Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-01
M ANY APPLICANT S
Men Who Would Like to Be Architect of
the Treasury.
The Office to BE Recognized Before
an Appointment is Made
On the List.

AS soon as he gets his annual report and
other congressional business out of the
way Secretary Carlisle will take up for
final consideration the question of the re-
organization of the Office of the supervis-
ing architect of the treasury, including the
appointment of a supervising architect
which office has been vacant ever since the
involuntary retirement of Mr.. O'Rourke of
New Jersey several weeks ago. This ap-
pointment will not be made, however, until
the office has been entirely reorganiZed I'M
der the plan now under consideration by
the Secretary. The main feature Of this
plan is the division of the business of the
office into two parts, one having the entire
supervision of the purely technical affairs
and the other having charge of all the UNI
technical business. This arrangement will
enable the architect to devote his entire
attention to the design and construction of
public buildings, privilege never enjoyed
by any of his predecessors, and at the
same time will devolve all the purely rou-
tine work of the Office upon the architects
chief assistant. 1t is hoped by this plan to
correct the abuses and errors that have
heretofore characterized much of the work
of this most important office.
1T has been suggested to Secretary Car
Isle that he appoint three or five officers
OF the division committee to open and
consider all proposals for public buildings
tract. and that the Secretary base his
action on this report. Secretary Carlisle
has said that in the future contracts, In
every instance. will be awarded to the low
est responsible bidder, and that this rule
will not be broken under any circum-
stances. The department will also fix a
time limit for the execution of all work,
and penalty clause will be feature OF
future contracts. In calling for proposals
the specific kind Of stone desired will be
clearly stated, and there will be no occa-
sion for the bidders to submit from two to
a dozen alternate propositions, as is often
the case under the present system, where
bidders have to make their estimates In
the dark, far the character OF the
stone to be used is concerned. The opening
of bids by custodians will be discontinr ned,
and all bids relating to the work on public
buildings will be opened at the department
in the regular way. This will remove all
possibility of collision and favoritism.
superintendent of public buildings will he
appointed by the department., as at pres
ent, but hereafter such appointments will
be confined to pract teal builders, Or to
men having a good knowledge of architec-
ture.
lures in the proposed reorganization of
the architects office, and 1t Is believed
that it's Inauguration will result in much
good to the country at large In the i'm
provement of the architecture of gov
eminent buildings and also In the practi-
cal administration of the business of the
office. Architects in all parts of the coun-
try have made application for appoint
ment as supervising architect. The office
pays $500 a year and has the annual dis
bursement of millions of dollars in public
Improvements. The applications on file at
the Treasury Department already number
twenty-five The list includes the follow
ing names: J. III. DevrauX of South Car
DINA; Henry Walters of Kentucky, Chas.
Paliser and j. r. Thomas of New York,
j. ]. Kouhn and c. j.. F. Kroft of Illinois,
E. J. Lind and ]. Crawford Nelson of Mary
land, ID. c. Earnest of New York. ID. b.
Woodruff and Alexander Blair of Georgia,
Glenn Brown and Charles Terrell of Nir-
ginia, +. E. Myers and George ID. Mason
of Michigan, ]. s. Briean of Colorado, d.
II. Gorsuch, +. w. Carlisle and w. NJ.
Poindexter of the District of Columbia,
William Foster of Ohio, f. M. Wheelwright
of Massachusetts,, f. r. Carswell of Del
aware and F. NJ. Howe of Missouri. Sec
rotary Carlisle realizes the great import
ance of this office, and has announced that
he will fill it with the best man he can
get from the ranks of the architects OF
the country. Mr.. Kemper, chief clerk OF
the office, who has been in charge ever
since the departure of Mr.. ORourke, will
have control of the strictly administrative
business of the office under the reorgani-
zation. He has made a good record, and
IL he were an architect would stand an
excellent chance of appointment as su-
pervisng architect.