The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-09
THE NEW HOME
OF 1.-THE CALL D
Greatest and Handsomast
Newspaper Building in
the World.
Unique Among All Modern
Observation-Disclosures
Ma:terpisce
The Principal Contractors Who Have
Int 10 the Construction Of
the Building.

1t is merely a matter of few months
now when the magnificent new home of
The CALL, on the southwest corner of
Market and Third streets, will be COM
pleted Then San Francisco will have
one of the greatest modern buildings
on the continent and THE CALL hand
somer and more complete home than any
other newspaper in the world.
In exterior construction the new build
ing represents an immense but very beau
tifully designed tower. The first three
stories form the base or pedestal. These
are treated in the massive style, with
heavily rusticated courses and arched
openings for windows. The next seven
stories, being the body or shaft of the
tower, are very simple and plain in treat
ment.
Above them the ornamentation begins
again, sparingly at first, but eliminating
at the thirteenth story in a richly carved
and ornamental frieze, which forms the
setting for the massive cornioe that sur
mounts it. The fourteenth story is treated
in lighter design, being in effect a col
onnade with pilasters between the many
windows, while the fifteenth story, being
beautiful and imposing dome.
The dome rises seventy feet above
its foundations; and surmounting the
dome is a richly ornamented lantern, or
belvedere, thirty feet in height. The en-
tire building will be 315 feet in height.
This is an elevation nearly double that
reached by the highest point of any other
building in San Francisco.
The main entrance. grand archway
twenty feet wide and thirty five feet high,
with massive carved columns on each side,
supporting a richly carved entablature
surmounted by a balustrade, will be on
Market street.
Between the second and third stories,
on line with the top of the main en-
trance, is carried projecting cornice sup
ported on medsllions over an ornately
carved frieze. The windows in the third
story are treated in richer style of orna-
mentation than those below, vet are aIched
and massive in appearance, carrying out
admirably the general design. In truth.
the whole building is one of the most
symmetrical and harmonious pieces OF
modern architecture.
At the top OF the third-story windows
there runs heavy, ornamented belt or
cornice forming the cap for the pedestal
or base which supports the rising shaft.
Now begin the plain stone facings, helo
in place, as is all the stone WORK, by the
steel ira meWOTh OF tue anu Ile
seven stories of the shaft or superstruc-
ture, severely plain and simple in style,
arise. Above them begins the ornamental
ton again. The eleventh and twelfth
stories are treated as one with columns
running the full height and the windows
surmounted By carved capitals and arched
with carved architraVes and beautifully
decorated spandrels that fill in the space
to the entabature above.
The thirteenth story, treated as q mag
nifcently carved frieze, with its graceful
cornice, forms one of the main features oil
the building. The fifteenth story, which
forms the base OF the great dome, is cir
cular in outline, and the corners OF the
square are occupied with octagon-shaped
turrets supported at each angle by col
umns and surmounted by carved dome
shaped tops.
At this line begins the ribs of the great
dome. The lantern at the very top OF the
giant building is surrounded by an open
colonnade and will be used as an observa.
tory and for signaling purposes.
So much of the exterior of the great
building. The contractors who have con-
tributed TO the construction of the new
home of The CALL have shown rare
ability, and the following is brief
description of few OF the leading firms
who have lent their services.