The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-01-25
Vacation Hotes.--No. 3.

The great Gre Of Boston was a severe blow 10
the prosperity Of The city. from which Il recovered
lees rapidly han Chicago from its similar disaster.
But this tardy recovery has bad is compcnsatlons;
the city has had dime 10 link. aud 10 60 about the
work Of restoration In a thoughtful and delibera-
tive spirit as n consequence. Boston regcneratcd.
is more attractive than ever. and tAe new buildings
are wonderful Tor their beauty. solidity and con.
venience. aud qualities that render them coupari.
lively safe from The enemy that destroyed their
predecessors. IL Is said that Bosionians no longer
claim leadership Ia literature. philosophy and . no.
tions.'i but that they slill profess pre- emInenec IN
taste. Authority in other matters they are ready
TO ~resigH,-Perbaps that their worn ir other lines
Of education Is eompleted-but DOT Ia that some-
what intangible accomplishment called. for want
OF a more desnite term. good taste. Therr may be
a deep aud cunning design In this apparent half
Abdieation whieh disarms opposing claims and
soothes and blindf0lds dangerous competitors Tor
whoever is accorded leadership Ia matters OF taste
may well rest satisfied, for what worthy thing Ia
life Is not within the province OF taste and depend
ent for lis value upon the influence ol that subtle
quality. Whether they are entitled OF not To the
position Of arbiters in this Geld, their city With It's
architectural features, it's art schools and galleries.
It's picture stores aud house furnishing establish.
ments, gives strong primd fdcie support 10 the
claim.
Among the new houses, in The burnt district. the
Insurance building. on Milk street, II perhaps the
most imposing. IL Is built OF marble or white
granite, and has a lofty clock tower OF the same
material, terminating IN a sharp roof. There are
seven stories. and beside the main staircase there
are two elevators. one for passengers, the other
for luggage. The greater part Of the building II
devoted TO business Offices. which are being ocen.
pied by lawyers and oiaere. Each Office IL con
nected with the entrance ball by bell wires and
speaking tubes. while the whole edidce from tho
basement 20 the topmost story Is finished OF on the
inside In a style, the richness and beauty Of which
are almost beyond description. The walls and
floors are OF stone Of various costly aud beautiful
kinds. inlaid and arranged with marvellous work
mansbip. Only the doors are OF wood. everything
else is absolutely nre.proof. The whole lesishfsh'
ment Is heated by steam. In addition 10 which each
Office has a pretty fire place OF marble and granite.
The main staircase is n work Of art, and ~ sup
ported by polished columns of different .colored
marbles. prominent among which h n marble OF n
smoky blue color, and one OF n dull orange. IL
is indeed an honorable tribute 10 labor that so
magnificent a palace, which money kings and SOW
ereigns of great empires might covet.-shonld be
dedicated to the ordinary business OF the commnn-
ity.
The Insurance building however Is equaied n not
surpassed by some OF the new churches on the
Back Bay lands, pre-eminent among which are
Trinity and the new Old South. Both OF these are
wonderful, not only for beauty OF design, but also
for a lavish richness OF decoration-0f elaborate
carved work 10 wood and stone both outside and
in, and n sombre magniRcenoe Of color cfecL The
former IL built Of Roxbury stone In the form Of a
Latin cross, with q massive tower rising from the
junction of the nave and transepI, which N nanked
by four turrets. The interior. with It's deep ciois-
tered galleries in the three arms Of the cross. IL I'm
ished in dark wood. and colors Of duh red. dark
olive green and tawny gold. MEDIEVAL pictures
Of saints. apostles and cherubs are painted in pan
nels on the walls. The cbancel Ia. very large,
with the reading desks far 10 the front, almost IN
der the tower. Colored wlndows OF Conventional
designs let In o softened light. The effect IL ex-
~ceedingly rich and harmonious. An immense chan
delier OF polished brass, with It's hundreds Of burn
ers. hangs under the middle OF the tower. but its
Cash and glitter seem incoagruoMsu with he aaiet
and solemn atmosphere of the place. II ss-usual,
after the close OF the Sunday morning service, for
hundreds OF the audience 10 remain TO wonder and
admire, perchancc to read nnspoken, sermons In
stones.
Philips Brooks. tho pastor. docs not sanar by
comparison with the splendid temple IA which no
liberal and Catholic spirit and n noble pnd. sym
teaching Of a loving Christian faith, holds
and influences toward rightliving the Large congre-
cations that gather 10 hear bis words.
The new Old South is In the form OF a cross with
a Florehtine campanile $50 feet high. Over the
junction OF the wings is u small green and gilded
copper dome with pinacles. IL Is difficult 10 guess
its purpose and with its mosque like effect II Is ont
OF keeping with the gothic character OF the buiid-
ing. Outside there Is a wreath OF leaves carved In
stone running horizontally around tho
church, while inside, the carvings In wood aud
stone and the mosaics are " too beautiful for any
Except q church. "a
The Brattle Square Society church near by. has a
lofty square tower. beneath The pyramidal roof OF
which are carved figures of the apostles. life sise,
ranged around the tower, while at each corner is
the statne OF an angle In the 4actAof blowing
G. straight gilded trumpbet. From another
part of the building springs n slender min
aret like spire. The church Is reported TO have
nearly bankrupted the society.
The new art museum in the same locality Is still
unfinished. though the completed portion 10 already
occupied as q gallery Of art. The style OF the
building is richly decorative, the outside walls be-
ing partly covered with beautiful classic bass
representing NEUROLOGICAL subjects.
Household art is represented by the store OF The
Art Company and Other lfurnishlng
stores hardly behind IL in tie variety, beauty and
artistic character OF their articles. House furnish
ing has developed in the last few years from the
OF the artisan to that of the artist. and the
enthusiasm on the subject IL immense,
OF course 10 much that IL faulty and oh
'urd. yet the general tendency Is progressive, and
his interest not undesirable. for how cer tho ohSiov
md arrangement Of those articles that contrib
tie so intimately 10 the comfort and completeness
IF the home life, and which must acquire often the
or less a dne art than the harmonlous.
arrangement of trees and flowers, as ini landscape
In these great collections, one finds
many things he never thought of nor missed. but
which are so suggestive as we'll as beautiful that
hey need only to be seen and they at once create
lew wants that can only be supplied by their pos.
ession. 1t Is a pleasure 10 go through these
torres. IL only 70 study the tendency of the. age
house fitting, but to go with money 70 buy, 10 to
cad oneself into the temptation Of lavish expcnd
tnre and amassing dainty and useless bric-a-brao
rom which one can escape only by the cultivation
( extreme severity Of taste.
The Common and Public garden, making one
in the centre OF the city are always the pride
{ the citizens and improve with every passing
ear. They are within reach Of all, and with their
enerable trees and grass and flowers, their min
atnre lakes and fountains and monuments, have
ecome the place where young and old and rich.
nd poor alike seek recreation, Inspiration md rest.