National Republican., 1873-12-02

i
when completed, furnish suitable accommo-
datlons for the custom.housc, including the
appralsers' stores, for tho collector OF inter
nal revenue, the assistant treasurer, aud tho Q
officers Of the judiciary, thereby enabling the !
Department TO dispose Of the court-house |
rary structure, and cannot he expected to I
last many years.
Tho public building at Columbia, s. c., will | /
be an elegant and substantial structure, Of /
granite, which Is obtained In tho immediate 1
vicinity. The cutting was commenced by
days labor, and for time proceeded In
satisfactory manner. The former superin- I
tendent proved unable to control the cost Of |
tho work, and was accordingly removed. II I
was, however, found impossible to remedy {
the effects Of his mismanagoment, and to re- 8
duce the cost OF the work TO a proper price; /
q contract was accordingly made for It's com {
pletion, which is now proceeding In salts | |
factory manner, and the building will un-
doubtsdly be placed under roof early In the I
coming season.
Vile, Tenn, has been satisfactory. Tho work
is Of excellent character has been cconomi-
cally and judiclousy constructed, aud will bo
completed early the coming season, within
the amount Of the appropriation.
The public building ut Omaha, Nebraska, Is
pancy at an early day. The work has been
performed In substantial manner, and at
fair prices. The building Is elegant and con-
venient, but perhaps open to tho criticism
that II Is too good for the locality. | am Of the
opinion, however, that II is not desirable to
erect inferior buildings In the cities Of the
prospective Importance of Omaha, and feel
confident that tho future Of the town will
Justify the action Of the Department. The
building will be credit to the Government,
an ornament to the city, and provide ample
action Of tho public business, not only In the
present but for the future.
/ The custom-house, courthouse and post |
Office building at Portland, Oregon, Ia hand |
some and woll-built structure Of blue free
stone, and occupies commanding site In the
plcasantest part Of the city, but Is, unfortu-
nately, so far removed from the business por-
ton that IL Is not, In my oplnlen, good loca-
ton for custom-housc, and II should not be
occupied for that purpose. II Is, however,
no larger than isrequired for the proper trans
action Of the business OF the post office, the
courts, the internal revenue and other Gov
ernment Offices. / would, therefore, recon-
mend that for tho present the custom-house
be continued In Its present locality, and that
! plain, substantial, 1re-proof brick building
be erected for the use Of the customs depart
ment, including the appraisers and the
United States public stores. / am aware
that this recommendation may seem cxtrava-
giant, but 1t should bc borne In mind that
Portland Ia not only the second city on the
7 Pacific coast, but Ia rapidly. increasing in
: commercial Importance and Is probably tho
I only port in the State Of Oregon for which
such provision will ever be required.
Tho extension of the public building at In
=, dianapolls, Ind, Is In progress and will be
s completed at an early date. It will, however,
: dxed by law. The extension has been Of the
y size rcquircd; the design was, Of course, fixed
d by the original building, and the work has
u been done at the least possible cost. there
9 fore recommend that the necessary appro-
, prlation be obtained at an carly day.
e Work has been commenced on the Govern
e nent building at st. Louis, No.. which will
Y DO three stories In height, with u basement,
" | sub-basement and attic. The basement and
}. Bub-basement and portion Of the first story
II will be Of Missouri red granite, the remainder
&c Of gray granite from Hurricane island, Ne.
e The building will have frontage of 232 feet
II IN Olive and Locust streets, and III teet on
l. Eighth and Ninth streets, with total height
n | OF 90 feet 10 the upper cornice and 1S4 feet
" 70 tho top Of the dome. Arrangements have
X been made with the st. Louis Tunnel and
Bridge Company by which the mails ou all
L lines entering St. Louis by that route will be
J, received and delivered directly into the build
y ing. This arrangement will, 1t Is believed,
d | fleet a large saving In the expenses rs well
d ~ much valuable time, US II will insure the
}, | delivery Of the mails at the earliest possible
| moment and enable the Department to defer
&c depot. The progress ou this work has been
u | lp to the present date, very unsatisfactory
e A contract for the foundation stone, the sub
d i easement piers and area walls was AWARDED
y TO the St. Louis Marble Company on the q
~ 1 Of September, 1873, but to the present tim
g. the Department has been unable to procur
Al any material from them and will undoubtedl
~ | be compelled to award the contract to othe
I'd bidders. Every effort will be made to ad
d. gGnce the work, and 1t is trusted that the oil
y staclcs In the way to Its rapid prosecute
q | will soon be removed.
/ The plans and estimates submitted for ii
al appraisers stores ut San Francisco, CalifoI
ne | uia, contemplated substantial, but not fire
or proof, brick building three stories In height
J i the entrance story aud basement to be use
lii the upper stories for Offices of the Unite
Ia States courts, OF the judiciary, the collector
At Of internal revenue, the pension agent, an
cn all other Government officers In that city g,
rly | cept those now accommodated In the custom
* house and post office building. During N
I'VE last visit to San Francisco carefully invest
mt gated the subject, and am satisfied that q
for necessities of the Government will compel u
erection of q post office building In that ci
ut | at an early day, the custom-house buildin
zen In which the post office Is situated, being Q
ost tirely inadequate to meet the requirements
for both departments, and though suitable for
no custom-house, IL Is not desirable locatl,
rs for post office for the United States court
nd being near the wharves and remote from Il
as, business centre OF the city. IL therefore o.
he pears to me that 1t would be far preferable
ate complete the present building as an apprai
Id crs' and United States public store, for whlt
ch purposes 1t is admirably adapted, aud woul
1n, II completed on this plan, yield handsou
lso Income to the Government, and ut the san
ant time afford protection to the revenue that CT
or be attained In no other manner. ! also d
ed. sire to call attention to the fact that the q
IN Il ntzin
ary | inints of the United States, relieved the
at Sistant Treasurer from oil duty In connect,
the Herewith. II will therefore bc necessary
the provide Recommendations for that officer eth
ave in the custom-house, the appraisers store
hat or In the old mint building, which will be v
ldi- Gated at an early day. As the business Of /
the Gustom-house and OF the Assistant Treasur
eX- | 10 more Intimately connected than any 9th
! to branches of the Government business, II
J IT. | very desirable that the treasurer should
not provided with accommodations In the sal
ex- building. The removal OF the post of
and would provide the additional accommodate
,uld now inperatively demanded by the custo
The | department, and also sufficient space for
asst | transaction of the business of the treasur
lrch II this cannot be done, l would recomme
Ms. that the old mint building be fitted up as SC
OF | rs vacated for the use OF the Assistant Ire
ON urer, the location being good one, and
, In building reasonably well adapted for the p
ran pose. 1would therefore respectfully sugl,
AVE that, before completing the building on
ON present plan, It would bo well to inyestlg
Il to the subject and determine whether the or
the Ion of post Office building is or is no
cling necessity.
per- Work has been commenced upon the n
! TO lie building at Hartford, Conn, and II
anne hoped that the basement story will be C,
sing pleted during the present season, though
;, In progress Of the work has been retarded
10 to | the operations of the act of j
Icnd u, 1879, which rendered It impossible to 7
ces- ceed with the preparation Of material for
superstructure, and will consequently dc
tied | the completion of the building another y,
ouse The basement will bc OF Quincy granite,
the no selection has been made of the mate
cos, for tho supcrstructurc. This building
west ing erected on q triangular piece OF land
in Of necessity, irregular In shape. The
Aid tremo length is 100 feet, and the cxtr'
and, | width Of feet.
urc. Work has been commenced upon the 7
Ipon lie building at Trenton, n. j., and the bl
the ment story will be completed during the p
end ent season. The building will be 1lS feet
-om, 83 feet, three stories in height, with u b,
'om. ment and attic, the latter being intended
tant files and storage. The exterior of the bu
sion lug will be Of sandstone from the quarrie
been the Clough Stone Company at Amherst, o
was | The floors of the frat story will be of b