Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-09
HOLMES CUMMINs,
J. a. IROUSDALE,
LEE HEAD,
JACOB LEIGH,
II. NJ. MCADoo,
j. NJ. ELDER.
A BOSTON NOTION.
"Life under Glass''-A Novel Castle
in the Air.
a Convention.

I'm the Air.
A writer in the March number of the
atlantic Monthly has evolved from his in
ward consciousness a scheme which has at
least the merit of novelty, and on that
count, at least, is destined to crafty the
good people Of Boston who, like their ante
types, are always on the lookout for some
new thing. Mr.. George A. Shove, it would
seem, has been for a long time troubled
about the climate Of North America, being
radically opposed to its sudden variations
from heat to cold, and to its long and excep-
tionslly hard winters. So far his views
have but slight claim to originality-indeed,
they have no claim to originality whatever;
but the wsy in which he proposes to get the
better of the climate is original to the last
degree. He proposes to erect vast con-
seTvatory, covering forty acres of ground,
in which human beings shall take the place
of plants, and head physician-to gener-
ally look after things-the place of a head
gardener. The conservatory is to be built on
the general plan of the Crystal Palace at
London, but circular in form; the materials
from which it is to be constructed ''mainly
iron and glass" The outer walls of this
edifce are to be "6fty feet high, supported
at regular intervals by iron towers of eigh-
teen or twenty feet in diameter and hun
dred or more in height. The immense glass
roof, supported on numerous iron columns,
will rise at regular pitch towards the CEN
tire Of the building, where it viii be hun
dred feet from The grouni." In the "iron
towers at regular interval" are to be steam
boilers for cheating the building in the alb
sence of the rays of the SUM-" and pure air,
warmed in its passage inward by passing
through network of steam pipes, shall
constantly flow in through apertUreS in the
wall and out through veniilators inthe roof.
Having thus built bis house and warmed
II, Mr.. Shove proceeds to lay out drives and
walks, plant "clumps of balsamic trees, fill
ing the air with healing odors," lay out
"parterres of brilliant flowers" introduce
''miniature lakes with fountains in the
midst" erect sin which are to be displayed
'the finest pictures and statuary," and
builda libraries, churches, theatres, and
stores and libtum; sin brief, everywhere
will be found the beautiful, the entertain.
ing, the instructive in nature and art.
Having got everything ready, Mr.. Shove
now brings in the people who are to inhab-
it this Arab an Nights sort of place. He
modestly places the number of guests at
ten thousand, and these are to be accommo-
dated in hotels build outside the main stluc.
ure, like it carefully warmed and ventila-
ted, and with it connected by glass passage
ways. The most of the guests are to be
gentlemen and ladies who have either lost,
or are rapidly losing, their lungs, but who
cannot afford The expense or stand the jour
ney to "Florida, Cuba, or other water-sur-
rounded regions of lower latitude" A
certain portion of the dwellers IN the glass
house are, however, to be sound of mind
and limb, and Mr.. Shove thinks that this
nrmber will be increased by shoals of fash
ionable people, who will deem it "the thing"
to spend each winter month or two ''with
in the enchanted circle, where winter ard
rough weather are obsolete terms" Board
it may be stated, is to be at the rate of two
dollars day, and this, for thirty weeks for
ten thousand people, ''would foot up the
immense sum of S4,200,000, or $4,000
more than the interest on the capital aud
the estimated working expenses united
The cost Of the structure and fitting il up,
we ommitted to state, will be only S12 ,000,-
900. Such is an outline of this precious
scheme, the full elaboration of which COW
ers eight pages of the atlantic. That Mr..
Shove will like to see it carried into eXecu-
ton, we are inclined to doubt, for although
there is every reason for believing that he
is quite young man now, sever.l centuries
must elspse before the world is blessed
with the combustion of 'philanthropists
and capitalists" upon whom be relies for
putting principally IN iron and glass" his
truly remarkable conception.