Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-23


costllness, general beauty and magnl-
iiocnce with the court house 1t is at
present constructing. Steadily for the
past Month the work on this structure
mas progressed unsN now a very fair
idea OF what Il will look Ike Is presents
cd to the eye, Just at present 1t Is
point visitors to Fort Worth never ne
elect 10 see and commendatlon OF its
plan and the excellence OF the execution
OF the work IS general.
A very natural interest attaches to
the question: who Is building the
edihce2"
1he county OF Tarrant has let this
job, tho most important Tarrant has
undertaken since It came into existence
as county, TO the pr0bst Construction
company, general contractors, whose
main office IS in the Schiller building.
Chicago Since the work began ON the
count house, however. necessitating
the constant presence OF the companys
vlee-president, Barney Liohter.f a
branch Office has been located In Fort
Worth, OF which that gentleman is the
chief
self interesting, comprising q body OF
men each OF a vast personal, practical
experience In their work.
Mr.. Prohst has been IN America for
about fifteen years and Ia that time
has become known throughout the
country as u leading American build
ing contractor. President Prohst Is IN
the prime OF life. being Il years OF age
a gentleman fun Of energy and push
and instinct with that restless spirit
which executes contracts on time.
b. LIGHTER, the vicc-presldent. has
now become very generally and favor
ably known 10 the citizens OF Fort
Worth.
Paul Muller IS the secretary OF the
company, and like the president, ana
president. has had an EXTENDED
professional experience.
Il. W. Schultz the auditor
The Schiller building In Chicago. n
which the firm has It's offices. ls one OF
the big structures these contractors
have built
Before the outgoing OF the rccca,
commissioners court, that body took
upon Itself 10 endorse the work thst
had been done to date in the following
very unqualified terms;
The state OF Texas. County Of Tar
rant In tho Commissioners Cour.
November 10. A. D. 1924
"Whereas, all the members Of tls-
present commissioners court OF Tar
rant county Texas, are now about TO
retire ana give place 40 the Successors
elected at The recent election, Novemboa
0. 1884, and.
Whereas. tho courthouse Of Tarrant
county, now in course OF constructlon
was planned, undertaken and con.
traoted FOR by the retiring court. and
Whereas, the Probst constructed
company contractors ana builders Of
said courthouse, and Mesars Gum q
Curtis. architects and supervisors Of
construction OF same, have each and
both IN every and all particulars faith
fully performed and carried out their
respective contracts with said county,
touching the erection OF said building
20 the entire and perfect satisfaction
Of this court; therefore he It
"Res0ved that the manner In which
said contractor and builder the Probst
Continuation company, and the archi-
t.cts, MessrH. Gum q Curtis, have
each and both performed and carried
out thelr respective contracts and OBJ
legations with Tarrant county. for the
erection Of said building, has met with
the entire approval and appreciation
OF this court. and their work, and
faithful performance by them, rr-'
spectvely Of their contracts. are by
this court hereby heartily approved.
"a true copy from the minutes OF said
court.
Attest; JOHN p KING,
County Clerk, Tafrant County. Texas.
By JAS. =. PRossER. Deputy"
This cordial appreciation liz but an
echo OF the universal opinion the public
has bestowed on The company's work,
1'he architects OF the building are
Meshrn Gum & Curtis Of Kansas Cify
whose plans weiu accepted IN cnmpp-
titlon with seventeen architects. II
was the beauty OF the exterior, to-
gether with the apt arrangement Of
the plans and the standard method or
construction, which won this diqtinc-
iion. In the construction OF tho ] ulld-
ing the work has been done under
the personal supervision OF Mr.. Curtis
OF that firm, who has made Fort
Worth his home during the progress "
construction,
TIhn building. though appealing 20
the eye by It's great mass, conveys no
dennlic idea as 10 Its weight Al The
stones going TO make water table. wall
surface jamb. window sill, onrnlce and
pediment. column and arch IN this
granite whole laid up stone by stone.
make the enormous aggraEatc ~ TO-
al1. 600 pounds, and the brick work
forming the backing 10 this granite
outside was done by placing brick upon
brick until 2.so1. 900 were laid. this add
ing with mortar, 1870 900 pounds
Built into these walls at enc end and
resting on wrought steel columns AZ
tho other, are i.Qz0.000 pounds ot steel
Jeans, constituting the support u
the fioors. and between those Teams,
N the form Of arches, are bulit
ssJ. 900 pounds Of terra Gotta. form
ing the floor surface - be covered W
tha rooms with ] i-s-lnch yellow pine
flooring: In The haiis Throughout. lla
.srrface Will be In FlDrcntine mogaic
in four different colorad marbles, az
arogatinE in an 5000 sq.sre feet. and
weighing 5000 pounds
The grand staircaseg. i'ading from
anbr 10 floor in easy ascent, VIII be II
wrought Iron, with threads OF marble.
IT. ne treatment ~ the metal work
entering into this feature. the electric
bs ftery' Is resorted to. and a deposit
~ copper plate win cover ali exposed
siirfaces, rendering rust ar impossible
~ Tie weight thus added reaches
80 o60 pounds In@ihe plasiaring o. the
:. r,ict,irs there win De added 10 the
-yeirhts already borne by the walls. a
f,,rther addition OF 10000 pounds, rome |
~ mis- will be cast In ornamental
-oy,,. as consoles. brackets. ceiling
ts.,,s and ether attractive features
4, Ieseerain1 70 n. basement and /
SO more prosalc points q the build
10 but not the least Important. one
al. go pounds devoted 10 the
n,,,rrtfe and dimension stone upon |
r1nioh The building standF. and directly |
rnr,, mis- load, Is the robbie stone /
rysrf exciting a weight Of $4,000 |
,,o,nte. To rise again from the base
,,snt one finds IN che halls and court |
-@.orla a marble Nainscoat feet high. I
ana Of WHICH the welght = 10000 4