Evening star., 1900-11-26
SUPERVISING ARCHITECT
WORK ACCOMPLISHED ACCORDING
TO HIS ANNUAL REPORT.
weakness showx in the Competitive
System aYd a Remedy
Suggested.

The annual report of John Knox Taylor,
supervising architect of the treasury,
shows that one War ago the office had
under its eontroI $40 completed public
buildings, exfMsivetof marine hospitals and
quarantine stations. During the last year
eight completed buildings have been added
to the list, t6irty-tNo are in course of erec-
ton and work has not been commenced on
forty others.
During the past year says the report
"the competitive system authorized by the
act approved February 90 1893, has had
a practical test in its application to three
cases, and the results attained have been
satisfactory so far as designs and the
preparation of working drawings and specf-
ficationS are concerned, but in the matter
of actual construction and superintendent
Of the works SO favorable a statement can
not be made.
Weakness in the Competitive Scheme.
ut was recognized in. the discussions
which took place prior to the passage OF
the act that the weak point In the COM
petitive scheme was likely to be In securing
the efficient control of construction, and the
experience of the office has justified the
doubts then entertained upon that point.
1t is not intimated that there has been on
the part of the architects any failure to
charge the supervision usual in private
practice.
THE difficulties which have arisen are
believed to spring from the unfamiliar con-
ditiOns under which the architects work.
In private practice the architect, as super
intendent. stands between the contractor
and the client, and there are put THESE
three parties in the case. but In the con-
struction of public buildings the conditions
are far more complicated.
1.-THE honorable the Secretary OF the
Treasury, the supreme authority, Is nir1-
self not in the position Of the private client
who can do what he will with MS own.
Still less Independent is the position OF the
supervising architect, the government su-
perintendent OF the inspector, all OF "hom
have distinct functions to perform IN re,a era
ton to the building defined by statute ana
by regulation; and the terms Oh the act,
which provide that.the general SUPERVISION
OF the work shall continue In the once oI
the supervising architect etc, re4ulis ,,.,,,t ~
Intervention of all these agencies In limlta-
ton of the authority which the arcnltect
would have In private practice,
without entering into detail 1t Is sum.
cient in this report to say that 1t mas not
been found possible to coordinate In har-
mCnious action with the archtect an
these agencies, and that there nave result result
ed an excessive amount or Correspondents
contradictory reports, delays ana hlsuhoeA-
standings with contractors
Remedy Suggested.
'.It is. therefore suggested, with view
to improving the conduct OF business unoer
the act referred to, SO as to secure all the
advantages Contemplated by that leglsia-
ton and cure the practical defects before
mentioned, that the department. II legally
warranted aaIouidaain1it the services sup
plied by the architect successful under the
competition 4o+the FURNISHING of the design.
the workings dra wings, full-size details ana
specifications, leaving the superintendence
of actual construction under the charse Oh
the supervising architects office. which, un-
der the act, has already the general super
vision of the 'work and of all matters con.
nected with the erection and completion or
such buildings the receipt of proposals, the
award of contracts therefor and the dlS-
bursement of moneys thereunder.
This Office is far better equipped than
any private office for the practical and sue
cessful discharge of these duties through
its corps ofsexperts in construction. heating
and ventila ton, electric work, superintend-
ents and INSPECTORS, and laboratory for ex-
animation OF materials
'"The suggesttonlis, also made that ten
tative practical e1perikaent-- on. this, --ne.
should be made-in- the case of some build
ing submitted to. competition in the near
future. 81 .&ji -.o.-
"Or. should 1t be found that the terms Of
the act will not permit, it is suggested that
recommendation be made to Congress look
ing to its amendment in this direction