The New York herald., 1873-12-01
OUR PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Statistics Of the New City Post Ofice-The Ereo-
tion Of Q New Custom House Recsm-
mended-The Eight-Hour Law.


The Supervising Architect or the United States
Treasury Department has published his eighth an
nual report OF the condition and improvements
OF the buildings of the national government and
in regard to the erection OF new structures Tho
government seems TO be rapidly meeting the de-
mands for increased accommodation, especially in
the capitals Of the various States. Hence Is ID
likely that ere long the Republic will become -
famous for the architectural beauty Of its pubic
buildings 1t is for vastness OF territory ana IT.
unlimited freedom. In reference to
OUR NEW CITY POST OFFICE
the architect Says
New 's 4 e
n the oqS a h nor hs o % Of ss
s @ nssndsa Ssi Sfs or ess.
ssSs
ssTs sy s s ,sa
s.. ns Y0r = this deas s + K. sn ssnp.stoa sSoc
s Vi. Sof Ss B. s . By ss m Ss
1874 and be entirely completed during the coming year.
sss been @ snsrsy III mpss M@se
so%ped be w
sS
subject but when compared with the size Of
:ss sS :sss.sS % '
Ts viii BE-
than any sane or marble % bu6ng YET r. Dy
only the largest p.s. Once building n The world
or an
anaersroqnd way through the city q New York must
ner quick ample transit Ss assured, and that
AND h
have made provision ~ which the mails =, can n
% ss m e n % ns es sa % ss IN ns
eaps"s srSsss Tor lie delivery . Their issues Sss
time 5 Vel sapsas: TIE @ssSiaas q tic SnIdins
and material expended In its to the present
time VIZ so esSo S,r yards e1SsvatSaS 500 SSSS
bricks 1000 barrels ceme6t 1900 cubic yards
sna cast ron o feet rough u%Ssr
@ ISsna, ssa sns Svsa % "a days labor eIsla
feel eonaden; TIA, when completed and occupied the
honestly and judiciousiy expended and that the build
Ing worthy Of the commercial metropolis Of the United
From this II may be inferred what benefit our
metropolis viii derive from the erection Of such
building in our midst. But the Post once is not
the only institution that Is destined by the na-
tional government 10 ornament New York. The
report recommends the construction OF a new
Custom House also, as will be seen by the follow
ing extract:-
i desire TO call attention to the necessity
ment in New York city The apprehsnsions expressed
rent Sualngs Tor the
SusS sss ha
q S
iorm ther duties IN prompt accurate and satisfactory
manner and have no hesitation In expressing tho
s,ass q ~ srsn.ssasa bubble business that
O accommodation.
Tor Custom House, and be made convenient
sasasn SUCH
S.s New SR Rors ( @ ss Who's
% ssaOn Of Of the subject belle sns DO mat there
Saspea the or
aware that hs nsosc, inySvSs r ,.
more twohird o. the entire customs revenue q
as s
nue. eoeced In two weeks eek % srsc & suitable building;
A ose prope an d Pose e Ste
r. % Srss
s $
locality. believing DO. that i i Of the utmost
e%SRSs'scsss enSss customs = one oss
YORK. ans srans dssf ana pier erected some
sns The
manner win The means 4, his command ana strongly
s s sss'iSn s Of .nS ss sss s
views expressed bv the surveyor, ana would recon-
mend sSe% s, nia sea sa &c Ssnss eSy
To ss o s
in the city Of New York and to the excessive rental de-
:s$sa
e aSS soss ssnss Bounded 3
sudins. ahns'0i in % Question are probably saapeS
% % The &. wap c Of Of s d 'hs cam a S ass Ssss
entirely suitable %OSsIs.s sSps1S
Battery good one and cSayensnt o % 2. readily &C
Ssw sses nd e
ing occupied had previously called the attention
dTs T. he building 4. ,
upper stories and large smount @ e q y.lIsbls goSds
abc aanSsc . VIII DC avoided an tho
From the following recommendation, embodied
in the report, II will be perceived that the re-
peal Of
is not Improbable
desire cs attention 70 y the s
ests Of the and to the workmen themselves
sy e a By
@ ars S Se y e
work but eight hours while those employed by the con
esn
@ and a m ns h TaD me
man has friends and influence sufficient 10 obtain
snscs sS1 Of @ the
inasmuch II converts the employment oI mccnancs
and Iaborers business question Of competency and
Industry question no q posa % bs ams h Ser
the government millions OF dollars without hene.
degree, or, as far as | am adv advised, any other
claim agents who iDstigated ltigatons and claims
for their benefit The law has been tariy ana fully
tested The experience this department. we'll asOf
private establishments has shown that i = not only I'm
possible for q 70 perform as much labor in eight
hours as in ten but that ne absolutely performs less
work per hour under the eight-hour system 1t IL =
whether MECHANICS Or laborers perform eight or ten
public a. on private works. 1t s however, impossible
70 conduct work in proper manner under system that
increases the compensation OF mechanics and abOrers
employed BY the 20 per cent above market
previously shown, obtaining any advantage there
from would therefore recommend that such modihca-
employed By the e the highest market rates
regulations in regard the hours Of labor otherwise
II this rule Is, however to be the permanent policy
government, and ita mechanics laborers