Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-03-24

of offices, prettily painted ana iinisheu
in natural wood. with hard woou hoofs,
windows fronting Water street. anu
will be occupied by County Attorhes
Geo. w. Heselton.
The decorating of the interior ot tnt
main hall which is 60X3O feet on th'ro
floor, WAS let to Major John w. berr!
a prominent Mason in competition WIN
firms In Boston. Mr.. Berry mas
an cnviablc reputation AS an ar'ist.o
designer ana decorator and his last et-
forts in this direction at the Masonic
hall. are in accordance with the other
high class work which he has cXecuteu.
His designs for interior wood Wo"N'
cornice and electrical lighting, were ac-
cepted by the committee and the detaiis
were carried out according to MS di-
rectlons.
The general effect is light-vcry hsht'
SO there is not Il shadow or dark p'acc
in the entire hall. Tho style OF ueco-
ration Is Louis XIV" adapted Oh
course to Masonic purposes. the cen
tral portion of the ceiling is made OF
long circular panels. composed OF 10
laural wrcaths in relief, MOD
cllcd in Boston, from desisns
made by the decorators. Eisnt
of these wreaths have Masonic
,,ttcrs in gold. There are eight branches
of c,cctrc lights three lights each The
,,c,d of this panel is a delicate cloud
nroo. ,,c center of which comes on an
cluster of 16 lights. ---e
In the east end Of the ceiling there are
cmblematic panels of the terrestrial globe,
a. ha
celestial globe. Outside of this, one of
the principal features of the ceiling Is a
very broad free hand rocco scroll, per
haps irregular in shape. and from to
feet in width, according to the drawing.
The middle portion gives clouded effect
in delicate green and white. Running to
the cornice is Il rococo border, blue and
white lights. with four panels. interviewer
into Il scroll. giving the names of the four
bodies holding meetings there. and data
of their charters, IL matter which will
give useful Information to the members.
as Mr. Berry was unable TO find any Ma
son who was able to give the data with
out first consulting the Masonic books.
The walls are panclcd in the same
styled decorations as the ceiling, u-ouis
XIV. The panels are II clouded green
and wnite, and the field of the wall III a
modified yellowish red. The cornice is
very elaborate covering the ceiling some
two feet, and extending down the wall
about 30 inches, with numerous members
to catch the light, cast shadows with
braids and a continuous band of modelled
relief plaster is stationed in the cast.
making it very impressive. starting from
x,stl, tVuya
feet high. panclcd with plastic carved
work. which continues with f'uted col
umns surmounted with carved capitals.
with continued plastlcal moulding ana
nuting until it becomes incorporated INTO
the cornicc.
The stations in the west ana south cnds
arc of the same styled architecture, but
sma..cr with single columns ana only
reaching as high as the line of the panel
work upon the walls. 'Thc background OF
each station is in dull red. with n diaper
pattcrn of '.fleur de lis The wainscot is
all in pancl work and continues around
the hall from station to station and from
door to door All the wood work Is I'm
ished in Il dead white.
A switch board. which is located near
the main entrance to the large hall, con
trolls the individual service of the electric
lights. The Brussels carpet Is of Il rich.
dull red with quiet pattern in self color.
The furniture is of uuartcred oak. covered
with silk plush. which is also of dull
red color.
The block is Il handsome and substan-
tial Masonic building and second to none
in the State. 1t Is; four stories high with
"A front made entirely of buff cOlorcu
bricks The cost of the building is csti-
mated to be $4,000. 1t is truly an elegant
and permanent home for the Masonic
bodies of Gardiner and one of which they
may well feel proud.