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The Express Publishing
Co. was founded in 1865, within weeks of the end of the Civil War.
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The Express News Building
was erected in 1929 by Mr. Frank G. Huntress. Designed by Herbert S. Green,
it was a scaled down copy of the Chicago Tribune Building, done in the
Modern American Style.
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The eight story tower
is capped with a two story octagonal spire. The eighth floor is currently
occupied by Lawrence Walker, publisher of the Express News. The eighth
floor is capped by an octagonal clerestory.
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The seventh floor houses
the conference room. During the early sixties a dropped ceiling was installed
that concealed the ornate coffered ceiling. Installation of the dropped
ceiling required the use of hanger wires for the ceiling gridwork. Penetrations
were made at all the strategic locations for the wires. About four dozen
rough holes appeared to be made with little concern for the elaborate embellishments
in place there. The restoration required us to make quite a number of brushed
in place polyurethane molds. Replacement pieces were then cast, shaped,
and then reassembled like a jigsaw puzzle. The only image available at
this time is a photo taken before I started the restoration. Soon I will
be adding others, including the finished product. You can see this image
by clicking
here.
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The walls in this area
are decorated with front page plates from presses around the world from
Oct. 29, 1929. The New York Stock Exchange was crashing.
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On the corner
of Third and Avenue E, above the front doors, flanked by two immense
eagles,
is a frieze cut in Bedford limestone, representing the ideas of journalism.
Created by Pompeo Coppini, a New York Sculptor, it is titled The
Enlightening of the Press. Six huge lifelike figures represent labor,
education, knowledge, enlightenment, truth, and justice. A large globe
is in the center and Education points to San Antonio. Lines to the figures
represent the telegraph. The woman representing Knowledge holds a star
in her right hand.
