Evening star., 1909-04-24
CARVED FROM BRITISH OAK
D. A. r FURNITURE In THE
NEW JERSEY ROOM.
Made Of Beams Taken From the
Frigate Augusta, sunk in the
Revolutionary War.

There IL one feature OF memorial Con-
tinental Hall which delights the visitors
and brings to mind one Of those far-away
victories which u American patriots
scored against King George and his men.
The feature Is "the New Jersey room.
furnished by the New Jersey chapters OF
the ID. A. R., and the wood from which
the chairs, wainscoting, beams and other
gifts have been carved is taken from the
British frigste Augusta. which ran
aground October 23. lit, while lighting
swarm Of American galleys anu iioating
batteries on the Delaware. Since then
the frigate has rested isnooly upoa~ New
Jersey sand. q mecca for tourists and a
mine for the mernento seeker.
The Augusta was OF l.45U tons burden.
ond-rate ship. In fact, she was rated as
one OF Engiand's best when she set sail
to take part In what the british admiralty
thought would be the complete supjection
Of the bothefsome Yankees. Yet tor 13U
years the white oak hull lay half under
water, after having vainly tried 10 stem
the tlde OF battle Dy Droadsides Of l,lUU
pounds each. The white oak became as
nard as marble in tnat long period, and
much more difficult to carve. and the New
Jersey Society had great dinculty in find
ing wood workers and sawmilis which
would undertake TO fashion the great
beams Of the decks and hull into chairs,
tables and other furniture.
Miss Matlock's Idea.
The idea of taking enough wood from
the Augusta to furnish \ New Jersey
of the Ann Whitall Chapter of New Jer-
sey. She and Miss Ellen Mecum, for four
years state regent'of New Jersey, worked
cess. Miss Mecum retires this year, as
she Is no longer entitled to hold office. but
every New Jersey Daughter will remember
her as one of the strongest state regents
VINO has ever held Office anywhere in. the
society. She found that to ge, the wood
from the ship would cost $4QU, and imme-
diately set about to get II. Not only did
the New Jersey Daughters raise the $4O0,
but they raised $1,j2O more and spent
every cent Of 1t on their room.
The style adopted tor the furniture of
the room was OF the jacObean period. as
at that time oak was used almost exclu-
siveiy In England. The chairs have been
made some with cane backs and some
with backs carved into wooden cnains and
called "cnain backs" One Of the chairs
hibited at the treausrerS house at York,
England. That replica was one of the
first pieces OF carving to be done for the
room. and was some what in the nature
Ol Ill I1ONeNcI, muse earlier
pieces have received. great praise and
commendation from visitors to the room
Paneled and Carved Wainscoting.
Later on the New Jersey Daughters
had a deep wainscoting made Tor the
room, paneled and carved. and on one
side they had carved the arms of their
state. A testimonial OF Miss Mecum's la
bors was presented by the New Jersey
D. A. r. in the shape of q lamp. The
standard of the lamp is of the Augusta
iron and was beaten into shape by hand.
The design is an exquisite one. There
Is settle and an armchair, graceful
bench, q desk, q massive table. lectern
and an illuminated parchment under
glass showing what eacn gift is and what
chapter gave 1t. The parchment gives
brief history of the wood In addition. The
oak bears only the polish of the tools
and has most unusual and dignitied ap-
pearance.