New-York tribune., 1896-01-19
WIAL/AH SIR e Er
CRoJrND PLAN OF THE CUSTOM HOUSE.
PRESENT SITE.

20 be conducted upon businesslike basis. and in
n place other than this same temple. which. with
It's Greek outlines. has feudal Interior It's rooms
are LITTLE more than a succession OF dungeons and
II has an asthmatc system Of ventilation that car
rles men confred within It's walls to hospitals and
unt,mely graves.
In the rooms on the ground floor dwell from
day TO day amid the exhalatons from open sewer.
On the top floor and on the second floor they bend
over desks striving TO keep mental powers prop
erly attuned In temperature that sometimes
reaches over 50 degrees in winter, ana Is seldom
less than Is In the summer time work In
the upper rooms IN temperature that varies any
where upward from co. Then If they have business
in another Office they have to pass 10 1t by way OF
the ancient inner galleries where an overcoat Is
desirable in lane and a little While afterward are
reported on the sick Est. 1t is easily estimated
that about % per cent OF the 100 and odd men en-
ployed in the various departments in this building
ere in a physicians hands some time IN the year.
and simply because OF the exposure 10 alternate
heat and cold. Men work in rooms in this mon
etrous tomb where there no windows. and even
the roof ventilators are of the sort known as
"blnd." for they are boarded in Their light
Is artificial.
THE HAND OF DEATH.
In painting the stationery-room on the fourth
floor few months ago, one OF the painters aoso-
lutely lost the OF his eyes for months from
working in the superheated atmosphere near the
room connecting with this. which is occupied by
the two men in charge Of the stationery division.
is on the Williamst side. and 1t has two windows.
neither one Of which is large enough to throw cat
through With the radiator turned on during one
OF the recent cold days. the temperature was Is.
No wonder men apparently physically strong take
on the look of paleness which savors OF death and
the grave Less marvel that the hair turns
prematurely gray on the heads OF those who'
though young in years. have been buried alive for
a period in the great Wall-st mausoeuYn. for the
tribute TO Greek beauty IS nothing else Perhaps
eu this has been said before. yet II canno; be
urged too often or too loudly or too persstenty.
1t should be cried from the housetops and dnged
into the ears of the Congress OF the Cnfed states
until that body shall be compelled to see the dis
grace OF Il ALL and shall give the relief that New
York needs. Rather It is not the need OF New
York but the need Of the Nation that cries out.
for In New-Yorls's Custom House Is per cent OF
the entire customs business OF the country Ia carried
TIE ratio is really higher than that. for all the
goods for the great interior West come through
this port are examined and properly accredited
and then are passed TO the interior cities. where
the duties are collected. The work and the re-
spons,bity are here. II errors are made this
custom House is held responsible yet Louisville,
Ky and Cincinnati. Ohio, have model Government
b,,i,dincs for their work. In Cincinnati the United
States sub-Treasury and Custom House are in the
Same building. that no risk Is ever incurred
IN transferring the days collections to the vaults
That however Is not essential. what is neeoed'
according 10 the expert authorities. Is building
containing sufficient room for the transaction OF
the Governments business
THE SCENE IN THE BUSY HOUR
rook into the big rotunda OF the gloom-stricken
structure IN Wall and William SITS. any day you
,ixe espccially In the afternoon just oefore the
closing hour Get up In one Of the smaller galleries
nd ,ool; down upon the struggling mass OF clerks
and brokers yying with each other for places at
tho windows OF the various divisions contained
IN the narrow cir6le. II Is a sight 10 make angels
,yeep From bepeath their feet an impalpable dust
arises from the spongy asphalt floor. The babel
~ voices rises to the roof OF the dome. there 10
bs cathcred in one inextricabe confusion ana
hurled back again. adding to the din OF trade and
the coming end going OF many feet. Here as else
where in the building the ventilation Is as bad
as II can possibly be. The heat is overpower.ng
and men are or should be glad TO escape from Its
dreary confines. Yet the rest OF the block OF
stone and wood robbed Of light. OF air and OF
comfort to give 10 this interior dome and rotunda
verisimilitude of art. That end was accomplished.
hut at what cost. and In what impractical fashion
The rotunda and dome really form building within
building The ro.unda ID q law unto Itself In the
pan Of construction from foundation stone to the