Rouen, Its History and Monuments / A Guide to Strangers - Théodore Licquet

There are three different entrances to this edifice, one from the rue Nationale, another from the rue des Charrettes and a third from the Quay.

THE CUSTOM-HOUSE.

The edifice containing the ancient custom-house being a great deal too small and inconvenient for that purpose, it became indispensable to erect another building. For this object, the municipal administration opened a public competition on the 14^th october 1833, for the erection of another edifice. In the month of may 1834, the preference was given to the plan of M^r Ed. Isabelle, a distinguished architect in Paris, who was charged with putting his plan into execution. The excavations were commenced on the 17^th february 1835, in the presence of the mayor, the municipal council, etc., and the building was terminated in 1838.

The architectural appearance of this edifice reminds us a little of the severe style of the florentine architecture; the large doorway is ornamented with the attributes of commerce, as likewise the coping of the edifice; two bas-reliefs, of eight and a half feet high, and sculptured on stone by David, representing the symbols of navigation and commerce, decorate the middle of the facade on the first floor. This building is situated on the Havre quay, a little farther on than the old one. It has three entrances: the principal, on the quay, leads into a large rectangular court, which is covered with a cupola of cast-iron; opposite to the entrance of this court, is placed against the wall the fine bas-relief, which ornamented the front of the old custom-house, a very handsome piece of workmanship by Coustou, a statuary of the XVIII^th century; it represents Mercury with the different attributes of commerce. Two other entrances from the quay lead to the offices and dwellings of some higher persons attached to the customs. The lateral entrances serve as outlets to merchandise after having been searched or examined in the covered court.

The bonded and examining warehouses are on the ground floor, as likewise the offices of the comptroller, sub-comptroller and searchers; the entresole is destined for other offices; the first floor is occupied with the dwelling and offices of the director; and lastly, the second story contains the dwelling of the principal receiver and the residing comptroller.

The entrepôt réel, is situated, behind the new custom-house; this warehouse is used for warehousing merchandise after the duties, have been paid. The front of this edifice which is situated in the rue des Charrettes, was erected in 1826.

PUBLIC SLAUGHTERHOUSE.

Rue de Sotteville, suburb of Saint-Sever.

For a long time the municipal council had occupied themselves with the idea of endowing the town with an establishment of this description, the want of which was imperiously felt; numerous plans were presented and discussed; at last, after a thorough examination, the town obtained, by royal ordinance of the 18^th august 1833, the authorisation to establish a public and common slaughterhouse, with apparatus for melting the tallow, scalding house and tripe house, on the fine property, which is situated in the rue de Sotteville, at the corner of the avenue de Grammont, bought for that purpose from M^r Burel.

A public competition was opened at the end of the year 1838 for the plans of this establishment, and the prize was decreed, on the 20^th march 1834, to M^r Etienne-Théodore Dommey, an architect from Paris.