The Washington herald., 1908-03-01

! assertions TO the contrary: the Rookery,
the NfonadnOCk. the Woman's Temple.
the Railway Exchange-these are but a
few of the many buildings which have
made Chicago famous. architecturaliy
! that are the handiwork OF Mr.. Burnham
Cleveland, Philadelphia. San Francisco
and New York are some of the other
large cities that number Burnham sky
scraperS among their noted ones In
brief, nearly every city Of the first and
second class in this country can boast of
towering specimens Of Burnham archi-
lecture.
He has been the father Of more famous
skyscrapeTs than any other architect
And yet, from his point OF view. he hasn't
done much. HIS friends say that he will
probably go 70 his grave set in the belief
that he hasn't dene much unless he can
be assured beforehand that his plans for
beautiful Cleveland, or beautiful Chicago,
or beautiful Washington. or beautiful
San Francisco will ultimately be carried
to completion in whole or large part So
wrapped up is he in the idea Of the city
beautiful that II is the one subject on
which he viii talk 10 any great extent
with a stranger or an acquaintance. Of
late years he has spent a good sized Tor
tune studying the cities OF Europe famed
for their beauty. and in collecting data
on his favorite subject. He is beyond
preadventure of a doubt, the country's
leading authority on the city beautiful.
and his collection OF data cannot be
equaled in this country or abroad. His
low-members Of the national commits
sion for beautifying Washington freely
admit that his was the master mind in
the preparation Of the plans which, il
carried out, will make Washington city
of greater beauty, even, than Paris.
These plans were much written up in the
newspapers about four years ago.
Failed to Get Information.
Whenever any one has the temerity to
mention to Mr.. Burnham that he may
have a personality other than that of a
boss architect he SHES like a scared colt.
A Chicago interviewer once called on him
by appointment. Mr.. Burnham answered
politely enough all queries put TO him re-
garding architecture Then the inter
viewer worked the old gag of asking him
who some of his friends were. Burnham
looked the caller in the eye and said ac-
cuSingly:
You are after funny stories, aren't
you?''
The other didn't answer.
maven I any LIltIlug VINO Will tell YOU
any. ne declared, and, rising. bowed the
other out.
One of the mans dominating traits is
his wish 10 be taken seriously. and TO
this end he had succeeded admirably in
hiding his strictly personal side behind
his professional one.
To those who have met all three. Mr.
Burnham at first sight inevitably suC-
gests two other notable men in lines not
far divergent from his own. One of these
was Stanford White; the other is that
poet novelist architect engineer whose
genius is equally at home when he sits
before his easel with his water color
brushes poised, when he stands upon the
rocks of famous Diamond Shoai directing
the construction OF the most diffcult
lighthouse on the American coast and
when he sits in silent study, pen In hand
producing notable works OF fiction-F.
Hopkinson Smith The men can scarcely
be said 20 resemble one another facially
but the resemblance is at once apparent.
Both Stanford White and F. Hopkinson
Smith came instantly 10 my mind when
/ entered Mr.. Burnhams Office and saw
him for the first time
Declines 10 Talk Of Himself.
Mr. Burnham's voice is pleasant and
reverberant. as is Smiths and as was
Whites; he has habit OF the other two
in studying habitualIy some small object
on his table as he talks: like both other
men, he is very loath 10 speak about him.
self. II Is conceivable that Hopkinson