Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-17
The COURT HOUSE.
The Prettiest Decorated Court
Room in New England.
In, Repairs Now Nearing Completion
Have Been Very Extensive.
All Hand CARING and Specially Designed
Decorations by Major Berry.

house proceeds there are daily a mum
Der of visitors who go to see what
progress is being made and to enjoy
the beauties of the place. The repairs
are now well along, and with good
luck they will be all completed in
ample time for the sitting of the SUI
perior court. the first Tuesday of Sep
TENDER. Judge Hall will be the first
justice to preside in the remOdeled
court room, and he will undoubtedly
.christen it in good style.
The court room is a perfect gem.
1t is said on good authority that there
is not a handsomer interior of a court
Kennebec people should be proud of
their court house, for there is certain
~ nothing that can approach it in this
State. The contrast is all the more
marked, for before it was rather a
dingy and poorly arranged room.
The county commissioners before
starting on the repairs, made q trip to
different court houses to study the ar
rangement of the court rooms. They
visited one court house in Massachu-
sets which cost $3.50. 900. OF course
there is most magnificent building
but the commissioners like our court
room much better.
Major John w. Berry of Gardiner.
drew the plans and has had the entire
supervision of the renovations. Major
Berry is a man of much taste and
ability in such matters. and he has
done wonders with the old room.
Everything in the entire renovatons
has been specially designed by Major
Berry, with a view of having some
thing different from that found any
where else. There is not a thlng
which has been duplicated. Even the
electric fixtures We're designed by the
architect He has endeavored to pro
duce a quiet, dignified and classical
effect in the designs, and he has adj
mirably accomplished his Intentions.
The furniture, which is of the rich
est mahogany, has arrived, but has
not yet been unpacked and set up. and
will not be for a week. 1t Will set off
the room in grand style. and will be in
perfect harmony with the decorations
of the walls and ceiling.
All of the furniture and fittings of
the old court room have been removed.
There is absolutely nothing left of the
old room, and one would never recog-
niZe it, The four old chimneys have
been taken out and two handsome
granite chimneys built on the outside
of the building. They are marked
contrast to the old brick chimneys
painted white, and one has only To
look at the granite ones and then at
the brick ones. which have not yet
been torn down. to see how much bet
"a y
the old The one on the Winthrop
street side of the court house is much
larger than that on the Court street
side, and is consequently much better
looking The one on the south side of
the building is all completed and the
staging taken down. and the other one
will be completed by the end of the
week.
The court room has a heavy wains-
coting Of quartered oak. 1t is mag
nificent. and is finished in the old
English style The wood is beautifully
grained and produces a quiet, rich
effect.
The carving on the wainscoting
and over the doors has all been done
by hand, there not being the least bit
of machine work in the whole job.
There are some very pretty designs in
the carving, and they blend with the
rest of the work.
The panels around and over the en-
trance doors are relief work of the
renaissance arabesque design. They
are all in relief and are being trea ted
to produce the metallic effect. They
will look like brass panels when COM
- l. Il
some. They are certainly of pretty
designs and are handsome in their in
complete condition. These are all of
Major Berry's own designing.
The frieze border is in stereo- relief
and is also renaissance pattern of
Major Berry's design. The border has
| been treated with the Florentine
colors. 1t is unlike anything in this
section, and has been greatly admired
There is nothing exactly like it as far
as known. and it sets off the new cell
| ing very finely.
The ceiling is all new. 1t is re-
| cessed and finished in stucco dentals.
| The main color is Chinese blue and
cream, and the effect is very pleasing.
| The opening into the room from be-
hind the judges bench is beautiful. 1t
| is a plaster all hand carved, with a
| specially designed capital. There is a
| relief panel in the header which bears
| the letters TX. c. in monogram.
The general effect sought after here is
that of classical dignity, and it is GER
tainly obtained.
All the windows have been cut down
one asher in the granite wall, and the
old small windows removed and re-
placed by heavy plate glass. The new
| windows besides being ever SO much
better appearing make the room a
great deal lighter and more cheerful
looking.
The system of ventilation is now
much better arranged. In the center
of the ceiling there is big oval open
ing which has two openings. Then
there are four ventilatOrs in the cor
ners. These all connect with two large
outlets on the roof which insure cur
rent of good. fresh air all the time.
In the old court room the circular
arrangement of the spectators seats
took up much more room than wa.
l necessary. This has now been changed
and the seats at the rear of the room
are arranged in a straight, row, al
~ Inf for