The record-union., 1891-12-05
A GREAT EDIFICE.
The Finest Mercantile Structure
Upon the Coast
WETNSTOCK, LUBIN & CO.'S STORE.
Representative Workers and Sup
ply Firms.
Something About the Artisans Who
Had to DO With the Erection
and Fitting Up of the
Building.
WEINSTOCK, LUBN 8 CO.'S STORE.

tractive mercantile edifice of both whole
sale and retail character upon the Pacific
Coast, is that of Weinstock, Lubin 81 Co.
of this city. The structure. now nearly
completed, picture of which is given
herewith, is novelty in all respects. 1t
is a radical innovation upon all conven-
tional rules concerning the form of busi-
ness buildings, in this, that though nearly
14l feet by nearly 161 feet, it is but one room
Saving only the basement story.
This immense hall, with its lofty cell
ings, sixty-five feet above the main or re-
tail floor and supported by eighteen
sphinx columns, is surrounded by three
tiers of galleries. The first is devoted to
the storage of goods; the second to the
filling of mail orders; the third to school
rooms, offices, lunchroom, etc.
Level with the main gallery run six
steel bridges from each corner and side,
conyerging upon mighty column in the
center. These are used also for the stor
age OF stock.
The basement floor is by sixteen feet
on two sides larger in area than the main
retail floor, since it takes in all the space
beneath the sidewalks on the X and
the Fourth street fronts. This space
forms a walk around the basement floor,
30 LldI nearly all us departments Can D6
reached without crossing.
This basement floor contains the retail
section in part, the time-room with its
host of compartments for the use of the
402 employees, the pOWer-room with its
electrical motor for the elevator lift, the
toy department and many other depart
ments Of the business.
The exterior, as will be seen by the ac-
companying picture, is very imposing.
1t is massive in its style and yet not
severe, for it Is relieved by its graceful
tower, its ornamental fire walls, its broad
openings, its arches and columns and by
its magnificent arcade. This arcade is
made by eight graceful arches-seven on
the front-Sprlnglng from enormous cast
iron pillars that, in two sections, descend
to the basement floor. The central arch
forms the entrance Or doorway, and is y
feet wide by 80 feet in hight.
Ten feet back from the arches is the
main floor front, which is covered by two
immense show windows, the largest west
of the Mississippi, and at once the hand
soonest. It will be seen that between
these show windows and the arches there
isa broad, sheltered walk-way or arcade.
Thus, by a novel design awnings are
done away with, and yet better shelter
given from rain or sun than any awning
can afford. The walls and ceiling of this
beautiful arcade are richly decorated, as
will be seen by reference to a more de-
tailed description in one of the sub-diYi-
sions of this article that follow this in
PRODUCTION, and give some account of the
work of all the chiefartlsans and material
men, whose labor, skill or stock con-
tributed to the erection of this splendid
structure.
The building, aside from its beauty,
novelty and admirable adaptation to the
uses for which it is intended. is remark
able also from the fact that it was begun
almost in midwinter, took nearly year
to complete, and yet was built over and
around the old structure, where all the
time thousands Of people were, six days
in the week, passing in and out, and hun
dreds of employees were busily engaged
in receiving, selling and shipping goods.
Yet the workmen in all that time did not
occasion any stoppage Of business, or in
jure single employe or visitor. The de-
partments were moved about, conSoli-
dated, adjusted and readjusted, as the
artisans worked here and there, in a way
to enable section after section to be COM
pleted and moved into, without any in
terruption of business. Indeed, Vein
stock, Lubin & Co. did larger business
in that period of upbuilding and demoli-
ton than in the year before when no
building was going on.
The idea of such building, and such a
method Of construction, originated with
the firm. It was secuted by some, de-
clared impossible by others, and pro-
nounced a gem puzzle by most people
who were told what was proposed. w.
H. Hamilton, the architect of the build
ing, had faith in the scheme, however,
and reduced the thought to plan, and as
supervising architect converted the plan
into reality. Mr.. Hamilton had as con-
sulting architects Wright & Saunders of
San Francisco. Later, Engineer Wood
of the California Bridge Company,
as consulting engineer, several times
thoroughly examined the structure
during, and near completion, and eX-
pressed the critical opinion that it is one
of the best built, strongest, securest and
safest structures in the United States.
Architect Hamilton came here from
Utica, \. Y, twelve years ago, and has
in that time planned and supervised the
erection of many of the most prominent
buildings in the city, and has built up an
extensive business outside of the city
also.
To properly describe the building and
set forth all its features would take some
columns. That space is not now at COM
mand, since the purpose of the RECORD
UNION in this article is to speak particu-
larly of the contractors. supply men and
others who had to do with the erection of
the structure. Our readers will find, how
ever, that by perusing the subdivisions
referring to these artisans that very
clear idea OF the extent, character and
beauty of the building will be gained.
We utilize a few lines TO say, however,
that whoever visits the Weinstock, Lubin
& Co. building will find time most pleas
antly spent if they will go through il
from top to bottom, from the great vault
in the basement to the spacious observ-
atory in the tower; from the school in the
upper gallery, maintained for juvenile en-
pIoyes, to the toy department on the low
est floor.
The Contract and Contractors.
We venture to say that never before in
the history of the Pacific Coast-possibly
not in the history of the United States
was such a contract undertaken as was
assumed by Sprague 6G Elliott when they
sigDed to erect the great bllildino we have