Imperial Valley press., 1924-10-29
BY PAT S. FILTER

NHh the completion of the hand.
some $350,000 court house situated
between Ninth and Tenth streets
and fronting on Main street. El Cen.
tfo, as county seat, will come into
IT'S own. The noble structure that
mas taken months in. the buildino.
the growth of which has been keeniv
watched by residents of lmperial
valley, will be by far the most i'm.
portant official building in the
county, only exceeded in spacious
ness size by that equally valuable
possession of the city of Ell Centre.
the Hotel Barbara Worth.
AS seen todayA the setting in
winch the court house is found is in
no wise commensurate with its i'm
portance, and will be in the efful-
gence of time that a proper land
scaping will be brought into being
to give the edifice its right tone.
Nevertheless, it stands out now in
It's unfinished state thing of
beauty, glistening like a gem in the
bright sunshine of the valley, its
lines, despite the solidarity of CON
struction, giving it an air of light
ness. The spacious windows and the
tapering effect of the wings from
the Nam street facade lend Il gem
tleness to the frontal outlines.
TO the artistic conception of Don
Wells and r. E. Swearingen, the
associate architects to whom the.
of the details of cree
ton were entrusted, too much praise
cannot be given, the scheme as a,
whole being wonderfully balanced. |
Even the angles are softened by the
general contour, the idea underly-
ng the minds of the creators being !
evidently a reduction of the severe !
effect usually found in buildings of |
this type. There has been no devia- |
ton from the original idea, and so |
we have most harmonious struc-
1ure, unmarried by the interjection
Of nondescript architectural com i
Work Begun in 1928
1t was in 1922 that the court
louse was decided ON, and the plans
we're definitely accepted i'll May,
1923. The style is truly classic,
With such modern notifications as
ire essential. The surface is com.
posed of white cement mixed with
silica and sand giving Il very fine
surface resistent to the at times alb
formal temperature it will have to
Undergo. The contractors have been
'ainstaking in their efforts to en-
ure work that will meet the ap-
'roval of the board of supervisors,
he craftsmen responsible for the
Undertaking, as well as the public
Who will foot the bill.
From the east to the west door
he building measures $50 feet, and
he depth from the front or north
Ioor to the south wall is 81 feet.
he main block is actually 81 feet
" $50, the additional width being
ecured by the two wings, the walls
t which retreat from the main
ront line. The greatest height over
he pediment is 90 feet, at the front
acing north ON Main street, the
levation of the wings being 43 feet,
'hich exactly balances the floor
,heme of the whole block.
supporting the pediment over the
lain entrance are six Corinthian
ollmns, thanking the doors uniform
:, these being composed of art
tone, a mixture of silica, sand and
ledusa cement. This artificial stone
lso is used in the main building
nly to the first floor line, in the
oor trim, window sills and art pan
S beneath the windows of the first
oor. The upper part of the build
lg is IN plaster, marked off to re-
resent stone.
Not yet selected but arranged for,
ill be two ornamental standard
mps on each side of the entrance.
hich is gained by n broad flight of :
steps. The doors of the main en- I
ance, as are the doors at the east
nd west end of the corridor, are of
ahongany sheathed in copper with
lnels of plate glass, carrying out
Ie suggestion of airiness. The use,
glass inside the building has been
ken advantage of wherever pos, G
BILE, and the new court house will .
lin fame as the best lighted office i,
ructure in the southland.
Stairs of Marble q
Passing over the marble floor of [
he portieo, one enters the main
bby, and here very striking im- v
ression is obtained by the behold t