The American Architect and Building News,
VOL. XXXIV.Copyright, 1891, by Ticknor & Company, Boston, Mass.
No. 827
Entered at the Post-Office at Boston as second-class matter.
OCTOBER 31, 1891.
Summary:—
Report of the New York Rapid Transit Commission. — A Neighborhood Figlit.—The Chanler Scholarship Award.— The “Brown Book” of the Architectural Association. — Local Consuls. — Death of M. Albert Tournade. — Result of a Gas-works Strike. — The Annual Convention of the
A. L A.................................................................................................
Libraries. — IV........................................................................ 63 Equestrian Monuments. — XLIII..........................................................65 Architecture and the United States Government. ... 70 Protection oe Residences........................................................................................70 Report of the Board of Directors................................................................72 The Twenty-fifth Annual Convention of the American
Institute of Architects........................................................................................72 Illustrations : —
House of George A. Balantine, Esq., Beacon St., Boston, Mass.—Loggia of the House of W. VV. Willock, Esq , Allegheny, Pa. — Equestrian Statue of General Grant, Chicago, 111- —Design for an Office-building. —The Venetian Building, Chicago, 111. — House at New York, N. Y.
Additional: The Normal School for Female Teachers, Clermont-Ferrand, France —The New Basilica at Tours, France. — Interior of the Same Building.— “ La Famille,” A Bronze Bas-relief. — Wall-treatment of the Council-chamber in the Rathhaus, Heidelberg, Germany. —• Church at Reutlingen, Wurtemberg.—Interior of the Same Building.—French Protestant (Huguenot) Church of London, Eng.— City Bank, Ludgate Hill, London, Eng. — Spires and Towers of Some of Sir Christopher Wren’s Churches, London, Eng.— Design for Completion of South Kensington Museum. — Editorial Office, “ Lady’s Pictorial.”—Craig-y-nos Theatre. — Accepted Design for the Municipal Building, Bury, Eng.—
Second Prize Design for the Municipal Building, Bury, Eng. 75
Communications : —
The Square of the Radius of Gyration. — Screening Casement
Windows. — Address Wanted.....................................................76 Trade Surveys.............................................................................................................76
THE New York Rapid Transit Commission has completed and submitted its scheme for a Metropolitan Railway which appears to have been very carefully considered, and entirely practicable. The main line begins in Whitehall Street, with a loop at the Battery, for convenience in handling trains, and continues, in a four-track tunnel, under Broadway to Fiftyninth Street; thence under the Boulevard to One Hundred and Twenty-first Street; and across the valley which there intersects the city, by a viaduct, to One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Street; thence along and near the Boulevard, partly above and partly below ground, as the topography of the region may require, to One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Street; thence under Eleventh Avenue and under and above other streets and private lands, to Spuyten Duyvil Creek, which is crossed by a bridge, and the line continued through the “annexed district,” mainly above ground, to the city limits. Connecting with the main line is a loop, branching west at the City-hall, and running under Park Row and Chambers Street, and joining the main line again ; and a branch runs to the east at Fourteenth Street, to Fourth Avenue, continuing under this Avenue to the Grand Central Station at Forty-second Street, and extending thence under or near Madison Avenue to the Harlem River ; crossing this, and continuing through the easterly part of the annexed district to Jerome Avenue. The motive power to be used will probably be electricity, but the Commission only stipulates that there shall be no combustion of fuel in the tunnels, so that compressed air or cable motors may be employed. The tunnels will be kept as near the surface as the grades will allow, for the obvious reason that passengers will not like deep tunnels, or long flights of stairs to get to and from them. So far as we can judge from the Tribune’s abstract, the Commissioner’s report is a model of common-sense, and no pains seems to have been spared to ascertain the conditions to be fulfilled, as well as the best means for fulfilling them.
ONE of those interesting “ neighborhood fights ” which afford so much amusement to the disinterested observer is recalled
by a Chicago paper, which says that some years ago an enormously rich man in San Francisco built a huge house on a hill in that city. The mansion covered nearly a whole block,
and would probably have covered the rest, but for a little wooden house, which already occupied one corner. The millionnaire made up his mind how much he would pay to buy out the owner of the obstruction, but the latter had his own idea as to how much he would take for it, and, as the two conceptions failed to harmonize, the transfer did not take place. The millionnaire, vexed at finding his neighbor so unreasonable, attempted to drive him out. He had a board fence built on his own premises, but close to the boundaries of his neighbor’s lot, which was a very small one. The fence was carried up to the admiration of all beholders, until it reached the height of the roof of the little house, shutting out nearly all the light from one side of the house, and cutting off the sunshine after midday. The owner appealed to the courts, alleging that his rights were infringed, but, although the millionnaire acknowledged that the fence was useless, and was built merely to annoy his neighbor, the California law could find no ground for preventing a man from building anything he chose on his own land, whether it disturbed his neighbor’s peace or not. The cottager, defeated in court, took the law into his own hands, and removed his laundry to the upper story of his house, using the roof as a drying ground; and every day the millionnaire was enabled to study the details of the enemy’s family linen, which fluttered from the lines just under his windows. Meanwhile, the news of the war had spread through the town, and thousands of citizens and tourists hastened to see the cottager’s “ boiled shirts ” waving defiantly above the hostile works. The man who lived in the little house seems to have made up in ingenuity and energy what he lacked in money, for, not content with this demonstration, he is said to have been on the point of leasing his house to a Chinese theatrical company, when the millionnaire gave in, and ordered the fence removed.
F
ORTY-SEVEN candidates presented specimens of their work for the preliminary examination for the Chanler Scholarship in New York the other day. The authors of the six best drawings are to compete later, in a final test, to which a week will be given. This year the first five mornings are to be given to a drawing from the nude, and four afternoons to painting a head from life. The last day of the examination is to be devoted to sketching a composition, on a subject to be announced. The successful candidate is to be sent abroad, and maintained there, if he conducts himself well, for five years, receiving the liberal allowance of nine hundred dollars a year.
W
E have received, through the kindness of Mr. Owen Fleming, and of Mr. Ernest S. Gale, Honorary Secretary of the Association, the “ Brown Book” for 1891-2 of the English Architectural Association, containing the full programme of the work of the Association for the year. We have before mentioned the four years’ course of regular instruction, established two years ago by the Association, and need only say that it seems to have been as successful as it deserved, and bids fair to fulfil the highest expectations of those who were instrumental in founding it. The Association, however, provides many other ways in which architectural students generally, aud its members in particular, may improve themselves in their profession, under the guidance of those more experienced than themselves, and with the encouragement of companions following the same work. As might be supposed, sketching forms an important part of the duty, or rather, the recreation of the members. Regular instruction is given In water-color drawing, by a course of twelve lessons, six indoor, aud six outdoor, and practice for those who have attained some proficiency may be had by joining the Water-color Sketching-Club, which spends six alternate Saturday afternoons during the pleasant season in sketching in the neighborhood of London. In this sketchingclass no regular instruction is given, but the members criticise each other’s work, and a “Consulting Visitor” gives advice as to suitable places and subjects for sketching. The expense of these classes is very small, the subscription to the Water-color Sketching-Club being only half-a-crown, or about sixty cents for the season.
ALL this applies to the water-color sketching only ; sketching in general, which, in England, means in great part, perhaps mainly, drawing and measuring old work, is a
much more serious matter, and is carried on by the members,
VOL. XXXIV.Copyright, 1891, by Ticknor & Company, Boston, Mass.
No. 827
Entered at the Post-Office at Boston as second-class matter.
OCTOBER 31, 1891.
Summary:—
Report of the New York Rapid Transit Commission. — A Neighborhood Figlit.—The Chanler Scholarship Award.— The “Brown Book” of the Architectural Association. — Local Consuls. — Death of M. Albert Tournade. — Result of a Gas-works Strike. — The Annual Convention of the
A. L A.................................................................................................
Libraries. — IV........................................................................ 63 Equestrian Monuments. — XLIII..........................................................65 Architecture and the United States Government. ... 70 Protection oe Residences........................................................................................70 Report of the Board of Directors................................................................72 The Twenty-fifth Annual Convention of the American
Institute of Architects........................................................................................72 Illustrations : —
House of George A. Balantine, Esq., Beacon St., Boston, Mass.—Loggia of the House of W. VV. Willock, Esq , Allegheny, Pa. — Equestrian Statue of General Grant, Chicago, 111- —Design for an Office-building. —The Venetian Building, Chicago, 111. — House at New York, N. Y.
Additional: The Normal School for Female Teachers, Clermont-Ferrand, France —The New Basilica at Tours, France. — Interior of the Same Building.— “ La Famille,” A Bronze Bas-relief. — Wall-treatment of the Council-chamber in the Rathhaus, Heidelberg, Germany. —• Church at Reutlingen, Wurtemberg.—Interior of the Same Building.—French Protestant (Huguenot) Church of London, Eng.— City Bank, Ludgate Hill, London, Eng. — Spires and Towers of Some of Sir Christopher Wren’s Churches, London, Eng.— Design for Completion of South Kensington Museum. — Editorial Office, “ Lady’s Pictorial.”—Craig-y-nos Theatre. — Accepted Design for the Municipal Building, Bury, Eng.—
Second Prize Design for the Municipal Building, Bury, Eng. 75
Communications : —
The Square of the Radius of Gyration. — Screening Casement
Windows. — Address Wanted.....................................................76 Trade Surveys.............................................................................................................76
THE New York Rapid Transit Commission has completed and submitted its scheme for a Metropolitan Railway which appears to have been very carefully considered, and entirely practicable. The main line begins in Whitehall Street, with a loop at the Battery, for convenience in handling trains, and continues, in a four-track tunnel, under Broadway to Fiftyninth Street; thence under the Boulevard to One Hundred and Twenty-first Street; and across the valley which there intersects the city, by a viaduct, to One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Street; thence along and near the Boulevard, partly above and partly below ground, as the topography of the region may require, to One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Street; thence under Eleventh Avenue and under and above other streets and private lands, to Spuyten Duyvil Creek, which is crossed by a bridge, and the line continued through the “annexed district,” mainly above ground, to the city limits. Connecting with the main line is a loop, branching west at the City-hall, and running under Park Row and Chambers Street, and joining the main line again ; and a branch runs to the east at Fourteenth Street, to Fourth Avenue, continuing under this Avenue to the Grand Central Station at Forty-second Street, and extending thence under or near Madison Avenue to the Harlem River ; crossing this, and continuing through the easterly part of the annexed district to Jerome Avenue. The motive power to be used will probably be electricity, but the Commission only stipulates that there shall be no combustion of fuel in the tunnels, so that compressed air or cable motors may be employed. The tunnels will be kept as near the surface as the grades will allow, for the obvious reason that passengers will not like deep tunnels, or long flights of stairs to get to and from them. So far as we can judge from the Tribune’s abstract, the Commissioner’s report is a model of common-sense, and no pains seems to have been spared to ascertain the conditions to be fulfilled, as well as the best means for fulfilling them.
ONE of those interesting “ neighborhood fights ” which afford so much amusement to the disinterested observer is recalled
by a Chicago paper, which says that some years ago an enormously rich man in San Francisco built a huge house on a hill in that city. The mansion covered nearly a whole block,
and would probably have covered the rest, but for a little wooden house, which already occupied one corner. The millionnaire made up his mind how much he would pay to buy out the owner of the obstruction, but the latter had his own idea as to how much he would take for it, and, as the two conceptions failed to harmonize, the transfer did not take place. The millionnaire, vexed at finding his neighbor so unreasonable, attempted to drive him out. He had a board fence built on his own premises, but close to the boundaries of his neighbor’s lot, which was a very small one. The fence was carried up to the admiration of all beholders, until it reached the height of the roof of the little house, shutting out nearly all the light from one side of the house, and cutting off the sunshine after midday. The owner appealed to the courts, alleging that his rights were infringed, but, although the millionnaire acknowledged that the fence was useless, and was built merely to annoy his neighbor, the California law could find no ground for preventing a man from building anything he chose on his own land, whether it disturbed his neighbor’s peace or not. The cottager, defeated in court, took the law into his own hands, and removed his laundry to the upper story of his house, using the roof as a drying ground; and every day the millionnaire was enabled to study the details of the enemy’s family linen, which fluttered from the lines just under his windows. Meanwhile, the news of the war had spread through the town, and thousands of citizens and tourists hastened to see the cottager’s “ boiled shirts ” waving defiantly above the hostile works. The man who lived in the little house seems to have made up in ingenuity and energy what he lacked in money, for, not content with this demonstration, he is said to have been on the point of leasing his house to a Chinese theatrical company, when the millionnaire gave in, and ordered the fence removed.
F
ORTY-SEVEN candidates presented specimens of their work for the preliminary examination for the Chanler Scholarship in New York the other day. The authors of the six best drawings are to compete later, in a final test, to which a week will be given. This year the first five mornings are to be given to a drawing from the nude, and four afternoons to painting a head from life. The last day of the examination is to be devoted to sketching a composition, on a subject to be announced. The successful candidate is to be sent abroad, and maintained there, if he conducts himself well, for five years, receiving the liberal allowance of nine hundred dollars a year.
W
E have received, through the kindness of Mr. Owen Fleming, and of Mr. Ernest S. Gale, Honorary Secretary of the Association, the “ Brown Book” for 1891-2 of the English Architectural Association, containing the full programme of the work of the Association for the year. We have before mentioned the four years’ course of regular instruction, established two years ago by the Association, and need only say that it seems to have been as successful as it deserved, and bids fair to fulfil the highest expectations of those who were instrumental in founding it. The Association, however, provides many other ways in which architectural students generally, aud its members in particular, may improve themselves in their profession, under the guidance of those more experienced than themselves, and with the encouragement of companions following the same work. As might be supposed, sketching forms an important part of the duty, or rather, the recreation of the members. Regular instruction is given In water-color drawing, by a course of twelve lessons, six indoor, aud six outdoor, and practice for those who have attained some proficiency may be had by joining the Water-color Sketching-Club, which spends six alternate Saturday afternoons during the pleasant season in sketching in the neighborhood of London. In this sketchingclass no regular instruction is given, but the members criticise each other’s work, and a “Consulting Visitor” gives advice as to suitable places and subjects for sketching. The expense of these classes is very small, the subscription to the Water-color Sketching-Club being only half-a-crown, or about sixty cents for the season.
ALL this applies to the water-color sketching only ; sketching in general, which, in England, means in great part, perhaps mainly, drawing and measuring old work, is a
much more serious matter, and is carried on by the members,