The Washington herald., 1908-03-01


Smith might tell q good story on himself.
even 10 a stranger; Stanford White would
have been almost sure 70 do II. Daniel
Hudson Burnham is quite incapable of it.
II his surroundings are 10 judge him. he
Is simpler in his tastes than either White
or Smith His offices in the Railway Ex-
change Building, one Of his late skyscrap-
ing children. are purely business: hand
some enough. but severely plain. Smiths
are more elaborate Whites were ele-
CANT. luxurious. Burnham's office win
dows command a splendid view Of Lake
Michigan; II is one of his delights to have
few minutes OF spare time 20 gaze out
over the panorama OF water and study il
with the eye OF an artist He frequently
becomes absorbed as deeply in this pleas
ure as he does in his other stin more de-
lightful recreation of planning cities
beautiful
Born in 1876. Burnham is eight years
younger than Smith. A native OF New
York. he was taken to Chicago by his
parents when he was ten years old. He
received his preparatory education there.
After getting his collegiate and technical
education in the East he returned TO Chi
cago and began the practice OF his pro-
fessiOn. He was burned out in the fire.
build the new Chicago. and 10 him Chi
cago is the choicest spot on Gods foot
stool.
Mr.. Burnham is more than medium in
height. gently inclined toward portlIness.
with complexion bright and clear as a
boys, and hair and heavy mustache in
which gray has not by any means en-
urely overcome the natural brown.
Cass Gilbert, Capitol Builder.
Cass Gilbert, famous in the Northwest
as the architect OF the Minnesota capitol
and IN New York as the architect OF the
new custom house, has felt the bardships
that come from lack Of money. some
thing that Mr.. Burnham, whose father
was fairly wealthy, has never expert
enced.
Perhaps his "Ieanest" days came 10 him
when he was studying abroad and paving
his way with work. While he was i'm
London he engaged in newspaper work TO
get his daily bread. and truth 10 tell. he
made such a poor newsgatherer that he
was often compelled TO subsist on one
meal a day. and that not a very satisfy
ing one at times. He and a companion.
like himself Il newspaper worker, often
lessened the opportunities OF hunger by
remaining in bed most OF the day
Before going abroad he had been a stu
dent OF architecture at the Massachu-
setts Institute of Technology, where he
had won various prizes in scholarship.
One day, while he was wandering about
the London streets and wondering where
his next meal was TO come from, he fell
in with other former students of his col
lege- They soon made themselves ac-
quainted with Gilberts state. Through
their influence he gave up the London
struggle. returned 10 America, and Sc
cured employment with McKim, Mead &
" hite.
Some years later, when that firm Sc
cured the contract for constructing all
the stations and other buildings OF i'm
portance on the Northern Pacific Pail
road, Gilbert had risen 50 high in the es-
timation Of his employers that he was
sent West to handle all this work under
Henry Willard, who had obtained control
Of the road. Everything looked rosy.
Gilbert was in the seventh heaven. or fast
nearing it, when Willard fell from power.
the Northern Pacific passed into the
hands Of receivers. and ,Ae architect.
stranded in st. Paul, was left 70 his own
devices.
Works His Way Up.
II turned out all right in the end. Being
a little shy of money, and also because
his widowed mother was living IN st.
Paul, Gilbert decided to open up an Office
in that city. Three years later, consist