Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen’s New Premises.

Evening Star, Issue 8279, 26 July 1890, Page 3

Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen’s New Premises.

The splendid new warehouse which, has jnst foesn erected at the corner of and Hunter street for Messrs aargood> PoU, and Kwen is another instance of tb« steady progress which is being made in all directions in the city, and undoubtedly stands far a id away ahead of »ajr other commercial building in Wellington, «ml rivals any house of its kind in the colony. The structure measures 164 ft on the Jervols -quay frontage and 6(ift to Hunter street, while on the side parallel to Jervois quay <*ml fronting Custom - house quay it abuts on an ws yet unformed lane connecting Hunter street with the end of Grey street. Thus it will hn bom that for 'frontage ailvan tagea it cannot be. surpassed. Rising to a height of over 00ft of brick and cement, vshree stories are shewn, the two'main frontages ( beiug of the choicest and must chaste, and at the Bairfe time masHiv,-. and handsome, design sued finish. This design is something new in W ellmgton, and the decorative richness which is imparted to the whole of the two faces is a gractfnl relief to the bare and uncharitable appearance of t.ie bulk of the public buildings vn the city. At the junction of the quay and /Hunter street the same graceful care has been uhmrvid, and the abruptness of the turn is .avoided by the bold sweep of a well-rounded •coiner. On the ground Hour on the face of this ■corner is a raised shield bearing the date of erection, and in a position corresponding with the ton fiat, abo on the corner, are the lifesine figures of two symbolic females, nhd so situated a< to be apparently supporting the crest of the mass of the ntaaonry above 'Shorn. Since tiio day they haVe been placed there comment has been life as to what they really represented, and many opinions have been aired on the subject, but wo are in a position to give that information which will satisfy the curious. Female figures in architecture who support burdens are called ’‘Caryatides,” in token of the abject slavery to which the women of Oaryae were reduced by the Greeks as f. xmuisbment for having joined Persia at the (hvasiau of Qncco. Caryoo is a town in Laconia, near the borders of A'r-a' ! io. ‘■'urniounti g the while of these hands'me olevaxi n is a he .vy parapet and balostruduig with an cvi.n uky line crowned by - lofty Hag staff from wh-ch floats out the warm red folds of the !• ngli. hj Ktisigu. Tho main entrance is situated a - , tho corner described, and can be gained beth fr.-ra dervois quay and Hunter street by a M ght of steps from each, .’it the too of thiso steps tho visitor finds him■salt in a portico or vestibule, the curved aide <.f which tormiru; tho angle is of glowing white pin .tor and broken by two large windows. The ceding is also of the same plaster relieved with chaste cornices -nd tho door is of tesno-lati-d tiling. Facing inwards is a kind of partition screen of he ivy embossed pbate glass set in figured kauri friming with cedar beadingl. in the centre no a couple of broad owing doom in keening with the bolecLon rxo'udiug of tho screen. Tte length if thin •screen from wall to wall is 24ft, and the distance from thp swing doors to the angle is 14ft. Immediately inside "iioii of the tea-sive d.'O s which opejn at the head of the entrance .tops is inserted a laige door mat, Woven into which are the Utters “3. A. and H.” Passing through tho swing doors the Manchester Department ” is entered, so named on account of the goods which are placed there, such as calicoes, carpets, mats, llannuls. blankets, etc. This deTiartmiint measures 80ft by 60ft and in 14 t :u letght of wall. On the Eastern or •■fervr.is quay side arn placed at a short dis-

■tißco from the main entrance, hist, the ■New Zealand resid nt partner's private room or office, a iiin ly-capeted and otherwise cun-••lotely-littod apartment, hiving also a fireproof sn'e let iuto the masonry of the outside wall, Next in order oomes the local manager’s office, ■■also replete wi'h ev ry necessary, and, indeed, iimrdt ring up m luxury ; then the cashier’s office and the general counting-house, in which the clerks have avnry convenience at their fl igers’ ends, at the • nd of the counting house, and forms' l in angle of other flttii cs, is a small, nicely fitted rom called the “wating and 'iiir-tVuutinu room,” where customers can re■sraiu and give ♦heir orders. Toe excellency of this arrangement bring'i them in touch, as it Were, with the whole of the departments necessary for their bu-inesß. Connection is Furnishrd b: twc-'U rhe cmincing-hou-e nod the “entering room " by means of slide windows io nothing ■ ut a glass p irtition In the entering room, which is27tt by 60ft (also on Jn vis quay fro■■■tsgc), parcels are made up of goods by orders, etc-, and aro passed on through other slide w ndows to the packing-room, in wliich thry lie parko.l ready for tr .nsmissien to their several destinations. This picking d-partne nt is 30't by 'Ulfr, .and admits of 'roll ps ard other vehicles coming completely inside to receive the wares. (in th; side of the baso !meut facing Custom-house quay is the bulk store, m asuring 75ft by 30ft, in which goods are taken in bulk iuto the waiohouae. At the northern end of this are the main lavatories and u.-ual coi'Yeuiunots. Returning to the Manchester department, and after winding amongst U’.o piles of g 'ods there sot out, the visitor' gains the first (l it by a brood end easy ■fliyln of stairs situated on the we tern side of the department, and running up the height with a single turn. This 11 .t is devoted in the main to the requin moots of tho fair sex, the s’cck bring ladies’ drees duffs, tui'. : i.rolothing. umbtcllaa curtains, iaoos silks, ribbons, and other varieties of ladio*f md’i'iery. This d partment has adv' ning it five large piate-g'ass mirrors fiy’d eyy tho wnlls, each m.T.suring Bft by oft. and in 'the angle f >rmed by the corner of the building a large space will bo carpeted off for the purpose oi showing otf ladies’ costumes, dresses, mantles, etc. On the northern axle of tho millinery is tho men’s clothing and mercery department, me-suring a space of 50ft by flOfc. *ud in the extreme end of tho fist is tho boot, saddlery, and general grindery department. There is here (lik- in tho other departments) a largo stock o' the fl. m’s own manufacture. All 'the-o are of the firm’s famous “Standard” brand of colonial manufactured boots, and are of the same quality ns the articles exhibited at ■tho Dunedin Exhibition, when in every class competed in by the firm (six) first awards wore gained. All the fixtures in this, as well as tho other departments, arc adapted in every way to the convenience of customers, Tim top Hat reached by a continuation of the stairs before mentioned—is devoted to fancy goods in the front and general haberdashery in 'he back portion l !, each of which is 120 ft long, being the full length of tho building with 'he exception of U small portion set apart for light bulk goods. • n this floor are nicely-arranged and elegantlyfitted gla-a showcases for tho display of jewellery, tobaccouis's’goods, etc., all made of kauri frames. Thus are the three stories of this elegant establishment to bo described, each of which hi a corresponding rows of light, but strong iron pillam running down it and supporting the one above, and tho walls and ceilings of each are painted in keeping with the class of goods to bo stored there. One of the main features of the building aro is hydraulic goods and passenger lifts. Of tho former thereffrot r o two a heavy one capable of carrying over two tons, and a smaller one situatt d in the north eastern corner of the buildi g. for tho quick transmission between tho different Doors of “ waiting goods,” samples to lie shown to customers, etc. Tho passeogT lift is situated in the same easing as the main lift in the centre of the building, »>d is an elaborate arrangement, consisting of a most handsome little ca>- capable of carrying six persons at a time. The car is roofed, and is fl'ted inside with cushioned seats and plate gla-s mirrors set in beautifully carved and marked Huon pine pa 'filing. Electric press bells are fixed in the casirg on each floor, and communiO'ta with the oar, showing by the dropping of a finger on the disc tho floor at which tho car is required. On tho figure appearing a small boy manipulates tho machinery, and in a few seconds the car silently oomes to your feet, and the elegant doors aro thrown open to receive the passengers. This lift is a new invention, and is supplied by tho An tral °tis Elevator Company of Sydney and Melbourne, and was put up under the direction of Mr Ayers, that company’s agent. In ail the departments the utmost care and foresight has been used in tho endeavor to meet alike tho convenience of customers and employer, and provide for the quick despatch of business. The whole of the fittings throughout are of kauri, supplied by the Auckland Kauri Company, and are varnished whore exposed They cost in the sgerregate abut L 1.500, exclusive of the lift, so that a glance at that sum will servo to demonstrate their extent and completeness. On each of the flits are lavatories and urinals. Khctrio bolls and sp aking tubes run from end to end, and from b.iaemerit virtually to roof of the building. Special care has been taken to avoid against danger to life or limb at the hydra-die lifts by a simple and ingenious automatic contrivance being introduced whereby, as the big lift approaches, whether upward or downward, any of the floors, doors shutting of! all access to the lift space shut down close. In the matter of strong rooms the building is also well supplied, and an extra precaution against fire is taken in having massive iron windows or shutters, which close over tho windows on the Custom-house quay side and bolt securely. The whole of the work of building. which is from plans prepared by Messrs Sul man and Power, architects, of Sydney, has been carried out by the well-known firm of contractors, Messrs Barry and M'Dowell, under the able supervision of Mr Mb iill, of the firm of M’Gill aud Thompson. Dunedin. Mr Duval, of Wellington, acted in the capacity of local consulting engineer to represent the firm of architects. Mr J. H. Hayes carried out the plumbing and gasflttlng arrangements, and the iron columns used were cast at Messrs W. Cable and Co.’s Lion Foundry, that firm also fitting the machinery for the lifts. Messrs Tinney and Bethel carried out the painting and decorating. Each aud all of these workmen have done their work in a faultless style, but special credit is due to Mr M’Gill, upon whose shoulders the whole of tho responsibility of the great undertaking has practically rested- Tho contract price paid t" Messrs Barry and M’Dowell for building alone was LIO.BOO. Naturally, the acquisition of snob a colossal establishment, which has been required by the growing dimensione of trade, has necessitated an Increase in the staff of employes, and there are nww about fi/riw huutil? i rt wrk at tbie

branch. Tie new building is a credit and ornament to the city, and the citizens are to be congratulated alike for the valuable adjunct they hate obtained to the town as for the presence oi a firm possessing sufficient enterprise to goto so very great an expense in providing a building which is quite capable of coping with the trade of Wellington and districts for many years to come. ■ ■ - ■ ■ *