The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-27
PUTTING UP THE FREEZES.
THE PUBLIC BUILDING TO BE RICH
IN EXPERIMENTATION.


teriOr-sPringing the Arches ON
the Third StOry-LOggias and Ia
viIiOns in Abundance-WOrk on
the holdings and Carvings Going
Speedily on.
Mr.. E. H. Elliott. who came to Savannah
at the instance Of the treasury depart
ment a short while ago to supervise the
frieze work and finishing touches of the
new government building, reports that the
work is progressing satisfactorily. He
says the contract for finishing the interior
OF the building will be let as soon as the
structure and exterior is completed.
Mr.. Elliott is the architect who design
ed the building, and for this reason he
was sent by the supervising architect to
direct the modelling of the delicate orna-
mental designs which are to enrich the
exterior.
The contractors have several months
longer to work on the building. The work
has now reached the third story and the
builders are ready for the springing of the
arches, which are to adorn the exterior
of the third story.
1t Is interesting to know just how the
new government building will appear on
the exterior when completed, and it will
be gratifying to the people of Savannah
to know that there will be sufficient of
the artistic and ornamental about the ex
terror to make the building show off to
better advantage than any government
building in the southern states.
The general design of the building is of
the Italian renaissance, slightly tinged
with Spanish effect, which seemed a
style best suited for city so southern in
its general appearance and environment as
Savannah. The chief entrance is on Bull
street, and about the doorway is an arch
with span Of fourteen feet. The arch
stones are nodded and ornamented with
chaste and attractive designs. The pier
cap, from which the arch starts, is richly
ornamented, and within is vestibule with
marble walls.
The floor of the vestibule is five steps
above the sidewalk level. There will be
more or less ornamental work over the
other four entrances of the building which
are to be on President street and which
VIII lead into the public corridor. The
large hallway or corridor on the first floor
of the building will extend the full length
of the building from Whitaker street to
Bull street entrance, and will also extend
part of the way around the Bull street
end Of the building.
IL seems difficult to estimate at all ac-
curately the time when the building will
be completed and turned over to the gov
ernment. 1t is known that the work has
been in progress since 1895 when the base
ment and foundation were completed by
Thomas Clark & Sons of Chicago, who had
the contract to build that part of the
structure. The contract was let to Miles
& Bradt of Atlanta for the superstructure
in August, 1895, but the work did not be-
| gin at once as there was a successful ef-
| fort made to have the design changed and
| to have the building constructed of marble
instead of gray limestone for the first
floor and buff brick and buff terra Gotta
| for the second and third stories. An ad-
| ditional appropriation was made by con-
| gress and the contract was changed ac-
cordingly, and the work began on the mar
| Bile structure.
The new contract was let June H. 1896
and according to its terms the time is
nearly due for the completion of the build
| ing there being only a few months re-
naming for the contractors.
The exterior of the first story will pre-.
sent a fine appearance both on the Bull
street front and the President street side
The entrance through the front is by way
of the large marble vestbule within the
| giant arch, and consists of a square head
! ed opening with small windows on each
| side, separated from the door by fluted
| marble pilasters with richly carved capt.
tails. The ceiling of the vestibule is of
| marble with nodded and carved cornice of
the same material.
There is an arcade of five arches on the
| President street side, above the entrances
| forming an open vestibule. with a floor
six steps above the sidewalk level. The
tower will go up from the center of the
| President street 'front.' and will extend
upward with picturesque design 1872 feel.
| The space in the tower will be engaged
| for the elevators. Above the arches on
| President street are richly carved SPAN
drills and panels. The ornament symbol
ICES to certain degree the use of the
| structure, there occurring here and there
scales OF justice. the sword of authorize
and eagles, shields and flags. Above
| these spandrils there is rich cornice work
with shell-like ornamentatlon and other
| enrichment suitable to the style of arcbi-
| lecture. Loggias. or open covered baIco-
MES, occur on both the second ana thru
stories. These loggias are much ,Ised In
the general makeup. and have a fine ef-
feet not only IN rendering the building
beauty and attractiveness, but also IN
Keeping the offices within cooler and shad-
ed from the hot rays of the sun.
| PaVilions, or wings which extend hevona
the main lines of the building on PM
and Whitaker streets, have balconies ar
the line of the second story. These are
supported by two huted columns with or
namental capitals and bases.
There are loggias and balconies about
the second story supported by pink mar
bic columns.
The exterior Of tho third story will also
be finished with pavilions and logglas
the windows arched and supported by
! huted columns, sometimes q large column
and sometimes two engaged or cluster col.
| umns.
The main cornice will be richly orna-
mented with carved modillions ana den
al courses. The frleze is to be richly cary
ed, consisting OF designs showing foliage.
chimeres sphynN-like figures and cornu-
| copiaes. with discs Of colored marble
! worked into the design
-s-e-s-
nan ~. .....