New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
NEW PLAN FOR BUILDINGS
Brooklyn to Use City Craftsmen
Instead of Architects.

| lQSG6du Ol kaTCulJCOGO'
| plan TO save the city considerable ex-
rense Is to be put into operation in the
erection of two public comfort stations IN
| BROOKLYN Instead of turning the speclilca-
tions over 10 architects to draw plans. at a
| cost of 3 per cent of the $1,000 appropriated
| for the stations, the architects employed by
| the Department Of Public Works VIII make
the drawings.
I'VE are going to try the city craftsmen
on what will be the finest and best equipped
comfort stations in the country said
Superintendent Woody who has Immediate
charge of the stations as the superintend-
ent of public buildings and offices.
| I'VE think that the city engineers and
craftsmen know better than any outsider
what is wanted. AS they have been con-
t,nuaIly in charge Of the repairs and altera-
| tions in such buildings for years, they have
been able TO study what is required from
all points Of view BY their doing the work
the city will save $500 A new feature
which WILL be introduced will be the use or
| Carrara glass instead Of marble or other
| stone for finishing the interior. The glass
! is non-absorbent and sanitary"
1t is said that the city employees are IN
the habit of furnishing architects with
specifications for public buildings, and that
in some cases their plans have been turned
ever TO architects after they have been
| approved by the Municipal Art ConliiliS-
sion It has been suggested that the CITY
would save money by simply empIoylhs
! architects to pass upon the facaues ol
! buildings and make any CORRECTION re-
| ouired TO comply with the rulings OF the
art commission. If the city had done the
designing of the new Municipal Building IN
| this manner the municipality Would hot
| now be facing claims amounting 10 nun
| dreds Of thousands OF dollars FOR the i'eS
| Of the architects that were hired by one
borough administration only to be rejected
| by another.
The irony Of the situation is that prac-
ticaIy all that any Of the claimants ala was
"a draw plans after the specifications sup
plied by the city's craftsmen ana engineers
II the borough administrations had en-
ployed the city employees to get up the de
signs instead OF outs, e architects lhe Ios7
through change of plans would nave peeh
relatively trining. The indications are that
the city rIay have to pay enough TOT as
cardcd and accepted plans for the Mu-
ricipal Building To outside architects to pay
,bo salary Of a competent architect for
decade or 50.
The salary of G. II. J. Snyder, the archi-
tect Of the Department OF Education Is
$40 900 4 year. on this salary nc mas
MANNED scores of Schoolhouscs and has
gained fame wherever schoohouses are de-
/ signed The money he saved the city IN
the way of architects fees in the cases OF
half dozen high schools was sufficient
TO pay his salary and the salaries Of his
assistants for years. With a couple of ex-
ceptions. his assistants cost the city be-
tween 81 50 and S5 week.
| The new comfort stations which the city
employees have designed will be erected In
tho Williamsburg Bridge Plaza, near South
! 9Th street, and at Myrtle and Knicker-
locker avenues The first will be Il feet
- and % feet wide, while the second
viii hc 70 feet by 50 feet They will prob
ably he started I'm March.
4 revolutionary suggestion. which may
be acted upon In future, has been made TO
/ Srpcr!ntendert Woody. This IS that the
bureau erect public bath somewhat after
the styIe OF the finer ancient Roman baths
perhaps taking the famous bath or Cara
Gala as n model. While the new bath
houses which are being erected answ6r the
demands Of the poorer population. no ef-
/ fort has been made 10 meet the require
nents Of the class OF the population which
&c willing 10 nav . cents or 50 cents for
bathing privileges.
In other words. the present bathing priv
uogos arc merely sanitary precautions
The buildings arc put up In poor nelghbor-
il No IL
duIged in. 10 entlce the unbathed 10 change
their habits. The appeal has been remark
ably successful. especially where swimming
tanks have been provided.
The success % the swimming tank has
been so marked that the authorities say
that they will put up no more bathhouses
without them. At these baths no admls-
sion is charged. The authorities ask
couple Of cents for towels and soap. but
that Is all
The proposed bath is intended to meet
the requirements Of the community for
! healthful exercise. There is no establish
ment in tho borough where the people who
are willing 10 pay can go for swim-an
exercise which physicians declare is highly
valuable. especially for the men and wom-
en- OF the better classes in tho city. who
|
Young Mems Christian associations have
met the need To- certain extent, hut one
who wishes to use the associations tanks
must first join thS organization. This is an
expense which many do not care TO as
sumo who, it is believed. would be glad TO
! frequent a high class municipal bath con-
Quoted along proper lines.
! Such a bath would contain besides large,
well lighted and attractive swimming tanks
for men and women. pools for swimming
| instruction, lecture rooms. a library and
museum, a running track and gymnasium,
demonstration rooms, retiring rooms. per-
/ haps a restaurant, etc, somewhat like the
| big baths in many Of the German and other
/ European cities.
| II is believed that the income from such
an institution would not only pay the run
ming expenses, but would contribute toward
a sinking fund which would eventually pay
the original cost of the plant. Such n
building. with its grounds would probably
cost 100000 or more. but would be, IL is
thought. eminently worth the expenditure
| in its effect on the average health OF the
community.
-e-
GROWING CALABASH PIPES.