HARDWOOD RECORD 



The Utilization of HardWoods. 



This is not a temperance article, but sim- 

 ply a record of what an observer saw in the 

 bar fixture department of the Bruuswick- 

 Balke-CoUender Company's Chicago plant, 

 which is one of the very few factories of the 

 kind in that city. 



Before starting to make the rounds the 

 writer was warned that he need not expect to 

 see the bar fixture department at its busiest. 

 ' ' The prohibition agitation that is having 

 its innings over a large section of the coun- 

 try just now, combined with the money scare, 

 naturally has seriouslv affected this depart- 

 ment of the business In the South the trade 

 has suffered a grie\ lus lih n in 1 siloon men 



ABTICLE III. 



The Manufacture of Bar Fixtures. 



One of these designs, for example, shows 

 a most artistic back bar, with caryatids di- 

 viding its three mirrors. These beautiful fe- 

 male figures, as well as other parts of this 

 bar, are hand carved. The caryatids are par- 

 tially nude and would probably be well 

 "smashed" by persons of the Carrie Nation 

 type when on the warpath, although they are 

 grace itself and wonderful examples of the 

 wood carver's art. The end pillars have 

 capitals decorated with women's heads, sur- 

 rounded by rococo ornamentation. These 

 pillars are square and the design appears on 

 three sides. There are other elaborate carv- 

 ings on the bar, but enough has been told 



are oak, which is the favorite, mahogany 

 finished curly birch, and genuine mahogany. 

 As an evidence of the unwaning popularity of 

 oak, all the stock styles produced in the 

 plant are offered in oak veneer, and several 

 in that wood alone; both the plain and quar- 

 ter-sawed varieties can be had. Bar tops 

 are always made of solid hardwood in this 

 factory, the reason being obvious. They are 

 often of solid mahogany. The veneers in 

 these bar fixtures are of five-ply construction. 

 For the body of the bar poplar is employed. 

 This wood may also be utilized for the bind- 

 ing veneers. 



Bars vary in length from twelve to thirty 



ARTISTIC STYLE OF BAU WITH CARYATID DKCORATION. 



everywhere are proceeding cautiously," said 

 the superintendent. 



Whatever a lumberman 's standpoint on the 



liquor question may 



said to be 



vorable" in a great many cases— he knows 

 that the saloon man is a good customer for 

 hardwoods. Nowadays there is considerable 

 rivalry among saloon men with regard to 

 the beauty of the furnishings in their places 

 of business. They know that a handsome in- 

 terior attracts trade, imparting an air of 

 decency and respectability to the premises 

 and thus, by refiected light, to the proprietor 

 himself. Consequently the large amount of 

 special, made-to-order work turned out in the 

 bar fixture line is not surprising, nor is the 

 richness of design to be observed in many 

 finished and unfinished orders in a high-class 

 factory. 



to give some idea of this imposing design. 



Another handsome stock bar, which has 

 long been popular with the wealthier class 

 of saloon men, has massive round columns, 

 shown in one of the illustrations. It pre- 

 sents a peculiarly imposing appearance and 

 is often demanded in mahogany veneer. This 

 is one of the most expensive stock bars on 

 the market. 



Lions' heads, in various sizes and always 

 artistically carved, are prominent features of 

 many back bars. In one design there are no 

 liss than tliirteen of these heads, with elec- 

 tric' lifjlit lixturcs protruding from the jaws, 

 the whole forming parts of three arches over- 

 hanging as many mirrors. The veneers em- 

 ployed often exhibit fancy grain and the 

 acme of fine finish. 



The veneers ordinarily used for bar fixtures 



feet, while back bars, from floor to top of 

 mirror frame, run from nine feet six inches 

 to nearly fourteen feet; thus a good supply 

 of wood is used in each. 



There are numerous stock styles of back 

 bars, bottle cases, front and wine room par- 

 titions, summer doors, bar screens, window 

 screens, display cases, wall cases, coolers, 

 lunch counters, tables, chairs and all the great 

 variety of objects fashioned of wood or iron 

 that come under the general term bar fixtures. 

 Oak and birch are the hardwoods most in evi- 

 dence, though front and wine room partitions 

 are sometimes furnished in real mahogany. 



One of the most interesting sections of a 

 factory of this kind is the wood carving de- 

 partment. Many hand carvers were at work, 

 and the carving machines were fully manned. 

 By observing the operations of the skilled ar- 



