New-York tribune., 1874-12-12
TIE NEW TRIBUNE BUILDING.


TIE NAME HoIsTED TO THE TOWER IN BLOCKS OF
GRANITE WEIGHING FIVE AND HALF TONS 2lo
FEET ABOVE THE sIDEwALK-l5O WoRKMEN
PUSHING THINGS on THE INTERIOR.
For two OF three days workmen have been busy in
clearing away the scafloldngs and other obstruc-
tions from the front of TIE TRIBUNE building, lay
ing pavements. making new connections with the
gas-mans. and the like The vaults, both on Spruce
and Nassau-sts, have been completed. and with few
exceptions the outside work and about the struc-
ture is done. The granite men were yesterday en-
gagged in hosting into position the large granite
blocks surmounting the clock face in the tower One
of these blocks stretches across each of the four
sides of the tower Each block bears on its face IN
letters two feet four inches long, the simple words
THE TRIBUNE" The block bOisted yesterday
was IA feet long, aud three feet four inches hgh 1t
weighs 81 tons, and its place lii the tower is 2O feet
above the level of the sidewalk. 1t is visible from
almost any point in tho Bay, and for many miles in
the direction of Brooklyn, Jersey City, or Hoboken.
The roof of tho building composed entirely of
iron and slate) has for some weeks been all
pleted. with the exception of the space immedi-
atcly back of the tower, through which the granite
is hoisted and about days work to be done on the
upper part of the front Mansard. BY some blunder
at the iron works. mistake was made concerning
few iron castings to be used here about the gutter
work. and this has delayed putting on the last OF the
slate. AS as these iron castings are received,
day or two will complete the exterior work.
Meantime the windows have been closed up, a large
part of the interior plumbing has been done, and
the steam heating apparatus is being rapidly intro
Guced.
With the exception of the granite on which there
have been many delays, it is believed that the work
on THE TRIBUNE building has gone forward more
rapidly and satisfactorily than on almost any build
ing of ANYTHING like its magnitude erected of late
years. There are now engaged in and about the
building and the various iron gangs as masons,
carpenters floor layers stone setters plumbers, etc.
total of over $50 workmen, and the entire force is
to be kept pushed to its utmost capacity until the
building is ready for occupancy. Besides these
workmen there are at least $50 more engaged in the
carpenter shops marble yards and elsewhere on the
contracts for the various parts of the work. good
deal of the carpenter work is already done
in the shops of the contractor. The marble
wainscoting is being prepared, and the
Metach tiles for the floors, which were
made in England on an order transmitted some
months ago. and are now on the ocean. are expected
in few days. Every branch of the work has been
pushed forward as rapidly as was consistent with
the thorough and durable nature of the workman
ship required. In o few instances work has been
prosecuted nlgnC anu uay, ~ III prePafatiou VI
some of the ronjwork for the spacious vaults ex-
tending out under the middle of Spruce end Nassau
sts in order to get them closed up before the ap
proach Of cold weather, and to prepare them for
the reception of THE TRIBUNEs improved ma
chinery In one of these is to be set the
Hoe perfecting press, beyond question the most
complete, economical, and satisfactory printing
machine ever invented, as much superior to those
now in use as the Hoe six or ten cylinders were to
the clumsy and old fashioned contrivances which
they displaced both in England and America.
The tenth story of the new building to be occu-
pied by The TRIBUNE composing room, will proba-
blv be ready for the use Of the printers by about
the st of February; while it is intended that all of
the parts of the building to be rented for lawyers
Offices banks etc. shall be ready for the use of ten
ants by the lst of April next. The composition
floors are laid throughout the building now, and on
over half the stories tho partitions have been
erected. Plastering will begin in about week or
two one Of the elevators Is completed and ready to
set up the iron work of the starcases is up now,
aud the slate treads are expected to be on by the
18th of December. number of applications for
rooms have been filed, and it is already evident that
it is to become favorte point for lawyers offices.
The site of the present new structure was origin
ally occupied by three out Of the five buildings
which THE TRIBUNE owned. OF the other two, the
one to the rear Spruce-st, fire-proof structure
of the old kind THAT is, with brick walls iron beams
supported by iron columns. with brick floor arches
between them, is now occupied by The TRlBUNE's
own Offices The other is still in the possession of
tenant, holding under five years lease, which does
not expire until the 1st of next May Every effort
made to get possession of this part Of the property
order to make the whole contemplated building at
once but the tenant refused offers Of three
four Eve. and six thousand dollars for tho remsin
der Of bis lease. 1t hAs thus become impossible to