The line of successors to Runyon Harris have all been found proverbially enterprising and energetic, always noted as active and successful manufacturers of their day. Inheriting somewhat the spirit of activity so marked in their worthy predecessors, Messrs. Brigham, Hopkins & Co. are found in the advance, and make no idle boast of an establishment whose breadth of space, architectural beauty, and convenience of arrangement find few rivals in the whole catalogue of similar business places in this country. Their warehouse, prominently situated, rising six stories above ground, being one hundred and fifty feet deep by forty in width, gives a surface area of 42,000 square feet of work room, all of which is provided with unusual advantages for daylight and ventilation. Added to this is the detached "make-shop" of the firm, located at Relay Station, on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, nine miles from the city.[2] It is a high studded building, of one story, built in this manner to allow the condensing and evaporation of steam, which escapes from the "batteries" of boiling water, around which the men are constantly at work. This building is one hundred and thirty by sixty feet, giving in addition to the city warehouse 7800 square feet, or a total in round numbers of 50,000 square feet, upwards of an acre of working space, which is a good showing of growth and expansion when contrasted with one of the best establishments of the year 1814.
[2] This department has lately been removed to the city, and is located corner Paca and King streets.
The handsome structure at the corner of German and Paca streets was erected by Messrs. Brigham, Hopkins & Co., designed and arranged to suit the demands of their own manufacturing business. Ground was broken in the month of April, 1884, and the building completed and occupied in January, 1885. It has a frontage of forty-one feet six inches on German street, and extends back on Paca street one hundred and fifty feet to Cider Alley.
Located upon one of the broadest thoroughfares, at a point which is the water-shed of this part of the city, being at the level of one hundred feet above tide-water, it rises prominently among other fine warehouses surrounding it, showing its array of architectural beauty to advantage, for it is one of the most imposing of the mercantile structures of the city. The building is constructed of Baltimore pressed brick and the famous Potomac red sandstone, which together so harmonize in color as to render a very pleasing effect; the ornamentations surrounding the windows are in terra-cotta and moulded brick. The style of the building is Romanesque, or round arched. Very striking features are the immense arched openings upon the Paca street façade, being seventeen feet in width and twenty-five feet in height, which with their broad treatment of mullioned panels and heavy rough-hewn stonework, give strength and character to the building. These spacious windows are not simply for effect, but designate the location of the principal offices, and by their wide expanse afford abundance of light to the show-rooms, making these departments particularly attractive by the cheerful airiness and brightness that plenty of sunlight always brings.
The large office windows.
Throughout the whole building is a generous treatment of spacious windows, flooding the interior with a bountiful supply of light, so necessary to the production of properly manufactured goods as well as to the health and comfort of the work-people.
The main entrance to this building is marked by its liberal dimension. A slight elevation is made from the sidewalk, and beyond a recess of several feet are framed two large French plate glass windows, which afford a view of the entire extent of the first floor with its offices and extensive storage room. Entrance doors are placed on either side of this recess.
