Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-07-17

WARD NONE; WITH CHART
)NTY, MINNESOTA, 7
NEW YORk'S NEW POST OFFICE.
Desert ~ iou of the nj u llctoulmu S:ov.
cr"s''c"t slructnrc 1" New Yo.k-lt.
tMrc.
From tho New York Times.
Tho new post office in the City Hall
Park is gradually approaching comple.
tion. When finished, this elaborate
structure will present, no doubt, q
splendid appearance. Its probable
shape and size were for time the
subject of much conjecture, but all this
has been set ut rest, the action of the
government in deciding that another
story should be added to the three nj.
ready erected, besides the mansard
roof and cupolas, having settled the
question. This decision is said to lie
IN accordance with the original plan.
having been left in doubt only in view
OF insufficient funds at the first.
Toward the close of the last session of
Congress an appropriation of -, 500,
OOO was voted for the work, and
this left the matter of sufficiency OF
funds unquestioned. Prior to that
action of Congress it was generally
understood that the building should
not exceed three stories with attic and
roof, and as it approached it's intended
height the impression then prevailed
that the heig ht would be no fair pro-
portion to the general dimensions of SO
largo and extensive structure. This
is not to be wondered at when 1t is
observed that the building covers q
space equal in extent to about twenty.
one city lots, and has frontage about
equal to forty ordinary city buildings.
Standing as it does with all sides
exposed, it is highly proper that al]
sides should be treated in the same
style of architecture. One side is as
exposed as the other, and because one
elevation is of equal Importance with
the rest, the decoration every.
where is the same. On Broadway tile
frontage extends $40 feet, on Park row
32O feet; tue north side, looking toward
the City Hall, is 200 feet, and tho south
front measures 13O feet, the entire
extent OF frontage being 800 feet. In
tue construction of the building the
only materials used are granite, iron,
brick and glass, and it will be in conse.
luence as nearly fire proof rs possible.
The floors are of brick arches supported
by iron beams, according to method
of Mr.. w. G. Steinmetz, the superin.
tending engineer. The impression
conveyed by an inspection of the
building in it's present condition is one
OF soli0 and massive strength. Its
bold outlines are forced upon the eye,
anu its future magnificence is well
slladowed forth. The land on which
the building stands is almost trian.
gle, fact which rendered the arclli.
tectural labor greater than it would
have proved otherwise. The entire
space of nearly an acre and
quarter which tho build.
ing covers is unbroken by interio,
walls i'll the cellar, basement and first
tioor, the upper stories being supported
on those floors by 122 cast iron pillars
for each floor, each pillar being two
and half inches thick and eighteen
inches in diameter. Everything has
been studied with view to strength
and endurance. The roof will he o1
copper, with two corrugations in each
sheet, to make allowance for the effect
OF heat and cold in expanding or con.
tracting it, anil fire proof shutters will
protect each window. The builling.
as has been finally decided, will consist
of four stories. with cellar, basement.
Mansard roof, and attics. The height
of the cellar will be IL feet in theclear,
OF the basement II feet first story, sc
feet second story, 26 feet; third story,
22 feet 3 inches fourth, Is feet 6 inch.
es; and attics 10 feet-being altogethe,
a little over 120 feet from the lowest
portion of the cornice to the ground,
The cupolas will, of course, tower up
considerable height on either end,
All the postotfice business will be trans,
acted on the three lower floors, and fo]
this space four ventilating shafts have
been provided, with an inside
area Of fifty feet each to the bottom.
They run to little way above the roo
from the cellar, and smoke-pipe from
the furnaces will be run in the centre
of each, so that by heating the air Q
constant upward current may be Great
Ell. They are connected at the bottom
with foul air clambcrs-as they arc
telmel-iuto which fues run from the
ground floor and the floor below. From
openings ut the bottom in the hollow
cast iron pillars which support the
whole interior of the building, these
flues are made to run so that tile foul
air is drawn down from the bottom o:
each room, by the upward current
which the heat creates in the ventilat-
ing shaft, into the foul mir chambers,
and from thence into the ventilatine
shafts. In the upper stories, in which
! will be located the United States
courts, and the marshala' and commits.
sioners' Offices, additional flues arc
provided, which terminate in ridge
openings at the angle of the pitch OF
the Mansard roof, and the centre OF
the water shed. They have covers
which can be arranged so as to make 9
draft, no matter what way the wind
may blow. 1t will thus be seen that
the matter of ventilation, a very i'm
portant one in such building, where
much of the work must be done by ga.
light, and where SO many are to b,
employed, has been amply considered
It is believed that tho plan is among
the most perfect yet in use. The prin
ciplo was first applied in wing of til,
Treasury Department at Washington
under the direction of A. B. Mullet
the architect of the new postolfice ant
general superintendent Of all new gov
crnment buildings. Heat will Le fur
nished in cold weather by stc;.m coil'
supplied from the boilers appertainint
to the elevator engines. Ten of tlos,
elevators will be used for the mai
department exclusively. and there will
he at the south end four large elevator.
for general use. Those in the mail dc
partmcnt will be smaller, of the tcle
scope style, and worked by hydrauli,
pressure from the basement to I'll,
entrance floor.
On the fourth story the work nov
goes Oh we'll. The interior walls ar,
raised to nearly the required height
nnl it. is expected that the building
will be ready for the roof by October
Ii nothing interferes to prevent til,
present progress vi the work, the roo
will be on before the end of the winter
A little time was lost in tho removal O
the coruicc which had been placed o,
the third floor, in execution of tL
original plan. There are 1T prcscll
about $50 men employed on the build
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