Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-20
the Very Latest of Equipment for Doing Business.

The general lighting plan includes three torcheres, stationed at
intervals on the long counters. designed to break the monotony OF
counter length. The ivy leaf worked into the panelings Of the eoun-
tiers appears, also, as a decorative effect on the torcheres. These
torcheres supply that architectural item dear to the designers heart
when are known technically, as points Of interest" To the stu
dent of interior illumination they show a means of giving that az
fusion of light from the ceiling which is a much desired objective
Secondary illumination is afforded by individual desk lamps.
The office furniture was built for The Bee by orchard & Will
helm, working from designs furnished by Lionel Robertson. a well
known western decorator. The convenience of the public was a
consideration in planning the arrangement Of fixtures Int amount
of counter space is large and the aisles are too broad to admit OK
crowdng. Every desk used by a clerk who deals with the public Is
situated beside the counter, and the maximum OF speed In waiting
upon people is thus to be attained.
The desks and other furniture just installed are about the last
word in office eouipment. Nothing that is known to modern meth
DDS has been omitted, and whether it be the head of one OF the de-
partments or his stenographer, the desk employed contains all the
conveniences devised,by man as the result Of experience for the ex-
peditious and comfortable dispatch of business. These desks are SO
arranged that a maximum of result may be accomplished by the
minimum of effort. In design they harmonic perfectly with the
building itself, giving first the impression of massive sohdity' but
along such lines as please rather than depress with the suggestion
Of massiveness. Solidly constructed of oak, in a soft tone OF gray
their arrangement adds to the general effect Of the picture and
makes the interior seem the acme of comfort as well s substan-
TALLY. An aisle parallel in direction to the front aisle gives on the
inner court of the building, anording immediate and direct entrance
to the business office from the elevators.
Along this rear aisle is located the quarters for the advertising
solicitors. They are furnished with desks and other equipment In
keeping with the general plan of the whole office and are so situated
The entire arrangement is part of the general plan looking t the
convenience of the public as we'll as of the office force. Everything
is up to the minute in all regards. The latest office appliances. such
as filing cabinets, card indexes, "ticklers' and permanent record
cases, have been installed, and these, with telephones Photographs
tckers and other modern inventions, make the installation II the
counting room and business office of The Bee as complete III
detail as it's mechanical plant.
Besides the main counting room quarters the business office
includes the private office of C. C. Rosewater, business manager of
accompanying illustrations. The decorative scheme is similar In
oeneral to that of the main office. There have been some small
but not inharmonious variations worked out here. The street win
dow lights are of loaded panes, after the Tudor style, and a darker
color was employed in tntng the walls. The furniture is OF ruined
oak, a rich brown tone, resulting from an ammonia process A
dow which gives on the main business Office Is of stained glass the
figure being Byzantine in design. In both offices hang several