New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-24
PRICE THREE CENTS.
PLATT'S FIGHT ON GILBERT.
WANTS A NEW COMMISSION ON CUSTOM
HOUSE PLANS.
ALSO AN ARCHITECT MORE FAMILIAR
WITH WHAT NETWORK NEEDS"-sEC-
RETARY GAGE TO DECIDE BY
NOVEMBER l.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIPrNE1

tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrNE.1
Washington Oct Ex-senator Platt called on
the Secretary of the Treasury to-day to protest
against the selection OF Cass Gilbert as tho
architect Of the Custom House In New
York. Mr. Gilbert was recommended by the
Commission appointed under the act providing
for the erection OF the building The recon-
mendaton was made upon the advice OF experts.
Mr.. Platt's protest is ostensibly based upon the
fact that Mr.. Gilbert has not been a resident Of
New-York long enough. He desires the selection
of a man who has been identified with the city
longer than Mr. Gilbert has. and "who Is more
familiar" he expresses II. with what New
York needs" 1t is shrewdly suspected here that
the Senator is not half so anxious to secure for
the city Of New-York what she needs" he Is
intent upon seeing that no guilty political plum
shall escape him.
AS preliminary Mr.. Platt has asked the Sec
retary of the Treasury to appoint new Com
mission to take the matter under consideration.
and the Secretary has promised to decide upon
the request made by the Senator by November l.
The professional and artistic qualifications OF
the architect to be put forward by Senator Platt
do not seem to have entered into the discussion
OF the question at all
Cass Gilbert went TO Washington yesterday,
presumably to combat Senator Platts effort to
have Secretary Gage submit the plans OF all
the competing architects to a new Commission
for new adjudication. Before he went he said
that he knew nothing Of the political influences
which might be working against him, but he
could no business reason why the award or
the Commission should be set aside.
Mr.. Gilbert thinks that II the objection Is to be
raised that his residence in this city has been a
short one, Il should have been raised before he
was invited to compete. and not after. Archi
tects from Boston and Chicago were also invited
to submit plans. The building will be paid FOR
by the whole country and Mr.. Gilbert declares
that If his plans finally accepted the whole
busin ess Of construction will be conducted with
eye single to the interests OF the Federal
Government.
Carrere e. Hastings, OF No. ~ East Forty
rstst., whose plans, II is said. came the nearest
10 selection after those Of Mr.. Gilbert, declined
to discuss the question at all yesterday. From
another competitor however, 1t was learned that
Mr.. Taylor. one OF the Commission which Sc
lected Mr.. Gilbert's plans formerly part
ner of Mr.. Gilbert. and this fact. II Is said.
would likely be urged by Mr. Platt as one reason
for new Commission. This can be met by tho
argument that Mr.. Taylor is not the kind Of man
10 be influenced by such a consideration. that
three others among the competing architects
were also at various times partners OF his. and
that the other members of the Commission who
agreed with Mr.. Taylor on the choice OF tho
plans were not personally acquainted with Mr..
Gilbert