The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-06-15
THE COLISEUM,

which is now nearly completed Con
st. james Park, } is as wonderful in
its way as Solomon's Temple aud the
Pyramids were In theirs. The Temple
required more than twenty years for
its construction. The coliseum rises
from foundation to roof In about two
months. If the genius of music had
ever wanted to organize such a colos-
sal undertaking as this now In pro-
eress in Boston, in such limited
time, he would have had to wait for
about this age Of the world, though
whether he would have been obliged
to select the location in our country
we are unable to say. This mammoth
structure, which has so quickly risen
for the use of the Peace Jubilee,
is becoming more and more an
object of interest and curiosity to both
citizens and strangers. Hundreds are
daily visiting the park to scan the
wonder which, since the erection of
the roof, has assumed it's proper shape.
Although something like a marvel has
been performed, In the way of rapid
construction, yet nothing has been
sacrificed which can In any way con-
tribute to the stability and strength
of the ediice, and to the consequent
safety to those who may be assembled
within its walls. While there are
| few Bostonians who have not seen
this monster building during some
state of its construction, it may be in
teresting to some of your readers, who
do or do not design visiting the festi-
val, to know something of the details
Of its dimensions, as taken from
the books of the contractors. The
structure is 500 feet In length and
800 feet in width, and runs nearly
north and south. The whole build
ing is of wood. The upright walls are
thirty-six feet in height, and the apex
| OF the roof is 100 feet from the
ground, or sixty-four feet higher than
the side walls. A lean-to roof, ex-
tending in from the sides, seventy five
feet high, is Joined to a truss roof,
which spans the intermediate space
| of 100 feet. The lean-to roof covers
the gallery at the sides and in part, OF
course, at the ends. The construc-
ton of the roof, with its supports, is
| of such a nature that if the galleries
and the roof above them were to be
taken away, the central or trussed sec.
ton would stand firm as before, and
Utce UerSd. The outside sections, In
fact, were put up first, the trussed
roof having been raised afterward
The inclination of the lean-to roof is
y inches to the foot. At its point Of
junction with the trussed roof is 6
clear story formed of movable glass
windows, i've feet high, intended fol-
the admission of air as well al
of light. Above this thu
trussed roof rises at an in,
elination of five and one-half inehe,
to the foot nearly to the top. where !,
meets a monitor ventilator. which
runs the whole length of the building
twenty feet wide and six feet high
the inclination of its roof being tn,
same as that of the roof below, viz
} 81 inches to the foot. The sides o
this ventilatOr are filled In with slat
! Of wood The trussed roof is quite
! novelty, and from its peculiar con
: strpction great strength and. stabilit
/ is obtained. The span of 100 feet j
: overcome by a combination of tire
| trusses, forming one grand truss
There are nineteen of these trusses
J each of which Is upheld by four mas
slve posts, or pillars of Southern pine
Z II inches by Ii in dimensions. thei
r entire length. They rise to a height 4
5 81 feet above the sills. The trusse
! are confined to the posts bv massiv
iron bolts, and natural hack matacl
knees. In each truss are six IT inc
iron bolts, eight feet long, and abou