Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-02

roof. II is light, we'll ventilated and
possesses admirable acoustic proper
ties. 1t is beautiful, spacious room.
thoroughly adapted to the service and
dignity of court of justice. 1t con
tainS bench for the judge, tables.
chairs and ample space for the attor-
neys desks for the clerk and marshal
raised seats for the jurymen and the
witness and 200 seats and n gallery for
spectators.
THE CLERKS ROOMS.
Across the corridor from the court
room. on the Atlantic street front. are
the rooms of the clerk. They are car
peted and furnished handsomely.
There are oak desks, book cases, files
for papers. vaults and toilets. Adj
joining the court room are the private
apartments of the judge. There he can
have his books and papers for exami-
nation and the quiet and secluson that
are necessary for the consideration of
the problem of or the plots of the law
yerS.
Adjoining the judges is the district
attorneys apartments i'm the north
western corner of the second floor.
These rooms are elegantly fitted and
furnished and are equally accessible TO
the clerk. the judge, the grand jury
ana the court room, all of which are
THE THIRD FLOOR.
The third floor has an entrance 10
the gallery OF the court room. the petit
jury, the marshars apartments. the
law library. which has been donated to
the use of the Norfolk and Portsmouth
Bar Association. and the railway mail
clerks domitory. There is an orna-
mental DaiuStrade TO the cortile show
ing the pillars below and the vaulted
roof and skylight above from this floor.
LAW LIBRARY.
The library is fitted with heavy oak
book cases in an alcove arrangement.
which will contain many thousands of
volumes. There are desks easy chairs
and that delightful quiet which will
enable the student at law to prepare
the case on which the practical man
in the court will attempt to convince
the judge or confuse the jury.
THE LOOK-OUTS!
new feature of the postoffice is a
secret passage This is intended for
the use of the secret service agents
OF the department of Washington. IT
is SO arranged on the inside that there
is sort or tower springing from the
basement into which the inspectors
go at will and stay as long as they
please without the knowledge of any
one in the postolIicc. 1t is intended TO
serve as an observation tower. The in
spector, himself unseen, can see every
person at work in the postoffice at any
time, day or night. His presence is alb
solutcly unknown, but he can see the
carriers as they come and go: the
clerks at their cases, and even the spe-
cial messenger boys pitching pennies
at idle moments in the basement.
IN THE BASEMENT
The basement is clean and dry. 1t Is
used by the letter carriers. They en-
ter and leave the office by stone
stairway leading to the basement on
the west side of the building from
Plume street. They have a lavatory
and large Swing room" The latter
is the place where they rest and find
recreation during the intervals of car
rying the letters.
Other parts of the basement are used
for the boilers and the heating and
ventilating apparatus and for the
storage of coal
NEW FEATURES.
There are several new features.
among which may be mentioned the
hard but noiseless floors. One of these
is in the court room. 1t is called ter
razzo mosaic-any one may guess what
that is. Another is the dormtory.
with cots and bath for the railway mail
clerks; also the electric clocks correct
ed from Washington, the secret pas
sages for the inspectors, and the beau
tiful faicnce ornaments on the side
walls.
MOVED IN.
The pCstoflice business stopped in the
old building and began in the new last
night. The last letter was postmarked
ut the Main street office at 7:4S o'clocl,
last night; the first letter was post
marked in the new office. both by au-
tomato machine, at SIS o'clock. There
was an interval of Just 81 minutes.
That is the quickest time on record.