The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-06
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE.
County Officials Move Into New
Courthouse Today.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE OFFICES.
General Description OF the Big Building
on the HiiI-Its Architecture
and Equipments.

The ofnc1als OF King county Will ceie-
brate the second anniversary Of the great
fire by moving into the new courthouse,
which has been built since the big blaze.
and commencing Monday the philosophy
cal attorney will take either the fesler
avenue or the James street cable lines Tor
the big classic structure on the hill THIS
brand new edifice, with its lofty tower,
occupies slightly and elevated location
on the block bounded by Seventh
and Eighth and Terrace and Alder streets.
It's site is $40 feet square, most of the land
having been graded to gentle slope west
ward. A most magnificent view Is pre-
scented, especially to the adventurous stair
climber who makes the spiral ascent of
the dome-shaped tower to the balcony rail
of the little cupola, which is the highest
point of view afforded. Almost the whole
city can be seen, and both the Olympic
and Cascade mountain ranges. and, of
course, fine stretch of the Sound. One
need not go to the top of the dome, how
ever, to enjoy Seattle scenery. for the
whole business portion of the city, from
the mouth OF the Duwamish TO Capitol
hill can be seen from the steps OF the
front entrance.
The King county courthouse is OF the
classic style OF architecture, of which same
order are the capitol at Washington City
and number of other well-known pubic
buildings in the country. The columns
and gables of Grecian temples have been
copied, and a ponderous dome is the
crowning feature. Its main entrance is on
the Seventh street side, for it has three
entrances altogether, the other two being
on the Terrace and Alder street sides re-
spectively Its basement is of stone and
the superstructure of brick, cement
cast. The stone basement is 10 feet
3 inches high from the grade
line TO the water table, the material being
heavy blocks of rock-faced blue Chuckanut
stone The immense columns, Corinthian,
of course, tapering slightly from their
bases upward, are of butt Tenino stone.
and fooled. There are ten of these col
umns altogether, each resting upon mas
sive bases feet square, and each is about
50 feet high from base to capital, tapering
from diameter of about 81 feet to 3 feet.
Six of these support the front main gable,
which is full 5715 feet in width. The
gables rest upon capitals, which combine
Ionic volutes with Corinthian details.
The balony of the main portico consists of
colonnade and ambuatory. and is just
above the basement entrance. Each of
the side porticos are supported by two
Corinthian columns similar to those al
ready mentioned. To the right and to
the left of the front entrance are blind
porticos, that is, gables supported by
pilasters, and projecting only slightly.
The height of the two floors from the stone
basement to the top OF the parapet walls is
forty-six feet. The peak of the pediment
of the main rvrtico is surmounted by a
statue Of the Goddess of Justice, with
scales upheld and naked sword drawn.
One very important thing which should
not be overlooked just here is the walk
and steps leading up to the entrance. EN-
bankment walls have been built around
the ground site and along each
side of the walk, the walls be-
ing of Chuckanut stone, with heavy
coping of rock-faced Nelson island granite.
The walk is of cement pavement of vari-
Gus designs. A fight of fourteen steps
brings one up to the first landing, and
another fight, of eight steps only, leads
TO the level pavement at the basement
entrance. Five more steps, and the per-
son having business with King county,
judicially or otherwise, finds himself just
beneath the balcony of the principal por-
tico, and ready to wander through the
almost labyrinthian intricacy of low
piers and arches which support the
floors above. A low stairway di-
viding right and left from the first
platform leads to the first floor above
where the offices of the auditor, assessor,
sheriff, surveyor, treasurer, grand jury
room and superintendent OF schools is sit
uated. The same peculiar features of low
pillars and archways in the corridors are
again to be met with, and constitute very
broken ceiling, if, indeed, that which is
overhead can be called ceiling at all. But
the necessity of these numerous little
arches is easily explained by the fact that
in the effort 10 make each ceiling and floor
perfectly ireproof, it was absolutely neces-
sary to have the big iron beams supported
ny frequent brick piers. Heavy fire proof
ing, covered by concrete, constitutes the
flooring of the first and second stories.
The roof is of wood, covered with Taylor's
old style tin, so that the building is not
absolutely tire-proof, though the only
wood used elsewhere in the building, not
speaking of the tower, is in the wanscoat-
ing, and, of course, the cases and pediments
of the doors and windows, the window
sashes and stills and the doors. All the
lumber used in the interior wood work is
Puget sound cedar, finished off in natural
color. and was dressed bv the Western
mill of this city. The walls are plastered
with adamant, a very hard, quickly driving
plaster, but rather gloomy IN its duh gray
ish effect. All the corridor floors are
covered with encaustic filing in various
designs: likewise the entrances TO the
offices of the auditor, commissioners.
treasurer. sheriff, assessor and county
clerk. Oil cloths of various patterns cover
the floors of the main offices and court
rooms, but heavy Brussels carpets OF
many pretty designs have been laid in
each of the private offices. The furniture
is uniformly of oak, finished in lighter
shade and softer grain than antique, and
the auditors and treasurer's offices are
equipped with bank fixtures. A manu-.
featuring company of Cleveland, o., made
most of the furniture, though Rohlfs &
SchodeT. of this city, made several of the
hest tables. The county offices are sup
piled with hevery latest improvements in
vaults and vault fixtures. The private
rooms of the officials have been fitted ur
With comfortable upholstered furniture
and leather-covered sofas, and they
have also elegant CRATES and man.
tells. The furniture includes bookcase.
and wardrohes. as well as tables. desks
and chairs in the main office. The entire
building is heated by steam and lighted by
electricity.
The court-rooms are on the ton floor
and here the corridors are higher. as well
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