Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-08
THE PuRINTON BLOCK.
Something Of Interior Construction ),
the Building.
Large Light Easements, plea.an, Offices.
c0mm0d'0us Stores and Everything Modern

Inc architect who designed t,a
Purinton block did good n,oo !,
work according to the idea of every ono
VINO mas been inside the place Thor.
could not be a place where tho s.onou
offices and Easements would ne more
convenient than here. The extar,or -
the block has been shown in tho ~,
nal. 1t is of brick, four stories biy,
on the front and six on the hacL s;1,,
The dimensions of the block are e5x7,
feet.
beginning at the sub basement ono
mas the place where the coal cart.
and sieds of the Purinton Rrothors
s'oiee' Inc horses are not kept thera
loIt are kept in little stable baol, oe
the place. 1t is in this sub-ba sama,.
"hefe the hearter that warns the
whole building is located. The base.
ments are three in number. largo and
Wen lighted. They are each separated
by a brick WALL SO that from the
ground UP TO the third story from tba
PACK SIDE, there is solid brick wall
that would be of great value in keen
ing out the fire from the other sections
should one. catch fire.
The first. store on the north end is
the office of the Purinton Brothers AMI
visitors who are shown the whole off,oo
are inclined to believe what thew claim
that it is the most convenient COAL
office in the whole State. The outar
oHice IS finished in the same manner
as the whole building, in hard wood
With the natural finish. Back Of their
wen equipped main office is little
private office that is well lighted. and
back of this is a large storeroom in
the east end of which is the beam Of
their scales. The driver of a coal team
drives upon the scales on the platform
in front of the sub-basement door and
whistles through a tube signal for
the coal to be weighed The weight is
taken, and dummy waiter takes the
slips up and down. Should the weigher
wish to see what is going on below. or
what is being done in the large coal
sheds, he has but to step from a door
| upon platform that is fully 40 feet
above the ground. In case the driver
of team wished but to ask the .direc-
tons, the speaking tube runs to the
/ front office and the conversation can
be carried on from there.
There is a large fireproof vault in
| this office. There are also two other
vaults in the building. One is on the
basement under the Purinton Brothers
office. and the other is on the second
/ floor, off the corridor.
! On the first floor are two stores be-
side the one of the Purinton Brothers.
The middle store. which is a remark
ably nice one. large, well lighted and
convenient, with large show window.
| This is as yet not let to anyone. The
third store is occupied by n. T. Folsom
& Sons, who is jobber in confection-
| cry, tobacco, cigars, pickles and every
| thing of the sort.
| The stairs that lead to the second
| floor are broad and lead into a corri-
dor that is large and well lighted. The
offices are all pleasant, the back ones
being fully as desirable in this respect
as any other. Every office has a
private room which leads. not only into
the main office, but also into the cor
rider.
f. NJ. Thompson, attorney at low, oc-
cupies the first office on the front.
This, like the other corner offices, has
a fireplace in it, adding to its cosiness.
J. e. Badger occupies a part of Mr..
Thompsons office for his insurance
business. The middle offices on the
front are used as the rooms of the
Christian Scientists. DR.. w. johnson
occupies tine cOifiiiooioo" "p-' s
at the south end, having four rooms
that embrace the whole south end OF
the building. There is one more once
between this one and the one that VIII
be occupied by Lewis Selling, the
claim attorney. .
As on all the floors, this one has a
perfect sanitary outfit ana rs llshteu
by both electricity and gas.
The third and fourth floors are oc-
cupied by qthe Odd Fellows, the plans
of which have previously been spoken
Of.
The block was built at an expense d
$4,000, and is a great additioh " tiie
looks of the street in this section.