ENPages That Mention W. J. Smith
Texas State Association of Architects Year Book 1917
page_0004
Officers and Directors of The T. S. A. A., 1916-1917
Ollie J. Lorehn President, Houston
Roland Adelsperger and Fred Teick Fourth Vice President and Secretary, respectively, were both too modest to have their pictures taken.
page_0009
building erected. A “shyster” lawyer or a “quack” doctor are often employed on account of saving in fees, but they prove far more expensive in the end. In like manner, the saving of $30,000.00 in architect’s fees is not a reality unless it appears to the extent in the comparative values of the buildings erected. If the buildings through bad judgment, error, and numerous other causes, cost thirty thousand dollars more than they should have cost, then no saving was effected, and besides, such errors and other marks of inferiority often produce losses which cannot be estimated in dollars. No saving in architect’s fees could ever justify a single important defect in design, construtcion, or plan, as the building continues long after the fee has been forgotten.
It is with pride that the average reputable architect can point to savings effected by him in engineering, in design, and in skilled judgment, equal to or in excess of his entire fee. Furthermore, the value of his services properly administered in designing, planning, engineering and supervising an important building, which is to become a monument reflectng the very civilization which produces it, cannot be estimated in dollars. On the other hand, the effect of the Governor's attitude is to discourage talent and integrity and to encourage ignorance and graft in the architectural profession.There could be only one result of such a program, the case in point a possible exception, namely, architectural monstrosities, building collapses and the ultimate destruction of the architectural profession.
The last statement of the Governor in this connection, we believe, is unworthy of his high office. He states that he could have “winked the other eye” at some architect and split this alleged saving of $30,000.00 and, “the public would never have been the wiser.” The inference is that a “reputable” architect could be thus seduced. This we deny. We also deny that the public would never have been the wiser, as such deals are usually brought to light, if in no other way, by the product of the architect of inferior ability and integrity who would enter into such an agreement.
THE EXECUTIVE TEXAS COMMITTEE OF THE STATE ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS. Members Present. O. J. Lorehn, President. H. A. Overbeck, First Vice-President. C. C. Bulger, Second Vice-President. Roy E. Lane, Third Vice-President. W. J. Smith, Sixth Vice-President. Fred C. Teich, Secretary-Treasurer.
“I understand,” said one of the neighbors to our own Mrs. PaPrtington, “that you had a lot of disputes with the contractor who put the lighting into your house.” “Yes,” replied that good lady, “but I soon decided that I wasn’t to be insulated by any little electrocutionist!”
Acme Brick Company History
This concern was organized 26 years ago with a plant at Millsap, Texas, where they manufactured common brick almost entirely. In 1912 they discontinued common brick and since have devoted their entire efforts to the manufacture and sale of facing brick. That
7