Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-28
BUSY DAYS FOR ARCHITECT
Uncle Sam is Making a Building Rec.
ord for Himself.
MANY STRUCTURES INVOLVED
Supervising Architect Gives Some De
tails of the Immense Amount of
work that His office f.
Doing.
rrom a staff correspondent.l

Trom a staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON. Aug. z.-(Special)-Even
in these hot old August dog days the
force under the supervising architect of the
Treasury department, J.. Knox Taylor, is
working. in many instances, overtime In
the preparation OF plans and specification
for new public buildings scattered through
out the United States, and in some cases
In our insular possessions, as well as II
far-away Alaska. Supervising Architec'
Taylor said today that he had a force Of
$50 in the Washington office, $50 of whom
were craftsmen or mechanical engineers
besides about $50 men in the field looking
over sites or engaged in the superintend-
ence Of public buildings now in course OF
erection, and he said sorrowfully that he
should have a larger force TO keep pace
with the work of constructing federal
buildings. At the close Of the fiscal year
19Oe-that is June 9O-there were 77 build
ings either in course OF construction in
parts OF the country or those which
had been authorized by acts Of congress
to be constructed. Forty public buildings
were completed last year and under exist
ing appropriations there are 25 yet to
erect. Mr.. Taylor says that with his present
force he is enabled to prepare plans and
specifications for new buildings at the rate
of ten or eleven per month.
The 1908 mnibus public bill placed at
the disposal Of the Treasury department
the vast sum Of $S4, OOO,O 900 for the purchase
of sites and the erection Of public buildings
thereon, located in practically every state
of the union. And some outside OF the
continental borders of the country. And
is going some, the treasury people
assert. In the ten years past the acutal
expenditure on account Of public buildings
has totaled close upon s12, 10000 annually.
The real outlay for public buildings during
the present fiscal year will reach close to
the SIS, 900, 900 mark, and then all money
for this purpose cannot be spent
by nearly one-half.
Buildings in Nebraska.
In Nebraska all work authorized by con-
gress is well in hand, some having been
finished during the last fiscal year. The
building at York has been completed, those
at Grand Island and Kearney said to be
well under way, while the addition to the
postoffice at Beatrice is pretty neal
to use the architects expression.
In Iowa the buildings at Mason City
and Muscatine are nearly COM
plete, IL no quite so, while the Des Moines
combination of court house and postoffice
is being rushed The buildings at Shenan-
doah, Clarinda and oun Bluffs are un-
der contract and work at these cities Is
progressing to the satisfaction Of the super
vising architect. The plans and specified
lions for the new postoffice at Cedar Rap
ids are near completion, and bids for the
actual construction will be advertised fol
within a few weeks. The drawings for the
new building at Ottumwa are well under
way and bids for construction will also
Issue in this case during the early fall.
In South Dakota the buildings at Mitch
ell and Watertown are complete. The plans
and specifications for the new postofficC
building at Lead are now in the hands OF
the printer and bids will be requested
for the actual construction within a few
days.
Forest Rangers Wanted.
An examination to fill vacancies in the
ranger force on 149 national forests In
twenty-one states and territories, including
Alaska, will he held October Is and 26
From this examination 1t is expected tina,
800 appointments will be made.
This examination will be held at each
forest supervisors headquarters in the ma.
tional forest states and territories, inclui.
Ing Arkansas, Minnesota, Michigan and
Florida, which are the most easterly statei
having national forests.
While the examination is entirely alonl
practical lines, and knowledge of field
conditions rather than book learning Il
considered essential, the opportunities fol
those applicants with educational advant
ages are considerably increased. The rapiC
development OF the national forests II
upon those engaged in their management
and men with ability to assume response
bDity and serve In supervisory capacitie
are in demand. These more responsible
positions on national forests are filled b,
promotion from lower grades, so tina
anyone entering as a ang is eligible 70
promotion to any of the more responsible
and higher paid places, including that 0
forest supervisor.
Only those men who are at least 21 year
Of age, not more than 40, Of good character
temperate and in good physical condition
are eligible OF take this examination. TIL
salary paid to beginners is $500 a year.
Applicants can secure information con
corning the examination from the Unite,
States Civil Service commission, Washing
ton, D.. c.; district foresters at Missoula
Mont, Denver, Colo, Albuquerque, N. NJ
ogden, Utah, San Francisco, Cal, an
Portland, Ore. or forest supervisors.