Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-13
NEW GOVERNMET BUILDING
A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF WITCH
ITA'S NEW FOST0FFIOE
4 Magnificent Building, but One Which
in Some Unnecessary Respects is
Not What 1t Should Be.

| l0gtOQ nave let the cODlT6CI Oh Tue new
government building, 1t is to be hoped that
the same will be pushed to completion Gn
! one year as the contract provides) but not,
however, until some most important
changes in the specifications shall have
have been made. The most important
| change that the citizens of Wichita (who,
on account of either the safety of adjoining
property, or for any interest in the city's
future) have a right to demand, is that the
building be given at least some semblance
of an attempt to make it fire proof. The
building in its external appearance will be
a credit to the Wichita of today, judging
by the elevations now in the superintend-
ent's Office at the buildings enclosure. In
| side the picture changes. In
stead of iron staircases, the stairs, balus-
| trades and all are to be of white oak The
first floor the one above the basement, is
to be laid upon a bed of cement already in
place, but above that the joists of the sec
ond, third and fourth floors are to be
| of yellow pine And these floors
| themselves are also to be of wood. Then,
too, the rafters which support the roof,
will be of yellow pine with the exception
of the roof over the court room, which will
be held up by iron trusses, but only for
the reason that the same is some fifty feet
wide.
OF course the government has right to
expend as it pleases, the 100000 appropri-
ated for the building here, but the people
ce, tainly have the right to protest. The
government ITSELF should see that no such
work be permitted in building, which is
| expected to be first class and upon which
| (as is the governments rule) it carries its
own insurance, 1t is not yet too late to
make the change suggested, as there will
not be any stone work done on the build
ing for one month and the specifications
| stipulate, that they can be modified or
changed, at the discretion of the govern
ments representatives. The amount of
money expended to date, is some $50, 900 in
round numbers, for site, foundation, etc.
To this may be added the amount of the
contract recently let, for ''the superstruct-
ure, above the foundation, including the
interior finish, plumbing and gas fitting,
etc." s129,5S1, or total of about $780,
of the 500, 600 appropriated.
This leaves some $4,000 unexpended,
while all that is left to be done is to pre-
pare the approaches and pavements about
the building, and also to put in an eleva-
tor and furnish the various rooms. This
amount would seem to be more than am
pie for the purposes suggested, and leave
enough to provide the difference between
the cost of infamable construction con-
templated, and the practically fire proof
character which a building worth S200000
should possess. 1t may be that there has
beens a strained effort to economic and
oil h11i1 ci1 aro w Laos
than the amount which congress gave for
that purpose. However that may be, it
would certainly seem suicidal for the gov
eminent to 1mperil overy dollar placed IN
the building by transparent effort, to
save few dollars for the time being.
In addition to the above changes, experts
claim that the plastering should be stucco
work. But it is not about immaterial
things, that the people of Wichita or of
the country would care to protest.
THE APPROPRIATIONS.
The first appropriation made for the
government building at this place was
$50, 0G0. The growth of the city soon con-
WINGED congress that not less then $50, 900
more would answer the purpose. AS the
city continued to grow, it was last winter
determined to again increase the appropri-
alton, until now the amount is 100000
Even this is not really sufficient, for the
city will soon be too large for such accom-
modations as this building will afford and
a new one will soon be matter of neces-
sity
The location is very central, all of the
street car and motor lines. save only one.
in the city pass within less than one-half a
block of the main entrance. The site is at
the northwest corner of South Market and
William streets. This is only one block
and a half from the great central corner
of the cfty's best two retail streets. The
building itself stands back some twenty or
more feet from the curb line of either
street.
THE BUILDING.
The main entrance is the Market street
or east front, while the other entrance is
on William street. From north to south
the length of the building is one hundred
and seventeen feet, while from east to |
west it is one hundred and six feet.
Originally the plans were for a much !
smaller building and one with only two |
stories and 'mansard," above the foun-
dation. just as the bids Tor the super |
structure, according to that plan, were /
about to be opened. stay was ordered /
until the question of making it S200, 600 |
building had been determined. The plans !
were enlarged and the additional founda- |
ton has for some months been completed |
The present structure is to be three full |
stories and very spacious mansard story |
above the foundation. The market street /
front will also be ornamented with
square tower to the pinnacle of which it is
one hundred and twelve feet from the
ground. At height of eighty-three feet
a place is provided for dial, six feet in
diameter. To the left, or south of Market
street entrance, is stairway leading up
to the fourth floor. There is also a similar
one at the northeast corner of the build
ing.
The material of which the building is to
be constructed Is New Bedford Indianal
limestone.
The steps leading up to the main en-
trance will have seven inch rise with a
twelve inch tread and thirty-three feet
wide.
THE BASEMENT
will contain only the heating apparatus
and the mechanism for running the ele-
vator The building is to be heated by
furnace. 1t will be lighted throughout by
gas and possibly at later day with cleo
tricity.
The FIRST FLOOR
will be occupied solely by the postoffice,
the finest in the state OF Kansas The
lobby" Of the same will be twenty feet
wide and one hundred and ffty-three feet
long. The second floor viii be supported
by a large number of graceful and highly
ornamental iron columns. seventeen feet