CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8246, 13 May 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

MR. SNODGRASS' KEW WAREHOUSE. (' Colonist,' April 24.) For a lorn? time past Mr R. Snodgrass, proprietor of Caledonia House, has found those premises quite inadequate for the proper dipplay of his large stock of crockeryware, fancy goods, etc He therefore decided to erect a warehouse for the wholesale department of his trade, and secured the piece of land at the corner of Hardy acd Morrison streets, next to Messrs tfclanders and Co.'s premises. Here be has had erected a building, the first essential of whioh has been strength, covering an area of 46 by 72 feet, The building is of wood on dwarf concrete walls, and is roofed with galvanised iron. It is of two stories, the ground floor one being 12ft. 6in. high, and the upper floor 10ft. bigh to the wall plate. The elevation to Hardy stret t is of a neat design of wide panelled and moulded pilasters, with a double moulded striDg relieved by cut acd m-ulded patera, and a deep moulded conice with dentil ornament, carrying a moulded parapet dividfd by dwarf columns finished with turned finnls, the total height from the footpath being 33 feet. The ground floor haa two large mullioned windows, each 13 fe-.t by 10 ftet high, and the upper floor three double windows having bracketed sills and bracketed and moulded heads, all of these being to Hardy street. The sides of tbe building are also panelled out with pilasters, etc., which, besides giving additional strength to the walls, cover all butt j. -lints of the covering boards. Access to the upper floor is given by a substantial staircase in the centre of the building five feet wide, with double landing. The upper floor is open to the roof, the timbering of wbich is all dressed, and besides the front windows is lit by a lantern which is 35 feet long, and the top of which iB 43 feet from the ground. This lantern also gives an auxilary light to the ground floor, through a large balustraded well hole. Intermediate of the walls the upper fbor is supported on beams carried on two rows of story posts through the length of the building, and these are also extended to the tie beams of the roof. The building is lined throughout with narrow V jointed boards ; and whilst strength and capacity for storage purposes are its ohief features, there is evidence throughout of good workmanship and neat finishing. Besides inclosarea at the front windows and two office compartments on either side of the entrace doors, the interior has so far been but partly fitted up for the display of goods, such, however, includes a considerable amount of shelving and sixtten (eight on tach floor) large three tier table stands. At the back of the ground floor a space of 44 ftet by 12 feet is tokened off for a packing ro:m, accees to whioh is obtained also by a large sliding door to Morrison street. Ga* has been laid throughout both floors. The contractors for the whole of the we rks (except the painting, which has been done by Mr Last-Harris) were Messrs Leaper Brothers, and, we are informed, that the manner in whioh the whole of the work has been carried out has given every satisfaction to the owner, as w6ll as to the architect, Mr Thomas Roberts, C.E. Though it was originally the intention of Mr Snodgrass to confine business in the new premises to the wholesale department, he, in common witb other wholesale crockery mer-

chants in different parts of New Zealand, finds it impossible to separate the retail and wholesale departments, which would necessitate carrying t if o full stocks. Therefore in the new premises retail as well as wholesale trading will be carried on.

OPENING DAY.

A very large number of people availed themselves on April 24 of Mr Snodgrass'B invitation to inspeot his new warehouse, a description of wbich appeared in our last | issue. From the hour of opening, 3 o'olook, ' throughout the afternoon there waß a constant stream of visitors, from whom the proprietor received many hearty congratulations with wishes for sucoess. The attendants at four tables, two on the .V.vtr and two on the upper floor, were kept busy supplying tea and dainty cakes, most of those present partaking. Altogether considerably over a thousand persons visited the building during the afternoon, and the opening may truly be pronounced to have been a great success. Mr Snodgrass informs as that the stook then on view, with the exception of one small shipment, is tbat carried in his old premises, where he was unable to display, and had to store a great portion ' of it Owing to the difficulty in handling ao heavy a stock in the limited space then at his disposal the loss by breakage was so heavy that he considers the amount it represented will pay interest on the outlay for tbe new premises.