Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1873-05-17
OUR VIENNA I,ETTER-No.2

VIENNA, AUSTRIA, April II, 1873.
a multitude Of different statements have
been published in regard to the dimsna
sioDs of the Welt Auss,ellung grounds and
buildings, msny of them very far from
being correct. Some have stated that the
grounds are four miles square, others that
they contain four square miles, wide diff
| ference, and both of them wide of tho
truth. As have before stated, the Prstsr
contains about four square miles, or $500
acres, and the Welt Aussielluns grounds
are located within the Prater. They are
enc and one-tenth Of mile long, some
three -fourths OF nile wide, and contain
about 500 acres
The government is changing the bed of
! the Danube, and the new channel runs
near the Exposition, the grounds of which
ara some fifteen feet above the river. The
land is very level and rich first bottom),
and rest upon clean gravel, varying from
the size of bean to stones one or tive
pounds il, weight.
The grounds are most beautifully laid
out, with winding walks, gro yes, fountains,
pavilliuus, and beds of gaily blooming
flowers. The Germans fully un-
derstand the art of gardening, and
seem OF to be obliged to wait for nature
to help them, but cause the flowers to
o., hair dcpi nI
transport their forests here or there, as
pleases their fancy, for it is not an un-
common thing to see them moving and
transplanting with SUCCESS, trees front
twelve to eighteen ir,hes in diameter and
from twenty to fifty feet high. For the
benefit of some of our friends at home
will Try to describe how it is done. They
have stsut wagon with low wheels ten
feet apart, and Immediately over The
wheels strong square frainc, SO con-
structed that the rear end, together with
the hind axl gan be removed. The wag.
on is then backed up so that the tree
stands in the cen trc of the frame. by the
aid OF chains aud pu!leys the tree is lifted
up and suspended with a great amount of
dirt, omeiimos two or three tons, and is
thus transported without its ever finding
cut tha, II has been disturbed.
In constructing all of the buildings il
has been necessary to drive piles in order
to make solid foundation.
The principal buildipgs sfc made of
brick, and succeed and adorned with or.
nameutal figures of plaster paris.
The main building is about three thous-
and feet long, cighty-four feet wide and
seventy-thrce feet high. In the centre of
this building is the greatest rotunda in
he world, made of wrought iron, and is
three hundred and ferty-eight feet in di
ametcr ana two hundred ald fny-two
feet high. 1t is finished with fine .facade
which fronts the grand royal entrance,
and is surmounled by rcpreseB lation of
the Imperial crown, about twenty feet
high, with the precious stones initiated in
glass.
Branching from the main building and
at right angles with it are thirty-two
transepts, each two hundred and forty
feet by fifty feet, and forty feet high.
The machine hall is some two thousand
six hundred feet long and one hundred
and twenty feet wide, and is said to be
the largest roof in the world. The picture
gallery is about six hundred feel long by
one hundred feet wide. These buildings
are all handsomely made and covered with
metal roofs. Making in all something
like twenty-e eight acres thus covered. Add
ing TO this the restaurants, pavillions and
numerous other buildings, there are prob
ably forty five acres under ROOF.
This immense rotunda is a wonderful
architectural achievement, commanding
not only admiration, but almost astound-
ing one by its magnitude. The Pantheon
at Rome, the largest rotunda previous TO
the construction of this one, is one hundred
and forty-one feet in diameter, but is built
Va eOhu MhSVuiy. 1uO WOiiu ichN"hSu
rotunda of S.. Peters in Rome is one
hundred and thirty-nine feet in diameter,
but little more than one-third the size Of
the Welt Ausstellung rotuAis.
To construct this famous edifice, piles
we're first driven deep into the ground,
and upon these, columns Of solid masonry
about twelve feet square and some twenty
feet apart were erected. When they had
reached the height of four feet above the
ground, the wrought iron ring that was in
tended to support the outer end of the grid
ers, was laid upon them, and then by
means Of screws raised up about three feet,
and the teg"eDt Of hollow wrought iron
column, perhaps eight feet square, was
laid under the ring and upon the columns
Of masonry. This process was repeated
until the ring was brought up to the re-
quired height some hundred and
serenty-fve feet. The ring intended
10 support tie inner end of the
sirders, made also of heavy wrought iron,
was then made upon the ground in the
center Of the bnilling. Now, by means Of
pulleys, it was raised some fifteen feet and
heavy wooden iresile work built under
il; again raised, and new section Of tres
lie work built, and so, step by step,