The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-06-22
HIGH OFFICE BUILDINGS.
What Is to Be Found in That Line in New
York City.

Of the many large office buildings in
New York, some IS are sup to date" in
every respect, and represent the highest
development of modern architectural
skill, while new, tower-like buildings
are rearing tn cir heads every month,
each surprising it's predecessor in SPLEEN
dor and modern improvements. Com
paratively few people even among the
tenants themselves, havs any right sense
of the enormous cost and labor devoted
to care taking" in these structures, and
supplying the occupants with all the
conveniences they enjoy In common.
The highest Of these buildings has 26
floors on % stories. 1t contains enough
brick to build $50 ordinary brick houses,
and sufficient iron to construct 80 miles
of railroad. 1t has more than 14O,O 900
feet of floor space. and covers 1000. 900
feet of woodwork.
Another of these buildings, which
covers an area of nearly an acre, contains
over 500 rooms, and over 1000 windows,
for which three miles of sash chain are
required. This is the largest Office
building in existence. The head ianitor
here has Is assistants to help him keep
the structure in order. This is no small
undertaking for, in addition to the regu-
lar routine work, great NUM- Der of odd
jobs requiring attention is sure to crop
up every day in the year. In addition to
these men force of 80 women is required
to clean out the offices, sweep the corri-
doris and wash down the stairs daily.
They work from until 9 in the morn
ing, and after 6 in the evening This
cleaning, scrubbing and brushing runs
in regularly appointed grooves, or it
would never he ended
Most large office buildings have a
special corps of plumbers, steam-fitters,
carpenters and painters among their
am speaking there are no less than so
men on the staff of the chief engineer.
These include assistant engineers, cleo
tricians, oilers and coal passers The
wages average from s25 week, the sal
airy of an assistant engineer, to $40 a
week. paid to the coal passers. The cleo
triclans and oilers received from S12 to 81
week each. By new method the ex-
haust steam from the engine is used in
heating the building.
Beside special fre-extinguishing ap-
paratus, steam heating apparatus and
elevated engines, there are special en-
gines for 'ventilating purposes, and for
the pneumatic tube service to every
part of the building.
In the cellar there are nine steel boilers
with a com bined capacity of 9OO-horse
power, and three hydraulic pumping en-
gines, able to pump 1900 gallons of water
Ii minute. During the busy hours, from
8 to 8, more than 5000 gallons of water
minute are pumped in the engine
room.
An engine of 40O-horse power furnish
pc for ho al
which are scattered throughout the
building. There are about SO miles of
wire within the building in connection
with the electric system, the messenger
call boxes and telephone service. 1t has
81, 900 feet of gas pipe, ~ 900 teet OF drain
soil, waste and vent pipes, and $1,000
feet of water supply pipe.
In this particular building there are
10 passenger elevators and several freight
lifts. These are run by Is elevator men,
each making on an average of 300 round
trips day.
Beside the elevator men there are the
Starters" who stand in the hall and
start the elevators. They direct strangers
to the floor and room mum bers of the
persons they seek. They are able to run
the elevators methodically by glancipe
at the indicators in the hall which show
exactly where the car is on first upward
or downward course.
The elevators usually run from 8
O'Clock in the morning to in the even
ing, though. in most large buildings,
at least one elevator is kept running I'm
til later at night for the accommodation
of those who are compelled to remain up
stairs. Tenants can obtain access to
their offices, however. at almost any
hour. and also on Sundays, by ringing
up the janitor, who usually lives on the
top floor with his family.