The northwestern bulletin-appeal., 1924-12-06
FANEUIl HALL HAS
BEEN "DOLLED UP"
Cradle of American Liber-
ty" Renovated.

Boston.-With the work of restora-
ton virtually completed, Faneuil hall,
the Cradle Of American Liberty" now
stands as at first In simple dignity and
beauty, the soft mellow red of the
bricks admirably set of by the cream
trimming Of its woodwork, while the
fresh gliding Of the dome on the old
belfry, with its copper sheathing and
grasshopper weathervane, CLEANS bril-
liantly where before the dome was
darkened with the green-black Of cor
roded. smoke-stained copper.
The most striking result, to the
casual observer, says the Christian
Science Monitor, is the restoration Of
the exterior. Here the many coats Of
unsightly yellow paint obscuring the
brick walls have been removed by
the sand-blast method, crumbling
bricks have been replaced by others
specially made to match the original,
and the whole of the brickwork has
been repainted and waterproofed. The
window frames and castings have been
restored, new castings and frames be-
ing called for In many cases. and
painted white.
Famous Features Preserved.
For the rest Of the exterior. crum-
bling stonework has been replaced,
the old dilapidated canopy OF wood
and canvas has been torn away to
make room for the new canopy Of steel
and concrete construction.
The dome, with its grasshopper
weather vane Of sheet copper, is the
work Of Shem browne, made famous
by Nathaniel Hawthorne's story,
brownies Wooden Image" one Of the
"Twice-Told Tales"
A great number Of small repairs and
changes have been made, new footings
freproofing carried throughout the
building and the interior has been re-
decorated. Paintings have been reno
vated and many other bits of repair
work have been done, at an expense to
the city Of approximately $2S6.OOO, the
total Of the contracts awarded to A.
Pfotti, chief contractor, being $285, 5,954
The total cost of the renovation will
be about $315,000.
Within the hall, the market has been
fioored with concrete, new refrigerat-
Ing equipment has been installed,
overhead sprinklers have been put In,
the market and basement floor slabs
have been waterproofed and general
renovation has been completed. There
was some sentiment at the time the
restoration was begun In favor Of re-
moving the market from the lower
floor Of the hall and turning the entire
building into a historical museum, but
this was abandoned when examination
Of the terms Of gift showed that Pc
ter Faneuil, builder and donor Of the
hall, had stipulated In 1742 that the
hall should always be used as a mar
ket and a place Of public meeting. So
as the donor willed. the hall will re-
main.
FIreprooiing Installed.
In carrying out the program Of fre-
proofing throughout the building, the
wooden pillars and columns have been
replaced by steel or concrete, the floors
have been relaid Of concrete. auto
matte sprinklers have been installed
In the small rooms Of the upper floors
and a water curtain" has been ex.
tended upward inside the outer walls.
Scarcely any work was needed upon
the outer walls. beyond the replace
ment Of a few bricks and the filling
Of a few minor cracks. These walls,
three feet In thickness, have stood
firm since the construction of the
building in 1862. The original Faneuil
hall. built In 1742 by Peter Faneuil
and given to the city, was burned In
1761. 1t was rebuilt In 1852 and dedi.
Gated ito the cause Of liberty" March
II, 1783, James Otis being the princi-
pal speaker. The famous Grade Of
Liberty" in revolutionary days, was
only half as wide as the present
building, and story lower.
1t was remodeled and enlarged In
1906, under the direction Of Charles
Bulfinch.