The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-11-20
The Great Mormon Tabernacle.

2 eFt4 y
The grand temple. in course Of erection
in Salt Lake City - rapidly approaching
completion, and will be the largest and al
together one Of the most remarkable bull
dings ofthe kind on the continent. The
Salt Lake Telegraph Of the 9th inst gives
the following particulars concerning its
plan and dimensions :
The form Of the building WIS the des-
ign Of President Bringham Young, who
was DESTROYS that the lattice work pinciple
should be introduced into the construction
Of this large edifce. Brother Grow com
meuced tie work, with small force Of
men, September ], 1865. The maximum
number of men employed at any one time
in the construction of the building was 295
and the average for the last three weeks
has been 1877. Any person who has not
seen the building can have very good idea
of the root by imagining the back or shell
of common Eastern ground turtle Of huge
proportions. But it is m"re frequently
iikened to the hull Of an old fashioned ship
without any keel, and turned topsy turvy.
This immense roof, which is in fact the
pri, cipal portion of the building, rests up
on forty-four piers Of cut sandstone mason
nv. each niue feet from outside to inside OF
building by three the other way, the whole
averaging twenty feet high to the spring q
the roof. On each side Of the building
are nine piers in straight line. From
these an arch Of forty-eight feet is sprung.
Thirteen arches are sprung at each end
from thirteen piers, which stand on a circle.
| THE height from the floor to the ceiling is
sixty feet in the centre of the building.
There is space Of nine feet from the cell
inc to the root. The building itself is ESQ
feet from east to west, and 100 from north
to south. The. room is 100 feet straight
from east to y est in the centre with Q semi
circle of IS feetat each end. There are 10
columns in the building. The roof is
framed of lattice arched bents, twelve feet
4 from centre each arched bent conver2ine
aud meeting at the highest given point O
the two main outside bents, where they arr
security fastened. On the northern and
southern sides OF the building are 30 spa
ces between the piers, which are filled witt
! windows, containing altogether 250O lights
{ of glass. Above the piers there is Owe
one million feet Of lumber, in the floor 80
900 feet; in the joists 10000 in the sleeper
30 1000; in the doors, stands, benches apt
other parts not enumerated, 100000 fee
in the aggregate one million FIVE hundred
+ thousand feet. The roof is covered will
$50 900 shingles besides space at the tol
averaging 60xl3o feet, which is covered
, with '.patent roofing. Aspiral stairwa..
from the ceiling affords access to the out
g side of the roof The floor of the buildin,
4 was completed on tho 4th inst. There
j. supposed to be ample room in the building
to seat comfortably 5000 to 5000 persons
The stand for the speakers is at the ives
end Of the building and covers 1900 fec
e OF surface. The front Of the stand is q seq
meDt Of circle. Before it are a seat an
q desk for the bishop and others who ad
minister the sacrament. The first seat i
9 the centre Of the stand or platform is for III
y Presidency of the State, the next for In
Quorum Of the twelve. the third for tn
, First Presidency. Back Of these are seal
: for choir of $50 singers with the great O.
!. ran, vet unfinished behind them. On tn
!, right and left are seats for from 500, to
!" 600 persons. The work from beginning t
> end has been closely supervised by Pres
: dent Young, who in this. as in everythln
! else Of public character "has been in q
: and through ALI and encouraged by h
. . confidence all engaged in it. By the 81
!. Of April next, the whole will be ilnlshe
, and ready for dedication.