The Ornamentation of the New Subway Stations 
for the more subtly colored and highly ar¬ 
tistic terra-cotta is significant in this con¬ 
nection ; but it should be remembered that 
if changes be made in future for the benefit 
of the aforesaid “purblind idiots” a mean 
of beauty and conspicuousness can doubtless 
be arrived at, with a little study of design, 
to the satisfaction of all. 
Whatever may happen to the large and 
isolated name-panels the other decorations 
are certain to remain, for they have become 
an integral part of the stations, and fulfil that 
high requirement of being ornamented con¬ 
struction and not constructed ornament. 
The New York Subway has 
the advantage of being for 
the greater part of its length 
nearer the surface than 
either of the foreign roads 
and, therefore, better light¬ 
ed. In fact it is not diffi¬ 
cult to imagine the entire 
road operated without the 
use of electric light. To 
this circumstance is mani¬ 
festly due the variety of 
color it has been possible to 
apply to the station orna¬ 
ment, while the position of 
that light — i. e., directly 
overhead—has required the 
lower relief given the mod¬ 
eling in order to avoid the confusion of 
deeply thrown shadows. 
With the exception of the weak and dainty 
festoons and other attenuated forms of the 
mosaic, the faults a critical eye may discover 
in the stations are faults of detail only. The 
principle upon which the decoration has been 
conceived—that of providing variety where 
variety is at once the most necessary and the 
most difficult thing to obtain—is excellent. 
The work has been executed under great pres¬ 
sure of time and the hurried confusion of many 
trades before a background of four million 
voices impatient for the Subway’s completion. 
THE ENTRANCE TO THE SUBWAY AT CITY HALE 
Executed by the He cl a Iron Wor ks 
292 
