The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-09-05

July passes the shell OF modernIzation will
have been removed ard Independence hall
VIII appear in the dress OF its lusty youth,
Major Warwick and Director OF Public
Safety Frank NJ. Ritter have associated
with them In the work of restoration an
ADVISORY committee consisting OF Mrs.
Charles Gusts Harrison. who as regent OF
the Philadelphia. chapter OF the Daughters
of the Revolution directed the splendid res
toration of the second story; Charles S.
keyser. the eminent historian OF the build
ing. and Mrs. NJ. b. Chew of the Pennsyi-
vania Society OF the Colonial Danes.
With money furnished by the city the
work has been begun and is being pushed
| along rapidly
The properties associated by Historian
keyser under the one title, Independence
Hall" consist OF three buildings. the CEN
trail with two wings. a county building on
he corner of Sixth. and a city building on
the corner OF Fifth, entirely separate from
the State house. The structures are all
TWO stories In height. and have frontage
of 1896 feet
In the restoration the idea IL TO put the
buildings In the same condition that they
were In 17T6
The National museum. which is now In
the large room east OF the corridor of the
central building. and the portraits OF the
| signers that are hung on the walls of the
to the cast and west wing buildings, which
Will thus constitute two additional attrac-
lions Even the Liberty bell will have to
be moved out of its present place In the
center of the east chamber, but 1t will be
given prominent position in the central
corridor.
| When all these things are taken cut the
=, two principal rooms win receive their old
| time furnishings, and the Independence
| chamber will be made TO look as IL did on
the day that the tongue of the scared bell
| remembered Its mission to proclaim lib
erty throughout all the land anto all the
! inhabitants thereof'--and fulhlled It,
Five distinct buildings. each of inestma-
| bic historic value. Will stand In the block
| between Fifth and Sixth streets on Chest
nut street, when the work Is completed
These Will look as they did when woods
instead of grim rows of business blocks,
surrounded them, and they win be az prim
In their lines and their white doors and
window frames as they were in revolu-
ticnary days.
Big old fashioned lamps on brackets be-
tween the VIII dows Will add to the antique
beauty OF the central building and front
madc bright and colonial with gllstening
cream white paint, which will cover every
piece OF woodwork. including the doors
VIII be enough to make the confirmed
Colonialists 20 into raptures The most
pronounced change VIII be that made In
the construction Of the handsome arca,les
OF the east and west OF the State house
where. In the future. these Will permit
peeps into the refreshing field. which the
act Of the assembly OF February, 1886. de-
clared 1T Is the true intent and mean
Ing OF these presents that no part of the
said ground lying southwark OF the State
house as 1t Is now built be made use OF
for erecting any sort of building thereupon.
but that the said ground shall be enclosed
n n m wall
forever"
In the room In which there Is the great
est interest-the chamber on tho east
whore the declaration Of independence was
signed-there viii be marked changes
First the queer bcardwork on the east wall
viii be removed, and the two huge fire
places will be uncovered The SCOT In
these Is not to be touched. Handsome man.
tel shelves Will be made TO go over these
and comfortable looking red tile hearths
Will be laid upon the base. Plasiers viii
be placed aside OF the flreplaces and viii
extend to the ceiling. Two paneiel doors
will be built into the ened OF the east wall
The present tile flocr will be taken up and
O new oak floor of boards six inches wide
and one and quarter inches thick viii
be put down. The ceiling VIII be painted
gray. The old silver chandelier. cut orr
to permit the new s,se for the Liberty bell
TO be located beneath IT, viii De heightened
again Draped curtains will be placed at
the sides OF the windows and tables. chairs
and all other furniture will be arranged as
during 1916.
The attractive clock towers which were
built OIL either side u the cd State house.
in the manner shown In the copy Of the
sketch OF the building as 1t was in l776 Will
be put back.
The ceilings will be painted gray and
the walls tinted the true colonial buff. for
which color by the way. as well as for
general colonial stxle. Independence hall
win hereafter give the pattern to the whole
country