Evening star., 1909-05-02
Discussing Selection of New
Municipal Architect.
SIGNIFICANCE OF CHOICE
Known Efficiency Would Compel
Congressional Respect.
PROPOSED INCREASE OF PAY
Chamber Of Commerce. Ready to
Recommend Raising Salary If
Man Of Fitness Is Obtained.

With the approach. of the government S
new fiscal year. which will begin July l,
one of the matters now talked about by
business men the city over is the new
office of municipal architect Congress
has appropriated salary Of So 600 to pay
the right man for the position, and the
Chamber of Commerce is ready to recon-
mend that the salary be made $5.O0O pro-
vided that the architect most eminently
fitted by training and ability and past
record be placed in charge of this phase
of the capital city's growth. Whether or
not the resolution will go farther than a
mere record Of the chambers delibera-
tions will appear later, when the Commits
sioners make the appointment.
Appleton p. Clark, Jr., Favored.
There are several architects and build
ers who might be called applicants for the
position, but, regardless Of any influence
brought to bear in favor of these, there
Is very strong sentiment In favor of
appointing Appleton p. Clark, jr. The
Chamber of Commerce subcommittee,
which is giving much consideration to the
matter. is very strong for Mr.. Clark, al
though he is not an out and out seeker
for the office. On the other hand. there
has been talk OF giving the position to
snowden Ashford. the inspector of build
ings Mr.. Ashford has been so severely
criticised in the past that considerable of
the fight in the Chamber of Commerce
and board Of education relative to the
appointment has been waged over Mr..
Ashfords head. True 1t Is that the clti-
not to make the matter a personal one.
and much Of the more acrjmonious discus
sion has not been made public. The most
forcible objection made in public came
from an official Of the board Of educatioN
also a member Of the Chamber of Com
merce. who recited in detail much Of the
trouble that the people in the schools had
experienced with Mr.. Ashford. Repairs to
schools have been sore point. ana al
though the engineer department has gone
on record as saying that hereafter TINS
important item will receive prompt atten-
ton. the memory of past expesiences Is
something like nightmare.
Washington's Opportunity.
Congress created the Office of municipal
architect after the board of education
had talked much Of a school architect:
and the Commissioners had considered the
advisability and had added their plea for
an Office of a similar nature. a little
broader in scope than that of school
architect. Out of the discomfort has
grown the opportunity to get a man who
will help to make Washington city
which will be second to none as far as
city buildings. schools, fire engine houses
courts, etc. are concerned The oppor-
tunity to get the right man for the place
has been strengthened. it would seem. by
the activity Of the Chamber of Commerce
committee. under p. M. Brown, who asked
the Commissioners to take the entire ma
ton as their field of choice and who
voiced great cry of public sentiment in
urging that men with ability and splendid
record only be considered
Work to Be Done.
Just at present there is plenty Of work
to be done as q start by a municipal
architect. II there were one in office to-
day he would probably be busying him.
self with the problem presented by the
fact that ahOuf ei1ht school hujYdinoa in