The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1912-07-17
SKYSCRAPER OF FUTURE MAY
REACH FROM EARTH TO HEAVEN

When you buy a square foot of land, you get a
exactly one foot thick, each way and reaching from
earth to heaven.
There is no end to space-therefore, your column
of air keeps ON going heavenWard forever and ever.
Hence the skyscraper.
Every time this stupendous thought recurs to the
owner of a bit of downtown city land with sky
scraper on it, he pulls 1t down and builds higher
one
The natural consequence is that the sqyscrapers
are getting higher and thinner, higher and
thinner.
Time was when our urban architecture resembled
a fat lady in hoop skirts Now it follows the con-
tours of living skeleton in hobbe. Where will
it end?
The question is agitating the convention of the
National Association of Building Owners and Man.
ayers now in session in Seattle.
There is John G. knight, manager Of the Metro
politan Life building, In New York, which Is 81
stories high, today the highest building In the
1t may occur Mr.. Knight at any moment to
tear down his building and build another "a sto<-
les high. 1t may be that while these words are
being penned, a neighbor of the Metropolitan Life
secretly planning to steal from it the proud dis
tinction of owning the highest building by razng
its own and putting up a 'scraper 81 stories high.
And there is John S. Hall of Cincinnati. manager
of the Emery estate. the fourth largest in the
world, including, it does, more than 1000 build
ings of all kinds and Sizes of which Mr.. Hall Is
Mr. Hall is essentially a business men. He has
the prudent business mans adherence of waste.
Every time he thinks of the untitled air reach
ing from the roofs of his 1000 buildings to heaven.
Ponder the state of mind of c. E. Terrill, who
manages all of John d. Rockefeller's Cleveland
property, including the History Rockefeller build
ing.
"Terrill," says Jawn, "how far is it from hero
to heaven"
And TerTin knows exactly what Jawn is thinking
about. Jawn, saving his religion for Sundays isn't
specializing his chances of entering Kingdom
Come. No. Jawn is worrying about all that air on
top Of the Rockefeller building going to waste. Why
of IL stOries couldn't there be 100 stores
and every floor filled with prosperous satisfied and
prompt-payfng tenants?
You will not get an owner or manager to prophe-
sy on the future of the skyscraper. But II ask
one of them If the day will come when skyscrapers
will be 100, $50 even 200 stories high, they Will
answer "Why not?"
Why not, indeed? They made of steel. They
are strong. The electric elevators whisk you up
ward 8 stories in less time than In the old days
1t took You climb q flight of stairs When you get
to your office the 119th floor, the air up there
is sweet and pure, and the outlook from your win
dows commands the entire city, lying like spiders
web, far, far below.
And you need not be lonely. Your friend Jones
has an office the 123rd floor Drop in on him
for a chat In the noon-hour.
Besides, a skyscraper is handy. Everything man
needs is under its roof Do you need shave? There
p on the 145th floor. A Turkish bath? Take the
15fst. Do you music? There is q popular
N on the 150th. Religion? The church is on the
Is a powerful and eloquent preacher. cocktail?
let you off at tn buffet on the 172nd. A meal?
excellent table oh ote the roof.