The Washington times., 1925-11-07
GOOD MATERIAL
IN BUILDING
URGED
Expert Says substitutions Are
Due to Long Deception
of Public

OF much interest to the building
public was an address concerning
the evils of substitution of ma.
tefials, delivered by w. R. Nc.
C0rnack, retiring president, Cleve-
land Chapter, American Institute o.
Architects, at the recent meeting
Of the lumber and building interests
Of Cleveland held for the purpose
Of promoting standardized and
grade-marked lumber in that com.
munfty This meeting was held un
der auspices Of the Cleveland Board
Of LNmher Dealess and III Sou h
ern Pine Association, and among
the 200 guests were the mayors
OF three separate municipalities
Mayor John ID. Marshall of CIeve-
land, Mayor q. w. Wiegand OF
Lakewood. Ohio. and Mav =.
Garfield Of the city Of Cleveland
Heights, all of whom participated
{ IN the discussions, which Indicated
the public concern in the movement
Tor standardized and grade-marked
lumber
Mr.. Mccormack was the spokes-
man for the architects of Cleveland
at this meeting and his address fol-
lows:
.sThis Is an age OF substitution
IA the building Industry There are
two kinds Of substitution: First.
the substitution Of one kind OF ma
ferfaI for another, and, second, the
s lss,i,sfitnfion Of one grade for an
ofl1er grade OF the same material.
The architects and engineers are,
as owners agents, interested IN
proper building materials It IS
ultimately the building public which
should have the whole hearted CO.
6perafion of the material men. the
Nonfractors. the architects and tho
engineers. and It is little wonder
that the building public Is becom
Inc flfsruested with buildings whick
berin to show evidence OF pern1-
oious decay within q decade.
when one realizes that the arcnl-
tart and engineey ere Sslf9tlsssss
90 know the intricacses Of the build.
Ing industry, varying in type. from
the cottage Of the workman 70 the
great cosmopolitan hives OF indus
try, Like our great office buildings.
hotels. railway stations, institutional
buildings. ETC., 1t is obvious that
f,se arcs1itect and engineer are In
sore need OF all the cooperation
they can secure from the manufac-
turer of building materials
Misleading Slogans
Fan OF you are familiar with
slogans for using this material or
mat, because It is better, because
Il lasts longer, or because It IS
cheaper. and your organization has
been the victim of much propa-
kanda which has not been based on
scientific facts. There is story
frId az the small country general
etorekeeper in Western State,
who sold some shingles to g far
nnpr with which to Iocf his balm.
This honest storekeeper also sold
the nails with which to put the
shingles on. A few days later, the
farmer came hack and said: The
carpenter says he wants different
rails. these are hard to drive
The store keeper replied, The nails
! sold you are the right nails for
this lob. II you won't use those
nails. bring back the shingles.
Architects and owners are prone
"a this day OF substitution to do
what they call reducing costs by
substitution. After they have re-
duced the cost per cubic foot ten
or fifteen per cent by this method,
they 90 serenely on their way un-'
conscious perhaps OF the fact that
while they have reduced the cost
Per cubic foot, yet they took no
account Of the number Of cubic
foot within the building and no
thought Of reducing that. know
Of one building that was recently
reduced 500 900 cubic feet without
reducing its disable area, which was
- 25 per cent reduction In the cost