The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-08
LAST EDITION
BIGGEST IN TOWN!
Formal Opening OF The Kent and
Stanley Building.

in a practically completed condition, was
formally opened for the first time TO the
public today is the largest building in this
city and the largest and most complete
building OF its kind in the State. The
reception was held from 10 o'clock TO
O'clock, during which time Reeves
American Band was in attendance.
1t was about twenty three years ago
that Mr.. Edwin +. Kent connected him
self with the business of which he is now
the senior member and which passed
through a number of changes before
IL became known under its present name.
Since that time the transactions OF the
company have increased from $4,000 to
100000 annually.
Twice within that time every building
in which the business was carried on has
been completely destroyed by hre; the
second time being in the memorable Al
drich House fire on Feb 9. 1888.
The indomitable perseverance that
yielded TO no obstacle, combined with
genius for business, has been
the source of the success which has
marked the record OF the company
through good times and bad, and led TO
the building of astructure which needs
more than an ordinary inspection to be
appreciated. Another, and perhaps un-
precedented fact in connection with the
building is, that from the time the
first plans were completed under the
has been changed nor dimension alter d
and a. IL is today completed, the structure
may almost literally be said to stand brick
for brick as 1t was originally designed.
The Kent q Stanley Building is model
of comfort both from the point OF view of
the officers who will control the industries
soon to be located in il and from the
point of view of the operatives
who will labor in ii. IL is
artisticslly designed and proportioned in
all respects and yet every available inch
OF space is utilized and every part of it
is fully lighted without artificial
light at all times when the light
steam piping heats every one OF its seven
stories and miles of electric wire supply
IT with power and electric light.
Fire Protection.
These equipments have been fully and
repeatedly examined by Insurance inspec-
tors. and so perfectly have all the require
ments for safety been complied with that
already the company has been offered
lower rate OF insurance than is now OBJ
tanned on any building in this city.
More than $500 streams OF water can be
thrown from the Grinnell sprinklers,
which are on every floor, in case of fire.
To add to the pro ective element in
the construction, the building is
divided by two partition walls OF
brick averaging 20 inches in thick
ness from the foundation TO the roof. The
doorways in these partitions are closed by
fire-p proof hanging doors running on in
clined railways and connecting with the
automatic protective system SO that
they close instantly in case of fire.
BY this arrangement combined
with the partition walls the building is
practically divided into three separate and
distinct buildings which it is possible TO
a.
frances. All of the starways and elevator
wells are surrounded with tire-proof brick
walls and on every story there are fire
plugs and lines OF hose attached. These,
too are SO al oiusted nat no less than s ~
inch streams of water can be thrown on
any single point in the building AZ the
same time or rom the roof to any adioin-
ing building. To accomplish this
last feature the stairwsys are con-
tinued directly on TO the reef just as FROM
floor to iioor IN the building. IL may be
furCher noted that the water supply ia tho
fire. plugs is not only subject 20 the direct
pressure OF the city's water mains, but the
pipes can be Instantly connected with
two steam pumps which run the elevator.
Through the Building.
You enter the offices from Sabin street
through a massive Milford pink granite
archwsy that extends 20 feet from step
ping stone TO keystone. On either side OF
the vestibulo ere marble directory
boards. Passing on through the
heavy quartered oak doors you
sand facing two iron piers 20 inches
in diameter and 13 feet high which sup
port the pGr,i1ion wall ABOVE. They are
covered with silver leaf and are an index
of the character OF the building. The
vestibule, the stairways OF the first two
stories and the doorways on all the floors
are lined with cream tinted sunset enamel
brick. All OF the woodwork. except the
stairs, - OF quartered oak and the panels
of the doors are set with plate glass. The
floors are OF Southern pine, three inches
thiok overlaid with accurately
matched kiln dried mapic plnnks one inch
thick, thus providing n perfectly smooth
floor and facilitating the saving OF all
sweepiDgs.
IL contains four entrances, two TO the
Offices, one on Sabin street and one on
Beverly street, and two for the opera
tives, connected by gangways ~
feet wide with Mason and Sabin
streets. These entrances are each
20 feet square and include tour elevators,
two for passengers and two Tor freight.
Each elevator is operated by hydraulic
pressure and is raised aud lowered on
wrought iron plungers working in pistons
extending 90 feet INTO the ground.
Figures and Dimensions.
The building faces on four streets, Sa-
bin, AbOrn, Mason and Beverly. I,s OF
mensions are 275 II. 44 in. on Mason
street, z21 n. 13d In. ON Aborn street, 100
II. in. ON Ssbin street, ana i23 II. 2 In.
on Beverly street. IL IL seven stories high,
each story measuring 13b IL. from floor
TO floor, and in sil 1UO feet from the side
walk TO the cornice. II Is built OF brick
with frccstouc trimmings, cxccps the
granite entrances already ment lOued.
Over i,OO0,0D bricks were used
i'm its construction. The item
Of freight alone on the bricks