Foundation To Turret

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 2, 24 March 1927, Page 15 (Supplement)

Foundation To Turret

W 'ork of Flue Builders Record Coostractioin

•pKIDE ill the quickness and thoroughness ot * their work characterised the mood and activities of the men who built THE SUN’S aolid structure. From the lifting of the first spadeful of soil almost every artisan and labourer seemed to realise his best effort was necessary in order that THE SUN might be in the hands of the citizens of Auckland by March of this year. Of course there were several who did not care to wrestle with time; they stepped to make room for others. In the early days the Fletcher Construction Company and the Steel -traction Company were often working on the site together and some days there were about 100 men employed. After laying the foundations, the former com : jany got clear to allow the Steel Company to erect the frame work of girders, an intricate ask which entailed the emplacement of 65 stanchions and 162 steel beams on each floor. Before the skeleton was complete the Fletcher workmen were back again on August 1.

The innovation of,completing the top floo>#rst having been decided on it was necessary to' suspend all the “false work” for the concreting in iron stirrups instead of supporting it on wooden stands on the ground. Another time-saving and novel procedure was the shaping of most of the pieces of the concreteboxing in the firm’s yard and the numbering of everyone of them so chat they could be •ent straight to their places. Trying weather conditions were experienced at the first and the building of the top floor was a boon to the workman underneath. Under the Fletcher Company foreman, Mr. J. H. Rillstone, great progress was made, 400 yards of concrete being “run’’ in six days. "I cannot say that 1 remember having heard of a speedier job,” said the foreman to the writer, who went the round ot contractors and sub-contractors. Sometimes the Fletcher Company alone had 90 men on the building, including 60 carpenters and 30 labourers. To begin with 1,580 cubic yards of spoil had to be excavated, and then 250,000 ft. super of timber had to be run up as moulding for the 4,500 tons of concrete, whicli were made from 700 tons of cement and 2,600 cubic yards of shingle. Besides the 270 tons of steel which form -the frame work of the structure the Fletcher Company used 40 tons to reinforce the concrete and approximately 10 miles of steel wire went to the spiral binding., Partitions used up 95,000 brick** All the cement, was a New Zealand product, made by the Wilson Portland Cement Company Ltd., and 12,600 bags of it were required. Figured heart of rimu and kauri were the woods used, doors and exposed surfaces oeing made of the latter. The timber used in the flooring and framing was 18,000 feet super and measurements of other wooden parts in the building are: Partitions, 4,000 ft. super, sashes, 6,600 ft. lineal, doors 4,000 ft. auper, skirtings 3.200 ft. lineal. SKELETON OF STEEL During the last few years the Fletcher Company has completed some very large contracts. In 1923 this firm built the premises of Milne and Choyce, in 1925 the Auckland University College and the Lister Buildings, while last year it completed Wright, Stephenson's work at Otahuhu, and the Auckland City Council’s tram barns in Gaunt Street. It has in hand at present the Dilworth Trust, the "Yorkshire Insurance, the Manchester Unitv 1.0.0. F. and the Colonial Mutual L- -> Assurance Buildings, and the City Council filters at Tiiitangi and Waltakere, Messrs. Hatrick’s premises and the Jubilee Institute for the Blind workshop—worth in the aggregate approximately £400.000. Existing local records for the erection ot steel-frame buildings were smashed by the Steel Construction Co. Ltd. by its putting up the 250-ton skeleton of THE SUN structure in 41 days. The steel framework was supplied, fabricated and erected by the Steel Construction Co. Ltd. this city. This company, as its name implies. specialises in the design and construction °f all classes of structural steelwork, and with this object in view it has installed in its large workshop at Sale Street some of the most modern equipment obtainable. Nearly 270 tons of steel girders, plates, and angles were required for THE SUN building, in order to secure the earliest possible delivery the order for this material was divided among the following British firms: The Cargo Fleet Iron Co., the Frodiugham Iron and Steel Co. the Lanarkshire Iron and Steel Co., Messrs Pease and Partners, Monks Hall and Co., and t3nest. Keen, and Nettlefold —the whole of the material being of British manufacture. With the exception of cutting some of tlte Joists to length, the material was imported without work of any kind, all the necessary rutting, drilling, and rivetting being carried out in the Steel Construction Company’s workshop, where between 30 and 40 workmen are

usually engaged. Modern methods requite that as much of the work as possible shall be done in the shop, and that when the parts of the structure are sent to the site they shall be ready for assembling without any further cutting or drilling. This means that many hundreds of holes have to be accurately located and drilled at the workshop, so that tne field bolts or rivets can be inserted without any loss of time, through holes not being fair, anti this result can be obtained only by preparing very accurate shop drawings, which must be followed with equal care. The drawings we e prepared by the Company’s engineer, Mr. F. A. Davies, A.M.I. Struct. Eng. (England), and the shop work was carried out under the supervision of the works manager, Mr. W. Piper. Erection was in the capable hands of Mr. E. Bell, the company’s well-known erecting engineer. The design of the framework embodied certain unusual features, arranged specially to facilitate erection, while follow ing the most modern principles of conjunction. The whole 270 tons of steelwork was erected in spite of some delay through bad weather in the period between July 10 and August 2m, 1926, nearly six weeks in advance of the stipulated time. This constitutes a local record, and speaks volumes for the accuracy of the drawings and workmanship, the efficiency of the staff and their methods, and the effectiveness of the special features already mentioned. Among the gear on the job was a huge derrick 78ft. in length, which besides enabling the stanchions over 50ft. long to be erected oach in one piece, served a large area ot the building at each setting. The length of this spar gave rise to a good many small bets among the unofficial inspectors of the wjrk. It is thought that most of these bets were liquidated in a convenient institution across the street. PERFECT PLUMBING “The water service and the sanitary system are the nuJst up-to-date and most hygienic in New Zealand,” said the plumbing sub-con-tractor, Mr. \V. A. Chenery, who has built up a large business at Newmarket in a Lw years. All the piping in the water service is of copper with gun-metal fittings, the inside being tinned so that there is no chance of the water becoming tainted. This kind of tubing- is a great improvement on the usual galvanised piping. The return wastes and circulation pipes of the linotype and -the stereotype machines are also of this tubing. A reserve tank of concrete lined with asphalt, holds 3,000 gallons on the roof, so that if the City supply happens to be cut off THE SUN will be able to carry on. There are 2,300 feet of copper tubing in the building, exclusive of waste pipes. In the sanitary system the wastes discharge directly and there are no gully traps. Contracts in the last IS months have been worth £18,900 to Mr. W. A. Chenery, some of his biggest jobs being, the installing of a steam kitchen at the Costley Home, and the fitting up of the Dilworth Trust and the Manchester Unity Oddfellows’ buildings. The finishing-off of the structure, the smoothing and whitening of the outside walls and the blanching of the inner ones was carried out by the plasterer, Mr. W. N. Purdy About 7,000 square yards of plaster were applied. The plasterers of whom there were about 20 on the building did not really start, their work until after Christmas, when they pm. up- their scaffolding. White plaster was used for finishing the inside walls, and white cement for the outside, both materials having been imported from the United States, but 30 tons of New Zealand cement were required for the bulk of the work. Considerable skill and care were necessary to mould the architectural fittings of the industrial Gothic style. Speaking of New Zealand cement. Mr. Purdy said that he considered that it was the equal of any in the world. Until a few years ago all large contracts specified English cement, but so great had been the improvement of the local material that the importation of the former had almost ceased. Plastering had made rapid strides here, especially in the last decade and he would estimate that there were twice the number of tradesmen in 192 G as there were in 1916. Mr. Purdy has had English and Australian experience over a period of 36 years and, since he opened his business in Auckland in 1913, he has carried out leading contracts. GAS SUPPLY FOR HEATING The Auckland Gas Company is able to supply THE SUN with 5,000 ft. of gas an hour through the 4in. maiu from Wyndham Street. There is about I,oooft. of piping in the building, varying from 3in. intakes to tubes §in. thick. The gas used passes through three of the largest meters installed in Auckland. The large metal-melting machines of the stereotyping department need a supply of 500 ft. an hour to feed each of their furnaces. This may be contrasted with the ordinary gas ring, which consumes 10ft. in the same time. About four tons of type metal have to be melted each day in one crucible. Gas is also used to heat the offices and to supply the caretaker's nest up on the roof with hot water and comfort. Provision has been nfade that the high-pressure supply may be brought into use in ths machine rooms and that extensions may be made. Hie Auckland Gas Company supplies many city factories, gas having been found a much more economical and speedy heater of furnaces than coke. Everything in the hardware line, from a needle to a steam roller, could have been supplied to THE SUN by John Burns and Co. Ltd., but the newspaper needed mainly two big electric motors made by Crompton’s to drive the Hoe rotary press and the sin; " motors for starting and “inching” the great machine. A cold-starting and crude-oil standby plant was also imported by the firm for THE SUN. John Burns and Co. Ltd. is a firm of 45 years' standing anS it has the agencies for many engineering companies, including Cromp-

ton and Co., Chelmsford, electrical engineers; Ruston and Hornsby, Lincoln; H. Widdop and Co. Ltd., Keighley, marine engineers; the Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Co., London, and the Medways Safety Lift Co., London. In Its numerous departments it has hardware, crockery, paints, machine parts and tools, silver and plated ware, fireplaces, bathroom furnishings, ship chandlery goods, and every variety of electrical and mechanical fittings. The range of its wares is probably wider than any other firm in New Zealand. OFFICE FURNITURE Made to original designs by the D.S.C., Cousins and Cousins, the furniture for the offices of THE SUN is in handsome oak and rimu. Twenty specially-designed desks for reporters give convenience for writing by hand and with typewriters, a slide having been fitted to hold the machine. The desks for the readers and copy-holders are of figured rimu and are complete with drawers and lifting tops. Oak revolving chairs and numerous small tables have been supplied, and there are also large cabinets for filing photographic plates. “We do not stop at anything in the woodwork line,” an official of the firm said. It specialises on church and bank furniture, using every known kind of wood, and builds motorcar and ’bus bodies and even the city’s tramcars. One of the big factors in the successful running of a large daily paper is punctuality in production. To ensure this the firm of A. Kohn, Ltd., was entrusted with the installation of electric timepieces throughout the building. These clocks are most interesting examples of the progress made in recent years in electrical appliances. One “master clock” is installed and electrically connected with subsiduary

dials in every department. By this means it is possible to have exactly the same time showing in each department without the variation of a fraction of a minute. Owing to the accuracy with which these clocks work the amount of current required is ridiculously small, being very much less than what is required in tne case of ordinary house bells, which are only used for 10 or 15 seconds daily. There being only one clock in the system, it is necessarily of a very high grade find should, at the end of a year’s running, show less than an accumulated error of one minute. THE SUN AT NIGHT One of the distinguishing features of THE SUN building will be a huge electric sign placed upon the tower. The framework will carry the word “Sun” in 7ft. letters lit up by a double row of amber-tinted 10-watt lamps. There will be no fewer than 150 of these lights covering au area of 7ft. by 20ft., and the sign should be visible from a considerable distance. The work has been carried out by the Electric Construction Co., of N.Z., Fort Street. The firm has also carried out much of the electric wiring for the power units. Quite a lot of work has been done in the mechanical departments by Messrs. A. and G. Price, engineers, Quay Street. Their principal task was the construction of steel runways for the lifting and transport of heavy weights, such as the big rolls of paper for the printing machine. The firm also installed the platelift connecting the machine and composing rooms, and handled all local engineering requirements in connection with the erection of the printing plant. That the designers of THE SUN building have made splendid provision for lighting may be judged from the glazing contract which was carriejl out by Messrs. Smith and Smith, of Albert Street. Taking the outside windows and interior partitions together, it will be found that over 12,000 square feet of glass has been used, with the result that most satisfactory working conditions prevail. The tiling work in all the lavatories was also entrusted to Messrs. Smith and Smith, and each of these conveniences has been walled to a height of sft. with white glazed tiles in the latest approved hygienic method. One of the labour-saving machines used in the office cf THE SUN is the Remington bookkeeper. This writes the customer’s statement and s keeps the ledger account in one operation, furnishing a complete proof that each day’s charges have been posted to the ledger correctly. This device and other office equipment was supplied by the Remington and Roneo Agency Co. of New Zealand Ltd. Portable Remington typewriters have beep purchased for the reporters, and a number of standard and also special machines for the office staff. The Remington and Roneo Co. specialises in labour-saving equipment, including steel cabinets for filing blocks.or papers, duplicators and card systems.

Asphalt to keep the basement damp proof and to make the flat roof of the building watertight was laid down by the Neuehatel Asphalt Company Ltd., which has its works in Halsey Street, Freeman’s Bay. Altogether 2,200 yards of asphalt were laid, including the lining of the 3,000-gailon tank on the roof and of the acidproof boxes used in the process departments. The substance used is not the ordinary street asphalt, but a special mixture prepared at the works and laid on by hand with wooden “floats.” The company lays down streets, and in the course of its contracts lias covered the Queen’s and the King’s wharves. A hot-mix plant for the making of bituminous concrete is installed at the factory. Practically the only large asphalting firm in New Zealand, it has laid over one million square feet of roofing asphalt in the, last 20 years. INTERIOR DECORATORS Interior decoration in the building was undertaken by French and Roberts, the city firm which has to its credit the gorgeous interior colour-scheme, of the new Regent Theatre. French and Roberts also carried out the work on the Auckland University buildings, and have in hand a contract for the new War Museum. About ten men were employed yi the staining and varnishing of the figured rimu and in the painting of the partition panelling of THE SUN building. The wood’s natural colour and the whiteness of the walls make an attractive colour scheme. COMFORT UNDERFOOT Floor covering for the various departments has run into big figures. It has been supplied in the form of thick brown linoleum and gives a neat business-like appearance to the offices.

The covering of the editorial department was carried out by Milne and Choyce, Ltd., and that of other parts of the building by Tonson Garlick and Co. No small part was played in the construction of THE SUN building by Messrs. Winstone, Ltd. They supplied all the cement, shingle and bricks used, while the roof carries 2,863 of the firm’s well-known tiles. STEEL WINDOW FRAMES Windows frames throughout the building have been supplied by the Woolnough Window Co. Ltd., and were constructed entirely of British steel at the Auckland branch. This firm has the most up-to-date plant in New Zealand. in the construction ot the windows some IS,oooft. of steel sections, 17,000 screws and 15,000 bronze fittings of various kinds were used. The frames have been zinc-sprayed, a process that makes them absolutely rust proof, in this process the frames, after, construction is completed, are cleaned by a powerful sandblasting plant and then sprayed with atomized zinc at a very high velocity. This gives an absolutely homogeneous and permanent rustproof coating of 90 per cent, pure zinc. So far THE SUN is the first building to receive this treatment in Auckland. All opening parts of the windows are fitted with the company’s Ideal casements and fanlights, which embody the best principles and practice in modern steel window construction. Installation of electric lifts of the latest design was carried out by the National Electrical and Engineering Company Ltd., which has done some of the most important electrical engineering work within me Dominion. These lifts, a passenger cage for the offices and a goods elevator for the works, were supplied by the firm’s principals, Messrs. Etchells, Congdon and Muir, of Manchester, England, wellknown specialists in lifting machinery. THE SUN’S lifts are dual-controlled; they may be operated by the pressing of buttons by the passenger or they may be worked by an attendant. They have an adv-nf-ve of twospeed gears, which allow the cages to make a quick non-stop run, say from ground floor to roof. AU me latest safety devices are fitted, including an over-speed gov?--’ ■'•"'i re, which brings safety grips into contact with steel guides, should the car descend faster than a predetermined speed, an 1 is also operative should one of the lifting rapes slacken or break —an extremely unlikely occurrence. Gate locks are arranged so that it is impossible to operate the lift until all gates are closed. The passenger car is finished in polished hardwood, to the a~~’Mtects' design. Handsome oak desks for the principal offices have been supplied by Messrs. Andrews and Clark, furnishers, of Queen Street. They are a substantial and pleasing feature of the general furnishing.