The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-05-09
TH[ Y.M.C.A.
Alterations to Gymnasium
 Nearly Completed
The Connections visitors' Gallery
 wm Be One of tho Groatost Com vonienoos For Handling n Crowd
 Arrangements For Bottor Light

The finishing touches are being put on the Y. M. C. A. gymnasium and m few days the improvements recently started will be completed. They will certainly add greatly to the cifecti'e- ness of the institution at large, al- though the direct benefit will be mani tested in the athletic department. When everything in the shape oi changes now under way has beea hn- ished tthe gymnasium will be yer, complete for a place the size of Skag way and it will be more popular than ever.
 Secretary Reid takes some pride m the success which has crowned his efforts to get this important branch of the work on better base and one more commensurate with the needs. which are steadily increasing. He has long sought this betterment and labored zealously for its acquisition and now that it is practically realized he will turn his attention to other features with the fixed purpose of bringing them up to a higher standard.
 The ceiling of the gymnasium was yesterday being painted in a pale blue tint. This will give greatly added illum- mating effect to the recently installed powerful arc lamps which consume gasoline The effect at night IS going to be very good and one which will surely be deeply appreciated by play CTS and spectators. The difficulty over light heretofore will be a relic of the past as soon as the new order of things is instituted.
 The greatest addition, however. and the one in which the people at large take the most interest is the visitors gallery which has been put in. lt IS exceptionally large when compared with the size of the room and will com iortably accommodate over one hun dred persons. It is SO arranged that every spectator has at all times a good view of an parts of the floor, the seats being terraced. Some of the best athletes in the city take part in the en- tertainments at the Y. M. C. A.. and many persons have always desired to winess their ieats, but the trouble here tofore has been that only a very few could be admitted and they had to be allowed space on the main floor, which was inconvcnient to them as well as hindrance to the performers. All this will be changed m the future. The on- lockers will be placed in the gallery where they can be comfortably seated and see the exercises and the floor will be reserved for the use of the gladiators. The balcony is readily reached by a stairway leading to the left from the main hallway.
 A spacious dressing room for the performers has been provided on the east side of the passage way. This IS another convenience which has been wanting for a long time and the lack of which has entailed discomfort upon the players. Some lockers have also been put m.
 The carpenter work will be complet- ed this week and the apparatus replae- ed, SO that by Monday everything win be in ship shape.
 Just now Secretary Reid is engrossed upon the details of the coming grand banquet and enlisting volunteers to help put Fifth avenue on which the as- sociation building faces in a more pre- sentable condition.