The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-28
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ravages of fire, and modern gravity
hea ting plant.
According to n. P. Nielsen, the archI-
tect, the first floor of the building will
be the largest room in this section of
the country-100x322. 1t extends from
Kansas avenue to Jackson street, the
alley being brtdged. On the right hand
side of the mezzanine floor formed by
the reinforced concrete bridge, will be
the offices. At the south end will be
an attractiveIy furnished rest room
22x5O feet in size. Adjoining this to
the west will be nursery and retiring
rooms. Nothing will be left undone in
the provision for the comfort of par
ticularly out of town shoppers who
come to Topeka to spend the day in
the down town district
Including the basement there will be
four floors in all. In the basement will
be concrete floors with a steel dust fin
ish that is absolutely moisture proof.
On the south half of the building it
was necessary to lower the basement
floor twenty inches to reach the level
of the floor to the north.
The building is being equipped with
metal ceilings, and as before mentioned
everything possible IS being done to
guard against possible fire. On each
floor are automatic sprinklers which
when heated to q certain point will dis
charge water. They are connected with
the large tank which towers above the
Crosby building.
Leading over the mezzanine floor
will be a twelve-foot metallic stairway.
In fact the entire length from the Kan
sas avenue entrance to Jackson street
there will be a twelve-foot aisle.
With the big one hundred-foot cleo
trio sign in place and a cornice COM
pleted to give a symmetrical appear
ance the exterior aspect should be
pleasing.
There will be a double entrance on
Kansas avenue with single double ac-
tion doors. Within will be an arcade-an
innovation in Topeka. Here goods may
be displayed to advantage. This will of
course do away with the necessity of
placing show cases on the sidewalk to
obstruct passage.
There will be an unusual and up-to-
date means of preventing the constant
stream of fncomers and outgoers from
cooling off the air of the arcade In
the basement will be installed a large
fan-the Durham Vacuum system-that
will continuously shoot warm air into
the enclosure This is an invention of
a former Topeka man.
Two elevators Of the latest style will
be installed The elevator now in use
will be used for the conveyance Of
freight.
The electric equipment will be I'M
usually elaborate. All electric wiring is
pelng put III coiuu4ts 70 Sudiu AGAINST
fire E. L. Overton is doing the work
Every department of the store will
be enlarged" said w. T. Crosby of the
firm, but just what new departments
will be established it is impossible to
state. It depends largely upon the
amount of space there is available
when our present departments are CIV
en- adequate room"
Topeka should become, and in fact
is becoming, a great dry goods center"
said E H. Crosby. THE out of town
trade has been growing in the last
year. and we expect it to continue to
increase in volume. The growth of our
business has made it necessary to ex-
pand.
In Topeka we are able to procure
better clerks, better goods at lower
prices. and better accommodations for
our customers than is possible in the
larger cities