Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-27
Plan spr "a Portable Eropic.

The Crystal Palace of 1851 was built
almost wholly # iron and glass. 1t Gov
cred eighteen acres of ground, and cost
less, in proportion to its size, than an or
binary barn. 1t was marvel Of con
structive skill, and must have given the
crowds that thronged it enlarged IDEAS
of the future possibilities of mankind on
this battle-scarrcd planet. The glass
and iron building that was erected in
New York two years afterwards, though
handsomely designed, was LIGHTHOUSE
compared to its London predecessor, as
it covered an area of only two acres.
If such architectural miracles as have
been mentioned can be wrought for the
cultivation of exotic plants. or for eX-
hibiting the progress Of the nations in
art and mechanism, certainly still great
cr miracles can be wrought when the
object is the much more important one
Of restoring to health and happiness null
tituClcs of our fellow beings. Tie one
great measure needed to secure this wish
editor result, as regards the large class
Of invalids mentioned above, Is to pro-
vide an artificial winter climate main
tanned at a desirable uniform tempera-
ture, and having the proper hygr0metric
conditions of atmosphere; in other words,
to furnish the cOnsumptive invalid with
all the advantages of winter residence
in Cuba, with the fatigues, dangers and
expense Of the journey left ont. This
can be accomplished by a system of Win
ter gardens. of large extent, enclosed
and rooted with glass in a framework of
iron.
The precise form of the proposed
structures - whether the grOund-plan
shall be circle, a square, an octagon or
other geometric figure-is not, for pur-
poses of illustration, very material. We
will suppose it to be a circle. It's diane
ter should then be at least fifteen hun
bred feet, which should enclose an area
of a little over forty acres-nOt far from
the size of Boston Commons, exclusive
of the Public Garden
A forty-acre building is only little
more than twice as large in area as the
CRYSTAL Palace of 1851, and is quite
within the limits of the practicable. The
London Exhibition building of 1862,
though only party of iron and glass, COW
cred an area, with the picture gallery
and anneXes, of twenty-fOur and half
acres.
The materials, we have decided, would
be mainly iron and glass. The enclOs-
ing wall would be at least fifty feet high,
supported, at regular intervals, by round
or octagonal iron towers, eighteen or
twenty feet in diameter, and a hundred
or more in hight The immense glass
roof, supported on numerous iron col
umns, would rise at regular pitch to-
wards the centre of the building, where
it would be a hundred feet from the
ground. The roof would be constructed
on the ridge-and-furrOw principle, max
inc numerous angular deprcsSionS and
charlottesville lower angles forming
cutters to carry the rain-Water into the
hollow iron columns, whence it would
flow into the underground system of
drain-pipes and sewers. The steam
boilers for warming the building, in the
absence of the suns rays, would be loca-
ted in the lower portions of the towers,
outside the walls, which wonld thus
serve a double use besides being an orna-
ment. Pure air would constantly pass
into the interior through numerous aper-
lures left for the purpose in the walls.
This fresh cold air would be warmed, on
its passage into the building by passing
through screens or networks of hot steam
pipes. Thus there would be a constant
and abundant, though gentle flow of
pure, warm air from all points of the
circumference towards the centre of the
edifce. where it would rise, and flow out
through the ventilators in the dome.
The atmosphere within would have none
of the oppreSsiveness of a common con-
servatory, but would be, in the highest
degree, agreeable and healthful The
of Ventilation would No J1nIar
such easy control as to enable those in
charge of that department to maintain a
nearly uniform temperature.
The grounds, within the walls, would
be laid out and ornamented in the high
est style of the art of landscape garden
ing. Broad, winding paths would lead
among rock-work and through clumps
of balsamic trees filling the air with heal
ing odors; through grassy lawns, and
parterres of brilliant flowers ; around
and across miniature lakes with foun-
tains in the midst, and graceful boats
gliding over the surface; by the side OF
close clipped hedges and green banks,
where the winter sunbeams would lInger
as warmly as if it were June; amid
ayiaries of birds from all chimes over
ravines spanned by rustic bridges; I'M
der yine-covered arbors; into stately
galleries of the finest pictures and statu-
ary: into museums of natural history
into libraries, reading and lecture rooms
into gymnasia, where the relaxed mus
cles could gradually regain firmness IN
der judicious training; in brief, where
ever the invalid visitors should walk OF
be wheeled, they would find the beauti-