Evening star., 1901-09-06
SAYS IT'S UNPROFITABL :
THE PRESENT PRACTICE WITH GOV
ERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Supervising Architect Taylor Declares
That 1t is Cheaper to Rent
Than to Build.

On the general subject of public build
ings James Knox Taylor, supervising archi-
tect of the treasury, said to Star reporter
today that, looked at purely from busi-
ness standpoint, the government makes a
bad investment when 1t erects it's own
buildings. This is often true in large cities
and nearly always true in small cities. If
the United States were an investment COM
pany instead Of a government, said Mr..
Taylor, it would never think of putting
money into buildings like those erected
by Uncle Sam. Nevertheless. Mr.. Taylor
believes that the United States should con-
tinue to build it's own buildings, because
of the dignity they lend to the government.
81 believe in public buildings In every
city and town of the country" said Mr..
TAYLOR although from a business point of
view they are a loss to the government.
We have cosmopolitan population and the
people who come to us from abroad are
accustomed to see governments own their
own buildings. The policy of this govern
ment is not to be stingy in the matter of
public buildings, and our large, fine build
ings carry to all classes OF people the idea
of wealth and power.
Mr.. Taylor said that In city where the
government erects a building at a cost of
100000 quarters could nearly always be
obtained for the government s uses at from
81, 200 to $1,000 a year. At only 3 per cent
interest THESE QudIltiS CoSl Sc,ooO d SSai
The government. therefore, loses at least
81 600 year on the investment in addition
to the amount it annually expends on re-
pairs There are about 400 public build
ings throughout the country, and the an
nual cost of repairs and alterations 10
these buildings is 100000, an average of
81 ,GO0 each. At this rate the government
loss on public buildings is easily $1,000
year Still another consideration is that
in rented buildings heat, light, janitor and
elevator service are furnished free to the
government, while the government has to
supply this at it's own cost in it's own build
ings. Nearly all small government build
ings, Mr.. Taylor asserted, are Improbable
from a financial sense.
The investment in larger cities Is doubt
full also, Mr.. Taylor continued. He
gave Cleveland Ohio, as a sample. The
government is renting all the buildings it
needs in that city today at SiSO00 year
1t is going to invest $2,JW,O00 in a new
building. At present it's heat light, jani
tor and elevator service are furnished free
The interest on s2,500OO0 at per cent
that the same thing was true in nearly
every city In the country.
Mr. Taylor does not attempt to enter into
a discussion of the question whether or not
Congress provides buildings unnecessarily
large and costly for the various places
That is a matter not suitable for him to
discuss, as it is strictly within the right
of Congress to appropriate whatever money
1t sees fit for a public building whether
or not that sum is entirely in excess of
the size of building that is needed. 1t is
Simply the business proposition of existing
conditions that Mr.. Taylor comments upon.