The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 17, 1895, Page 1

r PRICE FIVE CENTS. A MARBLE PALACE FOR “THE CALL.” The Greatest and Handsomest Newspaper Building in the World. 310 FEET IN HEIGHT] | Unique Among All Modern Structures. IT WILL COST A FORTUNE. EEm e A Monument to the Enterprise of Claus Spreckels. Whe Beautiful White Marble Tower to Be Constructed at the Corner of Market and Third Streets. It is merely & matter of months now when Claus Spreckels’ magnificent fifteen- etory building on the southwest corner of Market and Third “streets will be: com- pleted. Then San Francisco will have one of the greatest modern buildings on the continent and THE CALL a handsomer and anore complete home. than any other mewspaper in the world. Several weeks ago the plans were ac- cepted, some of the contracts have heen Met and the preparatory work of clearing the ground of its old structure is already under way. Those who have. seen the splans, and from' personal experience- are able to compare them with the modern 4all by ngs of New York and Chicago; are quick to pronounce THE CALL's new home the most imposing and handsome bt structure in the United States. In exterior construction the new build- ing represents an immense but very beau- tifully designed tower. = The first three stories form the base or pedestal. These are treated in the massive style, and built of granite, with bush-hammered face, and arched keavily rusticated courses openings for windows. ‘The next seven stories, being the body or shaft of the tower, are very simple and plain in treat- meat. Above them the ornsmentation begins again, sparingly at first, but culmi- nating at the thirteenth story in a richly carved and ornamental frieze, which forms the setting for the massive cornice that surmounts it. The fourteenth story is treated in a lighter design, being in effect a colonnade with pilasters between the meny windows, while the fifteenth story, being circular in contour, forms the base for the beautifal and imposing dome. ‘The dome rises forty-five feet above its foundation; and surmounting the dome is a richly ornamented lantern or'belvedere thirty feet in height. It is really much | more than a fifteen-story building, for the entire height, 310 feet in all, will be utilized. This is an elevation nearly double that reached by the highest point of any other building in San Fraycisco. The Chronicle building: was the first of what San Francisco has called. its modern | “'sky-scrapers.” . The Mills':and " Crocker | buildings. quickly followed. Now all- of | these will be eclipsed by many stories. The pew Cary building will tower almost 100 feet above the very tallest of them. It will be a proud monument to its owner and: | builder, Claus Spreckels, an everlasting ornament to San Francisco, and an elo- quent testimonial to the talents of its architects, the Reid Bros. Unique is ® much abused word, but it may surely be used in comparing this magnificent and imposing structure with | the handsomest of the modern buildings | in any part of the world. In the East there are buildings that cover larger areas and are higher, but none that are at once 8o tall and so beautiful in design as the new home of THE CALL will be. Above the massive granite base that reaches to the top of the third story the entire exterior of the building will be of California white marble—eéven to the dome and the lantern surmounting it. Archi- tecturslly the structure iz a classic pile; following closely the style of the Italian Renaissance, except in the lower part. where; for the sake of gaining strength and massiveness; the style leans rather to the Romanesque. In treatment the structure will present a huge tower, and to carry out this design more completely the upper stories will be finished on all four sides alike. ‘Truly, it will'be a tower not only “in ‘design but in actuality, and standing alone, as it will seem when viewed from a distance onthe most conspicuous corner in the City, rising 200 feet-and more -above the buildings that nestle at its base, no other city on: the con- | tinent will possess—of modern workman- ship—such a unique and imposing land- mark. The size of the lot on which the great structure will soon be erected. is. 71 by 75 feet. . The main entrance, a grand arch- way 20 feet wide and 35 feet high, with massive Corinthian columns on each side, supporting a rizhly carved entablature sur- mounted by a balustrade, will be on Mar- ! ket street. A light gray granite will be used in the first three stories. Between the second and third stories, on a line with the top of the main entrance, is carried s projeoting cornice supported on medallions over an or.ately carved frieze. The windows in the third story are treated in a richer style of ornamenta- tion than those below, yet are arched and massive in appearance, carrying out aa- mirably the general design. In truth the whole building is one of the most sym- metrical and harmonious pieces of modern architecture. At the top of the third-story windows there runs a heavy, ornamented belt or course of ‘granite, forming the cap for the pedestal or base which supports the ris- ing shaft. Now begin the white marble facings, held in place by the steel frame- work of the structure, and the seven stories of the shaft or superstructure, severely plain and simple in style, arise. ~Above them begins the ornamentationagain. The eleventh and twelfth stories are treated as one with marble columns running the full height and the windows surmounted by carved: Corinthian - capitals and arched with carved architraves and beautifully decorated spendrils that fill in the space to | naling purposes. SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 17, 1895. The thirteenth story, treated as a mag- nificently carved frieze, with its heavy classic cornice, forms one of the main architectural features of the building, The fifteenth story, which forms the base of the great dome, is circular in outline, and the corners of the square are occupied with | octagon-shaped turrets supported at each angle :by columns and surmounted by i carved dome-shaped tops. The ribs of the great dome and the main part of its exterior will be of white marble, | what metal shows being of massive bronze. The lantern at the very top of the giant building will be inclosed. with glass and | will be used as an observatory and for sig- 3 8o much for the exterior: of -the great the entablature above. 7 r‘ml" i & . e pe AMA building. Thearchitects have shown rare taste in their designs, and in all things they have followed faithfully the classic rule to ornament construction rather than to construct ornamentally., The result has been a structure that will be, first of all, beautiful; then imposing and symmetri- cal; and last, but most important of all in these days of -commercial supremacy, & building - whose - interior = arrangements guarantee no waste of space, daylight in every room, and the application of all pos- sible modern appliances and conveniences. The most approved form of steel con- struction will be. used throughout the building. The masonry of the outer walls is simply a casing for the steel framework. The steel columns and girders will be cov- L ‘\ r“.7( ’\t MY » 5 TACTS ¥ —_— zome — RVEL IN MODERN ARCHITECTURE Nearly Double the Height of Any Building on the Pacific Coast. ered and thoroughly protected from fire or corrosion by.dampness with terra cotta. The floors will be of hollow terra cotta carried on steel beams, while the partitions will be either of hollow tile or steel. The steel construction will be carefully and thoroughly braced to withstand all wind pressure or the possibility of earthquakes. The outer casings will be supported at each floor so as to be entirely independent of the casings of the floor below. In order to avoid éncroaching on adjoin- ing property, the cantilever system of con- struction, employed so successfully on many of the tall buildings in the East, will be used. These foundations will be from fifteen to twenty feet below the surface of the street, and the supporting cantilevers will be entirely below the basement floor. The main®entrance, or rotunda, wid be finished in some polished California marble, the very choicest obtainable, and the floor will be mosaic. The rotunda will bein the form of a semicircle. 1t will have three heavy bronze doors, separated by polished marble pilasters. The door to the left will open into the business offices of THE CaLr. These will have an area on the ground floor of about 25 by 59 feet, and also a balcony or mezzanine floor, giving nearly that amount of floor space. These offices. will be appointed more magnificently and with more of the modern conveniences and appliances, both for the use of the patrons of THE Carr and for the expedition of the newspaper’s business, and for the accommodation of its employes, than those of any other newspaper in the world.” And not only in the business offices will this prevail, but throughout all the floors and offices occupied by THE CALL plant. And that this isno idle: boast, but two facts need to be stated: That money will not be spared in any way and that a rep- resentative of Mr. Spreckels has visited the greatest newspaper buildings in the world for the express purpose of learning from each what is newest and what is bestin the matter of appointments and appli- ances and conveniences. The purpose is to combine the best of them all under one roof. .To do this three things are neces- sary—a ripe experience, a wide knowledge and an unstinted expenditure—resources that are all at Mr. Spreckels’ command. Of course, in the appointment of the business ofhces, occupying as they will the most advantageous and most conspic- uous part of the building, a great deal of attention will be paid to the artistic and decorative side. The big bronze door to the right of the rotunda will open into a large store or room suitable for a bank or almost any commercial purpose. The door that opens from the center of the rotunda leads to the elevators. There will be three of these, thoroughly modern in every way, and swift in motion. One of the elevators will descend to the base- ment, while the other two wili start on the ground floor. All of them will run clear to the fifteenth story, where it is proposed to have a magnificently appointed and perfectly conducted cafe and restaurant. Its service will be unexcelled in the United States, the plan being to make this one of the attractive features of San Francisco. The thirteenth and fourteenth stories will be occupied by TmEE Car. On the thirteenth floor will be the editorial and art departments, and on the floor above will be located the composing-room and stereotyping department. Asalready intimated, both of these floors will be ap- pointed in such & manner as to conduce to P L WILL SURPASS ALL. The Height of Art and Usefulness. A STEEL FRAMEWORK. Fifteen Main Stories Capped by a Huge Dome. It Will Be an Everlasting Ornament to San Francisco and the Handsomest of Modern Structures. the most perfect work and the greatest comfort of their occupants. In the basement will be the pressroom. This will have a larger superficial area than the mere measurement of the lot on which the building will stand, for both on Market and on Third streets the press- rooms will be extended the full width of the pavement. This will give ample space and permit the most perfect and complete appointments, Electricity will be the .one and only power employed for all purposes in the building. On the surface of the pavement on Market and Third streets, above the basement, will be a broad area-way look- ing down into the pressroom, giving an excellent view of the great printing-ma- chines from the street. From the second to the twelfth stories inclusive the floors will be arranged for offices. There will be fourteen of these on each floor, all of them well lighted and fitted handsomely, and with all the mod- ern conveniences. Each office will have its lavatory, its cloakroom, its heating ana ventilating appliances, of the most ap- proved pattern. The interior finishings will be of some natural hardwood, and a special and handsome design of hardware will be chosen. It is Mr. Spreckels’ intention to fit thess offices in such & manner as to command the very highest class of tenants. It is ex- pected that most of these offices will be leased before ‘the building is completed, and those who engage their apartments in advance may have them finished to suit their needs. Bpecial attention will be paid to the plumbing, heating, ventilating and light- ing of each office, and money will not be spared to make them the most desirable in the City. The main stairway, which wiil be of marble on steel supports, will extend from the right of the elevators. The furnishings of the lower floor will be magnificent, sur- passing in every way those of any other building in the City, and ranking with those of the very finest of the great busi- ness blocks in New York and Chicago. One might fill many columns in describing the plans for this great building, but let it suffice now to add only this: Tme Carv's new home, fBough not yet an accom- plished fact, is " an assared fact, and through the rare enterprise and ability-of Claus Spreckels T CArn will soon be housed in a manner, in mady ways, prob- ably, more comfortably, more suitably, more modern to the smallest detail, than any other newspaper in the world. S i ~r G . ; Dot B il ey T2 ¥ et Lk o — el e » "“THE CALL’S” MAGNIFICENT NEW HOME--“THE CALL SPEAKS FOR ALL."