The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-24
COMMISSION HOLDS
TO ORIGINAL VIEW
Does Not Believe in Employ
ing Consulting Architect
for Capitol Building.
EXPENSE is TOO GREAT
Desires TO Give State Best
Building Possible With
in Means.
EXPENSE IS TOO GREAT

The state capitol commission has re.
prominent firms of architects in the
country. who were asked TO participate
in the competition Of plans for the new
home for Utah s government, that as
the programme for such competition
was drawn, they could not consistently
take part. They gave as their reasons
the variance of the programme with the
rules of the American Institute of Ar.
chitects Of which they are members
These firms are George b. Post Sons
of New York aud Cass Gilbert OF New
York.
That some OF the local firms have de-
chned to take part is well known. but
already nine have announced that they
are preparing plans for the competition
and four Of the outside architects have
also signifed their willingness to par
rlcipate.
May Work Under Protest.
II is stated that though the Utah
Association of Architects protested by
resolution and communication to the
capitol commission. the association later
granted permission 10 its members to
take part in the competition If they so
desired, This permission was under
stood as not TO in anv way weaken
the protest made formally by the asso-
ciation
The position OF the commission was
stated by Attorney General 4. r.
Barnes. who is a member yesterday af-
ternoon. Mr.. Barnes said that the com
mission had no quarrel with the Amerl-
csu Institute OF Architects, but consid
cred that il had a perfect right TO ar.
range It's programme as u pleased and
Ia take what steps 1t felt would save
needless expense.
We could not see the necessity Of
employing consulting architect per
manently as the rules of the institute
require, said Mr. Barnes. 'We did
resolve, however. to call in assistance
and expert advice as we needed 1t and
will do so as the necessity may arise.
10 employ an expert for the whole time
the capitol is building at a tremendous
cost we did not consider advisable
- Not hat the commission is pur-
suing a niegardly policy in the matter,
however. Far from il. We are already
employing the best landscape gardener
we can get and will 60 TO any expense
necessary 10 get he best results for
thc rev capitol. But we intend IN cv-
ery ease TO avoid what we consider
needless expense.
Commission Working Hard.
+" Four members Of the commission
NlslIPN many OF lnc state cdplIolS anu
came back with ideas representing the
best points Of these. We believe we
can make use Of these ideas in the com
petition without a professional adviser.
The trip was not taken rs n iaunt, hut
was strictly business all the time, and
he members gave their best labor and
attention TO securing the information
wanted.
''For the same reason we did not
consideT il necessary 10 offer any prizes
in the competition and the result seems
30 Justify this. though the Utah asso
citation asserted that prizes should have
been offered At least nine or ten local
architects are ALREADY at work on plans
and three or four of the outside firms
asked To compete arc prepared TO do
50.
'The sole end and aim Of the com
mission is TO secure the best capitol
building for the state OF, Utah that l.
possible within the state s means, and
II Is working solely to that end.