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

for 49, Authority has been granted the sals
four others r n ss ss SSsS s s ss Of
soId the highest bid amounting TO but $500 OF
entirely inadequate aud unsuitable, and the erection
Of new ones authorized IN their stead. Five
| vision has yet been made for replacing them. 10
will therefore be that out OF 80 buildings that
G rSsdy cobdenTcd as nnsaa6e Tor tho Government
This exhibit bad t is does not fully state the fac,.
than have been extended and 10 remodeed and at an
e5s Esf By other showing that DOT Of y
buildings erected without proper regard TO me
80 could be considered in any sense Of tho perm
neD and suitable structures or these large 9unofi
are IN towns OF comparatively itte importance. indee1
OF the buildings erected or commenced by the Govern
ment 10 the ten principal cities OF the United 5ate.
value namely The house at Boston, Mass mo
Treasury building at York the a. b,l
a statement which appears 10 me 20 snow cone usFaJ
Consideration the necessities OF future
ties Of the public service would therefore rspr.l
fully suggest that where II Is not considered de
sable appropriate the amount necess Try 10 erect
suitable and permanent bulldogs II would b. more al
yantageous TO defer action and rent temporary 9econ
mOda0ns until such time tho finances OF the 1oVer-
ment may warrant the appropriation OF tue necessary
sUsDBY RECOMMENDATIONS.
desire once call attention 20 the necessity FOR
increased accommodations for the customs department.
10 New York City The apDrehen sions espresso In my
previous reports been verified It having been found
necessary to rent buildings for the accommodations VI
'~~~"'~NS
portion OF the officers and clerks The present Custom
house building il not half the size necessary Ior ihe
proper OF tho business or that port Je Of
hoers and employos OF tne Depart arc PaCkru 'n
U.s. under circumstances, impossible for TEN 10
perform their duties In prompt accurate snl satssc
tory manner. and have no hesitation ia expresns the
opinion that great portion OF the delays aud errors
n the transaction Of the public business IN tLss city
attributable the unsuitable earaeter ana insuBcency
the accommodation. The building vas not eectcI
for custom.hou5e aud cannot De maze ..
suitable for tho purpose IL Is ~ oese' ou.
expedent and should be considered as such there
ATE stems e taken 10 secure n possible from the coy OF
New-York, the whole OF tho Battery or such poruoh
gation OF the subject believing as DO That 'h,re -
no other spot IN the city OF snae,ent capcy o. 30 WI
sonsble price | am aware that the project iny"Y
large ,San f,uotbrfs of the entire Gus
toms revenue or the country IL collected AZ this
port and that 1t would not the highest estimate. re-
Gnlre more than the revenue collected In two weeAs 10
erect a suitable building; IN ADDITION 10 whlc1 w
Cus'omh house property, the Assay ofice properly ant
the old PostOtice site could be sold Tor sum Wlrh
would 90 very toward defraying If 10 did no. nee
tho entire expenditure In TINS connection lc,ii- 20
renew my Recommendation that suitable appraiser
he erected IN the same locality, beleyns As ~
that IL IL OF the utmost importance 10 concentrate, ~ l
as possible, the entire customs department IN on ~.
caty. desire to call special attention 70 ne uSoHe
necessity that exists Tor lnneuiate aeton III IT,
the barge Office New-YOrk fine granite dOtA ana
pas been made for the building The surv y6r Oi Tao
Port reports that 1t impossible for hm 10 ehoco te
his command and strongly urges the Immediate ere
ton OF the building | have examined tue question
fully and with the views expressed by tIe sr
Veyor, and would recommend that an apprOpna On pe
obtained to carry them into effect have heretofore
called attention 10 tue unsuitable and unsau7l4cO o.
character OF the accommodations ipr0ydei Tor "e az
pr1lses depar ment Oh tne Sy ~, q nscr fSr
the same. The lease having expired psoPos~i' "eTs
building and after a careful and exhaustive exaligi
ton of the properties Offered. the block OF building;
Iaight-sts was selected. The buildings 10 quos
ton are probably better adapted to the wants o. ne
Government than any other IN the CITY OF NSwf rG,
and can be made entirely suitable by o comparatively
moderate expenditure. The locality though NOT, IA Ay
Hient 10 or readily accessible from every foreign s.cn
ship line sailing from New York, and Is "a ey ~ RESPECT
called the attention OF the Department to INC great
danger to be apPrehended from nre N tne paIdnS a.
present occupied These apprehension were yeIine Oh
le 2Osh OF July last, when the upper stories ahd hre
amount OF valuable goods were destroyed, ddnsr
which Will be avoided IN tho new building WHICH 10 l-c
proof ,
desire to call attention to the fact that. whe tine
business Of this Office hos increased Beyond All exooo.
'arisen have been promptly settled. AT the tune
many OF which dated from 1872 amounted 20 upwards Of
100000 of which claims amounting 70 si5o96o 81 nave
Investigation, adjusted Oy the allowances o. s4s2l0 u
In this connection desire To cll the attention VI tne
expenditures OF this office have increased snco l9S
pended balance OF S962l90 7Q, the claims for eN Ia,
and additional compensation have steadily dImDI. Hd
and nearly nominal; and that while suis 10
the Court Claims formerly frequent and Usually
successful suit has been brought against the Govern
that the comparative cost OF work has, at the Same e
been decreased, GTgst f seT Vas V sd
vantageOus rates and In enforcing the same. Tns wis
particularly the case in regard TO the contracts Tor stone
work which usually ext.ayagant in price aud
subject OF disputes and litigatons, which, rule 70
suited adversely to .'ths Government Tie tx
strated that the system recommended by ne
pablo buildings at New.York, Boston, Chica ., s..
hens I I%d I'm n S S city, aud ppaa
the percentage system the fares and most equ able
yet devised the basis for contracts 10 which D0r
the principal factor and in which the qualify Oi LAC
work determined by tue amount OF labor expende OF
quence. exaeted-sueh as sone-eutting, plumbng aud
Osher similar work aud it has proved. IN spite of e
ested persons DO the fsirest and most 4o.l,l
system for such contracts that has been devised
desire once more to call attention to the eght-hor
law. believing It to be alike injurious TO the best inter
IL frequently happens that mechanics and aborcrs IN
poy ed by the Government and those employed By CON
tractors required 10 work the same building, and
at the same time. Those employed by tue Governments
work but eight hours while those employed by the CON
tractors work ten hours per diem. This causes nucH
feeling and It needs no argument TO prove that II Is IN
Just and that the IN, mec a TfS @ors svo n
who has friends and influence sufficient to oOsia
ia also in direct violation OF the principles OF Civil
Service Reform inasmuch rs II converts inc enpoy-
ment OF mechanics and laborers from business a.
ton OF competency and industry 10 aqueson VI poit
cal patronage and personal inhneuce 90 NOT hSsaie
TO say that has cost the Government million on dollars
without benefng the mechanic or aoorer IN the ssht
car dc gree fac am ADVISED any other ItrsOns
man perambulatng and paid agttators, the eial-
agents. Who have nsgated litigatious aud claims Tor
thar own be,,aht. The law has been fairly aud July
tasted the experience Of this Department well as Of
private establishments has shown mat ls rot ony
impossible foya maa to perform AZ much labor III ognt
hours as in ten, but that be absolutely performs less
work per hour under tho eight-hour system IL
IL matter OF neither interest nor import
spce 70 me whether mechanics and IL ofors
perform eight hours work, provided
hours OF labor are the public as Oh private
works 10 is however impossible 10 conduct Work M
proper manner under system that increases ne COM
49, atiop az mechanics and employed