Real  Estate   Record





AND BUILDERS' GUIDE.





Vol. XXL





NEW YORK, SATUBDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1878.





No.  517,





Published Weekly by

TERJIS.
ONE YEAR, in advance....SlO.OO.
Communications should be addressed to

C.  -W.  SWEET,

Nos. 345 AND 347 Broadway.





THE ECONOMICS OP BUILDING.
IV.

NEED.S.

At the present time, and in the city uf Wew
York, the requiremeuts of the building profes¬
sion are greatly in adv-anee of -what they formerly
were or what they now are iu other localities.
At an earlier stage in its history, as illasti-ated in
man}' existing blocks of buildings in the older
parts of the city, these requirements were within
the easy capacity of average masons and car¬
penters, and involved, outside of the techniques of
those two trades, facility ui the use of tho square,
level, and plumb line. The stride which the city
has made in nieti-opolitau digiiit}', and the ad¬
vancement of the great body of our citizens in
testhetic culture and in familiarity with the coni-
forts and convenience.'; of life, call for an order
of building, especially for domestic use, quite
superior to what was once accepted in that line.
The results that have been heretofore accom¬
plished by untrained and undisciplined niecliani-
cal genius are eminently cieditable and praise¬
worthy. But such results are quite inadequate to
meet present public demands, and unworthy of the
elevated character which our citj- already bears
as the metropolis and arbiter rennn of America.

The first and indispensable qualification of a
builder is the pos-sessiou, in a greater or less de¬
gree, of marked executive ability. This iiuality,
in fact, forms the foundation stone 6f the builder's
professional character; nay, the possession of such
a rare gift generally predetermines tlie .'.election
of his calling. Executive ability alone—the power
to control masses of men and to concentrate in
the execution of a single performance a variety
of labors and offices—may fit a man to become an
excellent foreman or superintendent of works,
but this faculty must be accompanied w-ith loftier
and more subtle qualities; aud supplemented by
no small degree of literary and artistic training,
to fit a man to become aii accomplished master
builder. No occupation makes more varied or
exacting demands upon the entire persouality
than that of building, when properly and scien¬
tifically undertaken. In addition to the specific
mechanical attainments called for, it would, per¬
haps, suffice to say that all other requirements
are embraced iu tbe single statement that the
successful modem builder must combine elements
of broad scholarship with those of an enlightened
mercantile experience.

Rarity of the combination which we are sug¬
gesting is no proof of the impossibility of attain¬
ing it, but simply implies a general lack of such
training as we believe -wdll be found in future
indispensable to tbe satisfactory and successful
prosecution of this cftllin|f.  Jt is ng i^apojmmon





event, oven at this late day, to find builders who
excel as mechanics, and yet, for the want of
theoretical and mercantile education, who are
unable to turn tbeir technical knowledge to prac¬
tical and lucmtive account If it is too much to
claim that one builder shall combine in his pei-son
all the endowments which w-e shall enumerate, it
still becomes warrantable to suggest that in the
make-up of his establi.shment he shall gather
about him representative persons who arc pos-
.sessed of these different qualifications, so as to
enable him to engage in the competitive strife of
his cidling, ou a fair field and with iutelligeut
equipment.

We cannot better illustrate our conceptions of
the varied needs of future active builders or eni-
botly tbe standard of succes.sf ul builders of to-day,
than by recithig the various pha.ses of profes.sional
and bu.siness life is which builders arc culled
upon to appear aud act.

Supposing a man to bu fully qimlilicd iu all the
mechanical details of his profession, the success¬
ful speculative builder is still retjuired to play his
part in at least tive distinct roles or charactei-s.

.tiL-hitect.—The time i.-; past for the mere me¬
chanic to rely upon his unaided efforts in elabo¬
rating the architectural features of buildings.
I'be scieucb of aaithetics in building ha,s grown
into a prominent department of this trade culling.
The untutored mechanical builder must eitiier
incur the fatal risk of dispensing witL artistii?
embellishments or else be compelled to rely
abjectly upou the dictation of un employed arch
itect. However germane und kindred may be
thetse two professions as they now tveparatoly
exist, it is certam that in speculative building the
interests and views of the respective professions
seem to be well nigh irreconcilable. The architect
performs the functions of the abstract theorist—
the designer of beautiful models and the draughts¬
man of convenient plans. Tho practical details
of work he becomes aciiuainted with solely or
principally ui books. In mechanical execution
the builder is generally the superior of the archi¬
tect, though perhaps totally lacking in apprecia¬
tion of the abstruse principles and fulsome designs
which the architect elaborates. A good architect
may bea poor builder, and, i-(ce t&'sa, a goo<l
builder may be a poor architect The difficulty
of harmoniring these two professions in their
di-stinctive capacities is owing to the sensi¬
tiveness of control and intolerance of dicta¬
tion which exists on the part of either. The
architect is disposed to enforce his peculiar
views with an imperious dictum, while the
builder is too apt to treat with a stolid indiffer¬
ence and midisguised contempt all purely sci¬
entific suggestions. FeAv builders of the pres¬
ent time are willing to surrender the absolute
control of their works to the supervision and
management of architects, particularly .as such
surrender carries with it that essential control
over costs which is apt to determine the financial
success or failure of a building enterprise. To
some extent, tho practice has recently obtained
with leading builders of combiuiug the two pro-
lessioqal elements of architect aud builder in tl\e
one orgsnigation, Not a fsAv of our leading ami
' wtiv© master builders bave already beguu to





equip themselves with architectural qualifications.
Ill future this practice is likely to be largely culti¬
vated. As the profession of civil engineer is a mod¬
ern and distinct outgrowth of the architectural pro¬
fession in the execution of massive works, so, in fu¬
ture, we believe the architect-builder %vill be a per¬
manent outgrowth of this same profession in the
application of scientific principles to the erection
of modern buildhigs, particularly of apartment
buildings and dwelling houses. The profession of
architect, pure and simple, will fiad its natural,
legitimate and undisputed employment in the exe¬
cution of private orders for the elaboi-ation of
costly and large buildings and public edifices.
Ko just expectation could be indulged by builderi
of satisfactorily catering to the improved taste
of house-buyers, without a complete infusion into
every work of the be.st scientific principles and
iiio.-;t chaste, artistic ilesigns.

.Esthetii-s of design and planning, not me¬
chanics or dynuuiicH must be the builders' chief
study. Weight and strength of materials in
ordinary house building are sulliciently un¬
derstood by the commonest workmen, or are
clearly dofiuetl by recognized building standards.
The varying needs of a growing composite popu¬
lation must be taken into account aud accommo¬
dated iu the planning of modern buildings. No
one is better qualified to deal with these demands
than the builder himself when properly equipped
as he comes in direct contact with purchasers,
and is apt to learn from their criticisms the full
extent of prevailing public necessities.

i^rc/iii/i<.—Another qualification is the ability
to make good bargains. To this end the builder
should be thoroughly imbued w-ith the keenest
and shrew-dest mercantile spirit. From the be¬
ginning to the end of an undei-taking the builder
is called upon to deal with a multitude of nie-
chanics and tradesmen, and to purchase a great
variety of materials. To be careless or uiibusi-
ness like iu anj- of these bargains involves the
builder in a heavier outlay than the results of his
venture w-ill justify. Yet he is required to ex¬
ercise a wise and subtle discrimination touching
qualities as related to costs. The dearer article
often proves a better purchase than the cheap
ono in its after effect upou the work iu hand and
tho cheap article dear enough at any price. The
secret of successful building might be measured
by ability to procure land, labor and materials
at the lowest prices. The policies, tactics and
management involved in this accomplishment
would fill a treatise, but the possession of it is like
the compass to the mariner in steering to a safe
haven.

There was a time when builders vied with each
other in bestowing the utmost possible expense
upon their productions, but this was found to be
needlessly wasteful, extravagant and, in fact,
gratuitous. The present frugal disposition of
purchasers compels builders to adopt the most
rigid economy and nicest calculation in the se¬
lection of materials and in tbe allotment of
quantities.

Accountant.—It may seem superfluous to enjoin
upon the members of any calling the necessity
for keeping $triot and accurate books of account.
And yet, if tbe trutb were Iotomti, it would b«