Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-06
THE NEW POST OFFICE
Work Has Been Resumed Inside the Big
Fence.
Placing Iron Girders and Hauling
StOne-Derricks in Place-Changes
I'm the Plans.

1t will not be many days before the site
OF the new city post office will be a veri-
table Babel, for the time is fast approach
ing when the great cage that constitutes
the frame of the structure will be erected,
and then there will be lots of noise. BY the
latter part of the present week sufficient
iron will have been received to enable the
contractor for this part Of the building to
begin the work of placing the columns and
girders in position. A gang of expert rivet-
ers Is to be brought over from Wilmington.
and small forges will glow and hammers
Will rattle as the hot rivets are driven home
and smashed on the other side.
The change in the plans Of the building
affecting the basement will necessitate con-
siderable alteration in the walls, and the su-
pervising architect of the treasury is at
work adjusting these matters A fiye-foot
area Is to inclose the entire structure on
the outside, 50 as to give light to the base
ment, and this will cause some shifting in
the masonry.
Little or no brick or stone work. how
eyer. can be done until the iron frame is
IN pace 1t is estimated that in ten days
tne frame will be well under way and then
Sne masons will take hold on the east side.
.rn,,n1 pan Is Tor the iron men to work
around on one side at a time, beginning on
the east and complete that side sufficiently
10 allow the masons to follow them.
ibis morning workmen were very busy
IN the mud getting iron that has been al
ready delivered in place. They were wad-
ing ABOUT In the soft soil Of the excavation.
ciao IN needless overalls and rubber boots
ana they managed to scatter the red beams
pretty Wen over the lot by means of a
couple OF big wheels and a powerful lever.
over 1orty teams belonging to Littlefield
Alvord were hauling granite that has
come from the Maine quarries into the
region behind the fence. A gang of car
penters was contriving to make a good
many chips out in the middle of the LOT
as they pegged away at the members of
sue Ten great derricks that are to be erected
.or tne purpose of hosting the stone when
'ns WORK gets far along enough for that.
me ohiy engine now on hand stood chilly
aho req with rust, between the piers watt
ing Tor fuel and care. 1t will furnish the
power that will yank the iron posts and
siruerS into place through the agency of the
enormous derrick that stands in the north
east corner like an overgrown gallows.
Ihis derrick Is to travel on rails all over
the inclosure, and will attend to the iron
work only.
A big negro spent a good part of the day
cutting down one of the tall sycamore
or two others have already been sacrificed
to the ruthless hands of the contractors,
VINO have more sentiment for room than
Tor the 4Q33nge Of these ungainly button
hau QuteNa colony has sprung up on
the NTH street side of the lot, and there are
fence. They are not exactly palatial in
their architecture, but they are all that
the work demands.
Superintendent Kinsey is away in Ohio
on his leave. He will cast a vote there to-
morrow as mere incident to his trip.