Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-28
OMAHA VISITS NEW
ARMOUR OFFICES
Find That Surroundings of
Packing Plant Can Be as
Attractive as Other
Institutions.
PUBLIC RECEPTION HELD
By A. R. GRoH.

Running packing house means
more than merely killing cattle and
hogs and sheep. A packing house
can be made just as attractive as any
other kind OF business.H
So spoke R. c. Howe, manager Of
Armour & Co., at the opening OF the
splefdiferous new general office
building, yesterday at Thirtieth and
Q streets, South Side.
The word "splendiferous" is coined
for the occasion because no word
in Noah Webster's useful volume
seems TO be strong enough to tell
Just how lovely those new Armour
offices are, with their rest rooms
and sun parlors for the feminine EN-
ployes, their smoking rooms and bar
Der shop for the men their cafeteria
and roof garden for all.
The whole Armour office force was
happy reception committee yester-
day from l to S p. m. The new
lbuilding was open for the public to
see. There was an orchestra dispen-
sing sweet music. There were bas-
kets OF flowers on many desks, sent
by firms and individuals. Refresh
ments were served in the cafeteria.
This beautiful building is the ma
terialization Of Manager Howe's and
Mr.. Armour's ideas. West @ street,
as you know, is not the most beauti-
full part Of the city. But Messrs.
Armour and Howe said:
I'VE will erect beautiful building
here that will be delight to the eye
and pleasure to our employees
They have done that. There is no
finer or more complete office building
anywhere, nor one that provides more
for the comfort Of those who work
in It.
II stands in the midst Of four acres
Of ground, on a high site from which
the vast stock yards and large part
of the city are visible.
It is four stories high, built OF steel
and concrete with facing Of COX
blood" brick appropriate color, ehi)
and trimmings Of blue Bedford stone.
The grounds around II are parked.
There are sloping lawns and winding
drives and walks. Fifteen spruce
trees and eighty other trees, includ-
ing sycamore, larch, elm and birch
are being planted. Along the western
side a line Of Lombardy poplars will
stand to silhouette against the west
ern sky. Besides all these, 1890
shrubs will sdorn the grounds.
Garage in Basement,
A winding and descending concrete
driveway from the street leads to the
roomy garage in the basement, where
are located also the heating, lighting
and ventilatins plants, all 81 the most
up-to-datc types.
On the next floor. entered directly
from the street, are the offices OF
the superintendent construction and
mechanical departments and the pur-
chasing department Here Are also
the big smoking room, the shower
baths, finished with Italian marble
and with tile floor; the barber shop,
with white tile floor, ana all the very
latest topsorial equipment.
At the west end of the building on
this floor Is the cafeteria for the en-
pioyces. The kitchen Ia said to be
the finest Of its size in the United
States There Is also a splendid pri-
vate dining room, furnished beauti-
fully.
The cafeteria. yesterday, besides
furnishing food and drink to the Wis.,
itors. had an exhibit Of the Armour
products-scores and scores of tempt
ing hams and bacon, and timed meats
and potted meats, and meats in loaves,
and bolognas OF various kinds, and
cheeses and canned fruits, and grape
juice and other things.
The big main offices are on the
next floor above, and extend the
whole length Of the building, with
the managers and other private Of
fees at the side. On this floor are
also the telephone exchanges and
private telegraph office with direct
wires to all important points in the
country.
The girls rest rooms are on the
next floor above. Here is also the
sun parlor on the western side.
When these rooms were ready for
finishing, Manager Howe told the
girls to 60 out and select the furni-
ture they wanted and send the bill to
the company. The girls chose wick
CT furniture with cushions and backs
of tapestry and the hardwood floors
are covered with pretty rugs.
1t would seem that all this is
enough. But, mol
To Have Roof Garden.
The roof Is flat" said Mr.. Howe,
"and we're going to put roof gar
den up there next summer"
The building is finished throughout
IN quartered oak. There are so many
windows that artificial light will sell
dom be needed. But whenAit Is, il
will be furnished by the indirect light
ing system, easy on the. eyes.
The big crowd that went through
the building yesterday included Mayor
Dahlman, city commissioners and
many leading business men and their
wives as well as many from the
families Of men employed in Armour's
operating department.