The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-02
The Burlington Free Press BUiId-
ImQ.

The Burlington Free Press BUiId-
Ing.
Extensive repairs and improvements have
lately been made upon the building in which
is published the Burlington Free Press and
Times, and on completion of the same that
paper takes occasion to give an interesting
history of the building, the following alb
stract of which may be of interest to our
readers;
The recent repairs and engagements of
the Free Press building involved the unroof-
ing of the whole building; the tearing ont
of the whole rear Iwall, leaving four floors
open to the sky and storms the breaking
"by force and arms" of masons, carpenters
and plasterers into every room in the build
ing, from cellar to garnet, the counting
room only accepted. They are now, we
are thankful to say, substantially completed.
We have got through with them without
loss of life or of reason, and without omit
ting single Issue of any edition of our
paper
THE OLD BUILDING.
Some "reminiscences of the old Free Press
building may not he uninteresting 1t was
erected for printing office and dwelling in
the summer of 1882, by II. b. Stacy, who
about that time dissolved his connection
with his senior partner and the founder of
the Free Press, Luman Foote, Esq, and
became sole proprietor and editor OF the
paper. He gave his personal oversight and
assistance to the erection of the building,
and we suppose it may be the oldest build
ing in the State erected for printing office
81. S. g..
over forty years, 1t was Il three story
brick building with attic and basement.
The lower floor, front, was at first let for a
store. and was subsequently, opened by Mr..
Stacy to the public as reading room, sup
piled chiefly with papers and magazines re-
ceived in exchange for the Free Press The
printing Office occupied the second floor
front,-a single room serving for compos-
ing room, press room, job room, counting
room and sanctum.
Among the printers were some who after
serving an apprenticeship at type-setting,
went through college in our University and
became afterward Christian ministers, law
yers and editors. One of them is now per-
haps the most successful printer and
publisher in the United States, ii. O.
Houghton, of the famous Riverside Press
of Cambridge, Mass. Rev. w. w. Atwat-
cr. now editor and publisher of the Yer
mont Witness, was also compositor on
the Free Press in its early days, and we
are indebted to him for an interesting dcs-
cription of the old establishment. The
building was purchased by George w. and
G. G. Benedict in 1853, and was subse-
qucntly enlarged and improved in various
WAYS for the business, which in its steady
growth gradually absorbed all the space in
the building, and compelled the present
engagements,
THE PRESENT BUILDING
Is of four storics-a story having been ad-
dcd--with basement, giving fiye capa-
cious floors. II has also been extended
seventeen feet TO the south, to the line OF
the lot, on the lane in the rear. Tho base
ment extending from street to street, with
vaults under the sidewalk, and with rear
hatchway, is occupied by the paper store
rooms, fuel vaults and water closets. On
the first floor is the counting room, In. front
| and the dress room, 49, by 22 feet In the
rear. The job composing room occupies
| the entire secoad floor with the exception