REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF ARCHITECTURE. GEO. B. MCDOUGALL, HISTORY AND PURPOSE. The State Department of Engineering, of which the Bureau of Architecture was a part, was created by an act of the legislature, approved March 11, 1907, chapter 183, Statutes of the year 1907, and was organized in the May following. The Bureau of Architecture was organized very shortly thereafter and immediately began its activities. On July 30, 1921, changes in the organization of the state government, as made by the legislature of 1921 and approved by the Governor, went. into effect. The former Department of Engineering, with its Bureau of Architecture, was abolished and its functions transfered to the Department of Public Works, with five divisions, of which the Division of Architecture was one. On August 17, 1923, a new Department of Public Works was created under chapter 286, Statutes of the year 1923, which provided for three divisions, of which the Division of Architecture is one. The activities of the Division of Architecture and the former Bureau of Architecture cover, therefore, a period of approximately seventeen years. During the first few years of its existence the work of the Bureau of Architecture consisted almost entirely of the preparation of plans and specifications for new buildings, repairs and alterations to existing buildings, and general supervision of the construction thereof. The work was therefore similar to that of the average architect of private practice, except for the fact that construction has in most cases been at a considerable distance from the central office. As the years have passed, however, the responsibilities have constantly increased, as has also the number of institutions and general building activity in the state, until the present large force is required to handle the work. The duties of the Division of Architecture at the present time may be summed up as follows: To make plans and specifications for all new buildings of a value in excess of $1,000 at the various state institutions; to let contracts for and superintend their erection, or, in case satisfactory contracts can not be made, to construct the buildings by day labor; to care for all alterations and repairs to existing buildings, on the same basis where the amount involved is in excess of $1,000; to design and install all heating, lighting, ventilating, refrigerating, water supply, mechanical and electrical plants of every nature-whether changes, extensions, or original; survey grounds, lay out walks, drives and roads; provide water supply, sewer and drainage systems, requiring the design and construction of dams, reservoirs, pipe lines, wells, pumping plants, ditches, sewage treatment and disposal plants and drains. The State of California has at the present time twenty-seven major institutions, at which the division functions as outlined in the preceding paragraph. In addition to these, there were twenty places at which either construction of some kind was supervised, or expert assistance given during the past two years. These forty-seven points of activity are scattered from one end of the state to the other, this element of distances to overcome being one of the most difficult of the conditions surrounding the activities of the division. The map printed herewith shows the names and location of these places. ORGANIZATION. The organization of the Division of Architecture, together with the number and distribution of its employees, are indicated by an organization chart and personnel on pages 6 and 7. In addition, the Division maintains, in conjunction with the Division of Engineering and Irrigation and Division of Water Rights, an accounting department of seven employees. The present organization, which is the result of gradual evolution and a thorough study by the executive heads of the Division, has proven to be practically perfect by more than seven years of experience. Definite authority and responsibility have been fixed to such a degree that friction and overlapping of activities are reduced to a minimum. The nature of the work of the Division and of the state's property at its various institutions is such as to require the services of the heads of the various branches, and of some other employees in the three sections making up the Division, continuously during twelve months of the year. The duties of these men are executive or of a general character that renders a proper segregation of the time spent on different jobs impracticable. There are twelve of these continuously employed and they make up what might be considered as the skeleton organization of the Division. FINANCES OF THE DIVISION. The expenses attendant upon the operation of the Division of Architecture are met as follows: (1) Under chapter 121, the legislature of 1923 provided a salary fund for the Division of Architecture of $31,656. This amount is sufficient only to cover the salaries of the Chief of Division, Assistant to the Chief of Division, Acting Chief Engineer and General Superintendent of Construction. (2) All other employees are paid out of special appropriations for construction or billed to the department or institution for which the work is done. An exact record of the time spent on each project is kept and the value of this time, based on salary paid, is deducted from the appropriation or billed to the department or institution at the end of ach month. (3) By an appropriation for support, chapters 121-23, amounting to 20,350, which covers traveling expenses, including automobiles as equired by the employees continuously employed, telegraph and telehone, postage, office supplies, printing and furniture. OPERATION OF THE DIVISION. Under the subject of operation, the activities of the Division of rchitecture can be listed under three main subdivisions: (1) Construction by contract or subcontracts. (2) Construction by day labor. (3) Miscellaneous activities. 3-36005 A brief explanation of the services performed under each of the three headings will give an understanding of services that are being rendered. Construction by Contract. A full understanding of the project in hand is first obtained by visits to the site by the members of the section most intimately concerned, and by full discussions with the head of the institution and his or her assistants. Complete preliminary sketches and itemized estimates of cost based on them are made; conferences are continued with the institution authorities and any required adjustments made, until both the plans and the estimated cost are satisfactory. Formal approvals on the above are then requested of those in authority to proceed with the work on a definite basis. These being given, the working drawings are then prepared, including the architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical scale drawings, and all typical full-size architectural details. Specifications are written covering all branches of the work separated according to trades involved. After bids have been received, the contract papers are executed, additional approvals obtained, after which actual construction is ordered ahead. A special inspector is put in charge, in accordance with the requirements of law, to see that the interests of the state are protected. On small and relatively unimportant projects, this requirement is often met by securing the assistance of an institution official, qualified and willing to care for the work along with his regular duties. The office maintains a constant general supervision over all work in the field by periodical trips, correspondence, etc. The auditing of all accounts, payments of all claims, and similar work is cared for by the Accounting Department. Construction by Day Labor. The method used in handling this type of work is exactly the same as for contracts up to the point of making working drawings. As the construction is in the direct charge of the Division, it is not necessary that such complete drawings be prepared. Skeleton specifications are written and other necessary information is conveyed by notes on the drawings, or by letter to the superintendent or general foreman in charge. Complete bills of materials for all branches of the work are prepared in the office, and, where practicable, are checked by the representative in the field. Requisitions are then prepared and sent to the State Purchasing Agent, who attends to the actual purchases. Great care is necessary in the preparation of the lists and descriptions, as the whole transaction lacks the possibility of personal touch between buyer and seller; and, as the average time required from the issuance of the requisition to the delivery of the material is about three weeks, it is obvious that mistakes in deliveries, which could disrupt the entire program, must be prevented. In connection with mill work and similar items, it has been found advantageous to detail and list off accurately every piece of milled stock required, all doors, sash, etc., and furnish the bidders with such |