The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-01-16
THE DAVIS BLOCK.
A Full Description of This Elegant
Building.
informal Opening of cray's Business
College.

informal Opening of cray's Business
College.
One of the most attractive of the many
recent business blocks erected in Portland
is the elegant Davis Block, just completed,
which was built by Hon. William G. Davis,
for whom it is named This elegant block
stands in the very heart of the city, is located
on three Congress, Exchange and
Market streets-and faces City Hall. 1t is
contiguous to the county and city offices, and
the post-office, and the horse cars run by its
doors.
The block is of brick, with granite and
freestone trimmings, with substantial
granite foundation. The windows are large
double windows, thoroughly lighting every
part of the ediice. 1t is three stories in
height, with hip roof; is 50 feet front and
81 feet deep. The cellar is cementcd and
divided into four large cellars, and contains
the boilers and engine which conveys steam
heat to every story The ventilation of the
building cannot be surpassed, for the venti-
lating fiues connect with the outer air
through the roof, so that all the water closets
and wash rooms are kept perfectly pure and
sweet as well as the stores and Offices
The mason work on the building was done
by James Cunningham; wood work by A.
D. Smith; boilers and engine Smith d
Abbott; painting, c. Fl. Ball; plastering, f.
| Feeny; gas piping and fixtures, Cleveland d
Marston; stating, M. Bourne; stone work,
Daniel M. Mannix.
The four stores, in the first story are-two
| IF hat EXQhanUn
! street, So X % feet in size, and IA feet stud.
| They are all finished in hard woods, have
all the conveniences, and are occupied, the
| two on Exchange street by James Smith,
Shoes and E. B. Robinson, pianos and or
gans. The corner store on Congress street is
occupied by B. F. Whitney, shoes. The one
on the corner of Market street is unoccu-
| pied
The second story is reached by broad
stairway from Congress street, which opens
on to a corridor, Is feet wide and 60
feet long. This story is fitted up for offices,
| and sumptuous ones they are, too. They
are finished in cherry and contain old
fashioned deep freplaces and cupboards, as
| well as having radiators for steam There
are two large fire-proOf vaults on this story
from Hall of Cincinnati. Offices Nos / and
2are occupied by the Sebago Wood Board
Company, Androscoggin Pulp Company,
lndurated Fibre Company, and Umbagog
Pulp Company; No. 3 by z. K. Harmon, the
well known pension agent; No. by C. w.
Goddard; No. by Mr.. Fl. Sleeper, lawyer;
No. 6, E. E. Proctor, real estate, and the
Remington Type Company; Nos. and by
Mr.. Davis as his private Offices All these
Offices have all modern conveniences con-
nected with them, and ventilators over the
outer doors, as well as ventilating tubes
| within. The offices on this floor are IA feet
stud.
The whole of the third floor of this block,
| which is So feet on Congress street by 81 feet
on Exchange, and IS feet in the clear, has
been arranged and fitted up expressly for the
use of Gray's Business College, and has all
| the modern conveniences. The rooms are 20
feet high, well lighted, having windows on
three sides, thoroughly ventilated and heated
| by steam, and are acknowledged by those
competent to judge to be the best apartments
occupied by any business college in New
England. They are reached from the second
| floor by broad stairway and hall. They
| comprise the following apartments: Ladies'
! and gentlemen's dressing rooms class and
reception rooms, Office and counting room.
In fitting and furnishing these rooms the
health, comfort and convenience of the
| students have been duly considered. The
counting room, the principal study and bust
ness room is 65x53 feet in size, and is divided
I into two departments, the theoretical and
| practical, and is furnished with 80 black
| walnut tables and desks made expressly for
the college, which in design are adapted to
the individual needs of the students In the
practical department there is national
bank, with a cash capital of 100000 for the
accommodation of the students in conduct
ing their business, receiving money on de-
post, discounting and collecting notes and
drafts, and furnishing them with cashiers
checks on its correspondents. There also is
a Remington typewriter No. 2, which the
students use in conducting their correspond
ence. This school, being member of the
Association of Colleges, located in the prin-
cipal cities of the United States, gives the
students the advantage of intercommunicas
ton with the students of the other colleges
| of the association. This is the only school
in the State that can offer similar induce
| ments.
| A full corps of thorough and experienced
teachers is employed in each department,
embracing L. A. Gray, A. NJ, superintendent
| of course of instruction, and principal of
| the practical department and teacher of
arithmetic and law; Frank L. Gray, princi-
pal of the theoretical department. and
teacher of bookkeeping and business Gus
toms; Noah E. Rankin, assistant in practical
| department.; Fl. W. Shaylor, teacher of pen
manship and business correspondence, who
has national reputation as first class
| penman; Miss Othilie l.. Jost, teacher of
| stenography and type-writing; Judge III. C.
| Peabody, lecturer on wills and probate law :;
| VIM. E. Gould, Esq, lecturer on commercial
usages and law; Hon. Byron d. Verrill and
Hon. Charles +. Libby, lecturers on law
| topics. The private office of Prof. Gray,
the handsomely furnished reception room,
the large recitation room, and the cloak
rooms, all call for special praise. There are
IS male and II female pupils at present.
Last night the block was most brilliantly
| illuminated. Hon. William G. Davis re-
| ceived his friends in his office, and the
college gave an informal opening to its old
and present patrons. There was constant
stream of ladies and gentlemen, in and out
of the college, and music was furnished
throughout the evening. Towards the close
of the evening Mr. Shaylor, the teacher of
penmanship, stepped forward and in the
name of the students presented to Prof.
Gray in an appropriate speech an elegant easy
chair, to which Prof. Gray responded Miss
Lucy Pennell and Mr.. ]. L. Shaw then sang
the duet master and Pupil with fine effect.
1t was a very delightful occasion.