The San Francisco call., 1897-07-29
To Be the Most Magnificent
Edifice of Its Kind in
the World.
FOUR MILLION DOLLARS FOR
a STARTER.
Greatest Architects of Europe Are
Invited to Compete With
Americans.

NEW YORK, n. Y, July 2S.-The presi-
dent OF the University of California, one
OF the trustees and one of the State board
of regents have inaugurated a movement
which, if their plans are carried out, will
result ultimately in the demolition of part
of the present buildings at Berkeley and
the erection of new ones on a most cIab-
crate scale. The scheme has been
.broached to q mum Der of architects of this
city. One OF these, who intends 10 enter
into the proposed competition, outlined
the plan to Sun reporter to-day.
SHORTY after B. r Maybeck was called
10 the chair of architecture at the univer-
SHY he submitted plans for new college
10 the trustees and regents. The univer-
sity he had in mind was planned on too
broad a scale for the trustees. who told
him he was too visionary and ought to
cOnhne himself TO teaching. One trustee.
J. B. Reinstein, however, thought more
OF the young architects ideas than the
rest, and he interested a number OF
wealthy Cahfornians in the scheme. The
one who offered the most substantial sup
port was Mrs. Pneba A. Hearst, who
promised to deiray he expenses of pre-
pairing the plans. Then Reinstein went
10 work as follows, in the words of the ar
chitect with whom the reporter talked:
"Reinsiein entered into correspondence
with all the architects OF any prominence
in all parts OF the country. Tnen he and
Maybeck made a tour from California to
New \ ork and from Canada to the gulf.
They stopped at every large city and con-
suited Leading architects. When they ar
rived at New York leading architects here
entertained Reinstein and May eck at the
Federation OF Fine Arts. Then the
scheme was laid before US. We were told
that California wanted to build the finest
university in the world-not only the
finest in the world, but so planned as TO
be the finest in the future.
The general scheme had to provide
buildings Tor the present and also for
buildings to be erected in the future.
Each was invited to submit plans. which
showed our conception of a great univer-
sity now and our conception of what
great university would be hundred years
hence. We learned that in all probability
the plan would not be carried out at once
in fact, we were told that only such build
ings would be built as could be paid for
with the money raised, but that there
would be more money some time, if not
all at hand, TO comp plete the university ac-
Then, when other buildings should be
built, the desire was to have them con-
form in Style and IN architecture TO those
already erected. In other words thew
wanted plans for buildings which,
whether erected next year or in 1898.
would follow one general scheme. We
were appalled, at the magnitude OF the
scheme.
After leaving here, Reinstein and Nav.
vie tod
mSny, Austria and Hungary, con sulting
the most famous architects. English
architects didn't take to the scheme. In
Paris the venera bic GARNER invited Rein
stein and May beck to his house and had
himself propped mp on pillows 10 hear the
plan. Having heard, be gave his unquali-
he'd approval, promising all the assistance
bis age and infrmities would permit.
Returning from Europe, the two en-
bassadors reported 10 the trustees and re-
gents. So faVorably was their report re-
ceived that a commission of three con-
slsting Of one trustee. one regent and the
president OF the college, was appointed
to conduct the preliminary work. They
decided upon International competition
and then secured the services of Gaudei,
professor of theory in the School Of Fine
Arts in Paris, TO draft prospectus. eau
det is at work on this now and expects to
IL.
This prospectus will describe the site for
the university, the lay of the ground and
mum Der OF acres upon which the buildings
may be erected. Then Will follow an in
vltation to the architects of the world to
submit plans for q university on the
largest scale they can conceive.
I'm order that no architect shall IN der
take such a stupendous task, with the
po sibility of no remuneration, r:zes are to
a rHn n nF,nC IA = h. 49,
one set Of plans will be far superior to all
the rest, yet there may be many sugges-
tlons conveyed In the plans Of others ad-
vsable to adopt. Therefore, every archi-
tect submitting plans i'll which there is
anything OF value will receive prize. As
soon as The prospectus is drafted 1t will be
printed in all living languages and sent 70
all the countries of the world.
ITO Judge these plans the committee
has secured the services of a jury of fa-
nous architects, comprising Pascal of
France, Paul Wallot of Germany, Thiersch
of Austria, Zegler of Hungary, Zaconni
OF ltaly, Norman Shaw OF England and
one from this country yet to be
chosen. In addition to the jary
including Alma Tadema, Puvis de
Chavames Andre and Lanciani, land
scape architects of France and Ilaly, and
krause OF Germany. To this board will
be added an American mem Der, likely to
be Augustus st. Gaudens. The lury will
meet al Antwerp at the ED of The time
set for submission of plans, and they will
Judge their merits.
''The architect whose plans as a whole
are judged best will probably be selected
as supervising architect, while three or
four whose plans are adiudged next best
will probably be selected to assist In the
supervision OF the work. The Jury and
advisory board are to be perpetual When
a member dies the others are to elect his
successor. The object of this is to insure
against the possibility of some one getting
on the jury or advisory board who will
want to change the adopted scheme of
the buildings.
ain addition to paying the expenses of
this preliminary work Mrs. Hearst is. l
understand, to contribute the money for
the PRINCIPAL building. A fund of about
81, ,O00 900 has already been pledged by
citizens OF California, and the rest of the
money will be raised by annual appro-