The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-22
INTERESTING sKETCH.


In the march of business enterprise and archi'
tectural improvements of Philadelphia, our ex-
perience as Journalists has presented few objects
more worthy of friendly notice and popular
regard than the substantial new improvement
which has just been completed at Sixth and
Market streets, by our wellknown and esteemed
toWnsmen, Messrs. Wanamakcr Il Brown. For
months past this imposing pile has been rearing
its many-windowed Sixth.street flank like tow
ering palisade, and within the past week its
ornate and massive iron front on Market street
has received its finishing stroke.
1t is no exaggeration TO say that the name of
wANAMAKER BROWNS OAK HALL, SIXTH AND
MARKET,
has become as familiar to our people as q house
hold word. The means for accomplishing this
desirable business result have not been stlnted.
Whether we take the public CaIs or private car
riage, and penetrate the country throughout
this and even parts Of the adjoining States, we
. shall find these tasmanic words presented to
our view on huge sign-boards, board fences,
bridges, deserted buildings, rocks, tree, stumps,
posts, and at railroad crossings, from the sea-
shore TO the summit of the Alleghanies Nor is
a printed newspapers periodical, or advertising
sheet Of any kind deemed complete without the
card of 'Wnnamaker & Browns Oak Hall, Sixth
and Market" to grace its columns.
TUE SITE OF THEIR PRESENT EDIFICE
covers an area of tbirty-one feet fronting on
Market street, and running back at a uniform
width TO Minor street TO the depth of one hun
dred and eighty feet. The title papers show
lhat as early as 1852 it was conveyed by William
Penn, OF Worminghorst ENGLAND, to Robert Green
way as part OF tract OF 1900 acres at price for
the whole of thirty pounds In 1914 it came in
possession of the Schuylkill Bank, when
banking house was erected upon 1t, which in
4S49 was conveyed 10 the Bank of Kentucky.
IN the following year. 1850, the bank building
gave place 10 the Market street section of the
present lofty structure. When 1t was built six
story buildings i'll Philadelphia were curl
0sity and we well remember that the owners
of il we're criticized for their "toWeung' ambi-
tion, and for months after its completion some
careful people always took the other side of the
street. All such fears, however, have since
thei VANISHED, las people have become accustomed
TO lefty structures. Indeed, the whole building
as new remodelled and improved, is one OF un-
common strength
ALWAYS A CLOTHING STORE.
From the commencement of its history this
corner building has been employed exclusively
for the manufacture and sale of clothing. The
business career of The present propnetorS COM
menced in 1861, when they leased three small
rooms in the Market street 'front.' ana launched
their young enterprise. Their friends (this firm
always had friends, and their name to-day is
Legion) questioned the prudence of their uO-
dertaking. The country was never in more
gloomy mood than ON the day Messrs. Wana-
maker & Brown unfurled their business banner
to the breeze. 1t was the day that Sumter fell.
But the aueures OF their friends were wrong.
The success of the young house soon became
apparent, and their present splendid structure
and immense trace are q proud monument OF
what can be accomplished by judcious manage
ment, indomitable energy, and far dealing. In
two years after they commenced business two
additional stores on Sixth street were added, and
the whole thrown into one. But their plan of
business had struck popular chord. Their
trade increased, and how to accommodate it
became once more serious question. They had
heightened their icords to the utmost limit in
their old building, and had ascended as far sky
ward as even their high edifce would permit.
The additional purchase OF the property on
Sixth street, extending TO Minor, was the eHpc-
dent hit upon and on the 23d OF last February
operations were commenced on
THEIR NEW STORE.
In one sense, the new and stately building at
Sixth and Market is a metanorphOsis, to de-
scribe which would be no easy task. Literally,
the present building is two buildings fused into
one, that fronting on Market street having been
known as the MacNedl building. The one on
the rear was built by the Pratt estate. heavy
cornice now extends around the roof or the
whole, and the entire exterior in its ne v cream
colored uniformity presents very striking and
beautiful appearance.
The old building or buildings were cut up into
great number of small rooms and we can
readily imagine that to so recast the whole as to
adapt it to the present wants of the house, was
vastly more difficult than to have erected new
structure from the foundation. But the latter
was utterly impracticable on account OF the
heavy stock OF goods on hand, and the unaoated
pressure of business. So the work of internal
demolition began; walls and partitions were
taken down, and the grand saesroom, extend
ing from Market to Minor streets lSO feet, was
= opened up. IN Oruer 10 give luCIedSSu
to the ed6ce, numberless tons OF iron ia the
shape of girders, columns, trusses brackets
ETC., we're introduced, together with every ap
. plianCe that could add TO the architectural SYM
metry of the interior or in any manner con
tribute to its utility and convenience for bust
ness purposes.
TIE NEW IRON FRONT
of the establishment is worthy of note as an un-
usual mechanical achievement. Indeed, we
have heard it remarked by gentlemen skilled in
such matters that the erection of this imposing
metallic front was one of the most di1icuN I
feats OF mechanical engineering ever attempted
in this city The preparatory removal of BRICK
wall, thrty-one feet WIDE by six stories (about
seventy feeD in height, and the substitution of a
ponderous but singularly beautiful iron front,
we may state was accomplished by the maker,
under the direction of John Mcclure, ESQ.,, wis
has made all the alterations here referred to.
The architects employed were Messrs John
Macarthur and George Summers, whose taste in
furnishing the design of this attractive front
will be acknowledged by all. The construction
of the latter was by the Messrs. Roger Brothers,
of this city. Although extremely massive, the
symmetry of the lines aud the spaces allowed
between the arches give the whole a light and
ornate appearance that is certainly not equalled
by any other iron front in Philadelphia, This
feature alone was erected at a cost of nearly
$1,000.
STROLL THROUGH THE INTERIOR.
To describe in detail all that may be seen and
learned in passing through this establishment
however interesting it might be to the reader
would be ta,k too voluminous for a daily
newspaper. The several uses to which thu
various stories of the house are devoted may
however, be mentioned.
FIRST FLOOR.
There is an immense basement which lis de
voted entIely to the reception and storage o
goods.
do 6rd ON that thpaah hO1s