Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-10
Proposals for Finishing City Post
Office Interior.
A LARGE CROWD OF CONTRACTORS
Architect Taylor Tells What is to
Be Done.
w 0 Rk TO BE PU SHED

Bids were opened at 2 o'clock this after
noon, in the office Of the supervising archi-
tect of the treasury, for the interior finish
and final touches of the new city post
office. The operation attracted large
number of contractors and their repre-
sentatives, and much interest was mani
tested.
The contractors crowded around the desk
of the supervising architect while the bids
were being read. The magnitude of the
work is seen from the amount of the bids
They give some idea of what is to be done
inside the building
The Following were the bidders and their
bids: d. S. Hess & Co, New York. s329. 900:
Henry Shenk. Erie, Pa. $445, 700; Miles &
Rradt, Atlanta, Ga. s3G9975; Jonathan
clark d Sons Co., Chicago, S41S,GOO;
Richardson q Burgess, Washington,
ID. c., s3G7000; William H. Ellis,
cincinnati, S'Gi.Ojo; Z. F. Goebel, Chi
cago, S5S3.oNo; VIM. Miller & Sons, Pitts
burg, silo.61o; l.. l.. Leach & Son, Chi
caSo, $5'3,op; Joseph j. Churchyard Buff
fa!o \. y, si5i 159: Hcnnessey Il Cox, St.
faul, Mimi, S'S5,Jn; the W. +. Frost Man
u 4iactnring Company. Chicago. s4167le
inston. ID: G., s396.?o7; r. H. Hood,
Washington, Y, c., $iGi, i,464; the L. E Jack
son Co, Washington, ID. G., si2S, 1:S7; W. E.
Certified checks accompanied all the bids
MOST OF the bidders fixed eight months as
'he lne IN which to complete the work
Inc contract will be awarded within the
~ rev Gays, as time will be taken to ex-
anime all bids. Hess & Co. the lowest bid
defs, are doing some work in the post of
nee ana court house in New York They
are Siid to be financially We'll backed
MI. GoeDel. another one of thu, bidders
Is lhe contractor for the interior work of
me basement first and mezzanine floors.
lie Will have this work completed by Feb
ruary 10.
Plan of Interior Arrangement,
10 a Star reporter today Supervising
Architect Taylor talked as follows regard
ing the work to be done:
The act of Congress authorizing the
erection of the building provided that if
should be eight stories high and a later act
assigned the building above the first story
10 the general Post Office Department. The
general assignment of rooms etc has
therefore been planned to accommodate the
wants of that department, and according
TO the revision of the plans as recommend-
ed by tce Postmaster General
Inc elevators and staircases for access
10 the upper stories will be near the en-
frances on the 11th and 18th street fronts.
Inc main entrance is on the PENNSYLVANIA
avenue front. and the entrances on c streer
Will be used entirely by the city post Office
II.
The general plan of the interior of the
building is that Of a series of offices around
an interior court. The entire central nor
tion above the second story is an open.
Hsht court 100 by POO feet in dimensions
rooted over with ornamental iron trusses
and covered with glass skylight, around
winch is clere story of moderate height
i furnished with movable sash for ventila-
tion.
THE office rooms are all well lighted
through windows toward the four facades
with additional light from the interior open
ccrtlle The design of the cortile is of
IsCmanesque architecture and in harmony
win the exterior, artistically enriched and
relieved and creating an imposing as well
as Impressive tout ensemble. The spe -ifi-
callons and drawings detail the same of
plaster. VI
The floors of the corridors are to be Of
marble mosaic tile, of neat design, especial
ly at the stair halls and in front of the ele-
vators. The corridors. stair halls and stairs
are to have marble wainscot generally five
feet In height. The stairs and elevaror
are to be of iron, black finish
with ornamental wrought iron ralings and
marble treads and platforms. The floors of
the offices are to be of maple and the
doors, windows, door trim, etc. TO he of
white oak polished.
Plaster architraves of the corridors are
enriched, while the work in the offices is
plain. The fifth story to be the executive
eral and his assistants, with their imme-
diate clerks, is to be finished more elabo-
rately than any other, as the dignity of the
heads of the various departments would
suggest.
The inner walls will be of terra Gotta
Tour by six inches thick and the inner
roof surfaces are to be furred with steel
wire lath and plastered with asbestos,
thus rendering the structure absolutely
fire-proof."
Work to BE Pushed
Mr.. Taylor added that it is his intention
to push the work as rapidly as possible,
and to have the building completed within
another year. If he can have it ready
for occupancy in less than a year he will
do so.
1t was not until some time In August
that Postmaster General Gary decided
upon the plans as to the interior arrange
ments. Since that time the plans and
specifications had to be made in the Of
flee of the supervising architect and bids
advertised for. Mr.. Taylor compliments his
temporary predecessor, Executive Officer
kemper, on the speed made in the matter