The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-02-09

Hotel, Where They Breakfast-Chariie
Irwin Brings Them Down and Sees That
They Are Taken Good Care Of-They
Visit Garfield University and Are Shown
Over the Building by an Old student,
and Appear Well Pleased.
A Pullman car load Of legislators ar
lived in this city Sunday morning from
Topeka. They came down with Charlie
Irwin TO spend Sunday in the city and TO
look over the Garfield University build
ing. Il was car full, too for they were
all anxious TO get away from Topeka
visit and go through the largest school
building in the United States.
When the car arrived they quietly
walked down to the Carey, a block away,
and took breakfast. They sat around
the hote, lobby and cracked jokes, chew
ed tootnpicks and smoked until about 10
clock, when they steppad aboard three
electric cars which stood before the door,
and were taken over to the Garfield Uni
versity building on the West Side. There
were three car loads of them. and it made
cutie large delegation.
The party were shown over the build
ing by an old student of the institution,
who knew every nook and Granny of the
immense building, and who knew all the
measurements of the building. He is per-
naps the best posted person upon the
building 10 be found in the city, having
seen the building constructed from the
foundation TO the tip of the tower, and
having lived in and about it for several
years il was home 10 him.
The Iegislat tors, several Of whom were
accompanied by their wives. passed
through the building from the boiler
room, containing the heating apparatus,
to the top of the finished part. All of
them were considerably surprised al the
size Of the structure. Many Of them had
seen pictures Of il from the front. and
were astonished to find large wing run
ming out from the other part of the
building 10 the west.
Some Of the visitors asked 10 see the
large hall in the building while yet upon
the ground floor, and were not a little
surprised, not 10 say incredulous. when
informed that il was situated upon the
third floor. They inspected the massive
foundation and Were told of the amount
of concrete beneath it by the young man
who showed them over the building.
This concrete can be seen in places
where it has yet been covered up. The
manner OF ventilation, hot-air heating
and system Of steam heating were all
fully explained to those who cared TO lis
ten, and it must be said that nearly all
of them were ready TO hear ali they could.
The chemical and physical laboratories
were thrown open and the visitors shown
through, the skeleton and the history OF
the original to whom il belonged seeming
to be of more interest than the apparatus
There are no pianos in the building at
present, although there are six or seven
which belong 10 the institution. The tele-
scope also had been taken away, to pre-
vent its being injured. The music rooms
and recitation rooms were al visited,
ard when the party reached the third
floor they were shown out into the west
wing, where the large hall is situated.
This hall has seating capacity in ex-
cess of any other hall in the state, and
when ii is brought into consideration the
fact that it is one hall within the build
ing, two others also being within the
walls, some idea Of the size of the build
ing in its entirety can be gained. The
hail is filled with scaffOlding, which was
left there after the roof was put on so as
to afford a means by which the ceiling
can he put on. The scaffolding, however,
does not in the least impede the view Of
the hall, but makes it appear somewhat
smaller than il really is. The niche for
the organ was shown 10 the visitors and
explained. as was the arrangement of the
galleries. as they We're intended to be
built. The plan and arrangement of the
platform, dressing rooms and al were eX-
planned.
Quite a number were increudlous when
their guide told them of the structure of
the fire escapes in the west wing. These
fire escapes are winding stairways situ-
sted within specially constructed towers
which stand out from the building. Tne
towers are of extra thick walls built in a
circular form. There is at present no
stairway in them, but the plans call for
an iron stairway in each. A door leads
into these from every floor except the
bottom one; also from each of the CALLER
les in the large hall. These doors We're
constructed so as 10 accommodate heavy
fireproof shutters which could be let fail
after the occupants of the different floors
had passed into the fire escapes. These
escapes were intended to also answer the
purpose Of regular egresS 10 the large hall
above as well as the two Stairways in the
center of the building and the elevator,
which opens upon the rear OF the plat
form. The fire escapes are built so as 10
stand alone in case Of fire no matter what
happens. and should anything happen
which wolrd prevent a number of people
from getting out at the lower door
which would hardly be possible-the fire
proof doors could be let fall and the other |
part of the building could bum entirely
up but those in these two towers. should
they by any chance become prisoners in
case OF fire, would be safe and could be
after the fire was over. entirely
This appeared TO be almost
beyond belief % some, but to those who
know the building this is no new thing.
This plan Of constructing exits from a
building which are also fire escapes of |
the above description. exists in but very |
few buildings in existence, as ii is con- |
sidered too expensive. But these are |
them. and any extra expense was not |
considered when the Garfield building |
Was being constructed.
The museum specimens-what few of |
them remain-are on the fourth floor. as |
Is also the society hall. This hall is COM |
pieted and seated with opera chairs 500 |
In number. Il is a very pretty hal and |
many time has been filed to overflow
Ing by interested audiences.
A large arch overhangS the platform |
and up in this arch are the words Peri
,lesian Hall This hall was the regular |
meeting place Of The Periciesian society
# the University. The other society was |
very envious of their possession. it seems.
and after school c.oSed some member Of
he rival society obtained a ladder and
the "a" in the last ward. re-
placed il with an Sc" This changed the