New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-27
THE NEW POSTOFPICE.
IT is READY FOR USE.


OCCUPY THEM.
The handsome new Federal Building, erected at
cost Of nearly OOO is completed and will lie occu
pied tomorrow by the Postonice and few weeks later
by the Federal courts, the Internal Revenue Collector
the United States DisrictAttomey and the United
Maj shall. The POstofice, In fact, will begin work
there tomorrow. II is ten years since the
work Of its construction at Washington ana
Johnson SIS. was projected and the Duifns
is far in advance of the structure originally
planned, although not Us large as IT was at
one tine intended it should be. For all the years that
Brooklyn has been city, part of the time the third
city in the country she has had Ter Postoihcc IN
hired building and the other Government Offices have
been scattered in various places. At last, when the
number Of people in her borders is approaching
million. suitable structure has been provided.
The first appropriation for the building ana It's stS
was $500 ,OOO which made by Congress in loo2.
OF this than half pad for the plot @oo by 'o
feet now occupied. There varOns determining
influences In the matter OF selecting the SITE Dui 'e
changes since 1854 when 1t decided rI'on, nave
been such that il the choice were TO be MADE now
different site would doubtless be chosen. At that
time the centre of drygoods trade of the city was
below the City Hall, and it is above it, extending
to Fatbush ave. which will soon he invaded by dry
goods firm The interests which centred in the Vicinity
OF the spot selected for The Postoicc at the time II was
chosen have now largely deserted 1t. Those VINO
favored the placing of the PoStoicc at Flatbu'h
1
growing importance of that point as business centre
but the proximity Of the public Offices aud financial IN
stitutioLS Of the city to the new building VIII mahe
serve convenient purpose. The Offices OF SeVe'''i
newspapers will be close to II. The new DIoihs -
in the next block to where tile Ptoicc has been for
more than Il score Of years IT Is convenient 10 INC
Bridge for the speedy transfer Of malls TO New YORK.
and it is easily reached from all parts OF the ell! D
stYectc and elevated road. At any rate, the he"
building win have TO answer the purposes for when
IL has been constructed well into the next century, IL
not for a full hundred years
II is convenient and cOmm0diouS structure al
though II will not be possible to provide In IL all inc
room desirable for the increase of the WORK oil the
pos,oihce TO keep pace with the growth OF inc Guy
only the limitations put upon fhc cost of the bn'idhS
and site prevented Its being placed In the centre Oh an
entire block with room for suitable additions to II
from time 10 time. The other half OF the DOCK occ
nicd e. taken M with the new Columbia Theatre. and
hotel is projected upon the building occupied by INC
Universal drygoods store, which IS soon TO remove
further uptown. If more room had been poVucu "
could be well utilized. But the cost OF the bhIuInE
was limited in the last act of Congress regarding to
81 100000 exclusive of the site winch cost qfi'''
SOL L. although 100000 more was allowed Tor an eA
tension on the side next the theatre for mai ph-
poses.
The front of the building is upon Johnson-St.' OPP
posjte the new Eagle" Building but the public VIII
use the entrance in the Westinghouse side mainly a.
il is NOR convenient TO the majority oi po"pV WIN
will pass I'm and o; the POstofice
Tho architecture. of the main entrance Is practically
hidden because of the narrowncss OF JohnsonS' anu
the tall building opposite, occupying thc sic VI Uo
IN fated BROOKLYN Theatre. where IT'S persons "erc
burned 10 death The best view Of the new feuer"
Huilding can be gained from Washington ana Jonh'
son IS opposite the square tower nearly 200 FEET III
height which adorns the building The structure
n o2G ny I35 feet and four stories in height. one story
having been cut out OF the original plans. III" aIo"
lecture is OF the composite order the main iea'u''
being Romanesque. The building materh i s'"'
granite from the Bodwcl quarricS In Name tc hi'
story being rock-hccd, and the windows oil 'e
upper stories Of cut stone being trimmed VII" Tue
same The roof is Of slate. and the building Is prac
rcarv Grenroot The details OF the exterior are vel
worked out and is fine carving In the stone
over the main entrance. near the roof Is gra' amer
lean eagle, with outspread wings. cut on hnee pio
of stone Lions heads in the granite adorh 'he ro'
towers or bays, which flank the entrance ana thcr'
are red granite pillars supporting the porch' Ihe
broad arches OF the entrances and windows OF the hrs
floor are Romanesquc. ON the second story t1c VII
dows are square. and the third floor the arches are
,ess rounded than below Dormer windows IN the fooi
light the fourth floor ~,
The first floor and basement OF The Duhu'ne ac
devoted to postoflce purposes, the second moor 10
the Collector of Internal Revenue. the District Attorney
and the Marshal and the third moor TO the Cnled
states courts. on the fourth floor are rooms ioF Tue
iantor storage etc. All the most modern Improve
mems for handling the malls are embodied IN the
po,toIcc department. great interior court gives inc
light through skylghts needed for the work by DAY
and there will be incandeccnt electric lights ut night
broad corridor runs around two sides OF tue INTERIOR
ON the outside OF this at the Washington ana Johnson
SIS corner are the offices Of the postmaster ana tc
assistant postmaster, and along the sides the money
order and registry offices. the cashiers Office ana the
HEADQUARTERS Of the superintendent Of mails and super
| ~
woinscotinQ Of Tennessee marble and trim OF hs
came over the windows, and marble mah'l0' lho
woodwork Is Of mahogany. The partitions separaune
e postoce workrOOm from the corridor are OF mahoS
any and brass and a brass screen is back OF The lei
,erboxes The money order Office is on the right Of
| the main entrance in JOhn,On-st., and the registry
departmen is beyond it at the Adams-st end, win inc
large room for the superintendent Of carriers Dcyohu IT,
Tho ndent Of mails Is nj the opposite end OF
the building near the Westinghouse. entrance Inc
additional space in the annex toward the nOHh gives
600 additional feet OF floor space for handling 'hc
mails This portion IS well lighted by an I'M
! ,nonee skvllcl The mails will be sorted Tor
delivery on the main floor and for dlSpachng IN inc
basement which is upon the street level on the M
amsst. side Ample space IS povlucn LOT inc ~
trance Of mail wagons from Adams ST. On the sac
f the building where they be loaded and unoadcd,
Tho Second floor Of the building is reached by bo"d
CLONE and iron staircases at each end. IL Is snO
divided on the plan AS the irst hoor' saw "''
Aha ,r,erior court takes of about OnethiId Of the
snace The Collector Of Internal Revenue VIII nave Ms
svate office directly over that Of the Postmaster
and leading out Of 1t the general Oihccs OF ''c
department on the Johnson st. side are the oihceS oi
the District Attorney and the Assistant DisrcthhoF
pev and their attaches, and on the Adahsst sue '"o
nitcd States Marshal aud his deputies VIII nave con"
Portable quarters. The Offices ana fVoh's arr
| :, ,,t,or .tvIe To those downstairs and are relete
Nth convcnicnccs. The corridor il tiled, ana thefe
| ara hardwood floors In the Offices
The third floor is devoted 10 the Federal courts anu
,nerc are two large courtrOoms for the uncd steS
| Cirrut and District courts, Respectively WV" '"i'"
,os and prvate rooms for the judges and subordinate
ogccrs and pens for prisoners. The United states