Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-02
HIGH COST HINDERS
PUBLIC BUILDING
| Other Unusual Conditiuns Noted In
Report OF Supervising
Archlfrce


W \ II ~ TON December l.
During the entire period o. tho fiscal
year ending June 80 last. unusual con-
ditionn were encountered in carrying
on tho construction wori: intrustcd to
the Office OF supervising architect OF
thu Treasury. Tho annual report of
the office. signed by James \. Wet
more. acting supervising architect.
covers this period; tho conditions. it
Is assumed. have continued and become
aggravated rather than improved by
this time.
The cost OF building material and
labor, abnormaliy high at tho begin
hihg OF the year. maintained an up
ward tendency throughout tho year in
many lines, and nowhere showed q
decrease. Contractors reported diff
Guilty at times in obtaning quotations
from producers OF certain materials
whera definite tinic Tor delivery was
involved
Car shortages and ft:ight cmbargocs
were frequent occurrences. sometimes
lasting for a considerable period. The
designations OF n number Of expert
cnccd members Of the Office and Held
forces to enter tho military services
of the government caused considerable
embarrassment.
Affects Cost OF Construction.
: These and other causes contributed
aDpreciably to increase the cost Of con-
struction OF public buildings and TO
retard their completion. Notwithstand-
ing these conditions. tho progress made
on the building program was at the
rate of building or extension com
pleted on the average Of every five and
one-third calendar days. approximate
~. and a building or extension placed
under contract, approximately. every
four and onc-third calendar days
This is speeding up some and dispos-
ing Of the great accumulation of pub
lie buildings authorized. The Office is
no longer four or more years behind In
construction authorized by Congress.
There were sixty-three public build
ings and five extensions and remodel
ing projects completed during the fiscal
year. Contracts were placed for
scvcnty-siX buildings and for seven
extension or remodeling projects. Plans
and specifications were prepared for
thirty-four other buildings, and pro-
posals for their construction received:
no awards were made. as tho advances
in costs made all the bids in excess OF
the limits fixed in the authorizations
Except for the abnormal increase
in cost of construction since these
buildings were authorized" says Act
ing Supervising Architect wetmore.
they could readily have been built
we'll within the limits Of costs fixed
therefor"
Plans for Meeting Conditions.
BY altering the plans or substituting
other types of construction. it is cx-
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 arc practically 1000 completed
and occupied public buildings over the
United States that are maintained,
furnished. cared for and repaired under
thorizations of law. there remain fifty
two sites for public buildings still TO
be acquired.
IF building conditions do not inter-
fere with the anticipated output Of
this Office, it is probable. unless addi-
tional public buildings are authorized
meanwhile" predicts the acting super
construction branch Of this Office proper
will be practically completed in eigh-
teen months and in the field by the
end OF the calendar year 1920"
or the standardized type of public