Evening star., 1901-09-06
SAYS IT'S UNPFOFITABLE
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
ines James Knox Taylor, supervising archi-
tect of the treasury, said to a Star reporter
TODAY that. looked at purely from a 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 its own buildings, because
Of the dignity they lend to the government.
Il believe in public buildings in every
city and town Of the country" said Mr..
Taylor, although from business point or
view they are 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
500, 600 quarters could nearly always be
obtained for the governments uses at from
81 200 to $1,000 year. AT only per cent
interest these quarters cost 5000 a year.
The government, therefore, ioses at least
81 600 a 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 to
these buildings is 100000, an average of
81 600 each. At this rate the government
loss on public buildings Is easily 5000 a
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 its own build
ings. Nearly all small government build
ingS, Mr.. Taylor asserted are Improbable
from financial sense.
The investment in larger cities Is a doubt
full one 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 $4S;0OO a year.
It is going to invest $2,J0G, coo in a new
building. At present it's heat, light, jani-
tor and elevator service are furnished free.
The interest on $2,5O0,OO0 at per cent
would be $4,000 a year. Mr.. Taylor said
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
it sees fit for a public building, whether
or not that sum IS entirely in excess of
the size Of building that is needed It is
simply the business proposition OF existing
conditions that Mr.. Tayloraconiments upon.