The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-15
REAL ROOF GARDEN
Topeka viii Have One Next
Summer.
Space Fifty by Eigh'y Feet Will
Be Enclosed.
A HARD WOOD FLOOR.
May Be Used for Dancing or
Theatriea;s.
Rest Of Space to Be Used fer
A HARD WOOD FLOOR
Rest Of Space to Be Used fer
Promenades.

frame truSSes which are being strung
along the top of the National hotel?
Why. are they building the elevator
shaft SO high
These and a score of other similar
questions fall from the lips of hundreds
OF Topeka people every day as they
stand on Kansas avenue and watch the
changes which are being wrought in
The building which will be known as the
National hotel
The old building which was but five
stories IN height has been transform
ed into a structure of six stories with
roof garden on top The work is
Wen under Roadway and promises to
pc completed within few weeks and
Topeka Will be the only town in the
state to boast Of a real roof garden
Inc interesting feature of the new
pullolng Is this roof garden which will
occupy the entire roof making a garden
100 by gu feet. OF this space a section
IN the center so by so feet will be en-
ing an unenclosed corridor of So feet
on each end of the garden. The iron
trusses which can. be seen from the
pavement below will form part of the
roof OF the enclosed space. There will
be eight of these iron trusses circular
on top. The roof Will be laid along
the tops of these steel beams and will
be gravel on top and finished beneath
with some sort of hard wood.
The roof garden will be reached from
any part of the building by means of
big elevator which will run from the
basement to the garden. This elevator
will be an eye-opener to Topeka peo-
pie as 1t will be by far the largest in
the entire state. The elevator shaft
will be enclosed with metal making it
entirely safe from fire. The doors lead
ing into the elevator will be made Of
steel with heavy glass imbedded. The
elevator shaft which is the big brick
wall that is rising 80 feet above the
level of the roof garden will be fire
proof to the top. 1t will be modern in
every detail which will account for
the extreme height of the shaft. The
upper part of the shaft will contain
elevator, the modern idea being to put
this on top instead of in the base
ment as formerly.
The elevator will lead up to a
place towards the northwest corner of
the enclosed part of the building. On
the east and west ends of the en-
closed part of the garden, the walls
will be arranged in the shape of fold
ing doors by which the entire garden can
be opened up. The outer portions of the
garden will be laid with a tile floor
ing. The enclosed part will have a
hard maple floor WHICH will be, suit
able for dancing.iTIt may also be used
for theatricalS. III
lures connected with the building as
remodelled. At the, east and west ends
of the garden will be located four iron
pillars, each one, being topped off with
closed in a globe. The entire garden
will be well lighted as it will be
studded with over 200 electric lights Of
various degrees of brilliancy.
The garden is located one hundred
feet above the level of Kansas avenue
a Intersection SaVenth
and Kansas avenue. 1t will be ex-
ceeded in height only by the state
house. the court house dome. the
cupoIa of the federal building and the
also a few church spires which will
reach a higher point. The garden
will be about the same level as the
highest pinnacle on the Santa Fe hos
p1tal and all other buildings in Topeka
will be outdistanced in height.
Although far removed from the
pavement the garden will be amply
provided with fire appliances. There
will be two three inch standpipes, one
of which will contain city water, and
the other will be used as a connection
with the steamer in case of a fire. On
either end will also be located fire
escapes provided with a large landing
and extending clear to the ground.
The garden will be safe in other
particulars. The walls of the build
ing project about three feet above tbs
level of the floor which makes it i'm
possible to fall off or meet with any
similar misfortune. In this wall are
found small ovals. Those within the
enclosed portion will be filled with
glass and the others will be left to al
low the influx Of the air.
A visit to the roof of the building
reveals busy spectacle. There are
upwards of twenty men at work on.
this part of the building. They are
one hundred feet in the air where
they can reap the full benefit of the
wind, which comes with considerable
velocity. Some of the men have par
ticularly hazardous Jobs, working
near the outer edge of the walls where
a single slip of their feet would bring
them to a sudden death.
There are about seventy men work
ing on the entire building. The re-
modelled structure will have one hun
dred and fifty rooms, one hundred of
which will be guest rooms. In addi-
ton to this there will be forty-two
bath rooms with both hot and cold
water. Two elevators will be run
ming. The sample rooms will be
moved to the top floor. Everything
about the new National will be new.
Eighty thousand dollars will be
spent in the remodeling of the build
ing about ten thousand being put into
the roof garden.
N. P. Nelson of the firm of Nelson
& Chandler, architects. who have
charge of the construction work of the
building, in talking of the work yes
terday. said; 1--WE had intended to
have everything completed by March
1, but it is beginning to look as though
it would take US longer than that. L
would say that the building ought to
be completed by April l."
Changes in Fourth Glass Pastmasters.
Washington, Jan. Is. = Daily
changes of fourth class postmaSterS: