The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-02
EIGHTEEN MONTHS LONGER.
sAVANNAHs NEW CUSTOM HOUSE
NEARING COMPLETION.

VIII he Finished In Mahogany
With Marble TiIing-The Outside
Work 10 BE Completed Within
Few MOnths-COIOred Marble VIII
BE Freely Used About the Upper
Part of the Building-Green Marble
Columns on the Tower.
It is expected that savannah's new public
building will be completed within eighteen
months.
To the eyes of the public generally it
would seem that this is a long time, con-
sidering how near completion the building
seems now.
The contractors who have in hand the
work of putting up the main structure
have reached the caves, and are preparing
to put the roof on. The tower, which is
to extend high in the air above the roof
of the building, is already going up. The
contractors say they can finish the work
by Nov. 1, but this is doubted by Architect
hewitt who represents the government in
directing the work. He thinks they will
be doing well If their contract should be
completed by Jan. l.
After this work is finished and the con
the government, it will be necessary to
let another contract for the interior work
yet to be done. 1t is not known who will
get this contract. It(is believed however
that if Miles & Bradt, the contractors who
have the contract for putting up the
structure and attending to the external
finish, secure it, the work on the inside
will be more speedily completed than if
new firm should get the contract, for
the reason that they already have their
plant and machinery on the grounds and
could, without the slightest delay, take up
the work of the interior finish and carry it
forward
There is usually more or less delay with
contractors in such work as this. In the
first place 1t requires nearly a month
before the plant can be put in, that is
sufficient to expedite the work according
to modern Architecture.
In this way 1t will be seen that not be-
fore Christmas of 1898 will there be much
likelihood of Savannah getting hold on her
new government building.
But, when the city can claim it, the
boast can be rightfully made that Savan-
nah will have the prettiest government
building south of Washington This opln-
ion is general among skilled architects
who have watched the new building thus
far and who have had occasion to study
the government buildings all through the
country.
The building is already sufficiently ad-
vanced for the idea to be gained that it
10 no
design is a most appropriate one for the
city and the environment. The white mar
BILE walls will show off in contrast against
the green plot of Wright square and the
Verdure of the trees. The tower Will give
additional picturesque beauty to the court
house tower on the opposite side, along be-
side the church steeples, balancing in per
feet symmetry with the towering marble
of the government building. The general
appearance of the building when compile
ted, from the outside, viii be Of an Italian
Gothic cast. the marble balconies, col
umns and colored marble discs around the
caves being strictly after the Italian de-
sign. The Italians hold very firmly TO col
ors in such architecture. Some people
have commented on the new government
building and declared that they thought
the colored marble discs near the roof
did not appear well along with the pure
white marble walls. This is, however. in
perfect accord with the Italian style. There
will be even more color as the topping of
proceeds. on the tower that is to be built
there viii be seen green marble columns
near the top in contrast against the white
There will be several enormous stained
glass windows, too, at the landings along
the main stairway in the building.
IL is not known who will be given the
contract for the work on the inside of the
! building II is not even known thus far
"a, 81 aaf to l,.,
! fled not until the completion of the out
| side work. anyhow.
Nobody in the wide world can ever tell
| anywhere near the time when an enor-
| nous undertaking like these government
buildings can or will be finished" Archi-
| tect hewitt said yesterday. 1--WE know
this much, that the present contractors
| have run the building up to the roof, and
| will begin in the near future putting up
| the roof. There may be some delay in
| getting the cornices, as these will have
| to be carved 10 Mt / mean by these the
| finishing pieces to go about the two ends
! OF the building at the roof The roof
| taken in cross-section, is 10 be in the
| shape of a huge capital letter a." and
| on the Bull street end and the Whitaker
street end there will be a good deal Of cor
| nice work. 1t will take a good deal of
time to get this and put il in place.
| The contractors think they can COM
! plote their part of the job by Nov. l. but
! have my grave doubts about this. IL
may take them several months longer
than that IL took the contractors who
had the work Of making the basement sew
eral months longer than they had con-
tracted to have It Finished II usually does
| in these cases.
AS soon as the contra ctors have COM
| pleted their work we will be ready to have
! the interior work let. The interior will be
in keeping with the high order OF the gem
eral design Of the building That is to
say, the main halls or public places In the
| building will have marble tiling-Georgla
marble-and will be finished in Mahogany.
IL Is the idea, I believe, to have the interior
Of the Offices or private places in the
building finished neatly but plainly.
I'm point OF the fact. the design has not
| been fully fixed for the interior work yet
IL has been agreed however, / believe to
have the floors IN marble and finish in
mahogany. This much and no more seems
TO be definitely fixed up to date.
If the contract for the interior work is
taken right up as soon as the outside
"a