Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-26
LIBRARY BUILDING.
THE STRUCTURE TO Be COMPLETED
BY THE FIRST or JANUARY


Various Omccss
II is expected that by the LIST OF jan
uary next the architect Of the new Sta'e
Library building will be able to turn over
the structure complete TO the State board
of Library Buildings Commissioners
1t will have taken longer time TO erect
the building than was at first anticipated
but the delays that have occurred nave
been unavoidable In the first place. J"
digging the foundation "blue mud, the
terror OF all Richmond excavators' was
encountered. This necessitated going
much deeper for foundation than was
expected. and as well-known contractor
remarked. called for putting INTO Tue
hole several more brick-yards than haa
been bargained for" In the second place.
after the foundation walls we're up. dn-
fculty was experienced in getting an ac'
ceptable grade Of buf-colored BRICK.
However. when the work snail nave
been finished the State will be III posses.
sson of a building that has besi eierVeu
TO stand and in which nearly every
square inch OF material has peeh sun
ing that will be the pride OF the archi-
tect. the clerk of the work, and the coh-
tractors.
The plans for the structure were uiaw"
by Mr.. William NJ. Poindexter. VINO Is 'ne
supervising architect. The contract io' us
erection was awarded to Messrs. bur'o"
& Chesterman. and the Work was eo"''
menced In the fan Of 1892.
THE ARCHITECTURE.
The order Of architecture is Ionic, ana
though considerable objection has been
urged to the location as calculated l"
dwarf the building. when the fine touches
shall have been put in and the lehc,ns
and debris removed from around II o',s
criticism will In large measure be sile'ceu'
The structure will stand ont In exquisis.
proportions. and with an elevation tha'
cannot fail to prove most Striking.
The building Is Is-shaped. having west
or main front of lis feet ana a sou ~.
front Of $50 feet, and Ia freproot Inc
outside walls are OF buff BRICK, triiliiieu
with terra-cotta. The partitions are vi
brick and terra-cotta, and the noOrS "ie
formed of iron beams, filled in with terra
| Gotta arches. There are two inaih
frances. one Is in the west 'front.' "nu
will be reached by two flights OF grd'i,'e
steps. rising from the waik"ay III W.
! square. which trends from the Tweiith-
! and Bank-street gate round To the ENecu-
tive Mansion. The other IL In the norm
wing. On the south side the ground WIZ
be terraced off from the Level OF ',,e
| stone-belt Gaping Of tho basement Walls
! TO the natural level Of the square.
THE SEVERAL STORIES.
Tbera arc three stories above the base
| no ucpd for the
| heating apparatus, storage OF eodl, eng ie
| for running the elevator, etc Inc us
two stories proper will be occupieu ny tne
various State departments. ana 'he UNIV
| story Will be the library floor.
ON the first floor are located the o'hces
OF the Treasurer. the Auditor OF Public hc-
counts. the second Auditor. aud the Adju-
| tant-General. The offices of the AUDITOR
Of Public Accounts take up the greater
part of the south wing, are three ~
number. and the dimensions are as fol-
| lows: lixlS l-2 feet, Skis IL feet, ana
G5xl9 I-2 feet. Those OF the Second Auditor
are on the east side OF the north wing
and ar, two in number, AMI measure 2x2l
feet and 2Ox94 feet Just across the CORR
! dor on the west side of the wing Is inc
| Treasurpr's Office, the dimensions o'
which are 57xl6 feet. The Adjutant-Gene
| rails rooms are in the southwest corner
of the building. They are TWO In humoer
and measure 10 1-2xl6 1-2 feet. and loXle L.
feet. There IL also a c0mmittee-room oi
| the floor, which Is % t-2xi6 IL feet.
TIE SUPREME COURT
on the second floor are the supreme
| Court Of Appeals apartments the AT
| cultural Department, the once Oh '''
| Superintendent Of Public Printing aho
| tho penartment of Public Instruction.
The Supreme Court of Appeals apart
ments cover the whole OF the hSf''
! ,ying and embrace four rooms, as fol
/ lows: Courtroom. 3SxSS feet law library
! room. lfx3S feet: clerks Office. l6xlt II
I feet and Judges consultation-room, lJN-
| feet The Agricultural Department ma
civ rooms. the dimensions being 2lXlS l.
! foot q f-2xlS 70 feet. q LEXIS IL rect
| 10 l-2xt9 - fc~ q l-2Nls 1-2 feet. ans
| ,2xle l-2 feet. The two rooms SET aPdi'
! for the Superintendent Of Public Printint
! measure i2xi9 IL feet and 9His IL Ieet
| respectively. The one room OF the super
intendent OF Public instruction IL -lAls j.
| feet. ,,oop
ON the third. or library floor are TN
! following rooms: Stock-room. ior ooohs
or library hall proper tlNol ieet' i0''u, p
! room. 20 l-2xi3 feet; Librarians ON,
| 1e i-2x5i feet: picture gallery, 10 l-2H'5 =
! feet; museum, 53X3i feet ana sever"
smaller rooms The library hail reaulns
room, picture gallery, and librarian ON
are ali connected by arches. woe Ho
| platform stairway runs from the pas
| nent 10 the library fioor, ana 10 VI
rear of this stairway there Is an eieVato
! shaft. on each floor there Is laNatuiy
ana the arrangements for light ana ven
tilation are perfect. e. .,
| The LEGISLATURE appropriation ror III
buuding was 100000. the fund having pee
| acquired by sale of real estate belonbih
TO the Commonwealth. and the Diu
the contractors was $4,000 The cier
of the work. who literally lives IN I'll
building. is Mir. j. W. Anderson
Workren are now engaged In piasteriii
the building, and in putting down III
finished flooring Of the rooms. me moor
! ing will be of Georgia pine and the COZ
| ridors will be laid in marble Mosai
| filing. The trimmings Of the doors WIN
dows. etc, viii be Of quartered whils oah
,rha Offices OF theTreasurer and Second Au
ditor will be equipped with large &c,
,,aults. The building will be heated D.