The Brooklyn Post Office Annex

I recently came across this photograph, showing the Atlas Iron men putting up an annex for the Brooklyn Post Office.

The Brooklyn Federal Building - which stands today between Johnson St., Cadman Plaza East, Tillary St. and Adams St./Brooklyn Bridge Blvd. - is made up of two structures.  The original, four-story building on the southern end of the block was designed to house Brooklyn's main post office and four courtrooms.  Planning began in 1885, construction started in 1888, the exterior was finished in 1891 and the interior followed in 1892.

By early 1890, it was becoming apparent that the building would not be adequate.  Legislation was introduced in Washington, D.C. by Congressman William C. Wallace in April, to allow a single-story annex to be built on the north side of the building.  The annex would increase the working space of the post office by 5000 square feet.  It would have a "roadway under [the] floor" on the Adams St. side, to serve as a loading dock for mail wagons.  Its basement would house the steam heating and electric lighting machinery for the entire Federal Building - which could not be opened until these were in place.  The bill was passed at the end of September.

Bids were finally taken for the construction of the annex in February 1891.  The winning bid ($64,650) went to Bernard Gallagher, who had been the first contractor on the main building.  It was meant to be completed by the start of May, but there were further delays.  The government claimed that there were property boundary disputes to work out with neighbors, and newspapers claimed that the troubles were really financial: the Billion Dollar Congress having drained the Treasury.

The annex and Federal Building were finally completed and the post office was informally opened on 27 March 1892, under postmaster George J. Collins. 

I have not been able to find a photo of the completed annex, but I did find an insurance map from 1904 which shows the footprint of the buildings on that block in detail.  (In this map excerpt, north is to the right.)

By summer, a new problem presented itself.  The annex had an all-glass roof, and with the sun shining down on the mailing division floor plus boilers working below them to power the main building's elevators, it became a sweatbox.  Shades were finally added to the windows at the end of the summer.  The following May, there was still talk of needing to protect "the eyes of the clerks employed in the annex" from the glaring sun.

The further history of the annex is rather unclear.  The post office and other departments in the building faced increasing demands.  More of the property north of the building may have been purchased in 1899.  I have seen mentions of a new addition built in 1908, but haven't found any specifics on that.

The government purchased the remainder of the block, up to Tillary Street, around 1915.  This held a pair of buildings which had operated together as the Columbia Theater, then briefly as a burlesque house called the Alcazar, and then returned to the name Columbia to present silent films.  The second building served as the theater lobby and also housed a bowling alley and perhaps a bank after that.  The Federal Building's supervising architect James Wetmore was later quoted in the Eagle saying, "we utilized first one building and then the other to provide space for the postoffice, and finally connected them with the main building by a temporary structure."

I haven't been able to determine whether the 1891 Annex, built by Gallagher and Atlas Iron, was replaced by any of this work or simply incorporated into it.  In any case, the entire set of buildings (still referred to as "the annex") was torn down in 1929.  This cleared the way for a seven-story addition, designed by Wetmore and built between 1930 and 1933, which takes up the northern part of the block and stands conjoined with the original Federal Building today.


Sources:
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, especially: 11 Apr 1890, 30 Sept 1890, 14 Oct 1890, 12 Feb 1891, 19 June 1891, 26 June 1891, 13 Sept 1891, 17 July 1892, 17 Aug 1892, 4 May 1894, 7 June 1908, 12 Jan 1913, 23 Oct 1928, 15 Oct 1929.
New York Times: 11 Feb 1891, 28 Mar 1892.
Catalog of the Second Annual Exhibition of the Department of Architecture of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences (1893).
Insurance Maps, Borough of Brooklyn, City of New York, Vol. 2 (Sanborn Map Co., 1904).  From The New York Public Library.

The Morris Building, Under Construction

I've just come across two terrific photos of Atlas Iron work sites.  I love this type of shot which actually shows something in progress.

Here is one of the two, showing the construction of the Morris Building (about which I have previously written).

The photo comes from an advertisement for Atlas Iron in the Catalog of the Second Annual Exhibition of the Department of Architecture of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences (1893).

St. Paul's M. E. Church

I recently had a chance to see some of the iron work which - I believe - Atlas Iron put in place.  This was at the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew on the Upper West Side.

The church originated on Mulberry Street in 1834.  After one previous move, the congregation decided in 1890 to move further north.  A site was selected and Robert H. Robertson designed what was then called St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church (they later merged with nearby St. Andrew's).  Construction took place between June 1895 and September 1897.

I found out that Atlas Iron was involved in this construction thanks to three mechanic's liens which were placed against the church, naming Atlas Iron as a secondary party.  The liens - placed by Passaic Rolling Mill Co, Bethlehem Foundry and Machine Co, and Theodore Smith (who ran an iron works) - totaled $1184.  They were all paid off.

During my research, I saw on the church's website that they participate in the annual Open House New York program, where sites around the city open their doors for architectural tours.  In a grand stroke of luck, I saw this just a week before this year's event took place!  So, I trekked into the city to visit and see what I could learn.

As soon as I explained what brought me there, I was introduced to their current architect, Skip Boling.  Skip showed me around the building and helped look for any iron or steel structural elements.  The most prominent of these are a set of cast iron columns in the basement, which hold up the sanctuary floor.

There are three rows of these columns.  Two are out in the open in the social hall, and the third runs through the food pantry and kitchens (you can actually see a column from that third row, through the second window in the photo).

The entire basement went through a complete renovation several years ago, under Skip's design and direction.  He told me that they stripped layers of paint from the iron columns and also uncovered nearby brick piers which support the building above.  He decided to bring out the natural beauty of the original iron and brick to give character to the new social hall.

As we toured the rest of the building, we found metal work in several of the stairwells.  I also had a chance to speak with the church's historian, Elizabeth Jensen, and their pastor, K Karpen.  I was told that the sanctuary ceiling and the roof are both supported with steel.  There may be additional steel work which is hidden and thus remains a mystery.

One intriguing possibility is the set of columns running along either side of the sanctuary.  Made to look like ornately carved marble, these actually consist of a thin outer shell made of metal (providing the aesthetic look) and undoubtedly some type of structural column within.

Adding to the mystery is the fact that Atlas Iron went out of business in late 1895 or early 1896.  While the liens indicate that they handled at least $1100 worth of metal from three different sources, I haven't come across any details about which specific parts of the church they worked on.  I like to think that they put up the iron columns in the basement, and perhaps they worked on the columns on the sanctuary level as well, but we simply don't know.  I wasn't able to find company names or markings on any of the metal work that I saw.  I was still very glad to explore the church, talk to everyone there and imagine the possibilities.

A final side note: while researching St. Paul's, I ran across another distant relation.  An article in the New York Tribune listed the church's trustees at the time of the construction.  Among them was Phineas C. Lounsbury - the brother of an ancestor on my mother's side of the family.  Atlas Iron was run by Henry C. Williams, an ancestor on my father's side.  It's actually possible that Phineas and Henry knew each other, as they were both prominent bankers with connections to New York City.


For more on the renovation of the church's basement and other work that has been done recently, with photos and plans, see Skip Boling's website.

For more on the church's history, see their website.

Liens and Fires and Strikes, Oh My...

In 1891, the Atlas Iron Construction Company put up the iron framework for a building in downtown New Rochelle, New York for prominent local businessman George Ferguson.  They then got into a lengthy dispute with Ferguson over the final payment and the quality of the work.  If not for this dispute and the court records it generated, I wouldn't have even known that Atlas Iron worked on this building.  It turns out to be a rather troubled story all the way through.

George Ferguson ran a grocery store which also offered such things as hardware, feed, bicycles and corsets.  It was located on an L-shaped lot with one facade on Main Street and the other on Center Avenue (the building wrapped around another which was directly on the corner of Main and Center).  He had the misfortune of having his store burn down not once, but twice. 

The first fire claimed Ferguson's store and several other buildings in early September 1875.  He rebuilt, using brick for his new store.  The second fire occurred fifteen years later, at the start of November 1890.  It too claimed several buildings.  Fire companies from half a dozen nearby towns rallied to prevent the destruction of more of the downtown area.  Papers gave estimates upwards of $225,000 for the total damage done.  Ferguson's building was destroyed, along with furniture stored on the second floor in spaces he rented out to others.  One mention in the court records says that Ferguson burned his hand in the fire, badly enough that he was still recovering the following June.

Once again intent on rebuilding, Ferguson hired the noted New York City architect William H. W. Youngs (of Youngs & Cable) to design a four-story brownstone building.  Ferguson insisted that the new building needed to be strong enough to handle any sort of storage needs that he might have, especially on the second floor where he once again planned to rent out space.  After drawing up the plans, William Youngs lobbied for Atlas Iron to be given the contract to construct the iron framework of the building.  His son, Frederick Youngs, was Treasurer of the newly formed company - a connection which was not concealed from George Ferguson.

Atlas Iron did win the contract, and raised the building's framework during the spring and summer of 1891.  There were some delays during the process, partly caused by an iron workers' strike which lasted through the month of May.  The Housesmiths' Union called the strike in an attempt to have work hours reduced to eight hours per day while keeping their nine hour wage.  Over four thousand men were involved.  Fifty employers in New York City, Brooklyn and Jersey City joined together to resist the strike.  Both sides thought that it would end quickly, but it dragged on until the union men gave in and returned to work on their old terms.  This effectively ended the influence of the Housesmiths' Union.  The impact on the Ferguson building site was that some of the iron columns came from the foundry of F. W. Davis & Brother, and others (much delayed) came from that of Francis Haas.

Upon completion of their part of the construction, Atlas Iron sent George Ferguson an invoice to settle their bill.  This included $990 still owed on the contract, plus other charges and credits accumulated by both parties which reduced the invoice to just over $900.  Ferguson refused to pay, disputing the additional charges and credits.  After attempting in vain to settle their differences, Atlas Iron filed a mechanics' lien in January of 1892 to try and secure their final payment.

George Ferguson responded with a counterclaim, stating that the work had not been completed satisfactorily and that Atlas Iron and William Youngs had colluded against him, forcing him to accept inferior work.  He sought damages for this loss of value to his building and for the delays in construction, plus the full amount of his additional charges.  His claim came to a total of just over $4000.  The court directed that the matter be heard by a referee - Walter Large, Esq. - who would make a ruling.

Much of the documented testimony from these proceedings focuses on the strength of the iron columns used in the building.  The plans called for columns one inch thick. The Atlas Iron men insisted that they ordered the columns as specified, but that three-quarter inch columns were entirely sufficient for the building (it's unclear which thickness of column was actually ordered).  George Ferguson and his head builder, David Meyers, recalled being concerned about the quality of the iron columns when they were delivered.  The columns were put in place anyway and the building was completed and occupied.  It was only during the course of the legal proceedings that holes were bored to measure the thickness of the columns (something not typically done upon delivery unless the buyer requested it), and they were found to be three-quarters of an inch thick.  Other aspects of the construction and of the various additional costs on both sides were also disputed in front of the referee.

Walter Large filed his findings in May of 1893.  He concluded that Atlas Iron and William Youngs had not colluded against George Ferguson.  There was no wrongdoing found in some of the substitutions made in the building plans, however the use of three-quarter inch columns rather than one inch columns was ruled a violation of the contract.  Atlas Iron could not collect the balance of the contract price.  On the other hand, George Ferguson was not awarded the damages that he sought.  Each side was allowed to collect some of its additional charges, leading to a nearly balanced bill.  Atlas Iron was then ordered to pay for Ferguson's costs in the legal action, which came to almost $1400.

Atlas Iron promptly filed an appeal, but in December 1893 the court affirmed Walter Large's findings. 

Once again, Atlas Iron filed an appeal.  They claimed that the case had been mishandled, the information about the columns not interpreted correctly by the referee, and the judgement against them (especially the requirement that they pay for Ferguson's legal costs) went beyond accepted norms.

I have found no further references to this case until January 1896, which may in fact have been the next time anything happened with it.  The court once again affirmed the original judgement, with costs.  By that point Atlas Iron had faltered as a company, gone into the hands of a receiver and likely ceased operation.  It's unclear whether George Ferguson was actually repaid for his legal costs in the end.

The building at the center of this dispute can be seen in a few of the photographs in New Rochelle by Barbara Davis.  It was torn down in the 1930s and replaced by a Schrafft's restaurant.


Sources:
"A Big Fire In New-Rochelle", New York Times, 6 November 1890.
"Some of the Big Ones", from Red Shirt, Blue Shirt by Thomas A Hoctor.  New Rochelle Fire Department Centennial Committee, 1961. pp 38-40.
Regarding the strike: Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide.  2 May 1891, pp 692-693; 9 May 1891, p 732; 23 May 1891, pp 820-821; 30 May 1891, p 862; 6 Jun 1891, p 900; 13 Jun 1891, p 948.
Court of Appeals, New York Bar Association, Vol. 3, No. 21, 1896.  This has nearly 200 pages of details on the court and referral proceedings, up to the point when Atlas Iron filed their second appeal in December 1893.
Reports of Cases Decided in the Court of Appeals of the State of New York, Vol. 148, 1896, p 740.
New Rochelle by Barbara Davis.  Arcadia Publishing.  First edition 2009, p 88 (linked above).  Second edition 2010, pp 54-55.

The Morris Building and Skeleton-Frame Construction

The Real Estate Record and Builder's Guide in August 1891 mentioned that the still-young Atlas Iron Construction Company had opened a factory in Jersey City and was moving from the eighth floor of the Times Building to a larger office space on the tenth floor.  It also said they were working on several buildings, one of which was the Morris Building.

This ten-story office building stood on the northwest corner of Broad and Beaver streets.  The architects were Youngs & Cable, who almost certainly helped Atlas Iron get their construction contract.  William H. W. Youngs was a prominent architect in the city.  His son Frederick was Treasurer of Atlas Iron.

The building was constructed for and owned by Mrs. Cora H. Morris (wife of John A. Morris, the "Lottery King").  The Real Estate Record went on to point out the relatively new design practice which was used:

"In this building all the walls are carried on columns and girders of iron and steel, the outside walls being intended only as a buttress against the inroads of the weather, their greatest thickness being but 16 inches.  The saving in floor space through this character of construction is considerable, as the thickness of the walls under the old method would have been at least 4 feet."

This type of "skeleton" design was devised in 1889 by Bradford Gilbert in constructing the Tower Building on Broadway.  Youngs & Cable had previous experience with it; they designed the city's third skeleton-frame building, the Columbia, in 1890.  The practice slowly took hold in the city as its advantages and safety were proven.

I don't know how long the Morris Building stood, but it is not there today.

Sources:
Real Estate Record and Builder's Guide, 15 August 1891, p 212.
Photo from Architecture and Building, 27 May 1893, illustrations following p 246.
"A Review of the Development of Structural Iron" by William J. Fryer, in A History of Real Estate, Building and Architecture in New York City, especially pp 467-473.

A New and Improved Derrick

The Atlas Iron Construction Company used an advanced derrick for the American Tract Society Building which garnered attention.  I recently came across a complete description of this derrick in The Engineering Record, which included schematics and the following photograph which shows the work site "a few days after erection was begun, and showing the derrick and assembled iron-work up to the first story."

Frederick Williams (son of Henry C. Williams and an employee at Atlas Iron) wrote about this in his family history papers without mentioning the building site specifically:

"Frank [Harrison] invented a derrick, a square affair, with a mast and boom at each corner, which hoisted and put in place iron columns, beams, or girders, all four working at the same time and greatly expediting the building operations.  He did not patent this however so our rivals copied it ere long."

The derrick was designed with ease of use, simplicity and lightness in mind (it weighed a mere sixteen tons).  It was the subject of an article in the New York Times, which called it "the largest ever built in this city for handling structural steel."  It was over forty feet tall, made of iron beams and Virginia pine.  It was powered by two engines which were fixed on the ground.  The booms were between 45 and 53 feet long, and could lift nine tons each.  In addition to the four corner booms, a fifth was added to cover the area in the center of the derrick.

Atlas Iron was contracted to raise the building's structure at a rate of two stories per week.  After setting two stories in place, the derrick was hoisted by its own engines to the top of the completed framework - a process which typically took two days, but with the careful construction of this derrick it could be done in under a day.  With a work force of 50 men, they "expected to substantially complete the erection of the whole 3,000 tons of iron-work in about 90 days."

In publishing the details about the construction and use of the derrick, The Engineering Record thanks Frank Harrison for sharing his working drawings.  It seems he was glad to share his achievement with fellow engineers.

Sources:
"New Derrick For Rapid Building", New York Times, 25 November 1894, p 19.
"Erection of American Tract Society's Building, New York", The Engineering Record, vol 31, no 3, 15 December 1894, pp 44-47.
Family documents.

The American Tract Society Building

On a recent sightseeing trip into Manhattan, I had a pleasant surprise when getting off the subway at City Hall.  The American Tract Society Building is now free of its construction netting!  I had visited a year ago to take photos of the building, but it was mostly obscured by netting at the time.  I took this opportunity to get some better photos.

Northeast (Spruce Street) facade of the building.

Top of the northeast facade of the building.

Main entrance on Nassau Street.

Why is this building of interest?  Because my ancestors helped build it.

In 1891, Henry C. Williams (a direct ancestor) formed the Atlas Iron Construction Company with Frank Harrison (his first wife's cousin), Philip Raqué, and Frederick Youngs.  They were successful for a time, growing to become the second largest structural iron business in the city.  They had an office in the New York Times Building and a factory in New Jersey.  They worked on early skyscrapers, bridges and on the roof of a drill hall in one of the city's armories (I'm not sure which one). 

In fact, the only structure that I know for sure that they worked on is the American Tract Society Building.  According to the Times, they employed the largest derrick yet seen in New York for this work.  Construction used the day's leading engineering techniques.  When completed in 1895, the building was one of the tallest in the city and it boasted more office space than the only two taller skyscrapers (the Manhattan Life Insurance Building and the New York World Building).  It remains significant as one of the earliest steel skeletal-frame skyscrapers in the city.

The building stands between Frank Gehry's Beekman Tower
and the New York Times Building.

City Hall and Newspaper Row, circa 1906 (photo from Wikimedia Commons).

Sources:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/reports/amertractsocbldg.pdf
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SCC/SCC018.htm
Family documents.