National Republican., 1876-09-19
A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT.
Model Paper-hlnging Estabhshmsnt-An En-
terurfsinr Firm

terprising Firm.
street is rapidly becoming an important
business thoroughfare, and year by year solid,
substantial buildings are taking the place of
old rickety frames, which have greatly
harmed the appearance of the street. The
latest improvement is one of the best, and
consists of a neat, iron-front structure, No.
111S F street, built by Mr.. L. F. Clarke. A
few months ago an old frame house, probably
built seventy years ago, stood upon these
premises, and SO rickety and tumble-down
had K become that light was admitted through
the cracks in the walls. One of the incidents
attending the rszing of the old building was
the finding of a silver half dollar under the
floor, which was lost fifty years ago by little
girl. The little girl is now an old lady, and
member of one Of the Oldest and most re-
spected families in the District. The half
dollar was sent to her, and she remembered
the circumstances, and communicated them
in a pleasant note to NJ. Clark. A penny of
the date of 1904 was found at the same time,
and appeared as though it had just come from
the mint, being only slightly corroded.
THE NEW STRUCTURE.
On the site of this old building the new
structure began to rise, and is all complete
with lle exception Oh pOTGlOn Ol Juc lllSluc
work. Mr.. L. F. Clark has been engaged in
the pc per hanging business in this city for
thirty years, and his place of business on Penn
sylvania avenue, between Twelfth and Thir-
teenth streets, is as well known as any other
store on the Avenue. Mr.. Clark intends to
extend his business, and he conceived the idea
in that connection of building a store which
would be a model paper-hanging and carpet
establishment. In this idea he has succeeded,
and no store in the city or il the country is
better arranged for the purpose for which 1t
was built than the one which has been built
under his directions. The building is three
stories in height, with a handsome iron front
extending the whole height of the building.
The roof is tin, and the brick work is of the
finest quality. Under the store is basement
which has been especially arranged for
portion of the business of the firm. The
building is one hundred feet deep by twenty
five, and the basement extends the whole
length. The brick walls are eighteen inches
thick up TO the first floor, and fourteen inches
from the first floor TO the roof. The basement
walls are well and handsomely finished, and
the flooring is laid upon four inches of con-
crete. Light is received from windows In the
rear and front and sky light in the centre.
The windows in front are placed under the pro-
lection of the show-windows, so that all the
space is utilized. There are facilities for light
ing the long apartment with gas, SO that work
need not be interrupted by nightfall. A space
is reserved for furnace to heat the building
and apparatus for making paste. The base
ment will be the working department of the
establishment, and will be occupied by carpet
sewers and others attached to the establish
ment. Commodious stairways in the rear and
front lead up to
TIE SALES DEPARTMENT
or store, on a level with the street. This
apartment occupies the whole floor, and
has been arranged with great care.
The handsome show-windows are lighted
with solid plates of French glass,
and the rich woodwork is finished
handsomely. The lear of the store Is lighted
with windows and one of Hayes patent sky
lights, which throws the light evenly through
out the apartment, making ~ an GaSy task to in-
spect goods. Rows of shelving, planned by Mr..
Clark, extend a portion of the length of each
wall, and the rear will be devoted to carpets,
oilcloths, sc. When the finishing touches are
put on the handsomely kalsomined walls and
holdings and pilasters of woodwork will be
tastily painted and gilded.
THE UPPER FLOORS.
The second and third floors extend back
only sixty feet, and are not connected with the
st,re at all. A door at the right of the store
entrance leads iBto a vestibule, from which
the stairs are mounted. Each story is planned
alike, having two rooms in the rear, store
room and water-closet in the centre, and
large room in front, with a small room lead
ing tIom it in the rear. The stairways and
passages are so planned that all of the apart
nents are easy of access. 1t is intended to let
out the rooms for Offices, and they have been
arranged for that purpose. The front
rooms on each floor extend the width
of the building, and >are lighted
by the four large windows between the pilas-
tiers of the iron work. The little rooms lead
ing from them, and also communicating with
the passages, are intended for consulting
rooms or other professional purposes. The
water-closets are lighted and ventilated by
shalt, terminating at the roof in a sky-light.
Every part of the building has been construct
ed with great care, and everything has an ap-
pearance OF neat hgndiwork and solidity. MIR.
Thomas Z. Wilson has superintended the work,
and MIR. Clark has given much Of his time to
the building, and the material is the best that
could be obtained. Nr. Clark has not only
succeeded in gratifying his own desire of build
ing model paper-haDging establishment, but
he has raised an elegant and substantial i'm
provement, for which his townsmen should be
grateful. In entering the new establishment
there will be some changes in the business. 1t
will be extended so as to include carpets, OIL
cloths, &C., and Mr. L. F. Clark will receive
his sons, who have for some time been asso-
cated with him. into partnership. 1t is in
tended to have one of the best paper-hanging
stores south of New York. The firm will have
the name of L. F. Clark n Sons, and will con-
sist of Mr.. L. F. Clark and his sons, James E.
and Wan. T. Clark.