13 [ 23 ] 



The contract, however, for the building, has been taken at a rate much 

 lower than the board seem to have anticipated; at a rate, too, to the credit 

 of the architect it should be stated, fifteen thousand dollars below his esti- 

 mates. And the contractor has proceeded so far with the erection, that 

 the committee has had a good opportunity to judge of his competency and 

 willingness to complete the whole under the conditions of the contract. 

 Unless prevented by accident not to be foreseen or anticipated, they do not 

 doubt that he will do so. Under these circumstances, although the com- 

 mittee is aware that, in the execution of so extensive a work, many con- 

 tingencies must be expected necessarily to present themselves, that will add 

 to its cost; yet they confidently believe, that by judicious management 

 and strict economy, the entire expenditure for the erection of the building, 

 including the fitting up and furnishing of the same; supplying the same 

 with water; laying out the lot in grass and planting it with trees and shrubs; 

 fencing the same, both with the present temporary fence and the ultimate 

 permanent one; also all expenses for superintendence of erection, including 

 the cost of architect's office and other incidentals, so as, in fact, to cover 

 all expenses whatever that have been incurred, or are to be incurred, on 

 the building and on the lot on which it stands, until the completion of the 

 building and of the preparation of the lot, up to the 19th of March, 1852, 

 need not exceed two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, being thirty- 

 seven thousand dollars less than the sum total, according to tlie scale of 

 appropriation, heretofore adopted by the board. 



So confident is the committee of the accuracy of the above opinion, that 

 they are willing to see passed by the board stringent resolutions rescinding 

 former appropriations for these objects, and restricting the committee, in 

 their entire operations, to the above amount. 



By a resolution of the board of the 5th of February last, the prepara- 

 tion and publication of a work to be entided ''Hints on Public xirchitect- 

 ure," and to contam, am_ong its illustrations, views and plans of the insti- 

 tution building, was intrusted to the committee; and an appropriation of a 

 thousand dollars was made for that purpose. 



In carrying out that resolution, the com.mittee made with Messrs. Wiley 

 & Putnam, one of the most respectable publishing firms in New York, a 

 contract, of which a copy will be found on their journal; according to the 

 terms of which, the committee agrees to furnish the entire illustrations, 

 which it is stipulated shall not be of less value than one thousand dollars; 

 and the publishers, without further cost to the committee, agree to furnish 

 a thousand copies of the volume bound in cloth, provided the letter-press 

 does not exceed one hundred and fifty pages. 



In order to give increased value to the work, the committee applied to 

 several public bodies, having control of edifices of which the architecture 

 is of reputable character, for plates of the same. In the case of one of the 

 New York churches they were successful, and they hope to obtain in the 

 same way plates of one or two other public edifices. The particulars of 

 these applications will be found at large on their journal. 



The committee hope to make this treatise, of which a portion of the 

 manuscript is prepared, a work of practical importance, and of nationa 

 interest. Among the resolutions on the journal of the committee, several 

 will be found relating to this subject, and providing, among other things, 

 that the forthcoming work should include a comparative review ot the ad- 

 vantages, economy, and facility of adaptation to modern purposes, ot 



