The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-11-27
WORK ON
U. S. BUILDING
CONTRACTORS ARE HERE Lo-
eating EXACT SITE OF THE
POST OFFICE.
TO FINISH 1T BY DEC. 81, 1909
Postmaster jackson Appointed Gus
todian OF the New Structure.
Outline of Plans.

Work on the Columbia Post Office
building will begin at once. according
+ to George Moore, senior member of the
firm of George Moore & Sons, Of
/ Nashville, the successful bidders.
. George Moore, John Moore and Robert
Elicit of the firm, reached Columbia
Saturday and at once began the
work of stalking of the building site
so as to show the grades and eleva-
tions.
/ In a conversation with a represent
tative of The Herald, George Moore
stated that the work Of excavating
for the foundation would be started
| Immediately and then the work on
the building proper would follow as
soon as material and hands could be
placed here. which would be by the
time the excavation is completed.
According to the plans the depth OF
the excavation at the northwest cor
ner will be eight feet, but the fall in
the elevation of the lot will reduce the
amount of excavation at the other
corners.
Mr.. Moore said the present contract
had been hanging fire since the first
of June on account Of the change in
plans That the original plans called
for fire-proof building only as to the
4 first story, but that under the revised
plans the entire building would be
I fre-proof. That the firm would have
foreman constantly in charge of the
work here, though it might be possi-
BILE that they would sub-let part OF
the work to local firm and contractors.
It depends entirely on the price the
local firms would make for the work
and how anxious they were to do 1t.
This is the seventh contract the firm
of George Moore & Sons have had
from the Government, the total amount
of such contracts being about $780,.
600. The firm is at present at work
on two Government contracts in the
state, an addition to the Government
building at Knoxville, which will cost
$4,000, and the building at Paris,
which will cost $4,000.
Letters received by Postmaster
Jackson from the Treasury Depart
ment at Washington indicate the early
arrival of the Superintendent of Com
struction for the Columbia Post Office
building and almost an immediate
inauguration of the work. AS stated
in Wednesdays Herald the contract
for the erection of the building has
been let to George Moore & Sons OF
Nashville at $47,700. Postmaster
Jackson has been named as custodian
of the building site and will act In
concert with the Superintendent or
Construction until the completion or
the building, which must not be later
than December 31st, 1909 according to
the terms of the contract.
The original bid of Moore & Sons
for the construction of the building
was s43,185, but the appropriation for
the building, site and fixtures was
s6500O, leaving after the site was paid
for $4,000 for the building and fix
lures. 1t was desired to erect as
handsome a building as the appropriar
ton would allow, so the plans were
improved upon to some extent, and
supplemental bids taken, Moore q
Sons receiving the contract at the
price named. This will leave $1,000
from the appropriation for the fix
lures Under the contract Moore q
Sons are required to execute bond in
the sum of $4,000 for the faithful per-
; Torrance of their contract.
The Government is particular In
drawing contracts and specifies to the
minutest details what class OF ma
terial is to be used in every part OF
the building, even to the class of wire
to be used in the electric features, all
the material to go in the plumbing.
what character of covering is to go
around the piping, etc, and the con"
tractor is required to forward samples
of almost every material to Washing
ton. On the other hand the Govern
ment Is said to be a most satisfactory
employer to the contractor who in
tends and tries to carry out his con-
tract. and is liberal in the matter OF
advance pay as the work progresses.