, 1875-11-07
Description Of Mr. Tilley's Plan for
Chicago's CitY-H2u.
The Best Features Of the Eur reka
Plan Retained.
How Will It Look Joined to Mr. Egaa's
Dry-Gcods Box?

"olch judging from tue sketches male must
nee: With popular l:sfayo-. It mus Confidently
expected that i magnificent c:lfcc-a credit
alike to the City OF Chicago and she County Of
Coos, aad splct1lid monument to
tho enterprise and public s;iri. Of
tue citizens, as we'll as the genius OF the
buildc:s-would result from tho long and tedious
competition between tho architects; but the
kg Las issucd q aecrec-it has adopted Mr
James Esaa's plans from sketches presented,
and tue countv will have Oh its half Of the public
square strac:usc vastly different, and certainly
NOT IMPosI::a
Us that formerly adopted aud kuowu as the
Eureka plan. made bv lii. TiI:ev. The ac-
ton formerly taken by boil, tho Council OF the
City and the Board OF the county was final, anu
has never been 1oscinded. Yet. the Ring in the
face Of public opinion and tair dealing, Aaye
ordered Otherwise, and the cocnty-nnlcss the
action lately taken Is recoaelercd-will hay5
building very similar in sencratappcasance to tha
Criminal Court structure, with Mausard roof
while the city wing will havo ali the features Of
the mucll-discasaed Eureka design, aad will bo
far different in appearance aud detail from ti,as
Of the county.
With view toward learning what tho ci:ys
architect was doing about the matter, his office
was visited yesterday b. TRIBUNE reporter.
aud the drafts and sketches were exhibited aud
explained 70 far as coa!d La d,s:s-ned ov tho
vies.or, Mr. Tiley has made
4 CONVENIENT AND EXCELLENT ARRANGEMENT
OF tho otcea for the varit,us departn -nss Of th,
City Government, and the public hall, Council
Chamber, Supreme Court-roona, etc.
The plans OF the building show the design to
comprise two ar7ns OF tho original Eureka"
design, meeting at q central dome. It extends
aone. the whole length OF LaSalle 800 feet to its
t939if Hstf$N ntHA TT ub
ington and Randolph streets 1877 fees Its
gEound-plan comprises TWO wings. eaca in the
shape of cross, joined to central mass where
the dome rises.
IT'S elevation presents m asrect OF grand
architecture, and forms classical pile that
claims attention as beng sach al is
SPECIALLY APPLICABLE
for public building.
The exterior is divided up into three great di-
visions or messas, being at the censrs znd eni5
ct the building, and interuaed,ately Joined By
portions that are recessed from the lines OF the
masses.
The lower portion Of the building is treated in
ths Roman Doric viz, the basement and the
the building is in tho Ron3u composite order Of
architecture. The basement is treated in p1aia
rJc1-faced ashl1r vor. aad made a substantial
foundation for oil above it. From the
top OF tho basement Da.i: columns Of
tine design and proportion rise the whole
Ealght OF the TWO hrst stories. The columns
are nanke.i at the coE1ozs by pi'astre quoins-
The columns aad pilastres run entirely around
the building ard carry an embelisAed Dorio
cornice.
above this corniee ere tho pedessa1s for the !.
columns Of tho uppar portion OF the building. .
These 80 with tue columns below, run tue eDt,1e9
height OF tho bui'dlng treated on the outside ~
two stories taltaoush in reali:y il 4he interior
otlT oue). They nre Of ihe composite order,
ye1y chaerely ornamented. This run Of columns
support tue main cotnice of tile building Of
composite architecture. This cofnice is build
yet very graceful IN proportion and Ornamental
ton. From this cornlca rises haiuBtrada in
tersrereed with numerous pedestals bearing
stasnacy and vases Of oruato design.
TEE THEE GEASD DIT11oJs,
OF payilions. receive . more ornamental treat
tnent than the other portions OF the building.
and are carried mp thoir entlro hcigh: with moro
richness in dc.a;L A pcaiment rises over each
OF these paviiions in tile main cornice three
OF its siiesi aud each pediu,eat is designed to
receive ellceorical grounlngs in baa-reief- On
either side OF each o: these ped.nents. and at
its apex. statuarv is p!sced making a very effec-
tive aud imposing tiiisn. Over the centre Of
each pavilion il an iron docan, octagonal 10 plan
and classical in its external design. There Will
be two of taese on each end of the building,
and they ara fine cap-a-pie to thcsr stzuc~
tures beneath.
Tha windows Of the building, OF which there
are tnany. are treated according to the poslions
they occupy. In tire basement and first and
second stories there is no other oruamentation
or detail than the Dcsic order allows On the face
OF the stone Of the building around ths open-
ing, being simply nodded aAnlef work and orn:.-
meutal Key. III the upper portion ut the builj-
ing the windows are hanked with plfastors which
support the petiment window caps. These are
chastelv moldeI aud enriched to the extent thss
the grace of the Composite order will allow
without being profuse-
THERE ARE THREE ENTRANCES
to the building, one from La Sulle street, and
one each tzom Washington and Randolph streets.
These entrances are in the centre OF each of
the pavllions aud are in the shape OF tnree
magnificent porticoes. Each portico is IN orisi-
nal design ncd Ii composed OF four clusters Of
columns and pilasters ; On the outside eods the
cluster is OF fouE pas.eEs and the inner claste.s
pilasters and columns ere grouped on pedes-
tals, below and above, aud support q separate
eutablature from whi:h spring Roman arches.
Between these arches are classical caryatidos
the four seasons OF the year, which
support the main cornlce OF the port;co, Above
his main cornice ia baiussrade with pedestats,
IN which afe statues representing Liberty, JUS
ice, Science, aud Jurisprudence. The whole
rortico is Composite, acd enriched in = manner
hat gives It both grandeur and grace
THE DONE,
which rises from the centre OF the central pavl.
on, is special feature OF the design It rises
o the height Of 800 feet from the sidewalk. Tho
,roporlious are specially designed to conform
sitll the masses beneath it, It il situated a
o 10 easily seen ftom any side Of the building.
md Is not covered br the main building from
be view on any street. It approaches an oc-
agonal shape in plan, having four greater aod
our lesser sides Its base is treated n q rlaiu
nanner md from it risa two stories OF classical
rchitecture treated with pi'asters. colamne,
olonnade, balustrade, and other ornaments
ion. Immediately above the base OF the dome
est four groups OF statuary, en1ble-
natcal OF the continents Of the world.
.ach story OF the dome ia treated complete
Fith cornices. and balustrades. and pedestalr
7i:o vases. From the top Of The coznice OF the
econd story rises the dime proper. 1t is curved
nth proportion to iss height. and on four sides
t it's base receives four dials. These ara framed
18th pitasters bearing pediment. On either
ide of each dial reclining statues are placed
nd crowning the summit is statue Of Father
1ms.
Above the dome proper is the 1antern in which
be bell is hung. The Goddess OF Liberty is
laced On the apex OIL the lantern, and forms tho
1u1uais Of the whola
IN TIE INTERIOR
Il tbs different departments required for ths
uties and businesa Ut our City Government ago
krefuily arranged and ample space afforaed all.
o each department wash and cioak-rootue are