The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-01-03
NEWARK'S ANXIETY
Doubts That Her New Post
Office Will Become an
Object of usefulness.
BUILDING NOT FINISHED YET
Too Many Architects and Too Many
Delays in Congress Responsible
For Its State.
specia1 to ths Jsrseu cau Nsars.

our, among Otner OpJeclS ol AheSASSS
big unfinished building at the corner Oh
Broad and Academy streets, which they
proudly refer to as ''the new Postofice,
regardless of the fact that that title was
very much in vogue several years ago.
The fact that the stone work of the struc-
ture has long ago lost its pristine loveii-
ness. and that the tall, unsightly board
fence that surrounds it has become rusty
and brown in the sun of several summers
ana the frosts and chill winds OF as many
winters, is completely lost sight of by the
proud citizen, who loves to point out
what he is pleased to term the architec-
tural beauties of the building.
The project for the new Custom House
and Postofnce building dates back so far
that the memory of all gray bearded resi-
dents of Newark is taxed to fix the date.
Years before the matter took definite
shape it was canvassed earnestly, meet
fngs were held to discuss the necessity
of a more extensive building, and reso-
buttons without number, calling on the
Government to take action, were passed
by Improvement and other associations.
When on March l, 1883, an act of Con-
lgress was approved making provision for
1.-THE new building the people began to
feel that the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. improve
nlent was at hand. Apparent confirma-
Stion of their hopes was received on
September IS of the same year, when
Jeremiah O'Rourke, of this city, was APP
pointed superintendent of Construction
of the new Custom House and Post Office
at Newark, n. J." People felt then that
the appointment of an official with such
a high-sounding was a step in the right
direction, and began to entertain fond
hopes that the new Post Office would be
an established fact before the nineteenth
century had passed. Plans for the struc-
ture were drawn at the office of the SUI
pervising Architect at Washington n
forwarded to this city.
SECURING THE SITE.
The next step was the requirement
by the Government of the First Bap-
fist Church property on Academy street,
which was fitted up in offices for the
Custom House and Post Office. Early
in the session of 1890 bills were intro
duced in Congress contemplating the ex-
tension of cost of the site and building
from $500, 900, the amount originally ap-
propriated. to $3.50, 600. According to the
report of Supervising Architect James
H. Windrim, for 1890. an act which,
new building, increased the limit to the
proposed amount, was approved May q,
1890.
With a substitute Post Office and Gus
tom House building in full operation, the
appointment and installation OF an ON
cial with a high sounding title and legis-
lation which increased the limit OF eH-
pense more than double, Newark began
TO look down on the other New jersey
cities and to plume itself on IT'S new
Federal building. This feenng OF h sa dis-
play of Photographic representations OF
the coming Structure, and the people
gazed with pride on the tall square tow
er. the handsome clocks near the apex
the stately facades and imposing en-,
frances, as shown in the pictures, ana
doubted not but that a year or " at
Athe furtheSt would see the handsome
DELAYS OF CONGRESS.
But the legislators at the National
ACapitol seemed to arrive at the conelu.
ksion that matters We're progressing too
a rapidly, and the sketches, plans and
& drawings We're recalled to the once OF
ton and alteration during the session
of 1890. This done, the first practical
move was made on June ID, 1850, when
the little squat building that had done
duty as Custom House and Post once
for generations was sold bodily to D.
J. Spur & Son OF Harrison for $z,be3,
must be removed by August l5 of the
same year. Mr.. Spur found that he
had undertaken a, pretty large JOB ana
secured an extension of time until Sep
TENDER Is. AS the old building venisn-
ed the prospect of the new one %increas-
ed, and on April 20. 1891, more, than three
years after the approval OF the first
act of Congress relative to the mater,
the contract for digging the cellars
and building the foundation was given
out. The work was completed late In
the same year at a cost Of s4o'9a6.
WORK BEGUN.
Another spell of inactivity followed the
erection of the fence about the excavation
and for months people peeped through
crevices in the fence to obtain q view
of the deep hole that up to June z, lsS2.
represented the new postofHce. On that
date, however, the contract for the stone
superstructure was awarded, to cost
s10a,5 500. and that part OF the WORK was
Botticher, who had succeeded MI.
O'Rourke on July l, 1885.
Toward the close of 1892 the new. post
office began to peep over the rusty brown
fence, and people were so elated over
the outlook hat they forgot for q long
time to make complaint about having
to make long detours. out in the roadway
to avoid the huge blocks of stone with
which the street was encumbereG. A
good-sized s%toneyard was erected on the
sidewalk, and to the merry chink OF nam
mers people trod many a lively measure
in lodging the flying chips Of stone.
Mr.. Botticher held office until July OF
watched the erection of the superstruc-
ture and the placing in position of the
iron work at q cost OF SSoaSa. me cep-
ed on October Is, 1898, after Henry g.
Klenm mad succeeded Mr.. Botticher.
This part of the work cost $S,470, and
was marked by the death of a slate
roofer, who fell from the southern facade
of the apex of the tower. The plastering
was begun on June 2, 1894, the contractors
Undertaking to finish the work for IS, 700.
Next came The inside ren~werkvth Ia
stairs and such like arrargements. which
began on September II, 1894, and is still
in hand. The figure for this work is
FINISHED IN A YEAR.
In accordance with the custom that
prevailed from the awarding of the
frst contract, the plumbing work was
not started until the ironworkers had
begun to approach the completion OF
their share Of the work.
On October 3 the plumbers received
their contract, amounting to $7,400, and
with the ironworkers are still in pos
session of the place. When the latter
Shall have completed their work and the
plumbers are far enough ahead to see
when they will finish, the work of finish
ing the interior will be begun. On Janu-
ary "a bids for the carpenter and joiner
work, the laying of floors, hanging of
doors. glazing of windows and other in
side work will be opened and the contract
awarded to the lowest bidder.
That the citizens may not lose heart
and faith in the Ultimate fulallment Of
their hopes, the people in charge say
that the whole win be completed in a
wear or thereabouts maybe.
n,,+ dr1riuo all the wears that the matter