The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-23
PLANS FOR NEW
Y. M. c. A BUILDING
ADOPTED AT A TRUSTEES MEET.
ING SATURDAY NIGHT.
Seymour Davis, of Philadelphia Is
Awarded First Prize in the Archi.
tects Competition-Green & wickes
of Buffalo Came Second-How the
Competition Was Conducted and
the Awards Made-The Successful
Architect Has Designed Many
Public Buildings.

The architects comsetition for the
proposed new Young Mems Christian
association building was completed on
Saturday night at a meeting of the
trustees of the Young Mems Christian
association, which lasted until a late
hour.
According to the prospectus, all plans
were in on Monday, Oct. 16. They were
opened in private room by Assistant
Secretary r. J. Hanes, who carefully
marked the drawings, a typewriter
memoir and a plain blank sealed en-
velope which contained the architects
name with corresponding numbers.
There was no cipher or device of any
kind permitted by the conditions and
no mark which could by any chance
betray the authorship of the plans,
forty-four sets of which were sub
mitted.
On Friday morning, oct. 20, at $50,
Prof. Hamlin began his examination of
the plans, giving to each set a thor
ough examination.
1t very soon appeared that eleven
sets out of the whole number con-
tained features superior to the rest,
and these were put in a class by them
selves. the others being set aside. All
day Saturday was given to the careful
examination and comparison of these
eleven sets. 1t soon developed that two
out Of this number of plans were far
superior to the others. These were
placed aside for future study as to
which was the best and two others
| which proved to be the best among
the nine remaining were selected for
| the remaining two prizes.
DECISION OF THE JUDGE.
Then the two best plans were placed
in close comparison. A calculation OF
| the comparative advantages and dis
| advantages and of the cubical contents
| of each was entered into and it was
| found that the award would stand
| thus:
plans No 81. first award
Plans No. is, second award.
| Plans No. - and 49, additional
| awards.
! The trustees met at s o'clock, when
| Prof. Hamlin made his report and ex-
| planned by exhibiting the four selected
sets in comparison, his reasons for
making the award as announced. Draw
| ings from the other plans We're also
| submitted for further comparison, and
| after long examination of the plans
| and short discussion of Prof. Ham,
! Inns report, it was unanimously adopt
| ed without amendment.
Then in accordance with the printed
| conditions, the blank, sealed envelopes
were opened in the presence of the
trustees and the names announced by
| General Secretary Mahy, and il was
| found that the result of the award
stood as follows:
First award, Seymour Davis. OF
Philadelphia: second award, Green &;
Wickes. of Buffalo: additional awards
Van Week & Goldsmith, of New York
and Decker, West & Cooper. of New
York.
The successful architect, who on in
qulry was found to be unknown to all
in the meeting, furnished in his sealed
letter the following statement:
SOME OF HIS WORK.
To the Trustees of the Y. NJ. c. A..
Scranton, Pa.
Gentlemen: Below you will find par.
tial list of the buildings which | have
planned and superlntended in the past
lew years. The exterior view of most OF
them have In book form which l would
be pleased to mail you on applications
| Hotel Flanders, Philadelphia, Pa. cost
$500, co.,
Chester High school, Chester Pa. $780,.
O00
Munyon's College for Girls, PhiIadel
phia, Pa, s2OO,0O0
Norristown High School 100000
state capital, Topeka, Kansas; Bridge
ton High school, Bridgeton, n. j.; Elec.
trical Engineering building. State univer
sity, Lawrence, Kansas Albert Memor
ial hall, Kansas State Normal school, At
Gibson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad
hospital and mary others
; Respectfully submitted.
Seymour Davis.
Messrs. Green & Wickes, who wor
the next award. are well-known II
Scranton as the architects of the AL.
bright Memorial library. Their desigr
was exceedingly artistic and elegant
but was found to be very much more
expensive than that of Mr. Davis. The
firm of Van Week & Goldsmith wer
recently awarded a prize and honor,
able mention in the competition for tn
New Haven Young Mems Christian as
sociation building, and were the sue
cessful architects in competition for thu
Young Mems Christian assoca tiol
building at Montclair, N. j., which ha
I recently been completed.
The firm of Decker, West e. Coope
3 was unknown to those present, thougl
: it has been learned today that tn
senior member Of the firm, Mr.. Clar
ence f.. Decker, is cousin of Mr.
E Bevan Decker, of this city.
The amounts of the awards are a
, follows: First award, $1,000, whicl
sum will be mart naVment of the regI