Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-06-22
THE CINCINNATI ARMoRY.

ifh NiNNiNNH'i hhhohis
the passage of the bill the work has not
been suffered TO lag, and the building
is now practically finished.
The armory building covers the entire
lot Of l7lx300 feet, fronting on Freeman
avenue and extending through to Den.
man street. The building presents soma
new features in armory construction.
In the first place, it is the only armory
of its size that is combination of facili.
b ties'for both infantry and artillery, and
thoroughly equipped with the United
States army regulation supplies. The
building is fitted to accommodate full
regiment and battery of artillery of
six guns, and is SO arranged as TO give to
each company liberal sized dressing
room in which each soldier is provided
with locker for his effects, and also q
large parlor or club room.
in addition to these company accom-.
modations there is room for each com
missioned officer and abundant comforts
and conveniences for the staff and non.
commissioned officers. There are also
provided separate official headquarters
for the colonel, major of artillery and all
the administrative officers, large gen.
eral parlor, reception room and room
that will probably be devoted to features
distinctive of club life.
From the headquarters floor n half
flight of steps ascends TO the level of the
infantry drill room. which presents the
largest superficial area Of any armory
in tho United States, unobstructed by
post or pillar, and capable of accommo
dating 81 900 men.
This hall is 155xo29 feet, and 4s
feet from floor to dome of ceiling TO
secure this area it was necessary to ex-
tend the hall over the battery drill room
in the basement. In order to do this
and preserve the battery drill room clear
of pillared obstruction throughout its
area of lO0xl4O feet, the projecting por-
ton Of the infantry drill room is sup
ported by a system of six double trusses,
resting upon piers built from the foun-
dation for that exclusive purpose, and
having no point of contact with the walls
of the building proper. The roof of the
drill room is also supported by trusses.
The floor is double, the under course be-
ing pino laid diagonally; the upper Of
hard maple 1 inch thick and 81 inches
wide.
From tho headquarters floor stairs
lead to the basement corridor, extend
ing through the center of the building
to the battery drill room. This room is
1O0xi40 feet, without pillared obstruc.
ton. The floor is an experiment in the
Uuited States, being made of mixture
of equal parts Of hard pan clay and plas-
tercrs' hair, and presents springy, hard
surface. 1t is the same as used in Eng
lish armories for cavalry drill. This
room opens on Denman street by four
large doors so adjusted that all the guns
of the battery can DO run out at the same
time.
On the same floor, and on either side
of the corridor, are lavatories and kitch-
en-, furnace, guard and store rooms,
magazine, gymnasia, shops, forgcs, etc.
and two rooms for squad drill each 80
X60 feet. On the south side there is
rifle range 10 feet wide and 100 yards in
the clear, provided with steel shutters
and all proper appliances for target
practice. On the north side there are
stables and feeding accommodations for
twenty-six horses.
The front of the building rises 100 feet
from the curb line, and is surmounted bya
square Norman tower, in which are the
rooms of the band of the regiment, and
also three fine rooms for the janitor.
The facade of the building is built Of
stock brick. This was accomplished
through the self sacrifice of L. Cort Will
Jams, Esq. one of the commissioners.
The other commissioners, William b.
Smith and Sol Z. Kineon, devoted their
services without reserve to the project,
and the result is that the First regiment
Ohio National Guards has an armory
worth from S3t to 80 per cent more than
its actual cost. A quite remarkable
thing for these days of eNtravagant
recklessness in public building is that
the work has been done within the APP
preparation.