San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-04-17
The Wood Buildlng--.A Fine Improve
ment...Its Occupants-..The Owner, q
Public Benefact0r.

II has been tho duty and pleasure OF the
FREE Pass for more than ten years past TO
record the progress of Hays County, and
especially Of San Marcos. Note Of tho
various stops in tho way of public improve
ment, both public and private, will be found
duly set forth in the preceding volumes Of
this paper, with q Just and fair appreciation
Of credit to whom II was due. Since and
Just before the advent Of tho railroad here,
these improvements have been many and
Of highly creditablo character. Foremost
among them stands our new court house,
which Is pronounced by every one as un-
surpassed in beauty Of design and excellence
Of construction. The fine rock buildings Of
Ed. J. L. Green, Reynolds & Daniel, Glov-
or q Hutchison and William Giesen, rank
well with tho Court House in solidity and
excellence Of character, and cast badly
in the shade the frail and fragile structures
which had before too generally prevailed,
The latest improvement in tho new and
improved style is that of Judge Wood, just
completed ON the north side Of the public
square. and now under notice. In location.
design and construction. il seems to US to
lead all the other private improvements in
our town, and we believe in the county. The
site of some of the others is asg good, but the
fact that the Wood Building stands entirely
disconnected from all others--in front, rear,
and on both sides-puts 1t very much ahead.
SO the owner designed to have it, and 80 it
is. This avoids all danger from fire exter-
nally, favors ventilation and light, and
gives finer effect The building is of
hewn stone. rs by 81 feet, two stories high.
The foundations were laid deep and moro
broad and solid than those Of any previous
private edifice here.
The first floor is devoted to store room,
and finer it would DO difficult to find It
Is delightfully."- spacious, cool and light. A
stairway some four feet wide leads to the
second story, through the centre of which
runs hall about 8 feet in width, the whole
length of the building, upon which open the
various rooms of the second story, eight in
number. Both ranges of rooms have very
large windows in the outside walls in front
and rear and on both sides, and over the
doors opening into the hall are movable
transoms, tho entire arrangement affording
most complete and admirable ventilation,
besides being extremely convenient and
comfortable. The views from the windows
of the second story aro very fine and of di-
verse beauty, and the building facing the
south, and being thus completely ventilated,
is delightfully."- bathed in the cool Gulf
breeze in summer, while in the winter its
massive handsomely plastered walls rem
der it impervious to the most furious north
or" Near the centre Of the second story q
skylight and ventilator opens out upon the
roof. to which there is ready access from the
interior. Iron window shutters are placed at
oil points in tho least accessible to fire OK
ternalIy, while inside the building is sup
piled with water from the works and hose
ready for use in case of fire from within.
There is also large cistern for the use of
tho occupants of the building.
To complete our survey a broad, solid,
limestone pavement graces the front, from
which rises on iron pillars. altogether the
best and handsomest veranda or open gal
lsry In our town, havinga handsome cor
nice and tin roof. Tho alleys on each side
and the space in tho rear are made proof
against mud by good coating of the stone
clippings and debris resulting from the con-
struction of tho building.
Northcraft & Donaldson of this place were
tho architects and builders. We believe
the Wood building Is their best work thus
far, aud it does them much credit The
cost is estimated at $4,000.
1t may DO of some interest to give list
of the favored occupants of this elegant
building.
The storeroom on the first floor Is occu-
pied by G. w. & G.. G. Reed with stock
of general merchandise in size and style APP
propriate to its elegant quarters.
AS tho FREE Press fills the largest
"space" in the second story, it seems but
proper to give it precedence-in spite of the
strong internal protest of our innate mod
esty. The Printing and Editorial Rooms
altogether are 13142 feet, of which space
of 12xl3 feet is partitioned off for the
editors Office. 1t is in the front of the
building, right hand side, and the printing
Office lies just behind it and adjoining. with
O door between. There are three windows
in each room, and each has a distinct
entrance into the hall. The printing Office
Is not quite as large as we thought we had
contracted for, and is rather too small to
accommodate our growing business. Our
"sanctum" however, we believe, is decided
" the handsomest room in the building or the
town, and taken as whole, printing Office
and all, We have much the best quarters we
have ever enjoyed anywhere during our
rather long newspaper life of now over
O quarter of a century. It adds greatly
to our mental complacency, to feel that our
employees as well as ourself are 30 eligibiy
and sgreeably situated.
The other side Of the front up stairs is
occupied by DIR. Combs, dentist. His rooms
are handsomely carpeted and otherwise
furnished in city style.
Just in front of the landing is the room
of Rev. j. B. French, the Presbyterian
minister. 1t also is very nicely furnished.
At the north end of the building right
hand side, the gospel is supplemented by
the law, as represented by Fisher q Rose.
Thar have two handsome rooms.