The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-02
ECONOMY IN MAGNIFICENCE.
gorgeous Marbles That May ID.
CheaDIy Initiated in Plaster.

Gorgeous Marbles That Nav he
Cheaply Initiated in Plaster.
New York Tribune.
In this age of limitations no one will
De surprised to learn that in the decora-
tlcn OF large hotels, theaters and other
pubhc places a mixture of plaster and
chlpped stone is being used instead OF
marble.
Only night or two ago a prominent
archltect, in company with a. friend
from out-of-town, was passing through
the corridor of one of New York's most
psIauaI hotels, when, stopping in front
OF huge marble column, he paused
t ana INQUIRED, what do you think of
that Tor a fine piece Of stone-cutting'
Excellent, replied the friend.
wei, I'll give you a pointer" con-
tlnued the architect. There isn't an
men OF genuine marble in that whole
G0lumn. The entire work is imitation.
mat IS simply an iron column sur
rounded with plaster. which is finished
u u1a by py a patent process to look like
marble Work of that kind has be-
ccme popular now. The stuff costs
HttIe ana can be put on in no time
whereas, II marble were used, the cost
would be enormous. Look at it. No
one could tell the difference from real
marble, and every one goes away i'm
pressed with the magnificent and ex-
nnlshed up. Just up the street a wav
is theater over whose splendor peo-
PIE are doing no end Of talking. The
entrance b1azes with electric lights. and
on all sides is this imitation marble.
w nat Is the use Of spending money for
sile genuine article when the imitation
uoeS Just as well It's the same old
story OF the rich woman and the dia-
mCnds. Any one who has the reputa-
llon Tor riches can wear any amount of
paste stones, and they pass for genu-
Inc, and the men passed on out of
hearing
A Tribune reporter called on several
OF the leading architects, making in
curry as to the extent of the demand
Ior the imitation marble. In almost
every architects office there were some
samples Of the imitation stone Some
OF the architects admitted having used
the article in buildings designed by
them, while others said that in all
their work only the genuine marble
was used. Those who had used il de-
c!lned to name any building, saying
that in so much as 1t was Imitation
the owner would not care to have
such information given out for public
use.
The artificial stone is made generally
In styles to resemble the dark red mar
pie No small amount Of human in
telllgence and ingenuity has been ex-
pended in the effort to make a product
which would take the place of the
genuine stone. AT one time there was
concern claiming to be able to take
white marble and color 1t so that it
could not be told from the most ex-
pensive Of imported goods. AS white
marble costs as little as any of the
various kinds, and as the cost of color
ing 1t was slight, it could be put in
much cheaper than the costly colored
marbles, and some one expected to
make a fortune from the process; but,
from what could be learned nothing
much was done with the new patent
In the best class of buildings the gen.
Uine article seems to have the call,
and most of the interior work is finish,
ed with bona fide marble. In finishing
columns the artificial process has a
great advantage in the rapidity and
cheapness with which it can be put
on, and no doubt will have an extensive
use for such purposes.