The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-04-07

THE NORTH wNa or THE TREASURY DE-
PARTNRNr.-The new addition TO the Treas
ury Department Is now about completed, and
q portion Of II as heretofore noticed, is al.
ready occupied by the Internal Revenue De-
partment. In the notice Of this splendid
structure In connection with the inaugura-
ton ball, which appeared In the REPUBLICAN
description Of the building as II appeared deco
rated for the festive occasion, but since that
time great changes have been made, and q de-
scriptlon of the exterior and Interior of the
edifce will no doubt be interesting TO many.
The addition hiss been erected under the per-
sonal supervision Of Mr.. A. B. Mullett, and
reflects great credit on his taste aud skill.
The work upon the building has been rapidly
pushed forward, and will now be finished
within the time FIRST set for Its completion.
The entire structure, as II now stands,
covers an area Of seekers feet, including two
large courts. The site OF the new wing is
that formerly occupied by the old State De-
partmont. The Greclan Ionic order Of archl-
lecture has been adopted, but IL has been
treated In many respects as Roman order,
being mounted on podum or basement,
crowned with au elegant balustrade, and on
oil sides presents an imposing appearance.
On the eastern side Of the building Is q
colorado composed Of thirty pillars, extend
ing distance Of 1856 feet north and south.
On each Of the other sides is q portieo, sur
mounted by pediment. Each shan OF the
columns Of the porticos Is single block Of
stone, 80 feet In height aud 4 feet 0 inches
In diameter. The butrcss caps, which par
TALLY inclose the steps Of the porticos, are
single slabs Of granite, each 90 feet square
by Q feet In thickness. The granite used In
the construction Of this building was quar-
ried on Dix's island, of the coast OF Maine,
aud brought hither at great expense. Most
OF the larger slabs were cut AFTER their arri-
val In this city, as the risk Of transporting
them In rough state was much less than II
the stone had been dressed. Fronting the
north entrance Is large fountain, the CEN
trail base Of which Is 10 feet In diameter,
aud feet high, and was cut from a single
block Of granite. The wing Is 85xls5 feet,
with slight projection at the front and
rear.
| In the cellar are commodious workshops,
storerooms for fuel, &C. The heating ap.
paratus Is also here, and 1t is worthy Of
especial notice. It lie constructed so that
only pure air is used In heating the building z.
To do this current Is introduced directly
from the court aud front, and passed through
chambers containing iron coils filled with
hot water. As the air becomes noxious II
escapes by means Of openings constructed
for the purpose near the floor Of the various
rooms.
The heat thus engendered Is pure, and
will not affect the occupants Of the rooms
with that suffocating oppres sion felt from the
heat Of a hot air furnace. The basement OF
ground floor Is well lighted and ventilated,
and tagged with marble blocks. There arc
siI large Offices on this floor, beside toilet
and other rooms. The floor above, or en-
trance story, as 1t Is called, contains the cash
room, the apartments to be occupied by
Treasurer Spinner, and other rooms con-
nected with this department. Each of the
second and third stories contains nine large
offices, which are TO be occupied by the
various bureaus Of the Internal Revenue
Department. The attic will be used as Offices
aud storeroom for the files and papers Of the
Treasury Department. The cash room is
situated In the centre OF the wing. The cash
room is 70x32, and 2S feet high. The upper
and lower stories are separated by gallery
running entirely round the room. The
walls are lined with Sienna marble, which
Is beautiful beyond description. The first
story Is treated after the Corinthian style Of
architecture, the stylobate being composed
Of Dove, Tennessee, Sienna, and white mar
BILE, supported by black marble base. The
pilasters and coriice are of white Italian
hihipit1 thO shPo uSihk Nut thC tltkhut
example Of the Temple Of Jupiter startor.
The pilasters are coupled, aud the spaces
between paneled with Bardiglio marble, sur
rounded by holdings Of white Italian mar
BILE. The gallery is ceiled underneath with
white Italian marble, paneled In bronze
frames, and surmouuted by n handsome
bronze railing of emblamatic pattern, repre-
senting corn, wheat, tobacco, cotton, grapes,
&C., as products Of the country, and the
adj IF hall a al.
representing Its commerce.
The second story, or that portion Of the
room above the galleries, Is similar to the
lower portion In finish, the only difference
being that the order of architecture Is Com
posite instead Of Corinthian. The ceiling ia
divided into panels by series OF bold RIBS.
| All of the ornamental work Is "picked out''
in gold. The counter will be In keeping
with the rest OF the room, the design being
similar to the stylobate. A screen of plate
glass and mahogany will surround 1t, sep.
aratiug the officials from the public. Ad-
joining the cash room are the Offices of the
Assistant Treasurer, which are fitted up In
the most elegant manner and with q great
deal of taste.
Immediately adjoining the eastern end oil
the Cash Room Is the Vault. At present II
resembles huge safe without shelves OF
drawers. 1t Is composed of five thicknesses
| oil metal, TWO OF which are OF the very best
case-hardened spring steel. The size OF the
Vault is l3x1Sx13 feet, and 1t Is secured by
two massive doors, furnished with comblna.
ton locks Of the latest approved patterns.
On the northeast corner Of the second story
are the Treasurer's apartments. The pri.
vate offices consist Of suite Of two rooms
with toilet rooms adjoining, furnished with
every convenience. All OF the door and
window frames throughout the building are
Of cast iron, and the doors and other wood.
work are constructed Of mahogany. Thu
bronze door knobs and other metallic trim
mlngs In use about the edifce are of chast,
and unique pattern, the designs for which
were all prepared in Mr.. Mullett's office.
The supervising architect, Mr.. Mullett
has great reason to be proud Of his success
for the building has been pronounced by ca
pablo judges to be well ventilated, wei
heated and well adapted for the purposes fol
which II has been erected.