Evening star., 1897-01-15
NEW CITY POST OFFICE
Work is Seemingly at Standstill on the
Building.
Only Fifteen WOrkmen on the Big
Affair TOday-What Treasury
Officials Say.

Work on the new city post office is prac-
tically at standstill. Yesterday there
were only six men doing any sort of work
In the building, and today there were about
hfteen. They were mechanics and laborers
and were engaged way up in the tower i'm
the story above what is known as the clock
story In the great court itself the scene
today vas one of lonely desolation. The
bleak, cold walls, and the floors of nine
stories, arched in with terra Gotta. were
cheeriess and the snow. which covered the
glass roof high above the court Kept out
much OF the light The men at work In the
tower could not be seen from the ground
moor, and the interior of the great struc-
'ure presented an unusually dreary ap-
pearance.
Nothing is being done except finishing up
me contract for putting in the floor arches
throughout the building This work is
practically completed. contract for fin
ishing the interior of the first story and
basement was awarded October 10 last
ana as yet the contractor has not done
ahythlng, so far as an inspection of the
puIiuihs Itself VIII show, toward carrying
out the terms OF his contract He has not
even made beginning. although over two
months OF his time has expired. BY the
terms of his contract he must have his
WORK completed IN eight morths from the
aMarnng OF the contract. or be fore June 30
The contractor to whom the department
rade the award is +. +. Gobel of Chicago
He is to grade and excavate in the base
ment and put in a concrete floor and do
some brickwork there. He is also to put
IN InezZanine story. to build a coal chute
on tne 1ith street side, and tc fire-proo.
ane hnish the entire ground floor. Besides
ne mas also been awarded the contract for
putting in the window sashes and window
glass in the entire building
1t Is said that the contractor could have
begun work on his contract the next day
In nfrNIf fIs,ra.
post office were concerned. Instead of that
he has waited for more than two months
and none of his agents is on the ground
tions.
Employment for one hundred men. it is
SAID could easily have been afforded, in
Guiding bricklayers, stonecutters, laborers
carpenters and cement workers.
To Take PossessiOn In July.
Notwithstanding the condition of affairs
at the building, it Is officially announced at
the Treasury Department that the Wash
lrston city post office will take possession
Of the new building the 1st of July next
In letter to the Postmaster General in
regard to the progress of work on post
office buildings now under construction in
various parts of the country, Secretary
carlisle sayc that the buildings in WASH
IL gton city. Omaha and Detroit will be
completed so far as their use for postal
purposes is concerned on or before Jin. "a
iext. Ihis informa ton is necessary to
the Post Office Department in order to ar
range the1r leases for the next fiscal wear
IN all cases where private buildings are
used.
IN conversation with a Star reporter on
the subject today, Supervising Architect
Aiken said that special efforts have been
maze 10 nave the three buildings named
ready for use by the beginning of the next
hscal year, and he had no doubt of their
success. He explained that the local post
ohlce will occupy only the first and meg
ZaLine noors OF the new building. and that
portion of the building will be comnleted
ana ready for use by the date indicated.
The enlire building will be complete in ali
respects, he said, by the close of the year
face