BREAKING THE BUILDING RECORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143980, 24 December 1912, Page 3

BREAKING THE BUILDING RECORD.

Mr. Mark P. Wells, one of the leading building contractors of Philadelphia, was called: upqn a ffew mouths ago to undertake a, contract which few builders outside America would have, considered for a moment. He. was- asked to -erect, within 104 days, a new, “convention hall” for the city. The building was designed to. seat twenty thousand persons, with a stage capable of accommodating a choir of six thousand. In sifse, the, building would exceed any other wooden structure on the face of the globe. The price offered to Wells was 106,000 dollars, and he promptly accepted the offer. Time, of course, was the essence ot the contract, and putting a largo force of men on to the- building- he had it finished with twenty-three days to spare. 'The work was .completed in sixty-nine working days, on twenty-four of which it was rainy, preventing the i workmen from putting in full time. Ground; was broken for the foundations on February 26. By March 6: the foundations were laid, the timber required was on the ground, two ; electrical- sawmills were, ready for work, and a regular forest of derricks was clustered- round the site. Wells had plenty of co-opera-tion. / ' The, labour unions - suspended their rules, and in consideration of high wages aiiowed him to work men at night. The work never ceased, night or, day, till the great building, 400-feet. long by 200 feet wide, with its imposing porches and colonnades, was completed. It grew under the hands of .inarmy of workmen as if by magic. During one day no fewer than 10.000 ,feet of roofing , were completed.-I' T. ■ a first column was raised on Easter Monday, and bv May 20 tho entire building was under roof. On June -16 the building Was handed over to the city. It was inspected by: the city inspectors, and came through the ordeal' with flying colours. “As solid as'a steel structure’* was the verdict of the inspectors.