Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-20
A NEW HALL
Come Account Of the Few Armory Of the
First ARTILLERY Regimeut-A Public Hall

lne new arnory of the tlrst Arullery
Regiment is practically completed. and yes-
terdsy o representative of the RECORD UNION,
in company with the builder, inspected the
entire building, which is hereafter to occupy
prominent place in public affairs in Sacra-
msn.o, inasmuch as the structure will be used
for general public assemblies very frequently,
and certainly where it is desirable to accom-.
modate large assemblage of people, for the
new hall is second in size to but one other in
the State. The city of Sacramento owned a
brick building at the corner of Sixth and L
streets. known as tbs Franklin Grammar
school-house. A few years ago it was found
to be inadequate to the demands of the gram
mar grades. and the fine building was erected
known as the Sacramento Grammar School
| house. Meanw while the Franklin was still
used for grammar grades not accommodated
in the new building. But presently it was
found that the building wss too small for
| these, and still another grammar school house
| was put up known the Capital. The old
building was still used for time, but it was
finally resolved to abandon it, as the idea pre-
vailed that children were unsafe in il in its
third story, and that in case of q panic there
might be disaster; besides which the exits
were inadequate, and the yard room too
| limited. The building was used for some
| time, however AZ a night school house, and
was then turned over for the projected me
| cbanical school, that failed, and SO it was
| finally sold. Us use, while the machinery of
the mechanical school was in it. demonstra-
| ted that it was perfectly safe building, and
this being confirmed by expert examination,
| the officers Of the First Artillery Regiment,
who were determined to build a proper ar
mory, seized an opportunity that offered and
bought the building and the lot in its full
extent, on which it is located. This gave
| them property 80 feet on l. street by 1GO on
Sixth street. on which was three-story brick
building A by Sc feet in size. This they
proposed to reft and use as company Assem-.
bly, rooms, and to cover the remainder of the
ground with q wooden building to be used as
drill hall, and at the game tins to be of use
as public hail for general purposes All
| this the regiment has accomplished. The old
| building has been reitted so as to well adapt
| it to company uses, and the new structure has
| been erected, and is now in the hands of the
painters receiving it's finishing touches. 1t
will be dedicated by grand military ball. an
address by Governor Perkins and concert on
| the 9th Of October, and the proceeds of the
entertainment will go toward paying the La
bility that has been contracted in the erection
OF the hall and the purchase Of the property.
The officers and members of the regiment
have formed joint stock company, by which
for the Indebtedness. The srmory rents will
all go toward the payment of the principal
and it is believed the property will for ordi-
| nary uses yield sufficient other revenue to in
sure safe income that will rapidly clear off
| the Indebtedness. But to this end it is the
| intention to make other efforts, that the regi.
mental association may be freed from liability
as speedily as possible. The new HALLS built
from the wall of the old south to thu alley,
aud thence the entire width Of the lot to its
west lice, and then north to l. street, and
thence east 10 the front line of the old build
ing. Thus the new armory is on its east side
| lO2 feet long in the clear; on its south end so
feet, and on its west eide 160 feet, while on
its north line it is but so feet. TIE remain
ing angle is filed by the old structure, be.
tween which and the 80 foot L is a stairway.
| This gives an entrance hall to the main build
ing 80 feet in width on l. street, by So in
depth and in this spacious way will be stored
the cannon Of the artillery arm of the regi.
ment, but as it is left open into the main hall
it in fact forms part of it. and if need be on
special occasions will seat an audience of two
hundred people that can hear all that is said
in the main hall, though it can see but about
three-fourths of the interior. But without
this it is held by the builder that
the hall will seat two thousand
| people comfortably, ard if SO its
capacity equals, if it does not exceed, that of
Union Hall, San Francisco. The hall is
covered by roof of single span, and with
out any intermediates supports whatever, so
that there ia nothing to obstruct the view
from any part of The great room. The hight
from floor to ceiling is thirty feet. On three
| sides, and part of the fourth side, are gal
leries swinging by sixteen heavy iron rods
| from the truss roof, and these are arranged
for three rows Of seats. The entire length of
gallery is 304 feet. The ceiling and walls are
| Ill. al oal = I
| that there is not in the hall particle of plas-
tering. The inside lining is laid on in panels
at acute angles to each other TO break The
monotony of such a vast wall surface The
| painters are now engaged in tinting these
| panels, which will, when done, completes the
structure. The Fl ,or Of the main hail il laid
in Oregon piue, narrow stuff, and dressed
down after being laid, so that when waxsd it
| will be good dancing h)or. 1t has sufficient
spring and rests on gird4rs that are supported
upon an outer lie of brick foundation, with
suff cient central supports This foundation
rises two feet from the ground and il freely
supple with veutilstors to secure the dry
ness of the foundation timbers and the fl oor
The room is lighted by ten large windows
IN upper and lower roIs-on the Sixth
street side, and by eight on the alley,
as well as by a 6fteen-foot sky.lght
over the entrance hall. For night the light
! ing will be By numerous side lights and by
two large sun burner refsctors identical with
those 10 the splendid armory of the Seventh
Regiment. New York City. For exits there
are two double III foot doors opening out of
| the hallway on l. street IL foot door, double
| aud sliding, in the center OF the wall on
Sixth street a single door on the main floor
| opening on the alley single door OF the
head of the hall On Sixth street two doors
opening off OF the stage into the armoiies of
Companies B and G, in the brick building
door opening out of the gallery upon
stairway on the alley, a stairway from the
north gallery to the hallway, and a door
from the second floor Of the hallway
or 81" opineng upon landing on
Ia street between the wooden and the
brick buildings, and from which wide stair
| way leads to the street. This stage, II by 80
feet, is a movable and swinging stage
against the brick wall at the north end of
the main hall. and 30 adjusted that it can be
turned up against the wall, to give additional
| hoor-room. The finish of the interior of the
hall is extremely plain plain to severity.
Not cent has been spent in characterization,
| yet the hall is far from being unattractive,
and is capable Of being elegantly decorated,
and very easily, too, IS all the interior is of
wood. For ventilation, reliance is placed
upon the gallery tier of windows and the hall
way skylight, but unquestionably the Asso-
| citation will find it advisable to cut large
circular opening in the ceiling, covering it ty
neat scroll-work, and then place upon the
roof q covered exhaust-way, for when strong
wind prevails from the south it will not do to
| open the windows upon those in the gallery.
The exterior of the hall is in Esstlake style,
and makes an attractive appearance. The
thirty foot L. or hallway, has been foored on
J line with the gallery, and this floor is cut
by rallied opening beneath the skylight, and
Of equal size. On this floor partitions are
run, cutting eff large room for q ladies'
| dressing room, and rooms elso for hat and
cloak rooms. By means of the central stair.
way ladies can reach these rooms without
| passing 10 at the main entrance, and can de-
scend into the hall by the north gallery stair
| way without going through the hallway. This
is one If ths most convenient arrangements
imaginable. The brick building, which CON-
| municates by four openings with the main
hall, has on the first floor the armo-
ries of Companies B and G., each
81 by 40 feet, and each fitted with
gun-racks, lockers, desks, chairs, etc. On the
| and the Governors Guard. Company AS
srmory is especially handsome. and its fittings
and furniture are attractive and speak of
| good taste and wise economy of room, as
| the lockers sre placed not only on the floor
but along gallery, or ledge, also. These
armories have been ceiled, as is the main
hall. The third floor has two rooms, each 81
| ny n ieet, tuat dTe nGs YET nGleu up, and That
will either be rented to societies, turned int
one hall, or cut up into officers rooms, bapd
rooms, etc. The building is surrounded by
neat cupols, above which rises flagstaff
On the occasion Of TIE opening the entire
structure will be thrown open and the lower
armories used as retiring rooms and parlors
Thus the First Artillery Regiment has what
| 1t has long Beeded, central headquarters, an
srmory hall large enough for battalion line to
be formed in it. and ample for drill, while the
city has o hall large enough for an audience
OF 800 people, packed, or of 1900 seated.