Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-04-15
A MODEL STRUCTURE.
A Description of its Appearance
Painters Busy ~ WOrk-a
Credit to the Architect
and Contractors.

been an eye.sore to the travelling public
| Is soon to be demolished, aud the occu
pants given more congeuial quarters in
the handsome structure, which is now
nearly completed, on the southeast cor.
ner Of Front and French streets and
extending along the latter street
to within short distance of the rail
road track, on the line OF the old struc-
ture. This imposing structure, will,
when flushed, be one of the finest sta.
tions for miles around. and with but
few exceptions the handsomeSt in tho
country. Owing TO the continued bad
weather, daring the course OF its con-
truction, the contractors have been
somewhat delayed in getting it finish.
Cd 1t was at first supposed that it
would be ready by the latter part of
April or the first OF May, but from pre-
sent appearances, it will not be ready
for oecul ancy much before the first of
June.
EARLY IN AUGUST
of last year, work on the foundation of
ibis model building was commenced,
and for several weeks workmen were
engaged in driving piles, in order to
make the foundation perfectly solid
500 Of these massive piles were driven
Into the ground, which was many years
ago, nothing but com non piece OF
marsh land. This work of driving
piles was done by tue employees of the
Railroad company, and was done in a
satisfactory manner. During the pro-
sress of this work the P, W. Il b. Rail.
road company emerged into the Penn
sylvania Railroad company, who took
| control Of the road, After this the
original plans were somewhat altered
and the work Of building commenced in
earnest During the month of Septem-
Der last, Mr.. Harry Lape, the well
known contractor and builder of this
city, received the contract for the eIec-
tion of the building and commenced
| work on it about the middle of the same
| month, and since that time workmen
have been engaged On its construc.
tion, until the present time, when it
looms up in the distance massive and
imposing brick structure, three stories
IN helght, with square pitch roof and
four pedimeuts 1t is ornamented with
brown stone enamel brick trimmings
The building proper, stands back 2:
feet from the building line of Frencl
street and Is feet from Front street.
A large shed or portico, resting on mas
sive iron columns, extends along tht
fronts Of the building on French anC
Front streets, while one Of smaller pre-
tensions protrudes from the front OF
Water street.
| THE MAIN WAITING ROOM
adjons the main structure of the
building, it being an annex, one story
in heighth, so feet In length, 80 feet
inches width and 10 feet in heighth oil
( the Inside a1d the rafters of the ceiling
are exposed. The floor is paved will
Eastern white marble, with dark corne
pieces which adds to the effect. Thi
par, of the work was done by Dayidgol
4 Bro. The euiire department ID fin
ished in Western white ash and Elst
lake design. This room contains tn
ticket anu telegraph offices. The for
mer is oval In shape auu Of pretty de
sign. IL is located on the west side anl
IproicCts rom the center of the wall
The Telegraph office is similar in ap
lpearance, but much larger, and is stu
lated in the southeast corner. a marbl,
block, four feet square, is placed in tht
wall Immediately ovHr the ticket office
on which is the dial Of a large clocl
with gilt iiknres, the machinery o
which IL concealed In the wall. Th,
ladies waiting room in the northwes
section of the first story is Furnished
similar to the gentlenen's waiting
room, with the exception of the floor
which is of variegated China tile in
stead Of marble, and is certainly
hadsome design. This room is ~ fee
8 inches in length and % feet in width
with an Old fashioned fire place on tn
side. Both waiting rooms when fur
nished will ae beautiful as well as coz,
and inviting. The room in the south
west corner of the lower floor is de
signed for the restaurant and is of tn,
same Dimensions as the ladies waitins
room, It's floor being paved with Eas
tern marble tie same as the gentle
men . room.
| The restaurant connects with larg,
and comm odious kitchen on the third
floor by means OF large elevator and
two dumb walters, together with a
stairway for the use of those employed
in this department. A wide stairway
leads to the upper stories from the main
entrance. Both stairways are finished
with yellow pine and are substantially
built. The second story of the main
structure contains six large airy rooms
each one of which opens out into large
arie in the centre of the floor. These
rooms will be used as offices for the
different departments connected with
the Railroad Company. The third
story also contains several offices to-
gether with the kitchen connected With
the restaurant, while the attic will be
used for storage purposes. The ne.
cessary precautions have been taken
against the destruction of the building
by fire, each floor being provided with a
fire outlet and hose attachments with a
sufficient amount of hose. The rooms
on the upper floors are finished in white
and yellow pine, nicely vanished. The
locks, knobs, hinges and other orna-
n,ents Oh the doors of the first floor are
of real bronze, while those in the two
upper stories are of Berlin bronze. The
furniture, chandeliers and other ne
cessary equipments, will be placed in
the building by the railroad company
as soon as possible after the building Is
completed. The painters are now busy
at work decorating the interior of the
building and judging from present
appearances, this part of the work will
be very attractive. This branch is un-
der the supervision Of James NJ. Bryan,
the wel.known painter of this city.
rHEorHlLUs CHANDLER, ARCHITECT,
OF Philadelphia, prepared the plans for
tho new station, and Harry Lape was
the contractor, its construction being
under his supervision, while Mr.. A. Rit-
enhouse sNperintended the work for
Mr.. Lepe The Peerless company, OF
New York, furnished all the enamel
brick, and James IL. Beggs 81 Co., OF
this city, all the other orick. L. b.
Hizar did the mason work, Robert Had.
4