The New York herald., 1874-11-01
THE NEW POST OFFICE.

THE NEW POST OFFICE
It's Exterior and Interior-The Rooms
and How They Are To BE Occupied
An Army OF OMcials and Six Thousan md
Lock Boxes.
A HERALD reporter recently visited the magni-
ncent structure built by the government In this
city for use as Post ONCE, Unitsd States Court
rooms, hc., in order to ascertain how soon the
splendid building would be ft or occupancy, and
generally TO describe the interior arrangements OF
this superb public edihce. The Post once viii be
thrown open for the public accommodation, 1t Is
understood, about the lst day OF January, 1875.
and certainly no building outside OF the national
capital can compare with it in stateliness solidity
and general architectural beauty. The general
style Is Doric yet the upper portions can with pro-
priety be called composite, the French
prevailing. zone outrageous violation or good
taste alone, however, has almost marred the
harmony and unity OF the whole noble design,
and that is, the gliding of portion OF the cornce
OF the mansard dome which fronts the south; /;
this offence against good taste must provoke harsh
criticism from ali who had hoped that this noble
structure-Ol which, any city might be proud
would be completed without the tinsel and mere
tricous ornaments which mark the decline, and
not the advance OF true architectural art. This
music' OF the great work.
Only relative idea Of the size OF the structure
can be arrived at by stating that it occupies
twenty-one city lots, the frontage on Broadway is
$40 ieet on Park row 800 feet, the north fronting
the City Hall 200 feet and the south front 130 ieet
This total frontage being equal to about forty city
dwellings. 1t looms up grandly above tae ada
cent splendid buildings, ITS graceful Iacades and
noble domes being plainly perceived from the
river approaches to the city. To the stranger 1t is
at once marvel and . landmark.
In THE INTERIOR
the cellars vast crypts, used for the boilers,
furnaces, storage OF fuel and st0rerooms. The
number Of boilers are eight for heating and two
for running the elevators. The basement Is vast
single room OF more than an acre in area. This
will be the general working room, where letters,
papers and packages TO be sorted for the mails
Running from this subterranean beehive, ten ele-
vators will carry the letter relghts OF human love,
anguish, wealth and business to the drst story.
Tnls great room Is partly surrounded by lobby !;
1t may be called the Post Once proper where let
ters are to received and delivered the lobby be-
ing l0r the use OF the pubic. Anout midway be-
Il Teen ieet the nam ollices viii oe, sur
rounded on the broadway, southwest
and prk Gor ne des aor o " ss
Tn gallery VIII oe used by postal clerks, Its uuder
side forming the ceiling O. the LOBBY, which is
ABOUT twenty ieet III width. Tne oliice is sepa-
rated from the public by glass Partitions extend
ing 10 the bottom OF the inner side OF the gallery,
and VIII be provided witl about SIX Thousand lock
boxes.
IN The centre of the ofce ceiling there is large
triane ular space covered with glass r0oL Above
OPEN TO THB SKY,
afrordlng excellent light TO the upper stories
Through windows in the surrounding walls. The
loboes are noored with waIte and coiored MARBLE
but yellow pine Is used III the noorlng OF tue dill
1ercnt rooms
Tne man entrance Is through the portico on the
southwest side, when leacs TO q great vestlbuie
The road for mail wagons-the receipt and de-
livery OF letter bags and puckages-w 'front.' the
City Hail. Ii is lorty ieet VIDE and WIN he en-
closed by an iron fence. There are no partition
walls occurring in the lower section the grand
dome, the fOorirE above and the cOur yard walls
being supparted oy l07 massive columns 'oi elg l.
teen inches diameter and thirty ieet IN length,
the weight Of eacl being six tons, while over
these Columns are placeo girders made OF triple
rolled iron beams.
In the second story will be the onnces of the
POSTMASTER, ASSISTANT POSTM AsTER,
Auditor, Special Agents OF the Department, with
the Money Order ana Registered Letter Bureaus.
The United states Courts are on the City Hall side
OF the second story, are also the Offices OF
the United states District Attorney, Circuit court
and Chambers. Inc dimensions or the District
Court room are 36x55 iect, and Circuit court room
40x6S ieet each having ceilings iorty feet IN
height. In the tlird and fourth stories the
criminal branch OF the United states court VIII
hold It's sessions, and mere the offices OF the judges,
district attorney, commissioners CLERKS, marsnals
Courts IN this city VIII be located. On the lOurtn
story, on the northern City Hall side will be the
law library and several large rooms the occupants
OF which are not yet designated. In the attic the
RECORDS WILL BE ARRANGED,
and here also the jant0r5 ana waJcnmen will live.
The ceilings OF the various rooms Will be 0rnar
mented with stucco, 1T being understood for the
present tnat no freSco1ng VIII be oOne. The STAIR
ways That run from the cellar to the top OF the
building are four IN NUMBER, ana i've from the
second foor to tie tor. In addition TO the ten
elevators running from the basement to the first
floor four will run from the cellar to the attic.
Stairways VIII lead TO the d0mes, from winch
superb views OF the narbor ana surrounding coun-
try can be had
Tne stating or the roofs particularly satisfactory
job, being executed IN a superior and somew hat
costly article OF dressed slate, eacn slab OF whicn is
One-half incn thick at the lower edge and one.
quarter inch at the UPPER aud cut IN octagon
form at the corners. The slate on this ROOT elgns
in the aggregate some 222 TONS
The stone lor the present building Is all dressed
at the quarry, being cut accurately 20 specifca-
ton, numbered ana leCtered so that each fits Its
place perfectly without alter dressing. SO pre-
cisely do these blocks lit that a dozen men at the
building lay the stones as fast as tney can ne pre-
building IS conceded be the most perfect speci-
men OF granite WORK In the Union.
About 100000 cubic yards OF granite. 10000 yards
OF concrete, 45, 1000 barrels cement, 10 00U 600
bricks ana e,5Oo0oo pounds OF iron have Teen used
In the construction. 1t mas already cost over
$5000,000 The rapidity with which this great
work has been pushed Is deserving Of all praise.
Ground was broken IN the TALL Of 1860, but the work
was constantly embarrassed up TO 1872 by the
lethargy OF Congress. Since thar time, however,
the work has not Jagged tor Day, ana, as before
stated, the building will probably be occupied by
the department. as early as New Years Day o.
1876. Mr.. A. B. Mulett, the supervising Archltec,
OF the government. perfected the plans, Mr. q. s.
Hulburd Is the superintendent and Mr.. w. g.
Steinmeiz assistant superintendent. Inspector o
Materal-Mr. J. w. Barton.