Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1903-11-14

The Courier is now nicely settled
in its new building at 117-119
East Second street and we present
herewith a cut, showing the front ele-
walton OF the structure. The building
is OF the Tuscan style of architecture,
is 401s feet wide, "a feet long and is
two stories high, with a high base
ment. The architect of the building
is George M. kerns of this city, who
prepared the working plans, these be-
ing made from general plan drawn
up by the publisher Of the Courier aft
er he had visited number of the best
newspaper Offices in the country 1t
was Mr.. Lees purpose to erect news
paper building that would combine
with handsome appearance, both ex-
terror and interior, the acme Of con-
venience and facility for performing
the daily and nightly work incident
to preparing and publishing an up-to-
date daily and tri-weekly newspaper,
special attention being given to the
matter of light ventilation and safety
from fire. The building is practical
ly fireproof and the interior arrange
ments are such that we believe it
stands today as
A Model Country Newspaper Office.
The cut gives an excellent idea of
the appearance Of the building in
front. 1t is a substantial looking two
story structure, of mottled brown col
ored pressed brick with white sand
stone trimmings. The solid and sub
stantial appearance of the building is
in keeping with it's construction One
of the requirements made OF the archi-
tect was, that he should plan a build
ing which would bear the extra heavy
weight that is contained i'll the mod
4 ern newspaper Office without strain
or necessity for propping. This, the
architect did, the building being con-
! structed with capacity of 200 pounds
to the square foot. The first require
ment was that the foundations should
he right and they were made with a
footing Of thoroughly tamped concrete
surmounted by brick foundation walls
of ample width and capacity to sus.
tain the superstructure. The building
has frontage OF 401s feet on Second
street and has public alley on both
the side and rear. thus having unob-
structed light from three sides. Light
has been made a special feature in the
construction of this building. The
cut shows how we'll it is lighted from
the front and the other two exposed
sides of the building contain almost as
large proportion of glass frontage
Entrance and Lobby.
-Four white sand stone steps lead NJ
to the entrance in the center of the
front of the building. The entrance
door is OF extra large dimensions anC
is constructed of solid oak frame
stained green and contains a large
beveled plate glass. This door opens
into the lobby elliptical in form. The
floor OF the lobby and the wainscotine
surmounting polished marble base, i:
made of thing laid in cement
Surmounting the wainscot is {
heavy oak moulding from which
heavy pilasters Of oak extent
to the ceiling supporting the eli
pitical moulding at the top. The Woo
work in the vestibule, as well as tn,
inside swinging doors which open in
to the main business office, are of oal
stained green, highly polished Con
cealed from view by the heavy oal
frame work that forms a border il
the ceiling design oil the lobby is {
circle Of electric lights bulbs whicl
are hidden from view but which a
night throw out a brilliant White light