Evening star., 1917-11-28
Affects Cost of Construction.

These and other causes contributed
appreciably to increase the cost Of con-
struction of public buildings and to re-
tard their completion. Notwithstand-
on the building program was at the
rate of building or extension com,
pleted on the average of every Ave and
one-third calendar days. approximate,
ly, and building or extension placed
under contract, approximately. every
four and one-third calendar days.
This is speeding up some and d1spos-
Ing Of the great accumulation OF pubic
buildings authorized. The office Is no
longer four or more years behind In
There were sixty-three public build
ings and five extensions and remodel
ing projects completed during the fiscal
year. Contracts were placed for sew
enty-six buildings and for seven extern
sion or remodeling projects. Plans and
specifications were prepared for thirty
four other buildings, and proposals FOR
their construction received; no awards
were made, as the advances in costs
made all the bids in excess of the linz
it's fixed In the authorizations.
Except for the abnormal increase IN
cost of construction since these build
ings were authorized" says Acting Su-
pervising Architect Wetmore, they
could readily have been built well with
in the limits of costs fixed therefor.
Plans for Meeting Conditions.
By altering the plans or substituting
other types of construction 1t is ex-
pected that some of the construction
work can be obtained within the costs
limits. Congress may have to increase
the limit of costs on a number OF the
buildings which will not yield to this
economy revision of structure.
There are practically 1900 completed
and occupied public buildings over the
United States that are maintained
furnished. cared for and repaired under
the direction of the office. Under au-
thorizations of law there remain fifty
two sites for public buildings still to
be acquired.
IF building conditions do not inter
office. it is probable. unless additional
public buildings are authorized mean
while" predicts the acting supervis-
ing architect, that the work in the
proper win be practically completed in
eighteen months and in the field by
the end of the calendar year 1920.
Number of Contracts Let.
OF the standardized type of public
buildings authorized by the Secretary
of the Treasury. twenty-seven con-
tracts for construction were let. The
practicability of using a standard type
of building was demonstrated. but the
abnormal costs of material and labor
made 1t impossible to satisfactorily de-
termine variations Of costs in the va
rious parts Of the country.
1t has been found impossible to make
contracts for coal for service this As
cal year for many public buildings,
even at advanced prices. 1t Is hoped
to get supplies direct from the mines.
Difficulty is experienced in keeping a
force of satisfactory employees to care
for public buildings-the appropriations
by Congress do not permit of adequate
salaries. Competent workers readily
command better pay in other occupa-
tions. Unless the government provides
better remuneration it must be con-
tent with the kind of service it can OBJ
tain at the rates Of compensation that
are less than are paid on the outside.