, 1873-11-16
Progress Of The Work on tho Now
Cust0m-bi0uSc.
Completion Of the Marine Hospital
at Lake View.
Description Of the Bui1d|ng---The Off,
GERS in Charge.
Tho Removal Of Patients to Be
Made Tomorrow.
THE CuSTOM-HOuSE.

NOT LONG AFTER THE FIRE
Congress appropriated tho s,,m Of $4,000 ono to
purchase n site, mud build CHBtom-Horso
and poBt- Office In Chicago. That money
might DO forthcoming wien noodod' Con-
groBa placed half that SUM IN avail
ablo Shape, and when tho Commissioners
gavo their verdict 81 .250,000 woro ready to pay
for tho ground, loaving s75o,ooo for ctlfront OK
ponsca. Another 81, 10000 was subsequently,
addod, leaving MIR. Mullott plenty Of money with
which to procctl III liB constructive labors. When
AEr. Mullott was OH obacuro young mnn, ho
worked IN tho Office Of 31r. Architect Rankin
Whom Mr.. lsankn loft tho stndy for tho fold,
t,1ruel9lig bac1; on construction, md laborcd IN
tho work Of destruction, his clerk looked OH
from TINT study and found himself u famous
architect. Whom tho Robollion camo to M cnd,
tAcr rclatlyo situations wcro chts1ged-Alr.
Mullott was tho employer, Mr. Rankin tho ON
uloyc, aud, rs tho lnttor amiab1o gentleman
pinned for Chicago and home, hc was appointed
to auporintonl tho construction Of Mr. A1ullctt'n
ampllibious building, which was to ho "charac-
toristio Of Chicago" aud n structure at which
tho shados Of lingo Tones and Sir Christ ophor
Wronn would stato in surprise, while tho gtbbor-
ing ghost of Michael Augolo stood BY In arurga-
toral attitude, gazing stolia'y until tho day Of
Judgment.
TIE F0uNDAT1OS.
There eau bo no doubt that Mr.. hIullett, with
millions to dispose of, arranged TINT there
should DO no danger from settling. On Sept.
II, 1872, tho first blow was struck upon the
ground and tho work Of excayating commenced.
Tho foundations were dug doop, until they
roaol1ot tho loycl OF tho lake. Thou concrete
wae laid four foot i'll thickness, and the founun-
tions laid. It WAS estimated TINT the greatest
strain upon any part Of tho foundations would bc
VIZ toms to the square foot. Their strength vas
tested with mechanical appliances to bear n
strain OF 35 tors to tho slnara foot, especially
npon tho edges Of tho concrete. Then the der
richs wero set up, aix in number, At cost
derfai l'''t solidity:. Ono % Of those posts
gayo way, nnd consequently every ono
Of the old sot was takcn mp cnd now ones put
down. Wonderful gny-poats were theao uow
oncs. They were laid at All amazing depth, and
cla1nped ntid secured in tho most approved
fashion. a corpB Of worlmon were set to putty
ing the cracks in them. aud thoy woro puttiod
UP with considerable caro- Then n generous
cont Of paint was applied to them, aud thon iron
these collars OH tho posts the iron was soulc-
| whnt frayed and torn at tho edges, henco all
army Of workmen to polish Off these ragged
edges, mud lenco moro putty aud another coat
| Of patnt,-a''d h&neo M unexpected llolo in
for vanishing tho glly-ropoB Of thogo dcrricka
| nv fortune would bo 1nntio," WAS tito significant
commentary OF II disappointed contractor.
| The depth OF tho foundations last winter i'll
yitcd delugo Of water, and Alr. Rankin obtai,l-
| ell the llae OF MI engine from tho Chicago Fire
| Department to pump it out. sand gravel, and
abuse necesstated Il great many ropnirs to that
engine bofora it could cope with fire.
| THE STONE CONTRACT.
The Htono in our new Government Building il
tho iar-fa,nod Buona Vista, from quarry uca!
Cincinnati, which is caslly cut. 1Au contractf
| woro awarded us follows Tor cnttillg tho baBo
mont and tho sill and Intel courses, to John II
Mul.lcr; for cutting tho sporstrllcttso, to tlle
Government Works ut The foot OF Twelfth atrcot
under tho Ht1pcrinto;ldence Of AID. David Cooy
! for rigging tho derricks, to Capt. L. a. Il. lis
ualo, United States Riggor Tho iron columns mt
fittings Of the basement md first story aro beinl
constructed by tho Union Foundry Works O
Chicago. Tho designs for thc ornn,nontn! stont
and iron work arc being prepared by God1nrd
Lojeune Il Go. There aro at present $50 mei
employed upon tic building, 2U0 ut tho stone
cutting works, and 25 Oh tho iron work, making
worlmon, it is sometimes inquired Why til
building docs not riao more rapidly. 1t i
cnin,ett that tho CAUSE of delay III tho want 0
rantorlal that tho ma6sos Of stono ,l6ed i'll th
building aro 10 enormous tint ten times til
amount actually needed has to he quarrlcd be
bo obtainod. This statement appoars t
bc highly probable, III Wow OF tho fac
TINT eacll of lilo largest mapses weigh
20 tons. But M I. very lnrgo number OF tllcH
hugo boullors arc lyn: round tic square All
i,unresa in the yard ut the fuot Of pnrk plact
it would appenr tint stone was not tho mnterjs
lacking. Tho monster tcr1iclts aro now pacin
tho lror columns OF the haaamant, md it is OK
pcctod tint this part Of tho cdiico will be iinisl
cd this winter. During Tho winter months 1t
! nxnected that work will De nttemptcG ut into
yua whenever Tho weather permits, but. M theI
in no hurry and Tue appropriation is generous
tho building will not be endangered BY h,rrle
work.