Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-03-05
Nj ISC CELLAN Y.
CRYSTAL PALACE FOR THE WORLDS FAM.

This great building progresses in the most satisfactory
manner. Externally it may be regarded as almost
completed portion Of the east and north sdes still
unfinished, and the ransept has yet been entirely ga
zed but the of work remaining to be accomplish
ed comparatively rng, and the energy of the contrac
tors has been directed from the outsed to the inside of
the edce The vast fabric may be seen by any one who
visits that part Of town, in its full dimensonsan Arab
an Nights structure, full of light and with certain airy
nnsubsana character about it which belongs more to en-
chanted land than to this gross material world of ours
The the solid heavy details of stone and
lime brick and architecture wanders along those
extended and transparent aisles with their terraced outlines
almost distrsng its conclusions on the reality ofwhat
1t SEES for the whole looks like splendid phanasm which
the heat Of the MONDAY would DISSOLVE or gust of
wind scatter into fngmeNs London fog utterly extin
guish. There, however, the Crystal Palace remains,
monument OF the extent which ghness of structure can
be combined with permanence and strength, building re-
markabe NOT less for size than for the beauty Of mahemat
cal proportions and rectangular outlines The varied d-
menSons and fantastic features of other edfces there find
no parallel Everything done by the rule and yet eve
fy thing graceful and it might almost be said grand
Wherever one stands dsagreeabe effects present them.
selvesnohing crooked, awkward, or out Of place. The
subodnation parts to the whole complete and an ex
preston Of order and exace regus throughout not
aPy typical of the progress which the mechanical sciences
have made in this country But for that progress the
Crystal Palace could have been con sructed and it
certainly curious to reflect now that the work has been
accomplished and the great result stands patent to the
world that with the facilities we possessed glass and iron
have hitherto been 50 little employed by our architects
10 hat tha rs, ,ko
going on with the greatest rapidy The last castings will
be fixed in their places today in another week the tran
sept will have been entirely rooted in and should the sun
ply glass not fall Short the contractors will in few days
longer have glazed in the whole area Some idea of the scale
on which this portion of The works is carried on may be form
ed from the fact that 5000 panes of glass can be ,p IN
III one uay Ihe GLACIERS are at present busy engaged in
enclosing the arch OF the ranse and the manner in which
'hey carry on he operations supplies another of those it,
genous mechanical details which we have so often drawn
attention HE machine used by them in glazing the fiat
roofs has been adapted to the curve of the achparss Of
them, seated in rougke carriage being hoisted up by
ropes and pueys as t& work progresses upwards The
ridge and valley form of the flat roof ceyetly preserved
and the appearance presented by this portion of the building
i'om the top outside is snguarly striking Along the
crown oil the arch small pathway two feet wide and
any visitor suficieEty adventurous and cool-hesded IN
cO up ladders to that height may not only feast his ewes
upon magnificent view of town and country oroppd bs
looking downwards through the monster window same s
acres wide, which is spread his feet NAV ssa The
wopeOpe and other occupants of the basement and gae
es crawling about like bees in glass hye aud each con-
trbupg his mite fabOur to the great whole upon which
he stands He may also satisfy HIMSELF at that dizzy ee
evarou of the extraordinary rgdity of the vast fabric
this its most sensitive point Half hundred abouers ant
mechanics were mounted there yesterday stamping, ham
merng, and otherwise engaged in TO test stif
ness OF the arched roof yet hardly any emor vibration
was prscephble.
Next to The root the greatest progress has oecn made
with The flooring, the galleries. and the arrangements
the Exhibiting space. The flooring of the basement has
hesn pushed forward with great pidy, the panks being