Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/313

 1868.] The Gazette. 253 of iron, drilled, turned to a true surface, and run on a " composition" pin. It is hardly necessary to observe, that all the sheaves to any particular door, or pair of door-leaves, must be uniform in diameter ; and also, that the larger sheaves move with the application of less force than the smaller ones. This style of sliding door was first introduced, some twenty years since, by Mr. W. T. Forsythe, at that time an energetic builder, full of new plans and partial to modern improvements, and put up in the then held splendid residence of Mr. Christopher Fallon, on the south side of Walnut street, east of Sixth. The owner desired that something might be done to avoid the annoyance of hinged doors swinging back and striking the furniture. The floor-rail for sliding doors, as then used, being considered a stumbling-block, as liable to catch the foot in passing from one parlor to the other, and having likewise the disad- vantage of causing a break in the carpet between the parlors, Mr. Forsythe said, " I will make them slide at the top," and he did so. The building referred to has since gone the way of many residences considered splendid at that time. It is now occu- pied by lawyers, architects, and convey- ancers. The plan upon which the first were put up may be found in " Sloan's Con- structive Architecture," page 64. A glance at the two plans will show that the same result is obtained by the later and present one cheaper and very much more simply. Since the introduction into general use of sheaves for sliding parlor doors, and rails to hang them from the top, instead of running them on the floor, architects and builders have given them such general approval, that any attempt at recommendation would be superfluous. Our only object is to present to our readers the most generally used and approved styles, and to say that a parlor % door, trimmed in this manner, will not cost much more than when made to swing with good " butts" and " bolts," whilst the convenience and comfort of having the doors slide back into the partition — out of the way, with no rail on the floor, instead of swinging and occupying room which can so much bet- ter be filled with furniture- — render the hanging sliding door so desirable, that in building a first-rate house, or even a tolerably good one, any difference in price that may be found between the two plans is overlooked in the prevalent desire for comfort, convenience, and style. NEW MARKET IN NEW YOEK. It is a most unaccountable fact, that no place in the United States can pre- sent so great a display of actual nasti- ness and discomfort in the matter of market buildings, as the grand metro- politan city. That which is called " Washington" is a stigma on the name ; and, being the largest, is therefore the greater stigma. The " Fulton" is an- other insult to a great name — being as dirty in proportion as that just alluded to ; and as inconvenient, as if designed so to be. It is therefore with an unfeigned sense of relief, that we turn our atten- tion to the Market now being built in the Eighteenth Ward, between Sixteenth and Seventeenth streets, next to the East river, at avenue C. This structure covers an area of 347 feet by 164 feet, fronting on the avenue and having entrances on all four of its sides. It is built of Colabar brick with black mortar ; and owing to its extent and to the great number of openings for circular-headed windows and doors,