The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-30

= ( III SEIlCt
It ability and the greater one for the &c
n given trust. K. S. MINOR, Sec'y,
The Philadelphia Postoffice Eigh
Millions of Dollars Spent on It.
Z The magnificent pile Of granite mason
: r. fronting ON Chestnut, Ninth an
> Market streets, to be used for the Post
Office and Federal offices, has bee
J opened for business. This edificc, whicl
has quietly reared its massive hea,
during the last eleven years, will hav'
cost the United States Government
when finished and equipped, nearly
SS,000,000. 1t is one-half size larger
than the New York Postoffice building
and is said to be the finest structure o.
its kind in the world The Government
pIid 81 ,49l 200 for the site upon which
the building stands, but since its cree
ton and the addition of The Record
Office to the block, land owners in the
plot bounded by Ninth and Tenth
Chestnut aud Market. have placed fab
ulous prices upon the value of their
ground. The total appropriations foI
the Postoffice have been Sc $50. 600, but
the amount was insufficient, and an adj
ditional appropriation will be made By
! Congress
The building is of granite, the base
ment from the Old Dominion quarries.
and the remainder from the Dix Island
quarries, on the coast of Maine. AT the
latter place all the granite blocks were
cut and marked, ami sent here to be put
in place. The entire work of setting
he stones WAS done by George Watson,
an expert mason, except during one sea-
son, when he had an assistant. The
digging of the immen cellar was begun
on October IL, 1873
The building has a front on Chestnut
street of l75 feet 9 inches; on Ninth
street, of 43i feet, and on Market street,
of l75 feet / inch The dome is l70 feet
above the curb line. The foundation
stones are two feet in thickness, and
rest upon concrete.
The first floor will be devoted entirely
to the uses of the Postoffice Department.
The large room at the corner of Ninth
and Chestnut streets will be used by the
Postmaster. Next to this, on the west,
is large apartment, which will contain
L
Secretary and the assistant custodian of
the building. This room will also lie
used as a general lobby for the public,
and will contain desks, chairs and con
venienees for writing and reading. Ad-
joining will be the tie Assistant Post
masters room. and next to The Record
building will be the apartments of the
cashier, auditor and paymaster. All
these positions are now filed by Mr..
James I. Bingham, but it is likely they
will be separated and more appointments
made. Immediately in the rear of this
room will be the Office of the Superin-
tendent of the Mails He will be so sit
uated as to command a view of the en-
tire first floor. The mailing department
will have it's desks and boxes under a
large skylight in the western end of the
building, nearest to Chestnut street, and
the carriers department will be under
the same light, near to Market street
Carriers and employees will enter and
leave the building by way of Chant
street to Tenth, and letters intended for
points reached by trains from Broad
Street Station will be received and dis
patched up to within fifteen minutes Of
the time of the starting of the trains.
The entire front on Ninth street, from
Market to Chestnut, will always present
= busy scene. 1t is here that the public
will come in contact with the DEPART
ment. There will be a wide corridor ex-
tending the length of the building, and
on the west side of this will be the hand
some mahogany and glass screens behind
which the clerks will stand. Along the
top of these screens will be movable
windows of cathedral glass, so as to Sc
cure ventilation in warm weather Be
ginning nearest Chestnut street will be
the ladies' windows; next to the north
will be the general delivery department;
then the newspaper delivery next, two
wholesale stamp clerks; then three retail
stamp clerks; then the foreign depart
ment. There will be fifteen boxes for
drop-lctters In the centre of the Ninth
street front the Office of the Chief Clerk
will be located, and near him will be
new official, who will have charge Of the
bureau Of information and inquiry con-
corning the rates of postage and every
thing connected with the department
To the north of him will be the lock and
newspaper boxes, of which there viii be
1914 These are of bronze, each having
q heavy plate-glass front. The money
order and registered letter departments
viii occupy two large rooms on the
Market street front.
The first floor viii be lighted By 100
large electric are lights The building
will require 5000 tons of coal per year
to heat il, and $4,000 will be needed
every year for gas and water and for
keeping the building in order. In the
basement there will be twelve bathtubs
for the use Of the carriers and clerks.
Ninety regular employees will be needed
to take care Of the building and Offices
Id Il. The Postmaster will be custodian
Of the building without extra compensa-
ti0n, but he will have an assistant who
viii be paid 81 500, and who viii look
after the details of the work.
The second door viii be used BY the
United States Sub Treasury on the
Chestnut street front; By the Pension
Dhieer % Ninth street, and the Internal
Revenue Collector on the Market street
'front.'
The third noor viii BE devoted 70 the
United States Courts, the United States
Marshal and the Navy Pay Office.
The fourth floor viii Be used " the
Railway Mail Service officers. The en-
tire building viii Be furnished ii solid
mahogany, and will require over 1000
yards Of carpet. All the furniture Is
being made Ia Cincinnati add ghicage.