Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-12-14
vi | S C. E L L A n Y .
THE NEW MERCHANTS EXCHANGE


Some account Of that spacious edifcc, Of 2cich the
ROtandG acaS Opencd on Wednesday,.
The Merchants Exchange Company of the City
of New Yerk was Incorporated by an act of the
Legislature, believe in the year 1923, with a
capital of 81 0OO, 0O0 divided into 900 shares of
$500 each. The former building known as the
Merchants Exchange finished in the year
1927. 1t of the most substantial and
conveniently arranged public edifices in the United
States was built under the supervision of It's emil
nent architect, Martin 4. Thompson, Esq., and
cost the Company, including the ground, about
$25O,O0O. Its rents produced an annual revenue
OF $25,O 900. 1t was burnt to the ground in the
great fire of December 1916, 1885.
The site OF the present building comprises that of
the old one, and about equal amount of land
subsequently purchased by the Company 1t is
situated in Wall street, and forms the centre
around which are located the principal Banking
houses, Insurance Companies, and other moneyed
institutions. 1t is 1913 feet Wall street, 1876 feet
inches on the rear, 40 feet inches on the right
flank on Hanover street, and 1870 feet on the left
flank on William street. And although the ground
of such irregular shape the architect has so skill
fully arranged the building, that there is but little
if any appearance of irrcguarty in the apartments
into which it is divided.
1t was built after the plans and under the super
intendence of Isaiah Rogers, Esq architect, a ma
tive OF Massachusetts. The exterior walls are
composed OF blue granite, procured and wrought in
the highest perfection IN the art at the quarres in
Quincy, Mass, small town about eight miles
from Boston, whence 1t is conveyed to the sea by
Railroad (the first constructed in the Union) and
thence in vessels to New York.
The facade OF the building presents a cOlonnade
of twelve Ionic columns, the shafts of which are in
a single piece, thirty-two feet eight inches high,
four feet four inches in diameter at the base, and
weighs about 33 tons each. They are luted, and
the caps and bases of the same material are so fine
hammered al as
smooth as If 1t were rubbed or polished. These
are the largest columns ever quarried in America.
There are six additional columns in the recess in
the front entrance of the building.
The rear of the edihce has pilasers or antps,
with bases and enriched capitals projecting about
one foot SIX inches from the face of the building
The sides are plain, except the cornce and window
frames, which are richly moulded.
The anterior of the building all sides is divi-
ded into offices, already occupied by Banks, Insur-
ance Companies, Engravers, Statoncrs Brokers,
&c. The ceilings throughout of brick formed
into arches, and the floors are laid with hydraulic
cement; material similar to Roman Cement, an
ineXhaustible supply of which may be obtained
from quarres in the vicinity of Kingston, near the
Hudson, and about one hundred miles from this city,
No wood has been used in the construction of this
building, and it is therefore deemed entirely fire
proof
The centre Of the edifice is to be occupied as an
Exchange. This is peculiarly the department of
the Merchants. 1t is In the form of a Rotunda, so
feet in diameter in the clear, with four recesses of
ten by thirty feet, situate at right angles The
curb of the Dome is 90 feet from the floor, and has
a sly-hght of 10 feet in circumference, which af-
fords the only light admitted into the Rotunda.
The interior of this room is finished in the rich
est, cOshest and most beautiful manner. Each of
the recesses have two Corinthan columns of Ital-
ian veined marble, Al feet in height and feet in
diameter. The antGs at the angles, the wainscot-
ing around the entire room feet 8 inches high,
and all the other trimmings, well the floor,
are of the material. The ceiling and walls
are OF stuccO, richly ornamented. The exterior of
the Dome is covered with a copper root, and the
other sections of the building with stone
The erection of the building was commenced in
the Spring of 1886, since which time the number
of hands employed on it has averaged about $50
At the time it was commenced, the late William
w. Woolsey was President of the Corporation; he
was succeeded by John a. Stevens, who still holds
that station.
The ground on which the building stands cost
about S750,000 The entire cost of the Exchange
will be about ST, 100, 600. The income from rents
when all the apartments are finished and occupied,
will be about 100000. Thatportion of the build
ing which was completed on the LIST of May last,
and is now occupied yields the current year about
$5O,000.-Ne1o York Tribune.