Joseph Alcide Chausse

Since 1900 Joseph Alcide Chaussé has filled the important position of superintendent of buildings and city architect of Montreal and in that position has established for himself an enjoyable reputation. He is one of the foremost men in the profession, not only in the city, but in the Dominion and recognition has come to him from numerous national as well as foreign societies. Alcide Chaussé was born at St. Sulpice, Assumption county, Quebec, Canada, on January 7, 1868, a son of Edouard and Rose de Lima (Rivet) Chaussé, both natives of St. Sulpice, Quebec. The father, a prominent lumberman there and ex-alderman of the city of Montreal, died on March 15, 1909, the mother having preceded him in death, passing away on July 20, 1896. The Chaussé family is of ancient lineage and one of the old-established ones in the province of Quebec. Pierre Chaussé, le Chaudronnier (the brazier), was born in 1630 and was established at St. Anne de la Parade as early as 1681. Pierre Chaussé, another of the name, called la Lumière, was born in 1651, a son of Jean and Catherine (Groleau) Chaussé. He married Marie Madeleine Sel au Deselles on April 24, 1681, and they had five children. These are among the earliest ancestors of Mr. Chaussé recorded in Canadian history.

Alcide Chaussé received his fundamental education at St. Mary’s Academy in Montreal. He studied architecture with the late Alphonse Raza, of Montreal, from the 3d of March, 1884, to the 14th of March, 1887. From the 17th of March of that year until July 24, 1889, he was in Chicago, perfecting himself in the profession, and was admitted to practice in 1888. On the 20th of November, 1889, he opened an office for the practice of architecture at Montreal and continued with ever increasing success until May 21, 1900, when he was appointed to his present important position. A wide and comprehensive knowledge fits him particularly for this work and Mr. Chaussé has been in a large measure responsible for the upbuilding of the city along lines of the “plan beautiful.” He also holds the position of commissioner of the superior court for the district of Montreal and that of justice of the peace for the same district.

Mr. Chaussé is a charter member of the Province of Quebec Association of Architects, of which he served as president in 1906. In 1907 he was the promoter of and since its inception is, honorary secretary and a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada; is an associate of the Canadian and American Societies of Civil Engineers; a member of La Chambre Syndicale de la Construction; a member of the Board of Plumbers’ Examiners in Montreal; chairman of the committee on fire prevention of the American Society of Municipal Improvements; a member of the American Public Health Association; a member of the council of Le Comité Permanent des Congrès Internationaux des Architectes; member of the British Fire Prevention Committee; corresponding member of La Société Centrale des Architectes Français; the American Institute of Architects; La Société Centrale d’Architecture de Belgique; La Société Nationale des Architectes de France; Architekten-Verein at Berlin, Germany; Sociedad Central de Architectos, Madrid, Spain; and the Society of Portuguese Architects. He is a member of the council of the Antiquarian and Numismatic Society. Mr. Chaussé has been awarded gold, silver and bronze medals by various architectural societies for technical papers and lectures. He was a member of the International Congress of Architects held at Paris in 1900; at Madrid, in 1904; and London, England, in 1906; and of the International Fire Prevention Congress, held at London in 1903; a delegate to the Sixth Commercial Congress of the Empire, held at London, in 1906. In 1907 he conceived the project for the Institute of Architects of Canada. He is the author of several articles on fire prevention and fire protection; of the “Building Inspector’s Handbook,” published in 1902; the “Code of Building Laws of the Province of Quebec,” published in 1906; the “Handbook of Building Laws of Montreal”; and the “Supplement to the Code of Building Laws,” published in 1913, all of them published in English and French.

At Ste. Bridgide’s church, Montreal, on Saturday, September 8, 1894, Mr. Chaussé was united in marriage to Miss Rose de Lima Renaud, a daughter of Cyrille Renaud and Rose de Lima (Favreau) Renaud, both of Montreal. The father is a well known manufacturers’ agent of this city. Mr. and Mrs. Chaussé have two sons: Marcel, who was born July 7, 1902, and Fernand, born December 29, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Chaussé are members of the Blessed Sacrament Congregation, Church of the Holy Sacrament, on Mount Royal Avenue.

The political views of Mr. Chaussé coincide with the principles of the conservative party. He is a member of Le Club Canadien of Montreal, a member of L’Alliance Nationale, of which he served as grand marshal; and a member of the Association of St. Jean Baptiste, of which he has been president of Ste. Bridgide’s Section. He was also president of the Cêrcle Jeanne D’Arc of L’Alliance Nationale. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Columbus. Mr. Chaussé finds recreation in curling and is a member of the St. Lawrence Curling Club of Montreal. His city residence is at No. 1433 St. Hubert Street, while the summer home of the family is Villa Iris, Sault-au-Recollet.