The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-12
THE r1mEs=R1cHMoND: VA SUNDAY AUGUST II 1894

49, superylslng Architects
as,3po that the cost OF oincs ,be mast
gnvsrpment buildings mas .v naut winch
twenty ye.uu ,,,on the average 63 clio per
WI" ercsss OF cost OF cover iiineii. W.T. VIZ,
c,,sr prlyate work. wouid MAXI VIC sr,.,,
~ o,iice. architectural ana super lSoi
oh,{Des by the government Dear the ie
stIfl, IA the same services performer
,a ' or,vate architects OF Is 67-i00 per cent.
~ 4 per cent -.......
10 That the United states government
should have not. only the best pH Ha hnss
,het II is POSSIBLE 10 have erected, II CON
ceded 10y all, but that they are as Duil'
anv better than those erected Dy cohlpe-
tent private architects-murh iess 10
surh An extent as GO 6-lQ per cent. IS
deuled-and thorough examination anu
comparison Of the two classes OF work
boldly challenged.
II Is not proposed I'm this article to
discuss the question Of superiority OF
design OF government buildings as com
pared with those designed By the Aren't
iecturai profession.
II Is preferred rather 10 trust without
argument to the Judgment which The
growing taste Of the people IS making IN
the case.
bian Exposition at Chicago. and VINO
travel with their eyes open, these build
iugs speak for themselves. Attention
has NJ last been drawn 10 them, ana
comparison between the classes emu Gnu
lenged. and tho architects OF the country
without fear await the peoples Yeriict,
Tine seventeen scattered first Class
government buildings which have been
selected by lir. Brown for the purpose
Of a fair comparison with similar WyiN
done under different auspices ana by dll-
ferent methods are. however oniy -
"COpOrars Guard when compared WIN
the great number Of government DIld-
ings all oyer the country lnciuuins ~ -
also Of the sccOui and thlrd classes on
less expensive style and finish but "hlch
are the more numerous.
Some slight idea may, however. ne Eot-
ten Of the number OF goverhmeht Y"nI,
inss that have been-arc BENG; ahH "n,
b. ercctcd-hy referring lo the I'p'II
of Mr. " T.. Bell. Supervising Arcnitert
FOR 1sb5. who therein reports. clehty
buildings In different stages OF ERECTION
and later 20 the report az nus Suc'c7SLi,
AR s. H. Wfndrim for 1890. who reports
one hundred under construction. alteration
and repafrs and states the output OF
that Office had increased ~ per cent. III
fifteen years. ...,u4toe~s
IS probably Therefore a. mere bat"tehs
when compared with the aggregate 9I
the appropriatiOns that have been maze
hy congress since 40 for the phtchaSS
of sites. the erection, alterations anu
repairs ot the many government puliu-
irgs that have since that time been unltf
the charge Of the Supervising Afcmtrct ,
Office and We flush successive Ho'NH %
Interrogation points when we start 10
Inquira when and how mucH
las been ncodiessly eHpende3 II
the same proportion ~ o. ~
uer cent. excess over the cost or WORK
done for corporations or private parties
has prevailed In an the expenditures aha
Disbursements made through TINS our
govern menI bureau. 81,
The only answer that VIII probably
evar he discovered will be Southern
wei remembered reply 20 trouh4eso.Iue
questions That's one Of those thlhs7
no fellow can ever find out ,,-.,
II is mo- use 10 CRY over spit mig
for Fl has long ago been aos9rped. IN tne
oraninc+ that wero ever ready 70 receive
ID as long a5 the leakage was allowed
n IS about time. however. 70 take,
twist on The splgot. ard the pm now ne
f.re Congress known as the Mckaig hili,
II Il Ti-1 emh0lies in it's conditions tne
iasf precautionary measures against
future wasteful extravagance that ne
II0use and Senate Committees on Fuplc
RuUIfncs. assisted boy some of the ieaa!hR
members Of the architectural profession
devise. and IT IS hoped tho senator's ana
ras.ntativcs in Congress from VIRGIN ~
w1l aiva This important matter the ful
attention q Justly deserves.
&. n. READ, Jr