Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-29

pensation paid by the department under
the law to private architects was per cent
on the cost OF the building. The service
rendered by such architects is the same
they would render to private plans, with
the addition that they are burdened with
correspondence and DEATHS with the DE-
partment which they would not have In
private work. Public employment, there-
fore. is not SO profitable to them as private
work.
A large city Office with its expenses OF
organisation would leave the architect q
profit of not more than 2 per cent.
Senator Dryden said that this letter con.
firmed his own experience that the most
wasteful and extravagant thing Is to en-
ploy a cheap architect An experienced
architect with q well organised ONCE OF
skillful men could make a difference to
plans and specifications for this building.
Senator Gallinger said that one OF the
high-prfced architects had been employed
in the reconstruction of the White House.
He did not know at what cost, but un-
doubtedly a large sum had been paid, and
II he could not find in his own state OF
New Hampshire men who would do as well
for very much less money he would miss
his guess.
Gould you find architects to equal that
Presidents Office down there?" asked Sem
ator Cockrell, In a tone of intense sarcasm.
Senator Gallinger replied that the criti-
was the President of the United States with
an office that second-rate lawyer or q
third-rate doctor might be contented with.
NO one who sees the work can help wish
Ing that 1t had been undertaken by some
Missouri or New Hampshire country arch
itect
Senator Newlands suggested that there
was an immense amount of work in the
preparation Of competitive plans and that
1.-THE architects drawing up such plans have
to pay subordinates who are draughts-
men. and other experts. He had known Of
architects who had told him that they
hesitated going into a competition because
the plans would cost them 5000 or SIC, 200,
for which they would not be reimbursed un-
less they happened to get the award.
Senator Tillman paid his compliments to
the architectural features of the executive
office and to the post Office building in this
city.
IF 1 am any judge Of a building" he
said, those buildings are abortions, and IL
there Is any proposition to place such
thing opposite the White House we had
better 60 slow
Defends the Architects.
Senator Dryden suggested that the White
House had been criticised. he thought per-
haps unjustly. He said 1t was only fair
to say that architects are often unfairly
judged because of some Limitation connect
ed with their conduct Of the work. The
White House Office building may have been
the result of such plan. He said that he
did know that the architect who re-
modelled the White House had designed and
built some Of the most beautiful architec-
tural structures In the world.
make no exception he said, "and I
realize the breadth and force Of that state
ment when 1 make It, An architect is
often at a disadvantage In his work, and
he Is sometimes reflected on because he
Is dictated to by his employer and he does
not have his own way. 1 do not know who
decided upon the addition to the White
House: l know I do not like that, but
that in my judgment, does not initiate
one 1ota against the architect"
Senator Gallinger said that II the office
of the supervising architect of the treasury
Is not properly equipped to design build
ings for the government he hoped that
some day it would be- He said that now
substantially all public buildings are built
under plans made by private architests.
Senator Proctor said that he thought
whatever the government did In this mat
ter of having plans drawn, it should take
the course followed by private individuals
who desire to have beautiful houses de-
signed and built. He thought that as the
government has officers who can supervise
the building of its structures, It would not
be necessary to give the architects s per
cent. The architects association had rules
that applied to just such cases.
Danger Of Monotony.
He said the objection Of having all the
plans for government buildings drawn IN
der the direction of one architect was that
the architect falls into a rut. Some years
ago he remembered that the supervising
architect had hobby for the mansard
roof, and every public building he designed
had mansard roof.
The beauty Of the patent office, Treasury
department. building and the original plan
OF the White House itself was referred TO
by senator Hale, who said that they were
put up before the days Of the nor cont
architect. f
The White House." declared Senator
Hale. was most pleasing ediflce before
the 'shanty was built near It for an Office"
show the desirability of complying with the
rules OF architects in getting beautiful
structures built. He said that there was no
body Of men In his Judgment who were
more maligned than the architects.
Miscellaneous Bills Passed.
= When the Senate convened today 1t took
up and passed bills authorizing terms Of
the district and circuit courts Of Vermont
to be held at Newport, and for the south
ern district Of Florida. at Fernandina.
Also the following: Appropriating $780,
600 for the erection Of a federal building
at Bluefeid, w. Va.
For the relief of James Denton collector
for the eighth internal revenue district Of
Kentucky. for 1880 in spirit stamps.
which were stolen in transit The stamps
were useless to the thief az they had not
Providing for the holding of court Of
the southern district Of Indian territory
at Marietta.
Providing for appeals and writs of error
taken from the federal courts at Beau
mont, Tex, to be heard at New Orleans,
La
AMERICA At pTNc vAnn