-ods-
FIRE proof buildings erected Tn some OK
the larger cities OF the country, tou
Boston, Mass. 10 Little Rock Ark, ann
from Trenton. n. j.. 10 Omaha Ne
traska.
Seventeen ~ Of those buildings We're
designed and erected by the eovrnuent
architects ofiice-and eight 90 by rrl-
vate architects.
The aggregate cost OF the seventeen
Government buildings amounts e.. ~
SN,"ts, ana the average cost OF each bllld-
Ing would De Sl,934.5fD.
The average cost per cubic foot on-
closed within the lines Of foundations.
side walls ard roofs. for the seventeen
government buildings Is 1913 cents per
cubic foot
The average time required by the eoy-
eminent Office o. erect each or th'".
seventeen buildings IS nine years and
The aggregate cost OF the eight build
iugs designed and erected bv private |
architects IS $1.572S5, sand The average
cost Of each would BE- A.t3l)5i.
The average cost per cubic foot within |
the same limits Of contents as above |
mentioned. is q il cents per cubic loot |
for private architects work.
The average time taken 20 eract e1cn |
OF these eight buildings IS two years, |
four and one-fourth months under SUI |
pcrvisiOn Of private architects.
The cost per cubic foot OF government |
work. designed in the office ~ the su-
architect and erected under the |
Supervision Of appointees of that ONCE, |
IS. therefore, for this class of work 90 |
per cent. more than the same class OF |
work cost IN the hands of private archi- |
teCts.
Taking the aggregate cost Of the seven |
teen government buildings considered and |
COMPARED with this table with other |
buildings. 10 wit, $32. SIS 23S. and taking |
C0 per cent OF same. II appears that |
these seventeen buildings alone cost The |
country Sl3 7S2 942 more than they would |
have done IN the hands Of cornnetent |