Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-19
THE BEE BUILDING,
A Magnificent Structure Dedicated
to the Art Preservative.
PALATiAL AND SUBSTANTIAL.
The Largest Fire Proof Newspaper
Office in America.
A COURT OF RARE BEAUTY.
Massive Monument of Granite,
Marble, Brick and Iron.
ACRES OF ELEGANT ROOMS.
"A Mastery Architectural Design,
Brilliant IN Conception and Per-
feet in observation-disclosures
Equipments.
COURT OF RARE BEAUTY.
Massive Monument of Granite,
Marble, Brick and Iron.
ICRES OF ELEGANT ROOMS.

Eighteen years ago oday THE BEE made
its advent in Omaha The anniversary of
Its birth is made the occasion of the formal
opening of its new and permanent home.
The completion Of this grand structure, which
has been in process of erection for nearly
two years, is q memorable event, not only in
the career of The BEE, but in the history of
Omaha.
The building occupies two full lots each
G6xl32 feet with o frontage of 1872 feet on
Farnam, the principal business street of
Omaha, and 132 feet on Seventeenth street,
being a plat of ground one-fourth of the
entire square which fronts the Douglas
county court house and adioins Immediately
the new city hall building now in process of
of construction. The project of erecting this
structure had long been contemplated by the
editor of THE BEE. 1t took a tangible form
two years ago this month, when S. S. Beman,
the eminent office architect of Chicago. who
has made a national reputation By designing
and carrying to completion the great Pullman
building of that city, and the superb life in
surance building in Milwaukee, was engaged
to prepare the design and plans. Excavation
upon the foundations commenced on October
10. The instructions given to Mr.. Beman
were briefly these: Tho building was to be
substantial and imposing, without ginger
bread ornamentation. II was required to be
fireproof, with perfect light and ventilation
secured through central court under glass
dome above the building.
This building, now about completed, may
well take its place in the foremost rank of
the best business structures of this age of
boundless resources, and from its solidity of
construction and severity of outline and de-
tail and general massive effect, bids fair to
stand as an example for the future. In the
designs the architect seems not to have been
trammeled by any arbitrary architectural
style, but has adopted the early Italian Ro-
manesque FORMS and spirit with "a happy re-
suit to the manifold requirements of a mo-
dern business building, at once maintaining
the simple, massive dignity which character
ICES this style, along with the maximum of
light so essential to a structure designed for
Office purposes No expense has been spared
to make the building, In point of convenience,
strength fire proof quality, perfect plumb
ing, heating and sanitary features the best
obtainahle.
The basement, which is entirely above
ground, and the first floor are built of Jas
per-like brilliant red granite, from Waupaco,
Wis, which in its texture and color is pro-
nounced equal to tho Scottish granite. This
is treated in rock. faced finish for the most
part with strong buttrcssed effect at cor
ners, with bee. hives carved in the gran ite
pilasters above each corner. The eleven pol.
ished massive pillars of this material wh icli
adorn the main fronts arc conceded by peo-
pie who have travelled abroad to excel in
beauty and variegation of colors any marble
or granite used in the European capitals.
The superstructure above is of brown
obsedian pressed brick, trimmed with terra
Gotta to correspond in color, and brown
stone, moulded brick and carved terra colt q
embellishments are used with good effect.
To break the effect Of the long lines of win
dows. the central portion of the Farnam
street front is surmounted by an eighth
story, extending sixty feet, and above this
two smaller turrets rise to height of 1l5
feet above the sidewalk. Between the tur-
rets terra Gotta panel, in plain Roman let.
ters, bears the inscription, "Ihe Bee Build.
ing" A frieze of obsidian brick, with
tracery hand-carved in graceful lines sur
mounts the completed walls. The six turrets
are tiled with terra Gotta.
building is sustained throughout by its gen.
eral construction. The foundation walls laid
in Portland cement range from three to five
feet in thickness with as ,isting piers eight
feet thick. At the parayet, above the eighth
story, they ar still twenty inches in thick
ness. The m,aq oricl. piers above the gran
ite walls are built around iron columns which
give auxiliary strength independent of the
wallis themselves.
The main entrance is on Farnam street. by
granite arched portal of noble dimensions,
Aanked ON either side by lesser arches,
which form the windows of the landings oil
the marble staircase. On entering the build
ing one is at once struck with the beauty ant
thoroughness of every detail. The grant
marble staircase at the main entrance leads
to the first or principal story where thu
counting room of The BEE is located. Th,
beautiful wrought iron screen work of the
elevator system and the handsome electro
bronze stair case surrounding the elevator
the richly tiled halls and marble wainscoting
and, beyond all th.s, the glimpse through the
great arches of the imposing central court
which diffuses light through the central par
of the building, all combine to impress tn,
beholder most favoraby.
A beautiful as well as useful feature In
fact the feature of the building, is this grea
central court with its colonades, arcade
and highly monumental effect. Every de-
tail of ornament has been carefully designed
aud the rich ornamentation of the stucc
work of arches, caps ana columns, produces
an extremely agreeable effect. The interior
of this building is rendered so attractive by
the court that one is Inclined TO linger there
and stroll through its wide and well-hghted
corridors, always finding something pleasan
to the eye and inspiring TO the mind
The court starts from the ground floor a
street level and rises 10 a height of 100 feet
II is covered at the top with a clear plate
glass skylight supported by graceful
wroughtiron trusses. From tho court a
the basement access is obtained to the sey
erL offices In the basement but thes