New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-01
GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

REPORT OF THE SUPERVISING ARCHITECT
NEW BUILDINGS AND NEW srrEs-CoNDiTIoN OF THf
GOVERNMENT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
AND SUGGESTIONS THE EIGHT-HoUR RULE OBJ
JEcTED TO.
Following are extracts from the most i'm
portant parts OF the annual report OF Mr. A. b. Mulett
Supervising Architect Of the Treasury Department:
NEW BUILDING SITES.
Sites have purchased for the public buildings al
Coyington KY Dover, Del, Evansville Ind Fall River
Mass Port Huron, Mich, and Parkersburg, West Va.
tho property for the extension of the public
building OF Indianapolis Ind and additional land ad
joining the public buildings at Madison, Wis, aud
Springfield, M, the original lots having been f9und
too small The sites for the buildings at Hart.
ford. Conn. aud Lincoln, Neb. which were presented
by these cities, have been examined, found salts
to purchase suitable sites for the proposed
buildings at Cincinnati, Ono, Utica ana Albany,
Post-olhce and Treasury building at Boston, Mass at
fair prices proceedings in condemnation have conse-
progress part OF the site for the Postoce and
Courthou at Philadelphia, Penn was purchased on
fused 20 dispose OF their property for reasonable sum,
proceedings in condemnation have been instituted ia
those Negotiations have been entered into with
a procuring suitable sites for the proposed build
ings at Atlanta, Ga; Jersey City. N j.. Little Rock;
Ark; Memphis, Tenn, and Pittsburgh, Penn, and and
now in progress. The site OF the old
Customhouse at Plymouth n. G., has been sold sold
no necessity existing for public building in that place
The marine hospitals at New Orleans, La, aud Nachez.
Miss have been offered at public auction but not sold
no satisfactory bid having been made Plans have been
commenced. and are now we'll advanced, for the public
P Poilass az " Vs E~ansyie Ind; Dover Dell
Grand Rapids Mich, and for the Marine Hospitai az
San Fra ncisco Cal. Preliminary OF the sites
selected in other cities have been made, aud the plans
Will be commenced at an early day.
NETWORK AND BOSTON PosToFTrCEs
The remarkable increase in the financial department
of the NewYork Post-ofce rendered it necessary to
bran nf fha VIE
in the second story OF the Postofce building To
accomplish this intended for the offices OF the
judiciary in that story appropriated, which OF
made necessary to provide for them else here
to the building which was authorized by the act
approved March 3, 1873 orders were linne uiasey
lite. which has been cut delivered, and Is now
in place The work at t dds,. tiHe t,o (" cam ln
petion OF the roof during the present season OF tha
it will be occupied by the PostOhice by the ith OF jay
1874 aud be entirely completed during the coming year
The great Of this building and its construction,
which has been entirely experimental nave y
would otherwise have been attained IL Is however 80
viii not exceed s65OOCOO exclusive Of fencing, grading
sewerage machinery furniture and nxturss or SfOODO
INCLUSIVE OF these items THIS amount Will undoubtedly
appear enormous persons who have not investigated
bnldipg ana with the cost OF other great structures
erected By the Government by State municipal au
thortles il Will be found to be cheap structure Inc
building will be- when completed larger than any granite
or marble building yet commeneed by the Govern
ment outside OF the District OF Columbia, ana Is
only largest postoice building IN the world but
Will have unequ led facilities and accommodations for
the transaction OF business. Being satisfied that an
underground way through the City Of New York must
sooner or later be constructed and that IN no other
manner can quick and ample transit be assured ana
thar such connection between the various railroads
terlng in NewYOrk and the PostOce is indispensable,
have made provision by which tho malls can, ia sucu
event. be received and delivered in the basement In
the same manner will be the case in the new Post
Ohice at ST. Louis. II has also been 50 arranged
that the various newspaper offices can, at very
trning expense, arrange Tor the delivery OF their
issues IN that portion OF the building, ana
pense. The magnitude Of the building may be inferred
from the following OF Labor and material ex
pended in It's construction to the present time, viz
so cubic yards excavations 5000 cubic yards con
crete. $500 cubic yards Tubbe, l5.GnO0 bricks, 5000
barrels cement, 5000 cubic yards SAND ooOOW CUBIC
board measure, rough lumber 5000 pounds leau ana
over 100000 DAYS laOor ehcsve VI tait on
completed and occupied the most prejudlced Will admit
pended. and that the building is worthy of the COM
merclal metropolis OF the u1ited states , ,,oo.,,r
building at Boston, Mass, would have been 50 far com
ths So%d De b by ere il M
regret to say, no prospect though It VIII undoubtedly
he completed early next spring Every effort has been
made 10 hasten It's progress. and can otter no other
excuse for the failure than the embarrassment eoniu
sion and delays that have followed the great tire Tue
building covers ha OF the BLOCK Dordered by Devon
SHIRE Congress, MIX and Water-sts. the remainder
was occupied by buildings that we're destroyed by the
fire, which injured the granite work OF inc Oldng Ia
close proximity aud in drect contact with the DANES TO
harrow hllk-st Deihg Dul 50 ieeS ahu naler-st' %
feet IN width. NO material damage was, nov"
sustained by the destruction of the buildings on
the opposite sides OF the streets showing conclusiyely
that had 1t been surrounded by streets OF tine ordinary
it proved TO be the only building that presented
impossible barrier TO the fire. and undoubtedly
saved millions OF dollars 20 the City of Boston In this
connection be proper TO remark that the general
plans aud estimates OF tins Office we're considered very
by many prominent citizens or Boston, VINO
failed e. comprehend the possibility OF such conagra
ton or the danger therefrom One OF these gentlemen
np0lV Tif
Supervising Architects ideas that he not only volun-
teered his advice TO the Department In an
pressed the opinion that buildings erected
proof for all practical purposes and that large amount
would be saved by following his example; falling TO
convince lhe department he endeayored to impress his
tves appointed to investigate the manner OF construc-
ton Of that building and OF the new Post-Ohce IN New
the buildings 10 which he referred Offering more
resistance to the confagration than buildings OF the
most ordinary construction, showing concusiSely that
had his advice been followed the loss to tins Govern
ment wQud have. amounted t9 millions Of dollars
occupied by the Post-0fice and Treasury Depart
meDt and must inevitably have been destroyed. II
has however furnished San admirable illustration OF
the value OF such opinions and advice The site for this
building 1t will aforementioned, purchased, not by
9 but s ss spPSassa
the Assistant Treasurer the Presdeniof the Board OF
Trade the Hons APheus Hardy ana Ds0e ~, pays Ps Gi
master, Gen. william L. Burt, entirely inadequate III
which opinion tlls ONCE NloWs
OF the majority prevailed. The result has justified the
opinion OF the Postmaster the building being OF no more
than half the capacity required This Is 80 apparent
that the purchase OF the remaining portion or tue block
has been authorized, as heretofore stated
OTHER BUILDINGS.
The Supervising Architect refers to the work on the
new public building at Chicago. which good progress
Is made to the Mint at San Francisco nearly
pleted; 10 the Custom house at New Orleans well add
vsnced toward completion to the Custom-house at
Charleston, s. Co. which various important changes
have been made and TO other public structures. He
says:
The plans and estimates submitted for the Appraisers
stores at san Francisco, Cal, contemplated substan
tal, but not tre-proof brick building three stories in
hight the entrance story aud basement be used for