The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-03-21

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inner tier OF Offices. Thus there is not
an Office In the building. above the
basement floor, without an outside
window. which is Just another in-
stance OF the Ford way Of doiag
things.
In fact, not u detail that would
make for the comfor., convenience
and safety or It's tenants has been
overlooked in the Ford building. In
the matter OF equipment 1t Is nothing
short OF modern wonder. One en-
counters new evidences of the fact at
every .urn. The perfect ventilation,
splendid elevator service. the modern
toilet and wash rooms and. what IS
found In few ofice buildings In this
section OF the county, special retr.
ing room for women all these are
matters that claim YOU attention as
YOU pass from one floor to another
on your initial tour X inspection. Ia
every corridor are drinking fountains
OF attractive design. supplying sterii.
lied ice water. which. you are told.
comes from a tank on the roof.
Aside from these details. there are
two great features OF the interior con-
structlon that must inevitably corr
mand ones admiration These are the
rich, mahogany woodwork and the
marble wainscoating IN the corridors,
stairways and toilet rooms. Doors
and door castings, window frames and
sashes, baseboards. al are OF mahog-
any OF the finest cut, rubbed to a pi.
ano finish. The marble used i'm the
wainscoating OF the corridors is all No.
/ white Vermont, and II rises TO a
height OF seven feet The corridor
floors and the treads on the iron stair.
ways are also OF marble.
To state 1t exactly. 1890 square
feet of marble walnscoating was plac-
ed In the Ford building
Some Interesting Figures.
And speaking OF figures. there is
material in the Ford building for sew
eral hundred guessing contests, II the
management cared 10 utilize It. Can
you conceive OF a line OF
bricks, laid end to end. stretch
ing from Detroit more than
half way to New York or 3s4 miles?
II you can then you have something
OF an idea as to the number of bricks
used In the masonry work on the Ford
building. The actual figures are 2.7OO,-
600 common brick AID 100000 white
enameled facing brick. averaging Ia
inches in length, enough TO I'll BOG
freight cars.
Ninety-two solid rrick. eight-roopl
dwellings could be built out OF the
material that entered into the con-
struction OF this mammoth structure,
exclusive OF the steel work The build
Ing is ESQ feet high from street to roof
and has 10 stories above ground, .
basement and endorsement. the
floor OF the latter extending to q
depth OF % feet below the surfaca.
There are 1.450 windows and 1.15D
doors. The electric wiring for the
building Is carried In IA miles OF steel
conduits. There are 81 900 yards OF
plaster on the interior walls. In its
foundations 10000 barrels OF wyar-
dotte Portland cement were used.
There are other figures, equally as
interesting and they ali tend TO bear
out the first impression OF great pow.
er, and after you have made tour OF
IL and have exhausted your yocabu
larry OF superlatives you are apt to
catch yourself saying:
II wouldn't mind being In that
building In cyclone
AS fact, II will withstand a wird
pressure OF 10 puunuy 10 rt1e SUPER
fetal square foot.
IL makes little difference whether
one begins at the sub basement and
works up or at the roof and works
down. the result Is the same in the
end; and the trip, either way. Is
fraught with interest OF the tense order.
which holds the attention almost as
though one were in spell Let us
take the downward route
On the Roof.
Emerging from the tank house,
which rises several feet above the
building proper and shelters a portion
OF the elevator machinery and one
OF the sterilized water tanks. the eye
encounters an inspiring sight. Away
to the east. north and west stretches
the city. surprising in its magnitude
when viewed from such an eminence.
For an instant you glance up at the
sky, fearful lest your head should
touch cloud. Then you lower your
gaze to the earth, and $50 feet be-
Meath you Is the sidewalk. narrow
ribbon OF gray. Look out. Don't
go too near the edge. You may lose
your balance.
What are those objects scurrying
hither and thither In the streets OF
the town? Oh. to be sure! They are
human beings. but they are mere pig.
mics from your point OF vantage. and
| the street cars are their playthings.
Over to the east stands the county
building. You could hit II with a
stone. you tell yourself. BY street
car II seems long ride 10 the Amer
lean Car & Foundry Co.'S big plant