The Detroit times., 1908-10-27
HUDSON STORE IS
REM0DELEO AND
REF|TTEO
COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION OF
PREMISES EFFECTED AT COST
OF 35o.ooo-oPENlNG WeDNEs.
DAY AND THURSDAY.

The J. l.. Hudson Co. has set apart
Wednesday and Thursday, OF this
week, for the opening OF what is prac-
tically their new store at Gratiot-aVe.
and Farmer.st. It's the same build
ing. to be sure, with q 35-foot extern
sion on the Farmer-st. side, but the
extension alone would make very
commodious store building-there are
only two on Woodward-aye. that con-
tain more floor space-while the IN
terror has undergone. in the past year
and a half. q complete transformation
at a total cost OF upwards OF s350.0oO.
AS IL stands now, the Hudson estao-
lishment is a model store. and the i'm
provements have been made with a
view noLonfy- OF giving the manage.
ment better opportunity to display
and handle It's goods, but also With
the idea of insuring Its patrons the
maximum OF convenience and safety.
And the opening. Wednesday aud
Thursday Is for the purpose OF giving
the public an opportunity to inspect,
at it's leisure, the changes that have
been wrought In this modern HeFcan.
tile establishment Special music will
be provided by Finzel's orchestra and
the store will be gaily decorated for
the occasion. for these are to be red
letter days I'm the history of the j.
l.. Hudson Co.
One OF the most important factors
In the remodeling OF the Hudson store
is a brand new mechanical plant. cost
ing in the neighborhood Of $4,000. All
the old machinery was taken out and
sold as Junk, while In its place thor
! oughly modern heating. lighting and
yentilating plant has been installed.
Evidence of Mr.. Hudsons public spirit
edness Is seen in the boiler room.
When the plans were first discussed,
he said 10 the engineers:
II want to do away with smoke at
all hazards. Never mind the cost
His instructions were obeyed 10 the
letter and each OF the four new, 150
horsepower boilers Is equipped with
the Jones stoker, the best that money
can buy. And smoke no longer issues
from the Hudson chimneys.
The building is heated by what ~
known as the indirect hot air system,
and the air. before being heated. is
thoroughly cleansed in huge water
tank The company. has Its own cleo
trio lighting plant, and this branch ot
the mechanical equipment Is OF the
same high standard as the heating and
yentilating plant. The lighting sys'
tenn throughout Is brand new. $4,000
having been spent in It's installation.
The automatic sprinkler system. the
highest type OF fire protection In use
today. has been installed throughout
the building at a cost OF $4,000.
In the matter OF elevator service. the
Hudson store stands alone among tho
mercantile establishments Of the state.
There were formerly but four cars. All
these have been taken out and seven
new ones Of the Otis plunger type have
ben out In. this work alone costing
$4,000. with these elevators an acct
dent Is impossible. for the plungers,
huge steel rods attached TO the bottom
OF the car. can go down only into the
wells In which they slide as fast as
they can displace the water I'm the
wells.
A new stairway leads from the first
floor TO the basement In the center OF
! the big store, and the delivery depart
ment has been removed from the first
Z MOOT I'D the III tuf HtN Paht
where all goods for delivery from the
! frsi. second aud third floors are re-
ceived through chute. {NE
Then there has been complete re-
arrangement OF the departments. the
most notable change, perhaps, Is the
removal OF all the piece goods from
the first to the second floor. where
there is now ample room for the DIS
play OF the stock. As result there
has been a remarkable transformation
/ on the main floor. where broad yistas
now loom in places OF narrow, crowded
aisles.
When IL is considered that all this
! has been accomplished In year and
half with business going on all the
time, the transformation seems little
short OF miracle, and. indeed. speaks
eioaoenuy OF the enterprise Of the j.