Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-12-05
The olaYton house.
OIxNKD ron INSPECTION To-DAY-A LAnoz
NuxBkR OF visIroRs--THE GENERAL
APPRAnANCE or THE BUILDING.

APPEARANCE OF THE BUILDING.
About nine O'Clock this morning. in accordance
with previous announcement that the "CIayton
House" would to-day be opened for public inspec.
ton, . tide OF visitors commenced to pour into the
different entrances, all desirous Of examining the
interior appearances Of the building, which ALL
Wllmingtonians, 90 justly feel proud OF. Through.
out the morning, the people continued to dock in,
ana although the rooms are in an unfinished state.
and many OF them not yet cleared Of the litter and
| rubbish caused by the workmen. a sufficient idea
| of tho ultimate appearance and eomplete condition
OF the various apartments can be obtained, and
expressions OF delight aud admiration were heard
on every hand.
No Wiimingtonian can gaze upon this noble
building without feeling OF swelling pride, that
this is the result of Wilmington energy and en-
the idea was vigorously pushed into action, and
| although the plans were Furnished by architects
from another city. the contract for building was
taken by Wilmington contractor, and nearly all
the work Of construction performed by Whining
ton mechsnics and laborers.
The Clayton House" is erected on the
Northeast corner of Fifth and Market !
streets, on the lot formerly occupied by the
Indian Queen Hotel. The building ex-
tends around three sides of the lot upon
which it Is erected, and fronts on Market,
Fifth and King streets. The lot is Ga feet =
inch, front on Market street, and 2l0 feet 8la
inches depth on Fifth street. The building is
i1nr MorLe stories % nigh, with a mansard root on
street, there Is sufficient height gained to
make Tai' an additional story OH King and part Of
| Fifth streets
On the Market street front, the first story
is OF iron, II feet, inches in height, while
the second third and fourth story fronts are of
handsome pressed brick, tastefully ornmented
| with blocks OF Ohio sandstone; the ManSard
roof Is finished in the usual manner with
slate. Ine front entrance Is about nine feet
wide. The large room, on the lower side of
e0tt00Ca
National Bank, and that on the upper part by
the Artisans Saving Bank.
Ihe hrst story on King street. is also fronted
with iron, and will be occupied by four hand
deep. The balance of the front is Of pressed
brick with trimmings of Ohio sandstone, and
corresponds IN general appearance, with that
on Market street.
The Fifth street front is entirely Of pressed
brick, with the surface broken somewhat by pro.
jections, and trimmed with the same kind Of
stone with which the other fronts are trimmed.
About the centre Of the street is the ladies' en-
: trance, where large and handsome door will
,, be placed. Below this. is the entrance to a
small cour: yard, which runs through and
. around the lower part Of the building, for the
purpose Of affording light and air, and also af
fordng a convenient and commodious yard
The First National Bank, and the King street
stores, together with the above mentioned en-.
/ n
! front, and the remaining space ia occupied by
two stores, and room intended for a barber
> shop
> From the main entrance, on Market street, q
wide corridor, extends clear back to the dining
room, which is large and commodious apart
ment, about IS by 90 feet. looking out upon King
and Fifth streets, and Immediately over the
King street stores On either side Of the corri
f dor, near Market street, as above stated are tho
s~okN Nat ~ d. Il 4 Al. o.
a | Bank. Under the latter ia a soOmy compartment
intended for billiard room; underneath tn,
! other bank refreshment saloon; and win'
3 vault is built under the front corridor. At tn,
: right Of the corridor, between the Bank and tn,
dining room are several parlors while at the lef
3 are situated wash room, the business Offices
8 clerks room. and the culinary apartments.
: The second story has two large parlors il
6 front, with balconies around the windows OF
k Market street. On this floor are twenty 81!
e chambers, on either side of q long corridor, to
e gether with bath rooms closets, and all othe
conveniences.
The third and fourth floors have each thirr,
chambers, with bath rooms and closets
On The fifth floor there are nineteen chamber
and also, an ironing room, laundry, linen close
il and other rooms for domestic purposes.
e The "Clayton House" was projected BY and
owned by the Directors Of the First Nationa
- DaHh3 auu lue hIllsdHs Savings Dduk, Q
Il this city; and on the 18th of Angus
1871, the articles of agreement between thes
Directors and Passmore II. Mitchell, Esq, VIII
% had contracted to erect the building, (his BIZ
being $1,000 were drawn up, and work wa
j. Immediately commenced The carpenter work
Is was performed by Mr.. Mitchell, the brick wor
by Bower Given, the plas,ering BY Perkins
+ Weldie, and the painting and glazing by jane
Bradford. By the articles ofthe agreement. Nj
q Mitchell was to complete his contract by Nov
:. 1st, 1873. By Saturday he expects 10 have al
his portion of the work completed, and han,
6, over the building to the Directors, TO be givel
in charge Of other contractors for finishing am
furnishing.
al The building will be finished in the mos
1t complete manner. The main slairways, from
'e top to bottom are all furnished with balustrade
= Of dark walnut, handsomely carved while man,
= of the windows are furnished with shutters Q
e. the same material. The chambers and di1eren
l. rooms are nicely plastered and white coated
n the corrider leading from the Market stree
ID entrance, The parlors and the dining room, viii
q. all be irescoed, in the finest style of the art.
fs A large elevator, which will be raised an
- lowered BY steam will run from top TO bottom
h. Of the building. with entrances at every fool
A. Bell cords have been placed in every chamber
,h and are connected with one Of Thos. Chame
= Sons bell indicators, in the clerks Office,
IN wonderful and ingenious piece of mechanism
ne which, on every occasion, faithfully indicate
10 the humber of the room in which the bell cor
:, is pulled. The lower portion Of the buildin
" will be heated by steam pipes leading from
or boiler which will be placed in the yard, at III
e. side of the building, and which will also furns
at steam for the elevator engine. The chamber
-..l a. -