Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-13
GOES TO CONTROLLER
Issue Regarding Designs for
Local School Buildings.
VIEW OF DISTRICT AUDITOR
No Outside Architect May Be En-.
ployed, He Says.
QUOTATION FROM RECENT LAW
Believes Plans for Municipal Struc-
lures Should Be Drawn by
District Official.
QUOTATION FROM RECENT LAW

W neither or not the District COMMISSION
ers. acting on the recommendation of Mu
nicipal Architect Ashford, will disregard
the provisions of the last District appro-
nr!aton act if they execute recent order
awarding contracts for designing several
school buildings and fire engine houses
10 outside architects is the question
which is to be submitted 10 the controller
of the Treasury Department for decision.
The suggestion that the municipal archi-
tect must prepare the plans for all build
inss provided in the District appropra-
ton act was made by Auditor Tweedale,
after an order had been issued by the
Commissioners directing outside architects
to prepare some Of the plans, and Com
missioner West has now moved before the
District board that its execution be held
up until the controller renders his de-
cision.
In raising this question Auditor Twee
dale points out that the last District APP
proprla ton act contains two references to
the municipal architect.
One says: Municipal architect, whose
duts- it shall be to prepare and supervise
the plans for, and superintend the con-
struction of, all municipal buildings, and
the repair and Improvement of all build
ings belonging to the District of Column
bid under the direction of the Engineer
Commissioner of the District of Column
bia, $500
Relating to Public Schools.
Under the subdivision devoted to APP
preparations for public schools the act
says: THAT the plans and specifications
for all buildings provided for in this
act shall be prepared under the super
vision of the municipal architect of the
District of Columbia, and shall be APP
proved by the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia, and shall be construct
ed in conformity thereto"
After quoting from the hearings before
the congressional committees before which
this item was considered, and from former
District appropriation acts when there
was no municipal architect, Auditor
Tweedale pointed out to the Commits
sioners that there was serious Gues-
tiol whether Congress intended to allow
any of the work of preparing plans for
municipal buildings TO be done by out
side architects.
The Commissioners issued an order for
the making of contracts with several out
side architects for preparing plans for
municipal buildings provided in the last
District act, upon the recommendation of
Municipal Architect Snowden Ashford
Il have the honor to report that there
are sixteen buildings provided for in the
1910 appropriation act-eleven are new
buildings and five are additions or en-
Commissioners. plans have already been
completed for four of the new buildings,
but there are seven which have not been
started. l am working on plans for the
addition to the Western High School and
expect to start plans for Chevy Chase
School next Monday.
Terms of the Act.
The act reads as follows: That the
plans and specifications for all buildings
for in ch,n
pared under the supervision of the mu-
nicipal architect. ="
This provision is the same as for
merly, except that the municipal archi-
tect is substituted instead of the in
spector of buildings, and under this ar
rangement it has been customary to
give out to the architects about half of
the work. This. obviously, is the mos;
expeditions method, for if all the plans
are made in this Office it would take
about thirty-tWo months with the pres
ent force of four craftsmen and would
require twenty-five craftsmen to com
plete the sixteen plans in six months.
1t Is not feasible to employ twenty-five
men for six months and discharge them
AFTER the plans are prepared. The Dis
trlct could not obtain the services of
good, experienced craftsmen under such
circumstances without paying very high
rates, nearly equivalent to IL yearly
employment or compensation, and the
limitations of the cost of services of
craftsmen, inspectors. etc. would be
taxed to the extent of $4,000 year.
Il therefore recommend that the prac-
tice of giving out the plans to the ar
chitects be continued, so that six or
seven architects with their organized
office force may all be working at the
same time on the plans under the
supervision of the municipal architect.
and that the plans for the additions be
made in this office
In this way all the work appropriated
for may be under construction before the
end of the fiscal year.
Contracts Recommended.
He recommends that contracts be made
as follows: With Appleton p. Clark, il,
for plans for an eight-room school build
ing at Cleveland Park, with compensation
of 5000; with Thomas W. Power for
plans for public convenience station at
9th and F streets, with compensation of
800 with l.. E. Dessez for plans for an
engine house to replace No. =, with COM
penSa ton OF $1.2Uo. with Averili, Hall &
adams, for plans for engine house near
Minnesota avenue and Pennsylvania ave
nue., with compensation OF $40; with j.
Rush Marshall for plans for extension of
Mckinley Manual Training School, with
compensation of $;,1oU; with Paul J. Pelz
for plans for eight-room school building
to take the place of the present Potomac
School building, with compensation of
5000.
This recommendation was approved by
the Commissioners and an order issued
TO carry il into effect as stated. Then
the legal question was raised by Auditor
Tweedale, and Commissioner West stated
10 the District board:
I'm view of the questions raised by the
auditor. | move that the various archi-
tects mentioned in this communication be
notified that there is serious legal ques
ton to the validity of the contracts
into which they are asked to enter. and
that until the question has been decided
by the controller no work shall be per-
formed and that in the event of an ad
verse decision, the proposed arrangement