The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-30

and terra Gotta The trimmings are of
ungla.4ed white terra Gotta excepting
the first story, west front, which is
stone. Hollow tile was used in the
floor construction with Tee beam type
of reinforcement. This consists of a
row of hard burned hollow tile which
are six hes thick, IL inches wide and
II inches long being placed with five
! inch space between each row, in which
is placed a one inch steel rod for re-
enforcement and the space then filled
with concrete. Over the top of the tile
and beams which are formed as above,
was placed two inches of concrete in
which ordinary chicken fence wire was
used to prevent cracking. On top of
the foundation thus formed was placed
one inch wearing surface being made
of one and one-half parts sand and one
part cement, this being travelled to
smooth surface. The floors are finish
ed continuous and also the plastering;
all partitions being placed after this
was done so that any or all could be
removed and the entire floor converted
into one room within a short time.
These partitions are of hollow tile
plastered with Keene'S cement. At the
floor line and at regular intervals on
both north and south sides of the build
ing an opening was left in the wall into
which was fitted a copper collar with
flap door on the inside and hinged
at the top as to swing outward
These are commonly called ScupperS
and are to prevent the building from
ter pipes or during a fire. The noorS
being graded toward the openings the
water runs off outside instead of flood
ing the floor to the window height or
flowing down the stairway OF the eleNa-
tor hatchway-
Tons of Steel Used.
The floors. excepting the first are de-
signed to carry a live load of 100 pound
per squaze foot. The ground floor is
designed to carry double this amount;
inf steel
bars set in position on castiron oaSe
plates ana bound together with splrals
of steel. At each floor line where roos
are Joined 4 wrought iron sleeve was
used to make a continuous connection
of column rods. A total of more than
36O tons of reinforcing steel was useo
in the building. The concrete mixture
consumed 125 carloads OF crushed stone.
so carloads of cement ana gu cdrlodOs VI
sand.
roof was finished the same as the
floors below. On top of the finish Of
this floor a concrete surface was placed,
a false-work built of hollow tile where
the depth required to give the proper
slope was too great to admit the use
of cinders on account OF the excessive
weight, and where this decreased
cinder fill was used with a heavy coat
ing of neat cement. over all the top
six-ply tar gravelled roof was laid to
protect it from disintegration brought
on by the changes in the atmospheric |
and weather conditions
The Electrical Equipment.
The electrical equipment was in |
stalled by electricians who are en- I
ployed in the shops of the system in z
Topeka and is undoubtedly the most
complete and perfect installation to be
found in any building in the West. The T
ceilings on each floor are divided into
panels about Is feet wide and % feet +
long This is regulated by the beams. .
The general scheme of placing five 100
watt Tungsten lights with holoplane
shades in each panel. one in the center
of each and one at each corner was +
followed with one additional outlet in i
the center of the lower side. On the
second and third floors and in the pri
vate offices the fixtures are made of
brass, the others are of black rustless
iron All wiring is concealed in gal
vanized iron pipe conduits, which are |
concealed in the concrete floors above,
with openings through the tile to the I
floor below. Control switches are so
arranged that each panel is separate
and can be lighted or cut on as. suits