Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-09
FEDERAL BUILDINGS
Annual Report Of the Supervising
: Architect.
NEEDED CHANGE IN THE HRSNEY hC1
Aiming to Get Best Results for the
Government.
THE LOCAL UCTURE-

! James Knox Taylor, the supervising archi-
| tect of the treasury, has made his annual
| report. Up to this time all reports were
made to September 80. but this report bears
| date June 30, end of the fiscal year. Conse-
quently period of only nine months is in
| volved. Mr.. Taylor says, however. that the
results obtained have been in proportion to
| all entire years. Mr.. Taylor says:
Under the Architects Control.
AT the date of the prior report there
were twenty-five buildings in course Of con-
struction and since that date six have been
completed. There were also eight buildings.
exclusive of extensions, work on which had
not commenced: i. e.. Boise City. Idaho;
! Brockton. Mass; Camden. N. j.; Cumber-
| land, Md; Newport, Ky; Norfolk. Va;
Salt Lake City, Utah, and Stockton, Cal.
OF these last named buildings work on four
has since commenced.
There were authorized at the last seS-
sion of Congress fifty-Six new buildings and
the extension and repair of fourteen build
ings. AS stated in my prior report, there
| were 313 completed buildings under the con-
troll of this office exclusive Of marine hos
pitfalls and quarantine stations, and adding
the buildings completed since that time to-
gether with those in course of erection not
commenced, and those recently authorized,
exclusive of additions and extensions, there
are at this date under the control of this
office 800 buildings, exclusive Of marine
lows: Completed at date of last report. 313;
completed since, 6; in course of erection,
20; not yet commenced (ffty-six of which
were authorized last session of COngreSS),
60; total, 399.
insufficient Appropriation.
Attention is invited to the fact that
since the date of placing limits of cost on
many of the latter buildings, advance in
prices of material has been great, and it Is
obvious that the cost of work will result
in securing buildings, both in size and
character of materials, of a less extent
than contemplated when the limits of cost
were placed.
while Congress increased the annual
appropriation for the fiscal year 1900 on ac
count of repairs and preservation Of public
buildings, it may be again stated that the
appropriation for this year is manifestly
insufficient for the proper care and preser-
walton and modification of buildings of the
value of more than s1OO,OO00OO.
1T is also proper to call your attention
| to the fact that the appropriation for heat
| ing apparatus for public buildings. 1909 is
| inadequate, and as emphasizing and illus
| trating this fact one case may be cited, be-
| ing that Of this treasury building. Realiz-
ing the necessity for remOdeling and re-
| pairing an extensive plant heating a large
building specifications were prepared and
proposals secured The amount involved,
however, was nearly one-fifth of the entire
| appropriation, and with a due regard for
| the needs of the other buildings falling as
| a charge against the appropriation named,
1t became necessary to reject the proposals
and give attention to absolutely needed re-
! pairs to fit the apparatus for service dur
Ing the coming winter.
| The Tarsney Act.
GAS referred to in the preceding report
| the provisions of an act approved February
| 20, 1888, known as the Tarsney law. have
| eeen put in force, and at that time work
| on three buildings was then being prose-
cuted under its operation; contract, how
ever had at that time been executed only
| in connection with the erection Of the i'm
migration building Ellis Island, New
York. During the interval, however, con-
tracts have been entered into for the other
| two namely, for the court house and pos.
office at Norfolk, Va, and the post office,
custom house, etc, buildings at Camden,
N. J. With the exception, however, Of the
| last named building the work has not pro-
crossed to such point as to permit of data
! being compiled as to the advantages of this
method of doing the work. 1t becomes
more evident, however. that, as stated in
| last years report, notifications of the reg
ulations and possibly of the act itself, will
be necessary before much further work can
be projected under the language of the act.
| This matter, however, is one which de-
mands by its nature careful consideration,
| and will possibly, should you so desire, be
made the subject of further report. In
adapting this method, which is believed to
| be your purpose in connection with num-
Der of the buildings authorized during the
| last session of Congress, 1t Is suggested
that several buildings be selected which are
alike in character location and limit OF
cost and prosecuting work thereon under
the provisions of the Tarsney act, and re-
| tanning buildings of like extent and loea-
| ton for design, erection and completion UNI
der this office, maintaining a careful rec
| ord in each case, the result to determine as
| to which method is the better to adopt for
the governments interest, giving due con-
| sideraton to cost of construction. suitable
| ity for required and character and
treatment of design
Delay In Operations.
''In connection with the seeming delay in
| the commencement of actual operations I'M
| der new buildings, attention should be CIV
| en- to the fact that by reason Of limitation
placed by law, the preparation of prelimi-
nary drawings, and those for guidance in
| the actual construction cannot be under
| taken until all matters relating to the ac-
| QUESTION of land have been perfected and
| title thereto vested in the government.
| The details attending such acquisition are
many and conducted through the Depart
ment of Justice, and involve the eXpendi-
| ture of much time, frequently delaying the
commencement of building operations and
sometimes COHpllCdleu ny the Necessity loI
state legislation ceding jurisdiction over the
| land desired.
| Civil Service Methods Commended.
1.-The efficiency of the service both in this
| office and in the field under the civil service
| law is demonstrated. and the results have
proved most satisfactory"
Mr.. Taylor says that during the nine
| months of the year his bureau expended
| 81 1925 800, and incurred liabilities for ST.
| 7S1,921 The balances of appropriations
available are $40, 756, O65.
The Washington Building.
| Regarding the Washington office Mr.. Tay
| lor has this to say, under date, as already
stated, of June 30:
| Notwithstanding the difficulties encoun-
J tered many of them beyond the control of
+, this office, this building is now practically
| complete. and it is purposed at an early
| day to request the honorable Postmaster
| General to designate a representative to
| accept custody of the building and relieve
| this department from further responsibility
| in connection herewith
| Mr.. Taylor next gives statement of ap-
propriations for the building. beginning