The record-union., 1897-08-21

gallery of every particle of surface fin
ish and the rich grain was no longer
visible. All this work has been rubbed
down and given two heavy coats of the
best varnish, and the grain brought out
in all its original beauty. Every panel,
rail, door and bit of polished work
throughout has been repolished save the
doors and holdings of the cloakroom,
which must wait until next year,
though it is a great pity that the work
cannot be wholly completed now.
The beautiful Grecian pillars in the
art room have been re-tinted in pale
blue lines, but the heavy bases of wal
nut cannot now be touched. The win
dow frames which a quarter of a CEN
tury of exposure to natural wear and
tear had put into a. very bad condition
it was feared would have to be skipped
this time The paint on them had
all peeled off or scrolled up, the stops
were shrunken and the frames became
rough and unsightly and the bare wood
exposed All repairs called for by this
condition of the windows have been
made by close economy. Some of the
windows had to be gone over as many
as five times to restore the surface
finish so badly had the wear of time
treated the wood. In the office the
walls have been completely repaired
and retinted and a WainScott of lin
crusta walton laid on and vanished.
The effect is a very happy one, and
visitors viii now find the office wait
ing room most inviting one, and in
keeping with the character of the
whole structure. Every piece of metal
work has been repolished throughout,
after thorough cleansing, and all the
chandeliers touched up where nee
essary, and the marble statuary has
been thoroughly treated to remove all
finger marks. Some device will now
be adopted to prevent it being damaged
again by handling.
The 155 electric lamps have been
cleaned and the seventy-five quadruple
reflectors given a new surface, while
the floating gallery bearing them has
been cleared of the accumulation of
years of dust and dirt from the loft,
and all the supporting beams have
been restored to their original color.
The sunlight screens have been cleaned
and a new one, fifty feet in length
placed in the south gallery, effectually
shielding the paintings from rays of
the sun on that side. The unSightly
old gas pipe pendants in the main gall
lery have been removed and the pipe
heads and stops colored to match the
ceiling
On the lower floor only a little is be-
ing done at present. The woodwork is
not to be touched now though needing
it, but the old rostrum drapery is all
torn out, and a new treatment of the
rostrum has been adopted. The ros-
trum drapery and screens We're put in
originally eleven years ago without
cost to the city. The hangings had
faded, became unsightly, and the car
pet covering the stage had gone to
pieces completely The new rostrum
will include the old platform, but all
drapery is abandoned. Instead, there
viii be three screens at the rear in in
grain paper, with a floating screen to
exclude from the view from the audi
torium the rear door to the furnace
room. Overhead there will be large
panel of ingram paper with border.
The exposed gas pipes have been torn
for the stage which Will have it's steps
and risers laid in maroon stain, var
nished, while the stage itself will be
covered by a large rug in keeping with
the finish Of the room. It will then
be in better state for use by public as
semblies than ever before.
The gallery will be reopened In a few
days, and when it is visited by our
people they will realize how great has
been the change effected by the ap-
plication of clear water, elbow grease
polish and varnish and how much has
been done for a small sum. But this
| is not saying that there has been any
neglect to apply water and labor at all
times in the past. In fact the testimony
! of the pohshers and expert workers
now in the gallery Is that it is sur
prising that the interior could have
/ been kept in such good condition so
| long as it has been, without repolish-
/ ing. restraining and general repairs
| What is now needed is a flight of stone
steps for which there is a good foun-
| datiOn already laid. If the ramshackle
old wooden flight that has done SER
vice for more than a quarter of a cen
/ tury, and was built. say the original
/ builders, with the idea of being re-
placed in very few years, do not col
lapse before the winter is over it will
be a happy escape.