The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-11

s.,, ,,sseriptsor, os the erchitesssa design was
~ MY III the newspapers on the occasion OF
ssa living Of the cornerstone. CA noble
hasa Dsnt or street story Of twenfy.eisit feat
en- height, formed by o composition OF pias-
3ers and columns resting on heavy phnihs or
uaaetals OF the sidewalk level, and crowned
with en- erltablature, carriestwo stories aoove
81. both of which aie enriched by ornate WIN
do and dressings admirably Ill heclnaS
wist, che best examples Of the style sc'eeteu.
The principal entablatsi7e oil the eA,esi"'
walls VIII be singalar!y effective IN detail,
~gi,on yyhsch will 30 seated ono OF the in"st
nonsninuous roofs yet Introduced in any
) atrnctnr,. nublic or private, erected II this
ecn,,rtrv In the several faces Of the street
sifies OF this roof are to he placed hishly.bur'
sniShed dormer windows, intended to ee con
@strrescl Of stone or iron, above which inc
top OF the roof will be finished with cornice
and facsa, forming the seating of the bronze
.rri.is Intended to tnclose the entire upper
section or fat of the roof. In idealizing the
roof Of the structure the architect has intro
dneed several cxceedlnglS novel and express
I've features Of finish, avoiding, II Is believed,
the saneness Of expression which TOO oitei,
cn.,acterizes the Louvre and 'Mansard
roofs. The Devonshire-Street facade WIZ be
undivided into FIVE compartments by q
ssccrtrd projection hankcd by two cur.
tains,' finishing at the corners OF water ano
Milk with 'payilionS.' The central prG5cc
tom and the two pavilioas will be respec.
lively subdivided in their height by orders Of
piasters, columns, entablatures, and taius
trades, and the curtain finish Is TO be depend
ent for Its effect upon the windoW-drcssln2
and attached entabiatures and illustrates
excepting In the first (or street, story,
where the order Of the first (or street. SLOT!
before referred to IS to be carried Gnl'o,L'I,
through the entire length OF the three street
f,cadcS. The principal central entrance in
the Deyonsbirc-Street facade communicates
with q broad staircase, located in noble
hall. communicating directly with the sec
Ond. third, and fourth stories. Tho remain
IN. entrances of this side Of the building
give access to the p6st-otice corridor, twelve
feet IN be!ght, above which the strong light
20 he secured By the liberal window ortl-
tncs CT the first story will Insure the full
lighting of the poet. oilice apartment behind
the corridors of this and the other two streets
on which the building bounds. Both the
corner payilions of the Devonshir,~Street
side are repeated on the MIX and Water
Street sides, and the architecture Of these
Just will correspond In detail and finish with
the Devonshire-Street front aforesaid. TWO
groups Of statuary are designed in the CEN
fral protection of the Deronshire:S street side
one OF them to crown the principal entrance
and the other group to surmount the lne
stone attic which covers the central pro-
lection and faces the more elevated portion Of
-the roof over that side Of the structure. The
ccntra. group OF statuJy, on the attic, Is 10
be hanked by seulptured eagles respectively
located over the two outer corners OF the al
t!c,o ....
The Boston post-ofice has been somewhat
of migratory institution. During the siege
of Boston 1t was removed to Cambridge,
but was brought back again after the eracua'
ton Of the town by the British. In the last
ninety-slX years It has been removed at least
eight tines. For the last eleven years il
has been without interruption in the Mer'
chants Exchange building in State street
but the present is its third occupation of the
same quarters. The Government has never
owned tho building In which tho Boston
post.off3ce has been located. In the magpi1
cent structure above described the upper
stories will be occupied by the Sub-TreaSury
which at present has it's quarters IN the 5ler
chants Exchange building over the post-of
ii9. The new building had been In process:
Of erection moro than two years, aud j
would buve been two years more Gefore /
WAS wholly finished, although much earlier
uccup. ton OF the pOst-oflice quarters wa:
contemplated. When completed It would
have cost moro than S2,00o,000.