Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/53

 1868.] Wealth Wasted in Temporary Structures. 33 WEALTH WASTED IN TEMPORARY STRUCTURES. IN" an absolutely new country, men cannot build for posterity, or even for their own old age. The necessities of their condition demand instant shelter and frequent patching. Thus it happens that the pioneer may erect several tene- ments on nearly the same ground, and have scarcely more than a hut to dwell in at last. From the peculiar conditions of our country, settled on its early bor- der, the Atlantic seaboard, by all de- grees of society simultaneously, number- ing nine or ten generations of born in- habitants in the older sections to none in the newer, between long-dwellers and new-comers, amongst birthright Ameri- cans and immigrants from all nations, everywhere, it follows, that buildings must be observed of every possible grade. No fault is to be found with the squat- ter, forced to construct his domicile of crude materials with few and imperfect tools, managed in varying skill or awk- wardness by his own hands, if he obtains merely mitigated discomfort within and unmitigated ugliness without. But the comfortable citizen, descended through a half-score more or less thriving American ancestors, thus feeling himself very prop- erly an American of the Americans, or one of a race long identified with the mainsprings of governmental action, has not the same excuse for living in or put- ting up a structure, temporary, incon- venient, and homely, but not home-like. In the great cities, ordinaril}' speaking, we practice too much demolishing and re-erecting, because we incline to the cheap principle. Rows of many adjoin- ing stores in one direction, of many connected dwellings in another, all built simultaneously, by contract, and all alike, for the sake of cheapening the whole by the repetition of many details of the same form and measurement, used to be found in all our towns and cities a gen- eration ago. No picturesque landmarks existed for the hurrying stranger, en- abling him rapidly to master the great features of the strange locality ; none of the quaint and charming associations of difference in date or variety in style, lightened the cares of the sedulousburgh- er; but, unless eveiy door was counted from the nearest street corner, perils lurked by the way for the faithful hus- band, or wife, returning home after dark, when the almanac foretold moonlight, and the city gas-trimmers remained at the station-houses, while, from the inter- vention of clouds or rain, the natural luminary of the night did not appear. Along with this was a provoking simi- larity of dead-latch keys ; so that to open a door with your key was no proof of its being your own door. More than one modest wife has rushed into the arms of another's lord, who perhaps was never afterward quite satisfied that she did not mean it. More than one virtuous hus- band has found himself suddenly in the chamber of his neighbor's startled spouse, the latter's owner heard by both tramp- ing rapidly up the stairs. Hence, pure characters suffered in reputation from architectural sameness, whilst the evil- disposed escaped the results of their de- linquencies, because, at a little distance, the closest observation would not deter- mine whence they emerged. In fact, business and domestic delays and incon- veniences of all kinds resulted from this cheap similaritj' to such an extent, that even people, whom no provocation could induce to swear, probably felt the ani- mus of the little Frenchman's anathema upon Philadelphia, because " Ze dam houses were so moche alike!" It is true, the remedy is more and more searching yearly ; and — not alto- gether inseparable from the little old maii3'-gabled, curb-roofed dwellings, with their intermixture of imported black