Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-19

~ W htAhil hlu convenience in Nv inv
apparent, and at no time has any portion
Of It been un%occupied for any considerable
period. This effect has been largely OBJ
tanned by the close attention which was
given TO every detail Of Its construction.
Destined to stand as a monument to the
enterprise of its p%rogenitor in the eyes OF
future generations, its progress was watched
as closely as the first hesitating footsteps OF
an only child. While the general plans
were worked out by the architect they were
designed after the personal ideas of Mr..
R~osewater, and during the period In which
II grew into its finished grandeur no detail
was too unimportant to command his per-
sonal attention and supervision. The
minutia of its construction was as carefully
planned as its most Imposing feature.
Nothing was overlooked and nothing
sighted, and the result has abundantly
justified the additional expense and labor
involved in such an undertaking.
AREA AND. EXTERNAL ARCHITECTURE.
The Bee building occupies one-fourth OF
the entire block, with a frontage of 1872 feet
on Farnam street and the same on Seven
teenth street. While its erection had long
been contemplated by Mr.. Rosewater, no
active steps were taken until June, 1881,
when S. S. Beman of Chicago, who has a
national reputation as a designer of great
Off ,e buildings, was directed to prepare the
pie rs. Several months were occupied in
deciding on the details of the undertaking
and In letting the contracts for the work,
and it was September before the excavation
was begun. Work on the foundations was
commenced a month later and from that
time the building was vigorously pushed
to completion.
The general structure of the building is OF
rock-faced granite and brown obsidian
pressed brick. 1t rests on an impregnapie
foundation. the walls being from three TO
five feet thick at the base, with assisting
e. TT. -. .t,aly LNrn,, thiG nnint thew
gradually decrease to a thickness OF twenty
inches at the parapet. Their strength III
augmented by iron columns which are en-
closed in the brick piers above the>nrst story
The granite which composes the walls OF the
basement and first story is from Waupaca,
Wis, and in color and textile qualities 1t is
considered fully equal to the famous Scottish
granite. 1t is a brilliant red in color ana
the effect is heightened by the rough rock
finish. The granite is buttressed at the cor
ncrs OF the building and above each e beehlVe
Is suggestively carved in the pilasters. The
main front on Farnam street is supported
by eleven polished pillars of the same ma
terial, which are said to surpass in their in
tensity and variegation of color the granite
columns of the most magnificent structures
of the old world.
Beginning with the second story the granite
gives place to the brown brick. THIS Is
trimmed with terra Gotta Of a similar color
and brown stone, moulded brick and carved
terra Gotta serve to relieve the severity OF
the vast stretch of masonry. At the top OF
the walls at the seventh story a frieze OF
obsidian brick delicately carved is in simple
but effective relief.
On the Farnam street side an eighth story
extends for sixty feet along the center OF the
building. Aside from adding two or three
very pleasant rooms to the capacity OF the
building. this addition serves to break the
effect of the long lines of windows when
stretch across the main wall. Above the
eighth story two small turrets rise to a helght
of lis feet above the sidewalk and between
them the inscription The Bee Building IN
plain Roman letters graces a terra Gotta
panel.
In the same degree in which the exterior
of the building presents magnificent outlines
and imposing architecture the interior sug-
gcsts a vision of grace and beauty. f4ere
reign the more delicate triumphs OF the
builders art. The artistic inspiration when
was curbed in Difference to the eXactions OF
the more solid exterior construction is given
free eXhalation and is apparent in a scene
of rich ornamentation, graceful carvings anu
subdued and harmonious colors. The visitor
who passes under the immense granite arch
that gives ingress to the building from FAR
nam stree. is prepared at once for the beau
tiful adornment beyond. Under a magnifi-
Gently decorated ceiling that extends to the
second story two massive marble stalrcases
lead to the first story. These are wainscoted
with selected Tennessee marble and the same
material is used in the hall on the first floor.
This is richly frescoed in colors that blend
with the rich tint of the marble wainscotlng
and, as in all the other halls in the building,
the floor is laid in encaustic tiles or a color
and pattern that harmonic with the othef
furnishings.
At the right the hall leads to The Bee
counting room, the business offices and the
private apartments in which the meetings
of the stockholders of The Bee Building
company and The Bee Publishing company
arc held. The entrance is through a mag
nifcent doorway of antique oak, the upper
panels of which consist of heavy bevelec
plate glass swinging under a large plate
glass transom. This affords access to the
which is handsomely wainscoted in
Italian marble with trimmings of Tennessee
marble. The high and artistically frescoed
ceiling is supported by four Ionic pillars
along the center line of the room. Along
the line. of these pillars runs the ffty-foot
counter that separates the lobby from the
room and private offices. This is
erected on a base of chocolate marble sup
porting the russell Tennessee marble pilas-
tiers. These are surmounted in turn by a
quarter round section of marble OF similar
color and texture to that which forms the
base. The panels are OF Florentine marble
to match the wainscoting of the lobby.
Above the counter rises the beautifully
screen worked in Bower Balf iron,
in which appear the openings through which
advertisements and subscriptions are taken
and the general business u the office trans
acted. The counting room is finished in
antique oak. The floor is OF the same ma
terial, with a black walnut border, which is
In effective contrast with the floor of the
lobby, which is composed OF marble of
Mosaic patterns imported from Bergamo
Italy.
Light is admitted to this part of the build
ing through nine large windows on the Sew.
street side and three immense
glazed openings on the court. The artificial
lighting capacity consists of five magnifi-
cent chandeliers, bearing thirty incandes-
cent lamps and an equal number of gas jets,
are supplemented by ten auxiliary
brackets, which are distrib-
lted over the sides of the room. The pri-
yate Office at the front or the building and
opens to the counting room is finished
n antique oak, which represents the highest
attainment of the cabinet makers art. 1t
IS foored with quarter sawed oak, trimmed
with oak and walnut,
The business office Is reached from the |
-car by an east AMI west corridor that leads
rom the grand stairway at the north end
IF the court. At the right of this entrance
are the two huge vaults. between which a
passage leads to the dressing room, which
equipped with the most modern Improve
nents.
BEAUTIES OF THE CENTRAL COURT.
aHI -