1880 History of Blair County - Johnstown, PA

mSTOIlT OF ALTOONA AND 15LA1R COUNTY. 27f)f a 1)c:iiit it'll! deep, peach blouiii color, present iiiu' a stroii.u- yet at;Teeal)lecontrast. Inside the exterior stone walls are 4?,- inch hrick walls,erected separately from the stone work, to wliich they are tied withwron^H'ht iron anchors. Tliere is an air space of U inches betweenthe stone walls and the brick lininii' to secure freedom from dampness.Tlie ]ilan of the structure Ixnirs some resemblance to the letter "T."In width it is 70 feet on the front ; 83^ feet on the rear, and 55-| footacross the narrow part—total depth 132^ feet. The front portion of thel)uilding- is two stories in height, surmounted with a hisih, slated roof.The rear part is three stories high, the upper story being containedwithin a Mansard roof, with ornamontal gabled stone dormers. Atach front angle of the l)uilding is a large s(piare tower, surmouiitodhx an ornamental slate covered ruof, the total height from the groundto the top of the roof being 83 feet without the iron cresting. On thefront, between the two towers, are three entrance doorways, facingAllegheny street. These are approached from the terrace l)y a flightof steps 84 feet long, with a liroad landing at the top, which forms thefloor of an arcade. This arcade consists of three arches carrid by-coupled columns. It is 27^ feet high from the pavement of the terraceto the top of the weathering of the cornice. Above the arcadeare three traceried windows opening into the court-room. Over theseis the front galile of the main roof. The height of this gable from theterrace to the to}) of the stone finial surmounting it is 77 feet. luthis gable is a niche in which is placed a statue of Justice 8 feethigh, executed in Amherst stone. In the rear liuilding is anotherlarge entrance or doorway facing Union street. The main or clocktower is at the intersection of the front and rear buildings, amassivestructure 19 feet square, in which is one of Meneely k Co.'s bestbells, sweet in tone, and weighing 2,550 pounds. Above the belfryis the clock, the dials of which are of thick heavy ground glass 99inches in diameter. Above the gables the tower is surmounted by ashort spire or high roof, all of stone to the finial, and this spire issurmounted by ornamental iron work. On the rear of the entirehuilding is a small turret 6^ feet square and 80 feet high, intended tocarry off the vitiated air from the rooms of the building.The four entrance doorways are provided with handsomely panelledwalnut doors. The three doors facing Union street open into avestibule 12x38 feet. At each end of this vestibule are stairways to•the second story. The tiling for \hv floors was imported and furnishedby Sharpless k Watts, of Philadeli)liia.Opening from the corridors are the various county offices. Com-