Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-27
THE WORK COMPLETE.

The New Ceiling in Christ Episcopal
Chureh-A Triumph of Architecture.
The new ceiling in Christ Episcopal
Church. johnson square, considered 10 Oe
one of the most elaborate and beautiiul
works of its character in modern archltec-
ture. will be unveiled to the puolic u
morrow.
The work is wrought in native georgia
pine. finished in oil, in the modern Uothic
STYLE and was designed and executed I'M
der the sunervision of Mr.. John j. hewitt,
arcbitect Mr.. !. J. Mcmahon, builder,
and Mr.. Jno. T. Murtagh, decorator, of this
civ. at A cost Of over $4,000. Those who
have studied the wonders of architecture
in European churches pronounce this work
a marvel of Gothic construction, and
superior to the famous ceilings of the old
world.
The work was begun in July and has
been progressed night and day by douDie
force of wOrkmen, with the ana OF the
electric light. which was introduced al
the Succession of Mr.. hewitt. This is be-
lieyed to be the first instance where the
light has been successfully adopted Tor
night work of this order. The details OF
the design have been skillfully executed,
and the ceiling is worthy OF the closest
study. -,
The church structure is a plain paral-
telegram. spanned with truss ROOF: III
was seen that the main orders oil the
truss formed the most conspicuous lea
tI1re- and these were taken as the leading
features in the proposed reconstruction
the weII-knOwn rule in Gothic architec-
ture being to decorate all construction,
rather than conceal it. The walls are
spanned by seven of these girders, diVld-
ing the roof plan into equal bays, ana
these are again subdiYided INTO three
parts bv two cross girders, which cut the
area Of ceiling into twenty-one main
panels.
These are divided into principal and
minor panels. In the centre row the prln-
cipal panels are divided into five minor
p5nels. and in the two side rows into four.
Thus there are three orders of panels;
seven Orders. seven principal and ninety
one minor panels. At the intersection OF
the main and cross girders turned
pendant neatly moulded and huted, Is
fixed. The lOftiest of the main and cross
rirders are enriched with a running
0uatrefoil pattern. finished with neat
coyiDg Of the whole panel in with,a bead
moulding. The outer edges Of the glrder
panels are stopped chamfered, ana the
angle formed by the Intersections glrder
and principal panels is finished with well
formed coVed cOrnice. The intersections OF
Z principal and the forming Of the minor
! panels are finished with bed mould OF a
I bold design. The intersection Of the CELL
I ING and walls is also handsomely finished
7 in n bold cOrnice formed of diamond pan
/ els. each diamond having quatrefOil In
the centre. and each quatrefOll containing
I i neatly turned rOsette. The f0rmlngs
are finished with a half-rOund, which, at
/ the centre, meet in pyramidal boss The
I design has been carefully studied, ana
/ was fully matured before work was begun.
In the 0iling, decorating and finishing
/ the architect followed the same rule
adopted in the construction, and has
wrought the principal features and mould
I iDgs in gold and cOlOrs, enhancing the
( beauty and showing the details OF the
work. which otherwise would have been
wholly lost. The principal cOlOrs are
\ carmine. maroon, ebony and orange, and
/ lemon gold.
Before any gold or color was put on,
I however. the entire woodwork of ceiling
and cOrnice underwent very elaborate
treatment Of Oiling. sand papering, filling
iapannying hard oil finish and vanishing
according to the modern style OF car finish
/ The architect was fortunate in securing
for this work Mr.. John t. Murtagh, an
experienced car painter, for some time in
the employ of the Savannah, Florida and
/ Western Railway Company. This gentle
man his very faithfully carried out the
architects ideas i'm his department.
some idea of the extent of the decoration
/ NAV be formed from the statement
that nearly two thousand books OF gold
7 leaf. manufactured expressly for this
work. were used. The entire work Is
I worthy of admiration. and the finish is by
/ far the handsomest and most permanent
. Improvement vet introduced.