Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-19

stories consist only Of simple lines OF nodded
c%ornices and still courses which are in archi-
tectural harmony with the more elaborate
concentrations of the lower stories. A
double set OF pilasters surround the upper
or sixth story. One set forms a continuation
OF the main pilasters below, while the other
serves the purpose Of mullions between thu
windows. These are crowned by capitals OF
the same style Of ornRmeptatlon as those be-
low and the openings are surmounted by
semicircular arched heads with a label mold
ing. The whole is o%verhung with a deep
friezo and dentil cornice which displays the
same rich architectural sentiment that per-
vades the entire interior Of the court.
While no detail has been spared that could
add to the beauty of the court the most per-
feet arrangements for light and ventilation
are also included. The first is effected by
the immense skylight that covers the entire
court and in the night electroliers placed
at convenient distances lend a new beauty
to the graceful ornamentations. A large
ventilator In the glass roof allows a con-
tinual current OF pure air to pass from top
to bottom and in the hottest summer days
the interior Is cool and pleasant. In the
second and third stories a corridor surrounds
the court behind the main pilasters. These
open on the court as balconies and are out
lined by balustcrs of an elegant design. In
the second story the balusters are OF bronze
and iron, while a rich design in wrought
iron scroll work performs a similar office in
the third. At the rear Of the court another
handsome marble staircase leads to the rear
corridor on the first floor.
COMMODIOUS SUITES OF OFFICES.
Access to the upper floors of the building
is afforded by two rapid passenger elevators
at the Farnam street side of the court.
They are supplied with the most improved
appliances and are inclosed by wrought iron
scroll work in artistic designs. Surrounding
Tho elevator shafts ig n hpnItifnl electro
bronze stairway, which affords additional
communication between the floors. A com
modious freight elevator in the rear of the
building accommodates the heavy traffic.
The corridors and offices on the various
floors OF the building are all equipped with
the most improved conveniences The trim
mings are OF antique oak throughout and
the hardware Is of a special and unique de-
sign in Bower Balf iron. The doors are
paneled with crystallized plate glass and
large transoms of the same material open to
the corridors. All the window glass is of
the best heavy plate and the floors are laid
of selected yellow pine. In many of the
Offices this is trimmed with a walnut bor-
der.
The lighting and plumbing are features
in which The Bee building excels. The
greatest care has been taken to afford the
best possible sanitary arrangements, and
such a thing as an unclean odor has never
been known in the building. All offices are
supplied with running water and Italian
marble basins. Each floor is provided with
separate toilet rooms for men and women.
The entire building is provided with combi-
nation fixtures for gas and incandescent
lights, and the current for the latter is
furnished by a separate plant in the base
ment.
In the matter of freproofng, every pre-
caution has been taken that modern skill
can suggest. All the partitions. Turing,
floors. arches, etc., are Of fire clay, tiled,
and all the structural work is Of the heav-
lest iron. The result is that each room in
the building is for all practical purposes a
freproof vault, but additional protection for
books and is provided by sew
enty-four separate vaults in various parts
of the building.
EDITORIAL ROOMS OF THE BEE.
The rooms in which the various editions
OF The Bee are prepared for the press are
on the seventh floor. They are entered from
the corridor through an ante room which
serves as a dead line on election nights and
similar occasions to prevent an enthusiastic
public from swapping the force of editors,
reporters and typesetters who are engaged
in the manufacture of a newspaper. A
door leads from the ante room into a cor
rider, from which the various offices open.
A handsome suite of rooms next to Farnam
street is occupied by the editor-in-chief.
On the Seventeenth street side the offices of
the sporting and commercial editor, man
aging editor and city editor succeed each
other in the order named, and last comes
the large room devoted to the uses of the
reportorial force. On the opposite side
are located the offices of the night editor,
telegraph editors, exchange editor and other
editorial writer's. The rear of the seventh
floor is occupied by the composing and
stereotyping rooms. These are conceded
to be the most commodious and best venti-
lated composing rooms In the. world, and
here, as elsewhere, is provided every detail
that utility or convenience can suggest.
Here all the type is set and the stereotyped
plates are sent down to the press room
which opens from the west side of the court
on the basement floor.
Above the seventh story there is still an
other feature in which The Bee building
excels most of the first class office buildings.
The roof is in itself a massive
structure, weighing fully 1915 tons.
1t is not only absolutely water
proof, but is capable of withstanding any
possible assault of fire, either from without
or within. 1t s supported by steel beams
which cross Ell / other transversely twelve
inches apart. The Intervening spaces are
filled with hollow book tile, which are
covered with an inch and a half of concrete
and five thicknesses of sheet asphaltum.
This in turn is covered with one and one
half inches Of Portland cement, in which
are bedded glazed vitrified paving bricks
tightly cemented at the joints. All the
traffic that passes on Farnam street might
travel over the roof of The Bee building and
it would not tremble a hairsbreadth.