The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-04-01
The New Charleston customhouse.

termined upon the construction of new Gus
tomhouse in Charleston, purchased from MIR
Fitzsimons, in the year 1S49, lot at the south
east corner of East Bay and Mark street, to-
the sum Of S130,0O0, measuring two hundred
and seventy-siX feet on East Bay-street, ant
extending eastwardly to the channe! OF Cooper
River.
The building is recessed from the line
East Bav-street, sixty-four feet, and according
to the original design adopted in Washington
was to be as follows:
The general plan OF the building in the form
of cross. Its extreme length from east to wes
two hundred and fifty-nine feet, and from north
to south one hundred and fifty-two feet si1
inches. Three stories in height, the basement
to be used principally for storing heavy goods
and the two upper stories for offices. The style
rich Roman Corinthian; tine order extending
uninterruptedly through the two upper stories
and elevated upon rusticated basement. Each
of the four fronts, or ends Of the cross, deco
rated with Corinthian portico of six fluted
columns; and to the side walls attached Co.
rinthian columns; the doors and windows en-
riched with carvings. Broad and massive flights
of granite steps ascend from the ground to the
east and west porticos. The entire pile designed
to be surmounted by Corinthian dome, the
highest point of which to be one hundred and
sixty feet above the level OF the street, the struc-
TUE to be made entirely fre-proof, the base
ment granite, and the two upper stories white
American marble, the ceiling Of basement a
complicated system OF masonry, groined arches
springing from the exterior walls and numer-
GUS granite piers, and forming the floor OF
principal story. The other floors combina-
ton of iron girders and brick arches; the roof
to be stone or metal. The principal apart
ment, in point of magnitude and decoration.
would be the great business circular room, in
the centre, under dome, extending in height
through the two upper stories, covered with a
hemispherical vaulted ceiling, enriched with
sunk panels and tracery, supported upon
twelve futed Corinthian columns, the princi-
pal light passing from the ceiling above,
through richly stained glass, upon floor of
encaustic tiles, bearing the armorials of all the
States. All the other apartments or offices to
with this.
Mr.. Edward B. White, of this city, was ap-
pointed by the Treasury Department archi-
tect of the building, and under his superin-
tendence the entire work has thus far been
built. The walls have been carried up to the
cornice of the exterior Corinthian order before
mentioned, 30 that in effect the masonry OF
the exterior, excepting the porticos, is for the
most part finished throughout the three sto-
ries. The ground arches of basement, except
the great central arch, are completed; the
iron girders and arches for other floors nearly
done; the iron doors, shutters, and sashes OF
basement have been made and hung, and
many other expensive items Of the interior
completed.
At this point the war occurred, AID put
stop to the progress Of construction. There
having been expended to this date s2,094,000.
In passing, word may be said relative to
the foundation. Ramsay's History Of South
Carolina shows Charleston to have been enclos-
ed and fortified; and on the northeast limit
stood Craven's Bastion, to the foot Of which
washed the tides of Cooper River. In course
Of time the city advanced eastward, encroach-
ing upon the waterso Of Cooper River, by being
filed up with debris of the city, and by build
ing Of wharves, to its present limits. The new
customhouse occupies in part the location OF
Cravens Bastion; traces Of which were dlscov-
cred by the architect in excavating for the
foundations. Under these circumstances it
became necessary to secure the foundations Of
the building by driving seven thousand piles
forty feet in length, through the alluvial and
other geological formations, to compact bed
of sand, which overlies the mari, and upon
these piles rest the timbers Of grillage and the
masonry of foundations. All these details, to-
gether with the difficulties encountered by the
tides, during the progress Of the foundations.
and which called into action much engineering
skill, would constitute very interesting scien-
tifc narrative.
During the war which lately convulsed
the country. wooden roof, covered with tin,
was placed upon the buildingf -ts protection,
and in this condition it remained until July,
1867; at that time, Congress having appropri-
ated $4,000, operations to limited extent
were recommended. The Collector, Hon. A.
G. Mackey, with the assistance Of Mr.. White,
the former architect, fitted up the principal
story and part Of the upper story in such man
ner as to render the building suitable for busi-
ness purposes, 80 that the customhouse de-
partment has been removed to the new build
ing and business is now there transacted.
It is to be regretted that the building still
remains in an unfinished condition although
so much has beea done with little means. The
present collector, DR.. A. G. Mackey, has expend-
ed the $4,000 appropriated by Congress most
judiciously, but it was only drop in the bucket,
and, while The building has been made tenable,
it has not been possible to adhere closely to
the original plan. Wood has been necessarily
introduced, and partitions have been thrown up
between the different apartments, but as far Us
masonry has been used. To Colo
mel White the architect, is mainly due the
credit Of remodelling the building, and render
ing it suitable for a Customhouse. The
temporary repairs made under his superintend-
ance will last until Congress appropriates q
sufficient sum to complete the structure as first
intended. There is now over $500, 900 worth of
valuable cut marble lying on the premises ex-
posed to any strong backed depredator, and a
further expenditure would soon render it availa-
BILE. The original plan of the building was to