Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-01-22
NATIONS PRINTERY.
Best Equipped ONCE to be Found In
the World.

| the "OrIQ.
In keeping with the national policy Of
worldwide expansion Uncle Sam is now
building at the capital Of the nation the
most gigantic printing establishment on
the globe, says the Washington Times,
The building is located at the northwest
corner Of North Capitol and G streets,
and its massive frame Of steel. which
Is filled in with granite and brick as
high as the fifth story spreads itself
over nine and one half acres Of ground.
The edif1ce Of 408 feet long by ITS
feet 8 inches wide and Is seven stories
high, in addition to the basement and
an attic. There is also storage vault
extending under the sidewalk along the
entire length and width Of the build
ing.
In the erection Of this structure 12,-
700, 900 pounds Of structural steel have
been used, and when completed there
will have been utilized in construction
between 1900, 900 and 100000 bricks.
There will also have been employed
4, 900, 900 pounds Of iron and brass fit
tings and over 100000 feet Of hardwood
flooring.
The building Is to be equipped with
It's own heating and lighting plants,
embracing within its falls a power
house from which could be generated
sufficient heat, illumination and gener-
al commercial power for city Of 1000
Inhabitants. There will be In this
structure 5000 incandescent lights
while in the neighborhood Of 100 arc
lamps will be used in and around the
building. Some idea Of what this num-
ber of electric lights means will be dis
closed when 1t is stated that cities like
Richmond and Atlanta, with nearly
100000 population each, illuminate their
entire strees system with less than 300
arc lights.
The structure will be finished some
time next fall and within IL months will
house the 1000 mechanical operatives
of that great branch Of the federal ser
vice known as the government printing
office It will be more nearly fireproof
than any building Of its character In
the world. 1t was found necessary that
this should be the case not only because
Of the thousands of tons Of paper, card
board and like material and Of oils and
inks, but because Of the fact that the
government desired to throw every ele-
ment Of safety around the thousands of
men and women who will earn their
livelihood within its walls.
It was decided in 1898, after pro-
longed and bitter controversy, to erect
the new government printing office on
the site where 1t Is now building, and
congress on March 3, 1899, authorized
| it's erection under the direction and su-
pervision Of the chief Of engineers Of
the army and the public printer. Con-
gress at this time appropriated $780,
900 toward the execution Of the work,
the total cost Of which was not to ex-
ceed s2,0OO,00O.
In order to meet the increased prices
of building material and Of making the
south end Of the power house exten-
sion the same height as the main build
ing, the limit of cost was increased to
81, ,429.O00. The engineer in charge OF
the work recently made the statement
that the giant edifice would be COM
pleted within this sum and that proba-
bly, quite fair sized amount would be
!asxin the treasurey from the appro.
Ipriation.---,
1t can be said vi the new Hfaee;~ government
printing office that 1t is being con-
structed almost entirely Of steel, stone,
bricks and cement. The only woodwork
will be the flooring and the doors. All
door and window frames will be Of
cast iron, and in the event Of fire door
could burn to the frame, but the flames
could go no farther. The whole inter-
ior of the building is to be finished with
glazed and press prick.
The most remarkable feature Of this
edifice is that it Is so substantially con-
structed as to be capable Of bearing
live load of 1000 pounds In 9TH
er words, If the entire population of the
city of Philadelphia could be packed
within the walls at one time 1t would
not cause the building to collapse.
This includes every man, woman and
child in the Quaker City, the average
weight of whom would be about seven
ty pounds. These figures are compiled
from the official estimate made by Cap
tain Sewell, the government engineer
in charge of the work, who says that
the floors are designed for a live load
Of 300 pounds per square foot, uniform
ly distributed.
The exterior finish Of the building Is
of handmade red bricks-a few press
ed, but most of them not pressed-with
sand finish, except in the interior
court, where an almost white faced
brick is used to improve the light. The
red brick will be trimmed with May
nard sandstone and a considerable
amount of ornamental terra Gotta.
Inside the building the walls will be
| finished with a dado Of ornamental
bricks about six feet high and above
that the white faced bricks. A few
rooms used for Office purposes will be
plastered, and the main entrance will
be finished in plaster and marble. In
addition to these dadoes, on the main
walls enamled bricks will be used to
line all stairway walls, elevator walls
and toilet rooms.
| An improved feature Of the interior
of the structure will be that all stair
way walls will be shut off from the
main building from the top to bottom
| by brick walls. having only one fire.