Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-30
NEW BUILDINGS HERE.
Great improvement in Business
Buildings "a New Era.
Size and Convenience of miller. Rhoads s.
Co.'s Daylight Store stores Built by w.
H. Trice on Church Street New Post
Office Finished in White Marble and
Terra Gotta.

Business buildings are improving.
have conveniencies and excellencies
scarcely thought of five or ten years
ago. Trade demands larger. and better
buildings. This demand is not con-
fined to one class of merchants, nor to
any particular line of trade: it ex-
tends to all.
The notable Improvement here is the
Miller. Rhoads & Co. dry goods store
on Main street. opposite the monu-
ment. The building is large and inn
posing from outside, 1t is light and ca
pacious inside. 1t is the largest dry
goods store south OF Baltimore.
The frontage Hf this store. over SO
feet, does not represent its width. 1t
is much wider in the rear than in
front. The real dimensions of the first
floor are 15xl60 feet. with an 1S-foot
pitch for the ceiling. The room is
filled with light and air. There are
large windows in front and rear and
which forms a gallery for the floor
above, 20. by So feet. These light ar
rangements make the Miller, Rhoads
& Co. place daylight store. The
light Is feature equally distinctive
and valuable.
artificial light for the dark days But
the firm does not keep the store open
after O'Clock in the evening, except
on Saturday. This artificial light will
be provided by So arc lights in addition
to the innumerable incandescent lamps
needed.
A novel feature of the store is the
liberal provision made for the COM
fort and convenience of the ladies
There is n special reception ROOM over
looking the whole first floor from a
gallery. There VIII be an entertain
merit in the books. papers, easy chairs
and luxurious upholstery of that room
The ladies can receive their friends or
arrange meeting with husbands ard
fathers there. Then there are more
private rooms fitted with all the com
forts and conv enienceS OF the toilet
that strangers in the city or shoppers
need while awaiting, the time for boat
or train.
The floor SPACE above and below
there are five floors above-is arranged
so that. when the counters and shelves
arc 81 place. there will be completes
store fer silks. for Dress goods. for no
tons. gloves, lAccG and hose There
wsn ce department. for suits, cloaks
ard furS. t.a0 another special depart
ment for corset-flttirg. 1t is the inten-
ton of the firm rot to deal in more
articles. but to enlarge every depart
ment that pertains to a dry goods
store. -- -e, -.7sl-
Miller. Rhoads & Co. rent the whole
building; therefore they have the up
per floors in front divided into beauti-
full Offices, with a large hall on the top
floor. all reached by separate eleva-
tor and stairway. The entire building
Will be heated by steam and fitted
with electric lights.
CHURCH STREET STORES.
Property on Church street improves
slowly. If at all. Many of the mer-
chants, except the furniture dealers
there. have comparatively small stores
of the ancient sort. That is. particu-
larly true of the blocks beyond Free
mason street going North Owners
have some times improved their own
stores. but many blocks of that old
thoroughfare show few signs of the
modern demands of either the mer-
chants or of their customers. The ex-
PLANTATION Is said to be that the price
of the land Is too high to purmit a
paying investment in buildings on it.
MIR. w. H. II. Trice. however, has
made two ventures in Church street.
Several years ago he built row of
modern brick stores adjoining the Hos
pital st. Vincent grounds. Now, he
has just completed eight modern brick
stores. with fats above, in Church
street opposite NIoseley street. These
stores are -cleXerly and nrettilY
ranged for the display OF merchandise
They are fitted with the sanitary
plumbing of modern water. sewer gas
and electric services. The same care
full and liberal spirit is evident in the
living rooms above. They contain all
the conveniences necessary for q fam
lily residence. including private en-
frances.
In speaking TO n reporter for the Vir-
ginian-Pilot. Mr.. Trice said he had
built more than forty houses here this
year, many of them being small
houses chiefly brick. for homes for
white mechanics and laborers and for
first-class negro families. These
houses We're all fitted with modern
conveniences. including bnth-tubs. He
said that the demand for such houses.
those of the better-class of cheap
homes for rent. is constantly increas-
ing. 1t has grown to an enormous ex-
tent within ten years. He has built
some expensive houses in Client. Sew
eral of them are worth many thou
sands of dollars.
GENERAL IMPROVEMENT.
Among the important changes which
have been made are. the extensive re-
pairs to the store of Peter Smith &.
Co, and the rebuilding of the Chap
man &. Jakeman store, both on Main