New-York tribune., 1909-09-25
ART AIDS CELEBRATION
DESIGNING THE FLOATS
Studio Filled ycith ScalptOrs and
Decorators Busy 1cith
Decorations.
Decorations.

I
/ There are interesting things 20 be seen these
days in the workshops in The Bronx where
host OF artists and wOrkmen employed by the
Hudson Fulton Celebration Commission are
striving day and night 70 complete the hundred
floats that are 70 be displayed In the TIVE night
paseants during the celebration In the model
ling room master sculptors. assisted by a deft
quick moving force of men and girls, are model
ling in clay and plaster the figures and objects
that Will adOrn the floats
The rough skeleton OF the figure Is first built
Of lath and wire mesh and then masses o. soft.
green clay are patted on 20 the skeleton The
sculptOrs' assistants next mould the mass into
some sernblance OF the design with their hands.
wooden paddles and wire sCrapers. Then the
sculptor models the features OF the face and
form of the figure. or the exact outline OF the
object 70 be produced. so that when finished it
is accurate TO the fraction Of an inch The
next step Is the taking OF a plaster mould Of ths
clay model Y
Papier mach6 workers then take possession OF
the cast. Five or six layers Of thin, tough paper
are pasted over every part of the east and al
lowed 20 dry perfectly. The cast is then split
in two by cutting through the layers of paper,
and the plaster east is removed. The papier
maehe mould is carefully joined and sewed With
fine wire and the place Of opening covered with
more layers Of pasted paper
When finished and dried the papier maehe
figure will stand remarkable amount Of rough
usage and retains every line of the original clay
model The papier mache forms are then
painted and are ready 70 be attached 70 the
floats There is one young woman IN the model
room Who is deft as the male sculptors and
does her work without the aid of live OF lay
model
Outside. in the main part Of the workshop.
is forge with backsmiths bUsify engaged in
making chains and many kinds OF iron parts for
the floats. In another corner are two buzz saws
and lathe, while between are carpenters
benches and the paint shop. Wandering around
the shop are men carrying clocks hung around
their necks by straps, These are the watehmen,
always patTolng, day and night. on the out
look for the first signs OF fire or danger OF any
Kind. From tie sirders there stretches a net
work ~ fire hose attached 10 hydrants ready
for instant use. and on convenient shelves at
short intervals are hand fire extinguishers and
grenades.
\ GIGANTIC EAGLE.
Almost every conceivable object is modelled
and made into papier mache in the mode. room
from imitation flames and cabbages 70 heroic
figures Of men and women and an eagle that
stands eighteen feet high and extends fifteen
feet from tip to tip.
The figures and objects that are toe large T.,
he carried out OF the model room through the
small doors. or for convenience in handInc. are
cut into small sections. Each section is Num-
bered. while a drawing Of the figure or object
with the sections correspOndingly numbered. ia
preserved. 10 facilitate the reassembEne- Of the
figures. The congestion in the model room, is so
great that II has been found necessary 10 i'm
PFov'se a workshop on the roof OF the building
MAKING THE FLOATS.
The first step in the making OF a aOat is thu
building OF a rough foundation for the drsir,
OF timber covered with wire mesh. The wire
Is then covered with heavy coarse linen. ana ia
ready for the application of the stuceO or papier
mache work The high parts are next built up
ana the positions Of the figures and objects to be
placed upon the float are carefully marked m ac-
cordance with the artists design from which
the men work The decorations at the base are
leit Nhtli the last. They are built with as much
accuracy as house is. and the effects accom-
phshed are as perfect as IL they were intended
Tor use for several years. and not merely for me
parade.