The Portland daily press., 1883-09-17
RINEs BROTHERS.
Their Hlesan, store in the Brown Block.

In the spring OF 1882 the heirs of John B.
Brown broke ground on Congress street Tor
the erection of the elegant Brown Memorial
Block. Today, September 16, 1888, the build
ing rears its lofty roof above its surroundings,
its facade completed, but some time will
elapse before the interior is finished. Its size,
apparent massiveness and solidity, give 1t
substantial appearance such as is not possessed
In so great degree by any other building in
Portland devoted to like purposes Its loca-
tion also is unsurpassed, as it is now about
the centre of the city.
The lower part of the building, stretching
from the grand entrance to Casco street is
ready for occupancy and has been rented to
the well-known dry goods firm of Rines
Brothers, who will open 1t to the public
today. 1t embraces four stories and base
ment The basement is 1l5 feet deep, 67 feet
broad and s feet high. The same dimensions
appertain to the main store except the height,
this being II feet. The foundations are stone,
and the building itself pressed brick with
terra Gotta and stone trimmings.
The Congress street entrance to the store is
recessed, with colored tile floor, and is is feet
wide. On either side are the great show win
dowsJ 24x17 feet and elegantly dressed. There
is side entrance on Casco street, and rear
basement entrance for goods.
The main store is simple in finish The pure
white walls and ceilings are broken only by
the beams, and by fourteen handsome Corin-
tian columns which divide the great apart
ment into three sections. The store is lighted
by day by twelve large windows in the rear
and at the sides, besides the large show win
dows, and at night by twenty-one gasaliers of
two lights each. The finishing is in ash and
cherry. Halt way down the store, on the left,
is the elegant passenger elevator finished 10
cherry and mahogany, and, just beyond, the
broad spacious stairway finished in cherry. At
the rear of the apartment is the freight ele-
vator, and adjoining it, extending to Casco
street entrance, are the handsome private Of
fees Of the firm and the bookkeepers.
Curved counters branch out on either side Of
the front entrance. That on the left stretch
ing to the elevator, will be devoted to ladies',
gentlemen's and children's underwear of all
descriptions and at every price. From the
staircase to the end Of the store will be the
housekeeping department with its full lines of
cottons, linens, fiannels, etc. The rear counter
will be devoted to the wooden department, with
goods for men and boys. The whole east side
will be devoted to dress goods, velvets, silks.
etc. The curved counter on the right OF the
entrance will display the button department.
On either side of the main aisle-which is
eight feet wide in the clear-running the
depth of the store, are double counters which
win be devoted to fancy goods, small wares
such as full lines of gloves, laces, hosiery, &c
fannels, dress goods and white goods. There
are 600 feet of counters. The flooring is of brick
of the best description.
The basement will be used for the storage OF
surplus wholesale and retail stock. 1t is very
airy and dry, has flooring of hard pine, and
is well lighted and ventilated. The basement
staircase runs from the rear of the main store,
near the freight elevator.
The upper stories will be used for the manu-
featuring of cloaks, and the sale of cloaks'
shawls and ready-made garments Here also
will be found ladies' toilet and dressing rooms
In fact the store has no superior, as far
as conyeniences of every kind are con-
cerned, and no competitor in point of size
oAN os s0AAaDhAeJ Va observation-disclosures. LILO
building is thoroughly heated by steam gener-
ated IN boilers located in the rear of the
main entrance of the building and SO complete
is the protection against fire that the building
is practically fire-proof.
The firm has which grown to such enviable
proportions was established by Mr.. j. T.
Rines in Bangor, about 20 years ago. He af-
forwards associated with him his younger
brothers. In January, 1874, the brothers,
David 7. and Albert S., removed to Portland
and established the firm of Rines Brothers.
-Four years later another brother, Mr.. j. Henry
Rines, who had for fourteen years been con-
nected with a well-known Massachusetts,
house, visiting in their interest all the principal
cities of America and Europe, came to Port
land and associated with him the youngest
brother, r. Hight Rines, under the firm name
of J. Henry Rines & Co. This concern contin-
ued in business until 1850, when larger store
was secured and the two firms were consoli-
dated, under the firm name of Rines Brothers.
The manufacturing departments in the new
store will be under the direction of Mrs. S. A.
Ross andofiss Jane Griffin. The other depart
ments will be under the supervision of efficient
and well-known clerks, who have been with
the house for several years.