New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-29

and is considered fair example OF Doric archi-
tectures II has an air OF solidity quite in keep
ing with ITS uses.
II is 200 10y 100 feet on the ground plan. and
Is built Of quincy granite. In the centre Is the
rotunda, with It's dome supported by columns OF
marble
CONVENIENCEs THAT ARE LACKING
But the employees Of the office loud in their
complaints against certain features Of the build
ing. They base ,heir criticisms chiefly upon
sanitary grounds. In the first place the pro-
visions for light and ventilation are exceedingly
poor The office occupied 10y the Collector him
self is the lightest in the building. but. except
ing exceedingly bright and clear days arti-
fetal light has to be used during the better
part Of the day. In all the other offices OF the
building the conditions are even worse The
ventilation is as bad the light and the plumb
ing is declared TO be the worst Of all
The building having been erected so long ago
and the partitions, floors and walls being all
Of stone IL has been extremely difficult and, for
the most part impossible 20 introduce modern
innovations that would mitigate the unsanitary
surroundings that have been in existence so
long The employees OF the Office no are
obliged 10 work on the ground floor OF the
structure. have for years had so much sickness
among them as to attract particular attention:
In most cases the Illnesses take the malarial
form. This fact is accounted for, 1t is believed
by the fact that the building was originally
built on ground that was sOmeW hat sWampy.
Recently the age Of the building has begun 10
be more and more evident and Il has shown
weakness in some parts. Stone brackets in the
corridors have fallen and all the stone brack-
cts in the building have consequently been
braced up with wooden posts. 4 number or
years ago there was a proposition TO add two or
three stories TO the structure. It was thought
that this would relieve the pressure 10 such an
extent that the necessity for new building
would he put forward a considerable time.
When this plan was preached architects eX-
amined the building 10 ascertain whether the
scheme We're practicable. but they reported
that the foundations We're not sufficiently strong
to make the plan safe one. ana II was theIi
and there abandoned
AN APPROPRIATIONS THAT FAILED.
Ten years ago when the agitation for a new
Custom House was started Congress appropri-
ated $2OOOOp0 for the purchase Of sites for
the new Custom House and the Appraisers
Stores The sum OF 100000 was spent for the
latter site leaving $4,000 for the Custom
House site. Three years later Congress passed
a bill providing for the selection OF the Bowling
Green site and that site was accordingly con-
demned and appraised. but II was appraised at
81 10000 a sum in excess OF the approprla-
ton for its purchase, and the project fell
through at that point The bill providing TOT
the selection Of the Bowling Green site also pro-
vided for the sale Of the present Custom House
property for S4ODtbO. It is not believed that
that sum could be realized, and the hlll now
pendlng has reduced the minimum amount TO he
accented 10 SO 100000 sum which IL is believed
will easily be exceeded when II comes 70 sale
The bin which is TO make the new custom