Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-03-20
MOTHER HOUSE
COMPLETED
Stately Pile of Buildings Modern in its Ap-
pointments.

The stately pile of buildings compris-
ing Mother House and Chapel at the
Holy Family Convent this place, begun
one year ago, is just now receiving its
finishing touches and before the close of
the week will be formally turned over
to the Sisters of Christian Charity.
The structure, 172x36 feet, with a
wing forming the chapel in the rear;
built of brick, and of steel construction,
three stories in height exclusive of the
basement, has been previously described
in these columns The completion of
the building, however, brings several
new features into notice that are worthy
UI ueScrlpu.v...
1t is not affirming too much to say
that the new building in its various ap-
pointments is the most modern to be
found in Danville and affords an excell-
ent object lesson to show the progress
made in kitchen equipment heating
and in the plumbers art in general.
In the kitchen is installed mammoth
| 3-part steel range manufactured by Y.
Clad, of Philadelphia. 1t sits out two
feet from the wall. Above it is suspend
ed hood, SKID feet, which collects the
vapors produced by the cooking; under
the hood is register communicating
| with the fue, through which the vapors
pass out of the building. A large sink
with slate top for dish washing, most
| convenient in design, is another feature
of the kitchen.
All the bread used at the Holy Fami
ly Convent will be baked by the Sisters
and as might be inferred there is moth
ing lacking in facilities. Among the
latter is bread riser, an original de-
vice perhaps nowhere else in use. 1t is
a sort of a closet in which iron rods
| answer the purpose of shelves, in the
rear of which is system of hot water
pipes. The doors are of glass through
which the bread is always in view along
with a thermometer. In this way
changes in temperature, fatal to good
bread, is easily obviated.
The building is heated by steam,
through a six inch main, two of Magee's
improved boilers being installed. The
main building is heated by direct radia-
ton; the chapel by indirect radiation.
! The main feed for the main building is
a five inch line running up to the attic
and from that point distributing through
the building, supplying radiators on itsl
downward course on the one-plpe SYST
tenn. There are over eighty radiators
in the building The bath rooms, seven
in number, are large, well lighted ands
models in every respect. The sinks con-
nected with the kitchen, six in number,
are all equipped with combination
spigots and grease traps.
Joseph NJ. Lechner, of this city, holds
the contract for the heating, the plumb
ing and the gas fitting. Mr.. Lechner
also furnished the laundry, which is
most admirably arranged and contains
the newest and most improved ma
chinery.
While essentially plain the building
throughout is most eXquisitely finished.
In the basement the hall, the kitchen,
main scullery, the scullery for the sick
rooms, and the pantry are all laid with
tile. The bakery, -four room, bread
room, bath rooms and room for hot
water tank all have cement floors. Other
portions of the building are laid with
yellow pine flooring of the best quality,
oiled and varnished. OF the latter the
floors have had three coats and as re-
suit they shine nearly like mirrors. The
wainscoting is of cement with wooden
moulding. The walls of white plaster
are snowy in their purity and harmon
ize nicely with the general surround
ings.
The great bnilding is practically fire
proof. The floors are laid in asbestos
paper; the joints are all of iron covered
with wire netting and plastered Damp
ness is obviated in the basement by hol-
low or double walls and a system OF
ventilation under the floors which was
provided for in building.