George W. Spooner, architect

detail from photo by Holsinger

Construction began as soon as plans were laid. The four-story building which slowly rose under the watchful eye of George W. Spooner, a local architect, was indeed impressive. Nearly 120 feet long and a half again as wide, it sat on a massive base five feet thick. The brick super-structure, dotted liberally with large windows, was unadorned except for a tower that rose over the front wall and gave the building the appearance of a large school house. On the inside, a new type of fire-resistant construction was adopted. For additional safety, an automatic sprinkler system, supplied by a tank on the roof, fascinated visitors. If a fire broke out, heat would melt a sealing compound and release a spray of water. "In other words, the fire, if any should occur, is to put itself-out. Snug arrangement, that," a visitor happily noted.--Harry Poindexter