Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-10

New Home of the Baptist Editors in
Phflnde lphia.

Baptists not only OF Washington, but
of the entire south. will be interested to
learn that the American Baptist Publca-
ton Society, with which the whole Baptist
denomination south of the Potomac and
Ohio is affiliated. will Monday next take
possession of their new and handsome
headquarters in Philadelphia, erected 10
take the place of the building destroyed by
fire last spring. The opening of the build
ing will, it is stated. mark another era in
the history of the society. For years the
American Baptist Publication Society has
been hampered for want of room. Its
stock of books, besides the Bibles. hymns
and tune books, commentaries. general re-
lgious and UNCONVENTIONAL works. Sunday
school libraries and tracts, was so large
that the old quarters became cramped and
better ones had to be sought. The result
was that the present location was obtained.
and now there can be no doubt as to the
efficiency Of the new plant or the adapta-
hlity of the building.
The work of publishing the soc!etyS peri
odicals is of itself an immense task. There
are 10 persons employed, AMI nearly 80
tons of paper are used annually but in the
new quarters there will be little no
friction. Everything pertaining to the
work of getting out the many publications
will be done in the most systematic man
ner. New presses have been put IN; there
is an electrotyping plant OF The hest pos
to do away with all tedious md unneces-
sary delays. The building is large and i'm
posing in appearance, and it is gracefully
and yet most substantially built to sustain
the weight of the heavy machinery placed
on it's floors. Its broad foundations of
stone are carefully laid and its walls which
are Of the best pressed brick, of dark buff
color. are very ornamental. and from the
basement to the caves measures 100 feet.
1t fronts on three streets. and is well light
ed and thoroughly ventilated. two import
| ant features, in which the rooms formerly
| used were sadly deficient.
The building has a frontage on Lombard
street of 50 feet and depth of l18 feet On
Juniper and Blight streets The ceilings
are all formed with fat arches, composed
| of hollow ffre-clay bricks between beams
work under the flooring is filled with con-
| crete. The front stairways are of iron, and
with the elevators are inclosed in thick
brick walls, and are thus entirely separated
from the main building. with which they
| communicate on the different landings 10y
! means of iron doors. The back stairway.
| extending from the first to the sixth floor
| on Blight street, is also walled off and en-
| tirely separated from the main building, 10
| which it has access through an ornamental
| iron balcony or fire escape. beginning at
| the second floor.
The basement contains the engines. boil
| ers dynamo, vaults for the stereotype and
| electrotype plates. with rooms for the stor-
age of paper and other necessary materials.
| The first floor Is devoted to the general
| business. Here are the offices Of the supe.-
| intendent and his assistants. the periodical
| clerk, the shipping and mailing depart
| ments.
| The second floor forms the press room
| and contains sixteen power presses Of most