Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-11
The Architects Perturbed.

The architects of the country are very
much perturbed just now. The Grand Axis,
Grand Vista Billon-dolIar plan of
Architect McKim and Architect Burnham
for the Improvement" of Washington
met the enthusiastic approval of all the
other architects. There was millions in 1t
for them in the way of commissions and
builders profits in the execution of this
bihion-doliar project. 1t IS d matter or
business with them. and of course they
are justified III looking after their business
interests. But they are not Justified in
their somewhat devious methods of sus-
tanning their cause. Thus to maintain
their claim that the grand old trees on the
Mall can he moved without injury they
quote from the statement made in 1SSi-
twenty-three years ago-by Frederick
Law Olmsted. that of the hundred or more
trees of considerable size transplanted in
the Capitol grounds ten years before, only
two had died as the result Of the removal.
They ignore entirely the statement made
now by Superintendent William r. Smith,
who knows the history of every tree in
Washington. that only two or three of
the trees mentioned now alive, and
that these were young trees Of small size
when transplanted.
Again it is pretty fragrant case of
misleading statement when, in their
eagerness TO get the handling of this bill
lion-doilar expenditure. they make as
sertiOns that are a shadow of a shade of
slight defieNion from the exact truth.
For instance. their claim that the archi-
tect commission plan for repldnting Will
provide hundred trees for every one
now standing. They know perfectly we'll
that the architects plan for repdnting
has no earthly chance of being authorized
by Congress for fifty years, if ever, and
should they even get that authority It
VIII take another half century before the
trees are grown to Il size to afford any
adequate shade In the meantime, they
want TO slaughter all the trees. and lay
a sun-baked track 800 feet wide opening
out upon nothing but the rigid lines of
the Washington monument.
1t is small consolation to the citizens of
the present generation that if the billion
dollar project of the architects should be
realized in the next hundred years, their
great-great great-great- grandchildren may
enjoy the grateful shade of some hundred
to one of the square-clipped trees about
the shape and size of shoe boxes. and
placed in square shoe boX-shaped tubs. and
planted with shoe-peg closeness and regu-
larity, and many of them not much less
than ten feet high. as depicted in very
many plates in the report of the so-called,
seIf-appointed, congreSsionally-r epudiated,
uncommissioned park commission"
The architects are much disturbed now
by the prospect that the Grant monument
commission will turn down their plan of
getting an entering wedge for their bill
lion-dolar project by securing control of
the Botanic Garden. The Washington So
ciety of Architects had hurry meeting
last week. when they enthusiastically APP
proved of the approval by the Washing
ton Chapter of the American Institute OF
Architects of the architects of the So
called, self-appointed, congressionally-re
pudiated, uncommissioned park commits
SION They also resouted to send notice
to Secretary Taft and the Grant monu-
ment commission that they heartily APP
proved of the billion dollar project. 1t re
mains to be seen what effect the reso-
luting of these disinterested gentlemen
will have upon the Grant commission