Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-10
BEGIN WORK SOON
ON POSTOFFICE
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS
\ IN LOS ANGELES
They Announce That Excavation for
Federal Building viii Be Started
Within the Next Ten
Days

Excavating on the grounds Of the
site Of the new postoffice building for
Los Angeles will be commenced within
the next ten days say Government
Contractors J. M. Dougan and T. A..
Bingham of Seattle who arrived in
Los Angeles yesterday.
Dougan & Brlngham stated that the
excavatlng work would be ninety
day job and that it will be sub-let to
local excavators Offices of Contractors
Dougan & Bringham will be opened
within the next two days in the vi
cinity of the site for the new federal
building. Formal notice of bids will
be made today
The construction work alone for the
new postoffice building calls for an ex-
pendlture of $91S,000 Additional ex-
penses required for the completion of
the building will bring the cost of the
postofflce up to St250,000.
Work to Be Pushed
The construction of the building,
which Contractor Bingham declared
would be one of the most substantial
and carefully built in the United
States, includes the finish of the walls
throughout. The plumbing, heating,
electric wiring and other features
which enter into the completion of a.
building will be done under separate
contracts.
1--WE intend to see that work is COM
menced as soon as possible said Mr..
Bringham yesterday at the Nadeau
hotel Judging from the present sit
uation, it will be a matter of only
eight or ten days before the eXcavators
are at work.
"The ground has been examined thor
oughly, and in my opinion 1t is en-
tirely safe. 1 fear no sinking of the
walls at any time in the future, as
was the case with the magnificent
structure in San Francisco. In the
places where there is the slightest
doubt as to the stability of the ground
concrete piles are provided for in the
contract.
Three-Year Job
"The contract for the excavating
work will be sub-let to local concern.
Mr. Dougan and myself are ready TO
talk to anyone who wishes to figure
on the work. 1t will be about ninety
day job We spent the few hours we
have been in the city looking for an
office, which will be opened either to-
day orr tomorrow. We have been
favorably impressed with two or three
buildings in the block upon which the
postoffice will be erected.
"The erection and completion of the
postoffice building will occupy fully
three years Only the best workmen
will be employed and the best mates
rial will be used"
When his attention was called to the
fact that cracked marble was used in
many instances in the finish and dec
grafton of the famed federal palace in
San Francisco. Mr.. Bingham said a.
careful inspection would be made OF
every piece of material that will enter
into the building of the Los Angeles
postoffice.
Great Care to Be Taken
'Tt is possible that efforts will be
made to work in some imperfect mate
rials on the contractors" said Mr.
Bingham. "Mr. Dougan and myself
will be on the lookout for just such
schemes. Whenever anything unde-
sirable or about which future questions
NAV arise is found it will be discarded
Los Angeles deserves one of the finest
postoffices in the United States. 1t is
the intention of the Dougan & Bring
ham company to see that value shall
be received for every dollar expended"
The firm of Dougan & Bringham is
we'll known throughout the west as
government contractors. The home Of
fees of the firm are in Seattle. For
the past several years the firm has
been prominently connected with the
construction of army and navy head
quarters and barracks.
The dry docks located at Port Or
chard. eighteen miles from Seattle,
better known as the Bremerton docks,
are of the company's recent construc-
ton.
One a Former AngeIeno
At present the members of the firm
are completing the Fort Wright bar
racks at Fort Wright, Wash. Besides
their government work they have sew
eral private contracts throughout the
western part of the United States.
Mr.. Bringham is a former resident of
Los Angeles. Twenty years ago
this city was his home. At that time
he left 1T to go north and has been en-
gagged in construction work ever since.
Mr.. Dougan and Mr.. Bringham have
been associated for many years.