The herald., 1893-08-13
THE NEW ST|MSON STEEL BLOCK
Another Monument to Los An
geles Enterprise.
The Rapidity of Modern Building
Methods.
The Basement and First Floor Occupied
Long Before tho Roof Ia Put On.
The First of It's Kind in
Los Angeles.

home, in that although roofess and
in scafoling, all its first foora are occu-
pied by firms doing settled and lively
business. The building is practically q
steel and terra Gotta structure, has q
frontage of 9S feet on Spring street by
155 ON Third street, and is six stories
in height. In its basement are storage
rooms, savings bank and four Offices.
On ite frat floor are two large store
rooms, occupied by Barker Bros, the
Citizens bank, four offices and two en-
frances, while two passenger and .
freight elevator and steel and iron
stairway lead from this floor to the top
story. On each of the remaining five
floors are 3S Offices, two toilet rooms and
a meter room.
Skylights cover the elevators and
stairs. but the four light wells of the
building are open at the top. stairs
lead from the roof to handsome obser-
vation tower at the eoutheast corner Of
the building, while the tank house on
the roof contains two tanks, each hold
ing $500 gallons OF water, pumped into
basement. Between the floors Of each
story is packed mineral wool or asbestos
while stand-pipes, with hose and nozzle
attachments, are placed at convenient
distances through each hall.
As the buildings framework is OF
iron and steel, and its walls of pressed
! brick and terra Gotta, it will therefore
be seen that it is practically fre-proof,
| while many modern advantages planned
for this building by Mr.. @. II. Brown
of 1872 South Broadway, it's architect,
will require time to be fully compre-
hended and appreciated.
| Next to the important relation of the
architect to such an undertaking as this,
is that OF superintendent Of construc-
tion. George d. Webster, who has
superintended the construction of the
Stimson block, has won wide reputa-
tion throughout the west. Among the
other structures of which he was super
intendent in Salt Lake City is that Of
Grant Bros, the largest livery stable in
the west. Mr.. Webster has been in
business in this section for the Vast
seven years, during which time he has
constructed over s20,OOO,00O worth of
work in Pasadena alone. Such ediices
as those of Prof. 7. S. G. Lowe, which
cost 100000, and that Of Governor
Markham costing 100000, are certainly
suggestive Of the ability and reputation
which secured him tfe present contract.
The building Is also practically con-
structed from the resources of this Sec
tion. Some idea of these resources and
the substantiability OF the buildings
foundations will be seen from the fact that
SO carloads, or 673l cubic feet of granite
have been used in the foundations. Ten
| of these pieces are 6 feet long by feet
wide and two feet thick some are IL and
IL feet long and weigh 13 tons, while the
smallest one Of nearly 200 Of these
granite blocks does not weigh less than
three tons. The qusrries which furnish
this granite is owned by Conrad Scheerer
of 227 West First street, and is situated
on the Santa Fe railroad, near Victor, in
San Bernardino county.
It is not only the largest quarry in
California, but practically inexhaust-
able, as it consists of an unbroken cliff
over 200 teet in height. All the paw
ing stone OF this section comes from this
quarry, while it has also furnished the
greater portion of our buildings, such a.
the Bicknell, Jones, Santa Fe, Shatteau,
Hollenbeck, and others.
On this foundation stands the struc-
tural iron and steel frame work and sup.
ports represented by the accompanying
cut.
Although this is the first frame work
of this magnitude undertaken in Los
Angeles, it has nevertheless been rap
idly and successfully accomplished BY
Lewellen Bros. of this city, who furnish
this building with 1900 tons of steel and
$50 tons of castiron. Their contract ex-
tends from basement to ceiling and
amounts to over $4,000. Besides the
heavy work, such as 5S-ton girders over
the store windows, they also furnish
barff and electro-bronze Htairways of
hand barr open leaf work and caststeel
treads, elevator shafts and cages, and
the jackson illuminated tiles of which
they are sole agents for Southern Cali
fornia. The energy and rapid growth
Of this firm, which started in this city
with the modest frontage of 100 feet,
but whose plant now occupies nearly
an entire block, is certainly phenom-
email.
The facing chosen by Mr.. Stimson for
the walls of his building ia of Roman
pressed brick of reddish brown mottled
color, and chocolate colored terra Gotta.
This material was furnished By the Los
Angeles Pressed Brick and Terra Gotta
company. Before this company estab-
lished Themselves in this city builders
were compelled to send away for such
material, but since the opening Of their
plant they have furnished all the terra
Gotta and pressed brick used in Southern
California. Their brick has not only q
superior finish. but resisting strength
of nearly $4,000 pounds to the square
inch.
Perhaps no structure on this coast fur
nishes greater triumph in the plumb
iny line, or one which has been more
difficult to attain, on account of the
many iron beams encountered and the
modern improvements adopted in the
system.
The building will be heated by what is
known as the low pressure exhaust gys-
tenn, and furnishes the only instance on
the coast of radiator supply and return
being handled by single pipe. The
system is such that in caee Of severe
weather live steam can be used without
danger or noise, for while there is Q
pressure of 80 pounds on each OF the two
5x14foot boilers, there is pressure Of
but two pounds on the pipes.
Coils Of steam pipe which pass
through a 1000-gallon iron tank are
capable of producing 1000 gallons Of
hot water per hour, while this Consinu.