Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-13
Ashford Gets Figures to
Prove Statement of Con-
gressmen Unfounded.
NEW YORK PAlD SIS TO 80
CENTS PER CUBIC FOOT
Story of Low Price for Denver
Schools Punctured. Despite
Closeness of Timber.

Figures gathered by Snowden ASH
ford, municipal architect. in the past
lew days from all parts of the coun-
iry show that Washington is not pay
.nG more for school buildings than
other large cities, but. on the other
and. in number of cases is erecting
buildings at a lower cost than other
cities. ......-
Mr.. Ashford was induced 10 send
for data from other cities by the feel
ing among some members of Congress
that large appropriations should not
ne made at this time for school build
ings because of the high cost levied
here.
Mr.. Ashford said he has learned
from James J. Bail, chief engineer OF
Denver. Col. that the Teller School
OF that city. containing twelve class
rooms. contains 4f5.D00 cubic feet of
space. and cost 33'i, cents per cubic
foot.
Mr.. Ashford estimated that a four
room building built at the rate of
@SS4 cents per cubic foot would cost
$500, and not S35,000. as recently
stated.
He said the Deanwood School in
Washington. which is more compare
'it ~ TIC iJNHSct lndH otu-
or recent Washington projects, cost
only 2S1a cents per cubic foot. At
tention further was called to the fact
that the Denver School, according TO
Mr.. Ashford's information. is built
with wooden jOists.
What Other Cities Pay.
John r. B. Sinkler. city architect OF
Philadelphia. informed Mr.. Ashford
hat proposals opened in March show
~
r. X. Robertson of Buffalo. n. Y.
wrote that bids taken in June for
three buildings averaged 59k cents
per cubic foot.
According TO Gilbert Beetle. archi-
tect, of Newark, n. J.. latest bids for
schools in that city were in the neigh
borhood of So cents per cubic foot.
William r. 1ttner of st. Louis, who
was the architect for Central High
school here. telcSraphed that schools
Ut Waterloo. Iowa: Fort Dodge, Tex,
and Dallas. Tex cost 40 cents per Gu
bic foot
Frank !. Cooper Il Boston stated
that Peabody High School cost 80
"ents per cubic foot. and the STRAIT
ford. Conn. elementary school. 81
cents. Both of these are fire-resist-
ing buildings. similar to the type of
construction followed in Washington.
Messrs. Perkins. Fellows G. Ham
iiton of Chicago report a Bay City
tsiich.) school. erected last February.
ost 53E cents per cubic foot; Lorain.
ohio. school, 43h cents: Hammond.
Ind. school. in June. 1890. 60 cents;
Niles. Mich, in July. so cents. and
Richmond, Ind. 40 cents per foot.
g. Il. J. Snyder of New York sent
Mr. Ashford list of school building
costs in that city for various months
"f last year which range from SIS to
20 cents per cubic foot.
Ashford Sums lp Facts.
Summing UP this information. Mr..
Ashford says:
These kilograms and letters from
architects and school authorities from
Boston to Texas show that the costs
Of schools erected within the past
year in other cities vary from 40
cents to 60 cents per cubic foot for
'.irc-resisting' buildings similar TO
the schools of Washington. and the
all 'fircproof buildings. such as are
erected in New York. run from So to
so cents per cubic foot. IT should.
eIso, be noted that the New York
schools are sometimes four or five
stories high.
Comparing these prices with the
cost of our Washington schools dur
ing the same period. we find that the
Petworth School last June. when
prices We're at the top notch. cost
III. cents per cubic foot: the Wood
iidGe-Langdor. as per bids in No
.ember, cost 3S cents per cubic foot.
and the Takoma School, on bids last
The Deanwood School. which is nearer
comparable to the Denver school. cost
gS1. cents per cubic foot. while the
Denver school costs 33@. cents