Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-05-10
PLANS ARE HERE.
Post Office Building Specifica-
tons Arrive.
DESIGN OF THE STRUCTURE.

Gotta Trimmings and Imposing In APP
pe.rance-The Dimensions. Height and
Archisecture-To be Pat mp Is Months
From Letting OF Contract.
Superintendent John volk re-
ceived from the supervising archi-
tect at Washington this morning the
plans and specifications of the Rock
Island postofiice building, on the basis
of which proposals are to be solicited
for construction by Mr.. Volk, re-
turnable by 2 p. m. June z. The
bids invited contemplate all the labor
and materials required for the erec-
ton and completion, except the
heating apparatus, and it is specified
that the building must be completed
within Is months from the date of
approval of the contract by the sec
Rotary of the treasury, and each bid
der is required to state the time in
which he proposes to finish the work.
Architectural Design.
The building from an archi-
tectural standpoint is imposing above
the basement, being 2-stories high,
with gables and front on Second ave-
nve. and dimensions of 80 by 48 feet.
The plan of the interior as to the
postOffice arrangement covering the
first floor has been given in detail by
The ARGUS. The second floor is to
be devoted to Maj. Mackenzie's
river engineer Offices, the collec-
tor Of the port and revenue
offices. The preliminary work,
covers a voluminous portion of
the specifications is in accord
ance with the strict detail character
istic of the government. The bids
are to be accompanied by a certified
check for a sum not less than per
cent of the amount of the proposal
and the proposals addressed to Will
liam Martin Aiken, supervising ar
chitect. Only skilled and reliable
workmen are to be employed and the
work must be done under the provi-
sions of the S-hour law enacted by
congress of August 1. 1892.
The building is to be constructed
Of stone, red pressed brick and trim
mings OF terra Gotta. AS to the stone
work, the name and location of the
quarries from which it is pro-
posed to obtain the stone, must be
stated in the proposal, the quarries
must be fully opened and ca
pable Of supplying the stone in the
quantities and dimensions and within
the time stated by the bidder, all the
stone to be No. l selected stock,
close grained of even texture and
color, free from defects. All the
ornamental terra Gotta is to be the
best quality and free from kiln
cracks, or other defects. The brick
work for the interior walls, as of the
exterior walls, must be of the
best possible quality, that for the
exterior walls to be red pressed and
hand made, or equal to it.
Marble Work.
The first story lobbys vestibules,
alcoves and porch at the main en-
trance and stair hall and toilet rooms
in the basement and first and second
floors are to be tiled with approved
marble. The thing of the Sixteenth
street vestibule and the porch floor
is to be of alternate light and dark
squares, exc, placed diagonally with
dark borders; for all other thing the
field to be light and the borders
dark, and the tile Sx16. The post
office screen and base skirting abut-
ting the tiled floors are to have a
mar BILE sub base three inches high,
and the main entrance vestibule is
to have a base skirting four inches
high, while all the toilet rooms are
to have marble skirting.
The Sixteenth street vestibule is
to be provided with marble VAIN
scot of attractive design. There
are to be five marble mantels in the
building, and the quality Of this ma
terial must be of the best. The floors
| throughout, such as are not tiled,
must be of maple bored for nails.
The specifications deal with the
most minute particulars from the
basement to the flagstaff and the
macadamized driveway, and conclude
with the provision that the entire
work must be first class in every
particular. executed by skilled work
men, and completed to the entire
satisfaction of the superintendent
and the supervising architect.
Subjoined to the specifications
are forms of proposal. while there
are also instructions to publish the
advertisement for proposals in The
Rock ISLAND ARGUS. and the same
appears elsewhere.