A Sky-Scraper

Progress, Volume IX, Issue 11, 1 July 1914, Page 1149

A Sky-Scraper

The illustration shown on this page of the L. C. Smith building is remarkable in more ways than one. It has the reputation of being the tallest building west of the Mississippi, and has just been completed at Seattle, Washington. Its tower, which rises to a height of 450 ft. above street level, is so conspicuous that it is already being used as a beacon by mariners in making their way to Puget Sound, and it is planned to have it illuminated at all hours of the night to make it available for this use night and day. The building covers a lot that is 108 ft. by 120 ft. The main structure is 21 stories high, and to this the tower adds 12 stories. In addition to this there are two stories below street level. The

height to the lantern at the top of-the tower is equivalent to 42 stories. The foundation rests on 1276 concrete piles driven to a depth of 50ft. below

the surface. In building the foundation 4000 barrels of cement and more than 1000 tons of steel were used. On the foundation piles a total weight of 76j560 gross tons will be carried, the steel for the superstructure alone weighing 4732 gross tons. The first two stories of the building are faced with white Washington granite, while white terra cotta is used for all the stories above these. This makes the building conspicuous not alone for its size but for its colour as well. During the construction not one man was killed or seriously injured. The total cost of the building was about £300,000.