THE NEW RAILWAY STATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13206, 13 February 1905, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE NEW RAILWAY STATION.

It is about 10 months since, work on the now railway station was commenced,' and ■the progress that has been made with the erection of .the building during that period is very satisfactory. Viewed from rhe Stuart street frontage, the new station now presents a substantial and imposing architectural appearance, which harmonises well with the Law Courts near by, and is in marked contrast to the make-shift-buildings which for so many years, have sorved tho purpose- of a railway station in Duncditi. The walls of the two-storeyed portion' of the new structure .are now practically completed up tn the second floor, and preparation's aro in progress for making a commencement with the roof. The handsome Oamaru 6tono portico leading to the main entrance and-the collouadc, with its massive columns of polished Poterhoad granite, relieved with blocks of Waipiata blueslono, are almost completed, and tho tower at-the southern cud is rapidly extending skywards. The less pretentious octagonal tower at tho northern end of tho main building is also well forward. The inner walls, concroto stairway, and divisions are uoarly all completed, and in u 6hort time they will bo ready for tho plasterers, of whom a largo number will be employed. Tho walls of the annexe at the northern end of the. building are completed,- and the roof is ready for the laying of the Marseilles tiles, with which the whole structure is to he roofed. At tho present time there are 70 workmen employed, including ma-sons, carpenters, blacksmiths, labourers, etc., and the whole work is being expeditiously and economically carried out under tho supervision of Mr Hall and the direction of the railway engineer, Mr Maelean. There is completo machinery on ihe ground for cutting, dressing, and moulding tho Oamaru stone, blacksmiths' forges foi making and sharpening. tools, cranes for lifting and conveying heavy weights and materials to all parts of the building; a cement-mixing machine, which is an ingenious labour-saving device and iu connection with which there are accessories for the. conveyance of prepared cement.to any part of the work where it may be required; also carpenters' sheds, cto. Included in the machinery is a. 19J brake horse-power Tangye gas engine, which is run at a cost of under 5s per day, and which supplies power for tho performance of a large and varied amount of work, which will considerably reduce the total cost of the.station when the whole- work is completed. One of the features of the interior of .tho building will be, tho main lobby at the entrance, whioh will be finished off in faience work, a new form of ornamental wall work in this part of tho colony, which, when finished, will give an elaborate and artistic effect. The Waipiata bluostone, which constitutes tho main portion of the outside walls, is a hard stone of consistent quality, and gives a .solid and enduring appearance and harmonises favourably with tho whites-tone facings in the main street, .besides' giving a substantial appearance to the 400 ft of station which will present itself to the platform at which the trains will arrive onjlie eastern side. When the station is finished, which is estimated to be in about 10 months' time, it will be a considerable convenience to tho railway officials, as the whole of tho traffic and engineering departments will then be housed under one roof, instead of heing located in different buildings as at present. The pub'.ic convenience-rtfdl also he bettor catered for, and one more substantial addition will be added to the list of our many public and private edifices.