The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-31
Supervising Architect by Competitive Exam
inatiou.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sir: The United States
Civil Service Commission ANNOUNCES q competitive
examination to Mi the vacancy in the position Of
Supervising Architect OF the Treasury" The adver.
tisement reads curiously like tho notices written by
Officers OF the Marine Corps engaged on recruiting
duty. in which (. Is said that men who enlist will
have excellent opportunities for foreign travel, good
clothing, wholesome food, and medical attend ance."
The United States Commissioners, evidently laboring
under tho dclusion that architects are day lAborers
scanning the columns OF newspapers for Male Help
Wanted" advertisements. say: 1.-THE salary of this
position. W hich Is one OF the most responsible under
the Government, is $4,000 per sunun. and It is hoped
that architects OF high %aItainments and reputation
may be induced by these considerations to enter tho
competition
This Is to say, architects whose foes average apy.
where from 10000 to SIS. 900 per annum are ex.
pected to enter n competition conducted by persons
who are ignorant Of the primary principles of arcbi.
lecture and engineering. and who hold out as n halt
that the man whose examination shows the hirheat
marks will he appointed &" supervise the design ani
As a matter OF course. no architect OF standing will
disgrace his profession by descending to the low
level Of the conl etition. and the ONCE will 20 10 some
political hack VINO WIN obey the orders OF the per.
run the supervisirg Arsohitsc1ss once SSiic Sa tn .a,. alton.
selves. Every architect. at home or abroad. is familiar
tects were induced to take the once Of super Sfch,,
Architect aud why they resigned.
who will appear before the United States Commis.
sionrrs IL fhould he said that the business OF a supeT.
vising Architect. as understood by pn,ittcizns ~ IN
spend his days and nights with persons with pulls,
who want contracts or births IN the department for
relatives or lady friends" During the last Admin.
istrat!On OF "Colsecration l." the SupcryIsin V AIrhi.
trCts were pursued from the dawn OF day until mid.
night 'y hordeH o. Mugwump atatesInen, rroopet
contra TOTS; ana poht,rai buns, who wanted every.
thing IN sight. nom a rake on" ON tAe Mint site 10
the cartlng Of building d6bris. One Of the men who
mace lifea burden Ia the department Was a high
priest or Mlgwnmpery IDr. Everetp. who declared
Oh e otunlp that h" would never solicit ono f,r AM
man. YET when u Post once was built in mis- d..
trict tat Lynn he haunted the Supervising Arcni,ect,s
onl;e every day bowling for onlces aud contracts;
aLd so ! was WHISTLER men of the same ktamD who
timed their notes TO the PeckBnInlan cant snih.
hIleth, Publ orh'e is n public trust and then
turned around aud demonstrated by their conduct In
once that a public onice IS 2 private picnic,
Let no architectural nedgling who enters the com.
petition Tor Supervising Architect he deceived by
she ~, clons promises of the commission. He might
AZ wen employ himself IN RItenptinR Ia sruii nm
iron ~cauldr0n mp Niagara Falls as 10 attempt To- TO-
FORM the Supervising Architect. depart nrit. Let
h9nest men stand ASIDE from the competi lon mud
They are the boys who Know huw 10 cover M, 81
peE cent In the sperifieAtions aud live at the rate of
SZo'OVO year on = salary OF $4,000.
q. WLgRED PEARcE.