Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-24

DIR. F. C. THAYER, y.
President of the Centennial Committee
and Marshal of the Parade.
will be thrown into one. The furnish
ings for these are most substantial and
elegant.
Next towards the east in the north
east corner OF the building are the
rooms for the superintendent of
schools ana Board of Education. One
room is larger than the other aud they
are separated by folding doors so that
both can be thrown into one when
meetings are held. The smaller room
viii be used, or in fact both, by the
Superintendent as an office, the two
together being amply large to accom-
modate the meetings Of the Board.
This completes the offices on the
street floor They are all unusually
fine rooms and all finished alike with
hard wood floors and the chartered oak
finish The city officials viii have as
elegant quarters as can be found any
| where in the State when they are set
tied in the new building. Everything
| is of the most substantial and durable
| character and bids fair TO be in excel
| lent cOnGition so years from now. All
| the rooms have entrances to the cor
ridors. and where possible, are con-
| nected so that one can pass from one
| TO the other without going into the
| corridor. 1t is very sensible plan
on which they are arranged and one
primarily for business, but withal very
| cosy.
There is another large toilet room at
| the last end of the building. Stairs
| also lead to the basement and to the
| upper floor opening directly onto the
| stage of the hall. These are for the
| convenience of the actors and others
| who Will occupy the stage and they
can enter the building ana pass to the
| dressing rooms without being seen by
| the audience.
Leaving this end Of the building and
| passing back through the corridor to
| the west end one comes to The stairs
| leading to the hall. These are wide
| and easy OF ascent. going up on either
| side of the entrance. The STEPS are
| all of chartered oak with Mason
| treads. And just q word in regard to
| these treads which are an important
| matter on stairs that will be used by
many thousands of people. The tTeads
| look like narrow strips of hard rubber
set into the steps, and feel like rubber
| under the foot, but they are really of
| lead and steel. They are corrugated,
a shaped piece of steel forming the
| hollow. the tops Of the v are some
| thing like a quarter of an inch in width
and are filled with lead, dovctailed
| in 50 as TO be absolutely secure. The
moderately sharp edges of the steel
project just d trife above the lead
making q firm grip for the shoe. This
arrangement makes ii practically i'm
possible to slip. The combination Of
lead ana steel is 50 arranged that ii
will wear evenly, presenting the same
surface until entirely worn out.
The posts are Of beautiful design and
the ballusters very graceful and pretty
AS a whole the stairs are very beauti-
full and very conveniently arranged
They are constructed primarily to ac-
commodate crowds and are finely
adapted to this.
But before going up stairs just a
look at the box office. This has beer
1 placed on the first floor just a trihe tc
the right of the entr2nce to avoid
| crowding on the landings or at the an
| trance OF the hall. In the roomy cor
/ ridOr crowds can be accommodated all
right and hence the box Office has beer
located here. Massive posts and bar
| have been set in the floor at just 4 suf-
| ficient distance in front of the WIN
dow to allow one person to pass in
| front Of it at q time. Everything here
| is of quartered oak and the window of
| :, iS #
1t is conveniently arranged and far
| enough away from the entrance of the
| hall to prevent the usual confusion
| from causing annoyance to the audi
/ ence.
The ascent to the entrance of the
hall is broken by roomy landing half
way UP. Two shorter flights of stairs
| cover the remainder of the distance
| and when these have been passed one
is at the entrance of the hall. There
is a roomy vestibule here, stairs also
divided into halves by landing going
on up to the balcony from either side
of the vestibule.
On the left of the entrance to the
hall are the parlor, cloak and toilet
rooms for the ladies. The parlor is a
delightful room, large and airy, fin
ished in maroon. The toilet and check
rooms. which are also large, adjoin,
the three making an elegant suite that
will be appreciated by the ladies. Here
wraps can be laid aside, toilets ar
ranged and a bit of gossip enjoyed be-
fore passing into the hail. thing that
is needed with every opera house.
But the needs of the gentlemen have