January 5, 1894.] 



SCIENCE 



THE McMillan chemical laboratory. 



BY DELOS FALL, ALBION, MICH. 



This building, the generous gift of Senator James Mc- 

 Millan, is now completed and will be devoted exclusively 

 to the Department of Chemistry. It was dedicated Nov. 

 15 with appropriate exercises, addresses being delivered 

 by Professor A. B. Prescott, of Michigan University, 

 Professor H. H. Donaldson, of Chicago University, Senator 

 McMillan, Professor Washington Gardner and others. 



The plans were drawn by Mr. E. W. Arnold, architect, 

 of Detroit; the building was erected by the firm of Wal- 

 lace & Morris, builders and contractors, of Detroit. 



of galvanized iron. The foundations are of stone. Prom 

 the ground to the first story window-sill, the outside is 

 faced with cut stone ashlar in courses. 



The exterior treatment is colonial in character, which 

 will give to the building a quiet dignity and, at the same 

 time, perfect appropriateness to the purposes for which it 

 is erected. 



The basement story is 10 feet high and contains a boiler 

 and fuel room, an assay laboratory with three furnaces 

 and a fire table; a hall, a fire-proof storage vault; a re- 

 search room, fitted with tables, ventilating hoods, etc.; a 

 room for large gas tanks holding oxygen and hydrogen; 

 a distilling room, with fire-proof tables, hoods, etc.; a 



The cut of the exterior and the fioor plans here pre- 

 sented will give the reader a general idea of the struc- 

 ture. The general form of a building that would best 

 suit the requirements of the various departments was 

 found to be a rectangle, 52 x 88 feet. This is divided 

 into two parts in each story by a hall 13 feet in width. 

 This provides a wide, recessed entrance on both sides of 

 the building. 



lavatory, a storage room, and a second large research 

 room. 



In the first story, which is 13 feet high, there is, on one 

 side of the hall, the organic laboratory, 27 x 30 feet, con- 

 taining tables for 24 students, with 29 feet of hoods, also 

 wall tables, cases for chemicals, etc. Adjacent to this is 

 the quantitative laboratory, 22 x 30 feet, with tables for 

 20 students, hoods, wall tables, etc. ; a combustion room, 



i/lSC'AC^T- 



There are three stories and a basement, all abundantly 10 x 17 feet, and dispensing room, 10 x 21 feet, 



lighted by high and broad windows. On the other side of the hall is the instructor's study 



All outside and inside walls are of brick. The entran- with a private stairway to the basement and the lecture 



ces, sills, lintels, copings, etc., are cut stone, the cornices room above. This is furnished with book cases, fireplace, 



