COLUMBIA, S. C., COURT-HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE. The condition of this building on June 30, 1874, was as follows: The main cornice was set and the brick-work nearly completed. Since that date the building has been finished and furnished, the heating-apparatus supplied, and the building is now occupied. An appropriation of $5,000 was made at the last session of Congress for the purchase of land for additional site, and, in compliance with that act, the land has been secured. Total amount appropriated for building and for furniture.. Balance in Treasury HARTFORD, CONN., CUSTOM-HOUSE, ETC. $412, 237 70 410, 415 34 1,822 36 At the commencement of the past fiscal year the basement of the building was completed. The first-story beams were received, but not set in place. During the past fiscal year the granite-work of the first story has been completed, and that for the second and third stories is in progress. The walls on the north, south, and east sides of the building are up and ready for the second floor beams. About one-third of the first-story cornice is now set, and the stones of the remainder are now on the ground. Upon the west side the walls are now level with the top of the architraves, and the window and door arches are now being set. Total amount appropriated for the building. Total amount expended to September 30, 1875.. Balance available September 30.... $350,000 00 318, 164 70 31,835 30 INDIANAPOLIS, IND., COURT-HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE EXTENSION AND REPAIR. The work upon this building is completed, and the building has been refurnished. Total amount appropriated.. Total amount expended.... Balance available.......... LINCOLN, NEB., COURT-HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE. $194, 000 00 186,339 97 7,660 03 At the beginning of the last fiscal year the excavation for this building had been begun, but little progress had been made. At the close of the building-season the condition of the work was as follows: The excavation and masonry for the basement were completed, ready to set the water-table and the first-floor beams. During the winter's suspension of the work, it was found that the plans prepared by the late Supervising Architect involved the necessity of an expenditure in excess of the amount to which the cost of the building was limited; and upon reporting the facts in the case to you, I was directed to prepare new plans, with a view to bringing the cost of the building within the amount to which it is limited, and accordingly the necessary plans were prepared and approved as required by law. Contracts have been entered into for the supply of the entire stone-work for the building, and the work is now in progress. Total amount appropriated...... Total amount expended to September 30, 1875.. Balance in Treasury $130,000 00 41,527 51 88,472 49 NEW ORLEANS, LA., CUSTOM-HOUSE. The work upon this building partakes more of the character of alterations and repairs than of construction. During the past fiscal year the marble-work in the general customs-business room has been completed, and the work is progressing in the rooms to be occupied by the United States courts and the assistant treasurer. Amount appropriated since modification of plans Balance available...... NEW YORK CITY COURT-HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE. $911,000 (0 834,657 37 76,342 63 The condition of this building June 30, 1874, was as follows: The roof of the building was nearly completed. Within the past fiscal year the building has been almost completed. The heating apparatus has been set in place, and the different offices partly furnished. It is at present occupied by the Post-Office Department and the United States courts. A further appropriation will be required to complete the building. Total amount appropriated for building and furniture... Total amount expended to September 30, 1875........... Balance in Treasury. OMAHA, NEB., COURT-HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE. $8,028,850 22 7,950,609 35 78,240 87 Within the past fiscal year the building has been completed and furnished, and is now occupied. PARKERSBURGH, W. Va., COURT-HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE. During the past year the basement, first story, and area walls of this building have been completed, and the second story is rapidly progressing. Total amount appropriated... Total amount expended to September 30, 1875.. Balance in Treasury... $168,000 00 151,066 24 16,933 76 At the suspension of work on this building during the winter season, the supervising inspector of materials of this Oflice was directed to make an examination of the building, and it was found thereupon that the stone for the trimmings of the building contracted for was unsuitable for the purpose, and that fact being reported to you, by your authority the contract was canceled, and new contracts entered into for a more durable material. PHILADELPHIA, PA., COURT-HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE. At the beginning of the past fiscal year work had been commenced on the excavation. During the past year the proceedings in condemnation of additional land for the site of the building have been completed and the land secured. The excavation over the whole area is nearly fin ished, the greater part of the concrete foundations laid, and the granite of the area-walls on the Chestnut, Ninth, and Market streets fronts set in place. The cutting of the stone for the basement story is progressing rapidly, and will be completed in time for setting when work is resumed next season. The granite for the first story and about one-half of the second story is cut. Total amount appropriated Total amount expended to September 30, 1875 Balance available...... PORTLAND, OREG., CUSTOM-HOUSE. $3,000,000 00 2,732, 808 97 267,191 03 This building has been completed during the past fiscal year, and is now occupied by the United States courts, post-office, internal-revenue, and land-office. It was originally designed for and intended that this building should accommodate the customs-offices in addition to those hereinbefore specified, but it was represented to the Department to be situated in an inconvenient locality for this purpose. The special agents of the Treasury Department now at Portland, Oreg., report that the locality is suitable, and that these offices should be moved into the building. I have caused steps to be taken to investigate the case more fully, and, on receipt of the report from the officers directed to make the investigation, I will advise you. At the commencement of the fiscal year this building was nearly ready for the first tier of beams. The exterior walls of the substructure were set to the sill-course. Within the past year the work progressed satisfactorily, and the building will be roofed in before the winter season. Total amount appropriated........... Total amount expended to September 30, 1875.... Balance available....... ROCKLAND, ME., CUSTOM-HOUSE. $200,000 00 140,942 25 59,057 75 During the year the floor beams have been set, floors laid, building roofed in, and the story to be occupied by the post-office completed. The exterior of the buiding is entirely completed; and the building would have been finished had the appropriation been sufficient. The appropriation made at the last Congress, however, has been found insufficient to complete the work, and the further sum of $20,000 is required therefor. Should it be obtained, the building will be entirely completed before the close of the present fiscal year. Total amount appropriated.... Total amount expended to September 30, 1875 $120,000 120,000 RALEIGH, N. C., COURT HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE. At the beginning of the last fiscal year the concreting bad been completed, and the rubble foundation-walls were being set. During the year work has progressed satisfactorily, and before the close of the next fiscal year the building will be completed. This building, including machinery and construction of refinery, is During the past fiscal year the basement-walls have been completed and the first-story beams set in place. This building is designed to be of brick, with stone trimmings. Serious delay was occasioned by the difficulty in securing suitable brick for the superstructure, but the persevering efforts of the Office to secure them at a reasonable cost have proved successful, and pressed bricks of a superior quality are being made, which, it is understood, are the first which have been produced on the Pacific Coast, and the work has been resumed. Total amount appropriated... Total amount expended to September 30, 1875 ... Balance available SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., MARINE HOSPITAL. $508,000 00 306, 201 10 201,798 90 During the year this building has been completed, furnished, and is now occupied. During the past fiscal year work on this building has progressed satisfactorily. The exterior of the sub-basement, basement, sill and lintel courses, and pedestal courses of the first story, or the entire red-granite work, is set in place. The area walls are completed; also connection with the tunnel. The iron-work of the basement and sub-basement is also set in place. The granite-cutting for the superstructure has been prosecuted with vigor, the first story being completed, the second nearly so, and the third under way, and delivery of the stone at the site of the building commenced. The first story will be set in place before the commencement of the winter season, should no unforeseen accident prevent the delivery of the stone. Total amount appropriated Balance available $3,400,000 00 3, 167, 499 37 232,500 63 TRENTON, N. J., COURT-HOUSE AND POST-OFFICE. The entire stone-work of this building has been set to the main cornice, and the iron-work for the roof is under contract. The title to the additional land required for the United States customhouse at Evansville, Ind., has been perfected. A suitable site has been donated by the city of Atlanta for a courthouse and post-office. A site has been purchased under condemnation at Grand Rapids, Mich. Additional land has been purchased for the proper protection from risk of fire for the court-house at Columbia, S. C., and custom-house at Louisville, Ky. The appropriations for this purpose were, for Columbia, $5,000, and for Louisville, $12,500; but the land for the latter was purchased at a cost of only $6,000. For the post-office, &c., at Jersey City, N. J., a suitable site, with a good brick building thereon, has been purchased for $70,000, the appropriation for the same being $100,000, and with the balance remaining available the building may be so arranged as to meet the present wants of the public service in that city. The title to the lot donated by the city of Memphis, Tenn., as a site for a United States custom-house, has not been approved by the Attorney-General, but the objection heretofore existing has been removed and the title will probably be completed within a short time. The preparation of plans for this work has been deferred on this account. Under authority of act of March 3, 1875, appropriating $160,000 for the purchase of a site for the proposed post-office, &c., at Harrisburgh, Pa., a commission, composed of three citizens of Harrisburgh, was ap pointed to receive proposals for a suitable site. The commission received ten proposals and reported unanimously that none of the property offered for sale was suitable. They were, thereupon, requested to make examination of such pieces of property in Harrisburgh as might seem to them suitable, and report thereon to this Department, submitting an esti mate of the probable cost of the most eligible site. Their report has not yet been received. Under the condemnation of a site for the court-house and post-officeat Pittsburgh, Pa., one of the parties appealed and delayed the adjustment of the condemnation, increasing the cost of the site to $46,176.30 in excess of the amount appropriated, which sum the citizens of Pittsburgh have placed in the hands of the United States Depositary, which, with the appropriation, is sufficient to meet the entire award of the courts and all expenses incidental to securing title. The completion of the proceedings is anticipated at no late day. A site has been purchased for the Marine Hospital at Pittsburgh, Pa., from the proceeds of sale of old property, as directed by act of June 22, 1874. In compliance with the act of March 3, 1875, appropriating $10,000 for the purchase of a site at Topeka, Kans., a very excellent site has been secured, for which, it is understood, the citizens of Topeka subscribed $10,000, being the amount necessary in addition to the appropriation. |