The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-22
CAPITOL COMMISSION RETURNS


capitoIs and other public buildings, and
looking into plans and the newest ideas
in the construction of buildings of
that character. The statement comes
from them that they were most at
trsctcd by the National Capitol build
ing in Washington. and that they are
inclined TO favor a building that would
have an exterior likeness to that struc.
ture But if that sor, OF building is put
upon the capitol site good deal of
grading and leveling will be necessary.
II would not be feasible to put that
sort Of a structure upon the site in its
present surface conditions, Besides. the
capitol building al Washington is
planned more on the occupation of sur
face than is either necessary or de-
sirable in modern structures. and it tits
the site. this giving it a commanding
effect
4 building modelled upon that of the
capitol in Washington would be prac
tically hidden if constructed upon the
capitol site here A structure TO be
prominent and an object Of attraction
and beauty should rise high from the
surface, and should be Of fine architec.
tursl symmetry, and have lines of
beauty about it that would strike every
beholder with approval and admiration.
a miniature Of the capitol structure al
Washington would by no means do this
on that site. A building more upon
the order Of our own Joint City and
County building would DE far preferable
on that location; and such a building as
this would show of 70 an immensely
better advantage than building of the
type of tbe National Capitol at Wash,
ington.
To be sure. show is not everything.
but show can he combined with utility
and safety IN eminent degree, and is so
combined in multitudes of modern
structures The type Of building that
one sees in the comparatively level
region of the East is by no means the
best that We can have for this noun
tain country. 4 comparison Of the Salt
Lake postofice building with the New.
house buildings across he street ought
TO be SUFFICIENT deterrent upon any
vantage from Washington ofIicialdom
on the construction Of buildings. The
models in use in Washington are very
well for Washington, but building
SbnnlH c1, 40 opI +hD
site. When i; does not there is a mis-.
I'll and a failure to get the effects that
the people naturally expect, and that
artistic Judgment and effectiveness re.
quire. 4 low, squat building which
would he practically hidden by the
brow of the bench would be no credit
10 the State, and would be no land.
mark in the city Let us have an M
standing landmark Of architecture
beauty and effectiveness on the capitol
site. With this can he combined al
the utility and safety that is possible
in a building of inferior appearance
lrferiorty does not necessarily guaran-
tee either safety or utility. And neither
does q beautiful structure in any way
tend 20 bar or diminish these desirable
qualities. Let us have q building con
spicuous for architectural symmetry
and for beauty. as well as combining
every point of usefulness and safety
that can he provided in public build
ing, Now is the time 10 thrash this
matter out completely, before the plans
are drawn. Lei us not transmit To-
posterity a building Of which we our
selves cannot approve. and Of which a
more advanced posterity may emphati-
calIy disapprove. Let US have a build
ing that we can all be proud Of. and not
one for which we shall have TO apollo
gize, and to say that it was the best
we could get with the sort Of commits
sion that was appointed by the Gov
crnor. 1t Is all the more important
that we do not have TO make any
such disparaglng excuses rs this. mas
much as there is ample talent in the
commission itself, and in architectural
science here, 10 give us exactly what Is
hNslIEu III fNtlN lfSHttAs W llhSl LIdl
the commission is not so fully welded TO
the idea Of having 4 squat building, as
a model Of the Capitol at Washington
would certainly be, on the capitol site,
as that 1T cannot be changed.
If the capitol could be erected on the
brow OF the bench overlooking the city,
then it would be all very well TO have
such a structure; but the site is well
back from the brow of the bench, and
the bench and the buildings on the
bench would practically hide such a
structure as that from the view of the
city and its immediate surroundings.
One would have 10 get long way out
in the valley 10 see such structure at
all, and distance would destroy all ef
fectivencss. Let us have a capitol that
can be seen and enjoyed.
DIAZ MESSAGE.
The MESSAGE sent by former Presl.