New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-24
now occupied

For score Of years or more the subject OF Federal
Building In brooklyn has been 1satcd' ana ai'cr INC
erection Of the new PosOficc In New YORK inc matter
was strongly urged. But II wa, only WITHIN inc Ia't
decade that any definite steps were taken to obtain inc
needed action by Congress. In july lss2, congress
passed an act authorizing the expenditure oil f9"o'
for ,c site and the structure. II was thought az inc
limo tbat the amount was wholly inadequate but IL
was believed that beginning could be maze WIN 'io
hone 1i further appropriations later As soon a. "
WAS certain that building was To- be put up '"o''
vas much rivalry among real estate men 10 sei' ''"
10 the Government, and various influences were ""us
to bear upon the commission which selected III" Sic
o, ~ .o most available places for the building was
tho Mot NJ crouud across JOracmon 81. from the 'lV
Hall where the old First Reformed Church st"'d. 10
satisfy the conditions 81 Site suitable Tor the p"r-
nose II was thought 1t would De necessary I" purchase
the row Of buildings tho Court st. Side OF uh' prop
cr,y and the sum available was not sufficient Ia 30
This There wa, also talk ~ a site AT Flatbn'h ave-
and Fulton IT, and Of other property east Of the city
Hall then already fast becoming the business centre
~ tho city Dut stronger Influences brought TO
hear I'm favor OF the ground IN Jollnsonst between
Washington and Adams ,t- than for any other sto
under con moderation. and this was selected
The sum Of Sil3joi II was paid for plot about
go bv 10 and upon this u building has beef erected
The credit Of securing the passage Of the bill an-
horizing the purchase Of the site and the conetiuc-
ton 81 the building s. due 90 Darwin r. James who
then represented the TIA District In Congress
The ste was purchased In lH7f ana plans were
prepared for a two-,tory and basement building on
the wa,hincton.st. side of the property. While this
structure was undcr way Congressman Felix camp
bell made an effort increase the Appropriation for
thc buldlnp and secured the passage Of bill by
Conrrcs, limiting the cost OF the building to
al 100000 exclusive Of the site. which made the
total amount available nearly two millions Of dollars.
d. G. Ernest Lamb. Of the staif OF the Supervising
Architect at Washington. at once set at WORK upon
plans for n large and ornamental building. five stories
in height with a 200 feet high and orna-
mcuted with balconies and roof arcadcs. But the
plan, as prepared called for expenditure I'm excess
Of the amount available. and Supervising Awhitc0
Frcrct cut the design down 10 III the appropriation
The structure reduced 10 four stories IN height
and the tower was lowered about thirty feet Much
Of the exterior ornamental work was cut of and INC
building was left in design as it stands to-day, save
that ten fee; have been added 10 the tower.
II Is built Of BOdwcll granite, from Maine. ana
the architecture is Of the Eomancsquc order. The
first story Is kfaccd ashlar and the upper stories
Of cut stone with rockfaced window castings. Al
the souihcastcrly corner IS tower about - fecs
SQUARE. rising ls4 feet. The height Of the building
nm the Westinghouse. side Is 1O5 feet. and the
Adams-st side - feet more, owing TO the descent oi
the ground I'm that part If the city. The building
has a frontage Of 23G feet Johnson-s and depth
Of 13J feet As the law requires dstancA-Of 10
between United states DuW4nEs anu lhtF bcltH-
bors n strip OF land OF hi, width extends between this
structure and the building known the Universal
I'm the same block and occupied by Lehman brothers
A. Ovincs This will furnish q passag for mail
WAGONS and an effort is being made b. secure add
tional room for pOstoice purposes in The new build
ing by flooring IL over and extending the space for
carriers and mail sortcrs. Colonel W. e. Booth.
SUPERINTENDENT Of Construction Of the Federal Build-
ing thinks that a grave mistake made I'm nOa
securing an entire block for thu structure that il
might have had adequate room not only 10 accOmmO-
date az the demands made upon IL for 10 come.
Int also Tor the proper display OF the architectural feat
prcs The front Of the building is upon Johnson st..
practically an alley, with roadway Of twenty-five
feet since the demolition Of the Brooklyn Theatre
and the old Clarendon Hotel JohnS0list.. from
H. good view Of the front he obtained. bnt
after the new Eagle building is reared on the site
extent hidden from public view. II the Universal,
OH the other side, should Dc completed projected
the Government structure would be practically OBJ
! scured.
The main entrance the Johnsonst side Is through
broad archway with pillars Of gray and rcd granite.
High above this in the cOrnicc is eagle with ont
stretched wings fully a dozen feet from tip 10 tip
carved I'm a block Of stone Weighing ten tons on
either SIDE OF II arc lions heads the front Of pro
iectng bays There Is a plain. but broad entrance on
the Washington ST. side. 10th Of these lead into the
| postoiice proper. which will occupy the entire first
or ground n0or all the departments being provided for
on the sam, level. The design OF the building pro
vides for great central court. $50 feet long by