The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-31
ART m THR POLICE STATIONS
CAPT. DOOLEY rs THE LEADER or
THE NEW MOVEMENT.

He Has His sIeuthA Out Lacking for Old
Masters In Mulberry StFeet-A Border
Of Chorus GlTIs In the TendeFlOln and q
FrieZe Of Monkeys at the Arsenal.
Any one who feels pessimlstio about the
cause Of art is recommended to take q
flying trip down TO the Elizabeth street
police station and cheer up. Art 10 CON-
tinua)ly taking strides forward. but It's q
long time since she took such q hop. skip
and a jump as she has just taken In the
Sixth precinct.
Some time ago il was announced that
there would be a gradual attempt TO reno
vate. rejuvenste and also rehabiitate the
older police stations. In accordance with
this excellent plan severe internal altera-
tons were begun in the Elizabeth street
station.
The good work was started last Monday
night when Capt. Robert +. Dooiey assembled
an unsteady stepladder and with a gilded
brush scrubbed the first scrub on the time
stained walls. Since then the reserves
have been working continuously In relays
till now che walls are as white as the driven
snow.
1t was while he was supervising the work
tiat NlS hCo VI I itH NtAo SeiAIo VI 80
came to the captain. At first he was q little
difident about the plan. but gradually its
full possibilities dawned upon him,
Il don't see why It wouldn't be a good
scheme TO decorate those walls while we're
about it," he remarked as he pulled away
at his cigar. "Over here in the Atlantic
Garden just across the street they have the
walls frescoed with bits of ancient Pom
peiian and GreciRn scenery all done In
color. Now when the lieutenant on the
desk sits out here he doesn't have any
thing attractive like that to meet his eye.
Nothing but four blank walls to gaze at with
u tablet on one. saying. 'Com'rs Of Police
and the four names. together with the date
Of erection. 1881
Every man in the station cheered Capt.
Dooley TO the echo. Full OF his plan the
captain assigned four detectives to the job
OF hunting up a Raphael in Mulberry street.
Six patrolmen we're detailed to 60 over 10
the Atlantic Garden 10 ma Ike a careful study
Of the frescoes there Inc report on them.
These preliminary details attended to
Capt. Dooley heaved a sigh Of relief. To-
gether with a couple Of reporters he fell TO
discussing the designs which would look
the prettiest on the freshly scrubbed walls.
The captain was strong for a border OF
cherubs intert wined with wreaths
why not have the designs symbolic as
we'll as beautiful one Of the reporters sug-
gested. There ought to be q series OF
figures, each representing a member OF the
Police Department
This provoked deep discussion and it was
finally decided hat on the largest wall
facing the desk there should be q graphic
picture Of Jupiter In the act Of hurting q
thunderbolt. Jupiter, seated on pink clouds,
would p~ersonify the Commissioner and the
thunderbolt was the nearest classical ap;
proach to a shRkeup that anybody could
think OF.
Right below Jupiter would be a centaur,
a splendid allegory for the ira fio squad,
and beneath him a picture OF Mercury, who,
as Capt. Dooley observed, was undoubtedly
the first patrolman,
Mercury was more OF a roundsman. now
you come TO think OF It.. he said rehectively,
and I'm thinking he'll Go 60 represent
them both"
When word OF the frescoes TO be painted
in the Elizabeth street station was carried
to the other precincts, every captain, lieu
the city got busy designing in his minds
eye the pictures he wanted OF the walls he
has to look at. Capt. McClusky in the Ten
derloin has an idea for q border OF chorus
girls i~nterspersed with hamburger steaks,
and the Arsenal police station in Central
Park didn't a ten minutes to decide upon
a decorative frieze Of monkeys. Capt.
Lantry OF the East Fifty-irst street station
Is likely to combine beauty with utility and
Mickey Splaine. Mary is lost from home
several times a week. Every man in the
precinct, Capt. Lantry said, would soon
become familiar with Mary's appearance
and her brother Mickey wouldn't have to
describe her every time she was lost.