The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-01
A SPLENDID BUILDING.
Fine New Quarters for the Railway
Offices.

The magnifceht new building for the
general Offices of the Norfolk and Wes-
tern railway in this city is nearing COM
pletion. 1t is credit to the city and to
the railway. On the fourth of January.
1896, the old building which occupied
Z the site where the new structure now
stands was burned to the ground. 1t
was very pretty building and com.
Portable one, but it was far too small for
the needs of the company. Since the
fire the offices of the company have been
scattered all over the city, some of them
being in the Terry building some in the
Day building, some in the Berkeley
building and others in the building re-
Gently occupied by the city postoffice.
To have the offices so far apart has been
nected with these will be glad to know
that the new quarters are about ready for
occupancy. All of the offices that can be
located in Roanoke will be in the new
Notwithstanding those of the treas
urer and comptroller, which are now in
Philadelphia. The building is practi-
cally fireproof and is fitted with vaults
with regular iron safe doors. These
vaults are for the storage of records and
all infiammabie stuff that is not in imme-
diate USE The walls and foors are Of
cement and the doors fit so tightly that
it would be hardly possible for fire to find
its way either in or out Of them. The
cost of the building when completed will
be very close to 100000. It is
made of brick brought from Ohio and
iron. The doors, door facings, window
stills and all inside wood work except the
flooring was brought from the south and
is called gulf cypress. 1t takes % pretty
polish and has n beautiful grain. The
floors except on the two upper stories are
of specially riff sawed pine. The build
ing is most complet, in every respect
There will be two elevators. mail chutes,
we'll equipped toilet rooms and, it is
thought room for the storage of bicy
cles. A movement is on foot looking to-
wards this, and it will be a great con-
venience. The house stands six stories
counting from the ground floor or five be.
ginning with the one above ...ss is done by
the contractors. The Office roonis are
large and comfortable. There will be
plenty of room, light and air. They will
be heated by steam. The front entrace
is very handsome. 1t is in the form of
an arch, the cap stones being made into a
scroll and resting upon two huge pillars
of granite. Under the scroll work are
the letters ''Norfolk and Western"
There are two entrances, one on Jeffer.
son street opposite Hotel Roanoke and
one in the end Of the building fronting
the railroad. The elevators are in the
centre and near the main entrance on
Jefferson street. The view from the top
of the building is magnificent and is
probably more commanding than that
from the Terry building. Mr.. J. c. Mes.
bitt is the contractor in charge..of the con.
struction. The building is not like the
original plans. The change is .mninly in
the roof The auditor and freight claim
agents al moving into the upper floors.
The others will follow as the rooms be-
come ready for them. The new building
is substantial and lasting monument to
the feeling Of confidence in us ard.our sec
tion that the management Of the Norfolk
and Western have had. One hundred
Thousand dollars is not to be gotten so
easily in these hard times that it should
be wasted on building for no purpose
This should forever end rumor with regard
to the company's removing its general
Offices from Roanoke.
Bicycle riders are complaining that
there is no law providing for lamps on
carriages as well as on their wheels. 1t
would seem that wheelmen being the
weaker are the ones that are going to
keep the best lookout and take care of
themselves 1t is not that drivers of
vehicles want to see them. 1t is the
other way. 1t would he interesting to
canvass the whealmen of Roanoke and