The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-09-21

phone with the engine room and With
the elevator starter.
One OF the most interesting points in
correction with the building is tho
hrepooiing precautions Not only is
the frame Of the building steel and the
exterior surface stole aud terra Gotta,
but the floors are cement, all the doors
are metal the window castings and
Frames metal, the trim metal-in fact
there is no exposed wood in the
building The doors are OF hollow
steel, beautifully finished in exact imi-
tauon of mahogany, in a wearresist
ing enamel that is baked on at a high
temperature. The windows are copper
covered, over a wood core, the latest
type OF tireproof construction The
trim, that is the base rail, chair and
picture holdings, is of hollow steel and
ii is interesting to note that more than
eighteen miles of this material have
been used in the building.
Additional precautions against hrs
have been taken, notwithstanding the
fact that the building is built of fire.
proof materials. There are two stair
WAYS from the roof to the street level,
entirely separated from the corridors
and offices, in different sections of the
building, accessible to all, sell'con-
tained in smoke-proof and ttreproof
walls with metal doors.
The elevator shafts are self con.
tanned, in fireproof partitions, with
wire glass doors. All of the windows
of the building which are closely eX-
posed toward adjoining buildings are
filled with wire glass which is fire
proof
The Union Central Building is not
only freproof in construction, but in
the company's Offices it is equipped
throughout with steel cabinets, filing
case and document files, which pre-
cludes the danger of interior fire. In
this respect it is one of the most
modcrnly equipped insurance office
buildings in the United States. The
sub basement is furnished with over
15,O 600 steel document files, for the safe
storage of the valuable insurance
records.
Approaching the main entrance.
which is on level with Fourth street.
we pass through the bronze doors and
enter the main corridor This spaci-
Gus hall traverses the entire length OF
the building. On entering this magniti.
cent corridor, one is enchanted with
the grandeur of the decorated golden
ceiling, hand-carved imported Spanish
marble columns and wainscoting, and
the bronze frames and doors of the
elevators. Just beyond the elevators
is the stairway which leads to the
Chamber of Commerce. This stairway
is hand-carved imported Spanish mar
BILE, highly decorated, and Is conceded
to be the finest stairway in America.
Ascending this magnificent stairway,
we approach the Chamber of Com
merce and Merchants Exchange on
the second floor. The south end OF
this Is used as an immense trading
hall extending to tie ceiling of the
third floor. This assembly hall Is 5Ox
100 feet, with highly decorated cell
ing and imported Spanish marble
wainscoting. The rostrum, which is
in the western side of the hail. is also
highly decorated Spanish marble and
thing of beauty.
A room has been set aside for the
Weather Bureau, in which is placed a
sub-station for the special use of the
Chamber of Commerce and the occu-
pants of this building. The sub-station
is an innovation and is equipped with
the latest and most up-to-date insuu-
ments, giving momentary reports OF
the weather from the roof OF the build
ing to the Chamber floor.
On the third floor will be a balcony
from which visitors may view the
Chamber while in session. The re-
mainder of the space on the second
and third floors is used for Produce
Exchange, directors rooms, library
Offices and committee rooms.
The executive staff OF the Union
Central Life Insurance Company, with
the clerical forces of the various de
partments occupy the eleventh to eigh
teenth floors, inclusive as well as use
the safety vaults in the sub-basement
The Presidents offices, Board of Di
rectors' and Executive Committee
rooms are upon the fifteenth floor. In
connection with the Medical Depart
ment of the company is an emergency
hospital for the comfort and convent
ence of all the tenants of the building
The building is equipped with re
frgerating plant for the cooling OF
water for drinking purposes, with ice
water distributed through sanitary
drinking fountains to different floors
from the basement to the twenty-ninth
floor. The plumbing is somewhat
unique, as the water is delivered into
tanks in the basement and pumped tc
a large distributing tank on the tor
floor, near the tower
The building is equipped with ar
elaborate vacuum cleaning system and
n ventilating system which furnishe;
pure and tempered air to the Chamber
Of Commerce rooms, boiler and engine
rooms, sub-basement, vaults, etc