Evening star., 1897-06-08
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Competitive Examination for a New
Supervising Architect.
LEADING ARCHITECTS WILL CONTEST
Secretary Gage to Give the Act Of
'o3 a Trial.
DEFECTS TO BE WAIVED

Secretary Gage told a Star reporter to-
| day that the prospective vacancy in the
| office of supervising architect of the treas
ury will be filled by competitive examina-
| tion. The examination, he said, will be
| conducted by the civil service commission
which body will avail itself of the advice
| and cooperation of committee of archi-
| tects of established reputation in the prep
| aration of series of questions intended
| to demonstrate the general and technical
knowledge and skill. as well as the admin
istrative ability, of the various candidates
Preparations are now being made for the
plans for it, including time and place, will
be announced in short time
Secretary Gage regards the office as one
of the most important in the Treasury De-
partment, and he wants to fill it with the
best man ne can get without re.ard to
politics MIR. Aiken, the incumbent practi-
caIly severed his connection with 1t on the
5lst uitlmo. AS will be remembered, he
resigned by request, the action Being taken,
as Was explained at the time Tor the
good of the service
In accepting Mr.. Aikens resignation
however, the Secretary of the Treasury
granted him leave of absence until lime
30, SO that technically he will be in office
up to that date. Meanwhile the affairs
OF the office are being administered by Mr.
hemper, chief executive officer, who will
continue 10 act as supervising architect un-
III permanent appointment shall nave
been made.
flans for Public Buildinxs
An important question under serious
consideration by Secretary Gage in con-
lection with the selection of a new s;,uer-
vlsins architect is the practicability of the
enforcement of the provisions of the Tars-
fiey act of February 20, 1888 authoriziny
the Secretary of the Treasury to obtain
plans and specifications of public buildings
by general competition
That act provided as follows:
'Ee 1t enacted, etc, That the Secretary
OF rhe treasury be, and the same is hereby,
authorized, in his discretion, to obtain
plans. drawings and Specifications for the
erection OF public buildings for the United
states authorized by Congress to be erect
ed under the supervision and direction of
the secretary of the Treasury and the local
SUPERVISION of the construction thereof Ly
competition among architects under such
conditions as he may prescribe and to
make payment for the services of the archi-
tect whose plan may be selected out of the
appropriations of the respective irlildi: gs:
Provided That not less than five architects
shall be invited by the said Secretary to
compete for the furnishing CT such plans
and Speci1ica tionS and the supervision of
such construction: And provided furt her,
1hat the general supervision of the work
sfall continue in the Office of the SUPER
vlsing architect of tie Treasury Depart
ment, the supervising architect 10 be tho
representative of the government in ali
matters connected with the erection and
completion of such buildings, the receipt
of proposals, the award of contracts there
for, and the disbursement of moneys there
under ha mi haf
pertain TO his Office, except the prCpara-
ton of drawings AMI specifications for such
buildings ard the local supervision of the
construction thereof, The said drawings and
specifications, however, to be subject at ali
times to modification and change relating
to plan or arrangement OF building and
selection of material therefor, as may be
directed by the Secretary of the Treasury"
Ex-Secretary Carli~le's Position.
No action has ever been taken under this
statute. Secretary Carlisle regarded it as
impracticable in it's present form, and en-
deavored to have Congress amend it SO as
to meet his objections. He prepared sub
stitute bill having that end in view but it
never reached the legislative stage In re-
sponse to a resolution of the House of Rep
| resentatives of March 16. 1894, Secretary
Carlisle gave the following as some of the
reasons why the provisions of the act
object:
That there was a conflict between the
provisions of the present act and the pro-
visions of certain other statutes regarding
public buildings; that 1t was necessary
10 prepare comprehensive scheme un-
der which competition could be arranged
ana a method provided for selecting a Jury
OF award to pass upon the designs received
In such competition. that the relations
OF the successful competitor with the Sec
retary OF the Treasury and with the Sd
pervising architects office should be clear
iy established and defined by contract:
that the required change in the method of
preparing the plans, drawings and specifi-
cations would necessitate reorganization
Oh the Office of the supervising architect
a REDUCTION in its force the rearranpeuent
OF the different divisions, and the work to
De performed therein; that they should ex-
ahiiile the workings and details of the Office
IN order to make intelligent criticisms AM:
suggestions thereon"
Secretary Carlisle also contended that
the evident purpose of Congress. as ex-
tu,e p,esseu IN the Tarsney act. confiicted with
.he unrepealed section of the act OF March
u, !Sio, which provides as follows:
NO money shall be expended upon any
pubic building upon which work has not
yel S, peeh actually begun until after draw
ihgs and specifications, together with de-
tailed estimates of the cost thereof shall
nave oeen made by the supervising archi-
tect OF the Treasury Department, and said
P-"Ai'' anu estimates snail have been an
proved by the Secretary of the Treas,,rr
the secretary of the Interior and the Post
master General ~
Among the amendments to the Tarsney
Dill suggested by Secretary Carlisle was
one that the supervising architect of the
treasury be authorized to prepare a scheme
Tor the contemplated competition. such
sSneme sen TO be subject to the approval of
tne secretary of the Treasury. Another
was that the commission or Jury of award
should consist of five members, three of
whom should be architects Of recognized
professional standing and experience. and
TWO business men or government officials
TO be appointed by the Secretary of the
Treasury. He also suggested that 1t be
provided that the architect should have
entire control of all the details pertaining
TO the construction of the building in the
manner in which architects customariIy
control them. and the duties of the super
vlsins architect be limited to general su-
pervIsiOn, to protect the interests of the
government during the course of construc-
ton, or that the competition should be
|