The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-05-19
Che Grue 9ortherner.
PAW Aw. MICHIGAN.
MAIN BUILDING.

u
and west 1876 feet long, and north and
south AGA feet wide. The larger portion
is one story high, the interior height
being 20 feet, and the cornice on the
outside 48 feet from the ground. At
the center of the longer sides are pro-
jections 4l6 feet in length, and on the
ends of the building projections 2l6
feet in length. In these, which are in
the center OF the four sides, are located
the main entrances, which are provided
with arcades upon the ground floor, and
central facades 80 feet high. The east
entrance forms the principal approach
for carriages, visitors alighting at the
doors of the building under cover of the
arcade. The south entrance is the prin-
cipal approach from railway cars. The
west entrance opens upon the main
passageway to two principal buildings,
the machinery and agricultural halls,
and the north entrance to Memorial hall
Cart gallery Towers rs feet in height
rise at each corner of the building. In
order to obtain a central feature, the
roof for 1S4 feet square at the center
has been raised above the surrounding
portion, and four towers AZ feet square,
rising to 100 feet high, are introduced
into the corners of this elevated roof.
This gives ventilation as well as orna-
ment. The main building has 936, 0OS
square feet of surface, or nearly 219
acres. Its ground plan shows central
avenue 100 feet in width, and ], 1882 feet
in length, which is the longest avenue
of that width ever introduced into an ex-
hibition building. On either side of
this is another avenue of equal length
and 100 feet wide. Between the central
and side avenues are aisles AZ feet wide,
and on the outer sides of the building
smaller aisles of "a feet width. To
break the great length of the roof-lines
three TRANSCRIPTS have been introduced,
of the same widths and in the same
relative positions TO each other as the
longitudinal avenues. These cross the
building, and are 416 feet IN length.
The intersections of these various ave-
nues make at the center of the building
nine spaces, free from supports, which
are from 100 to 100 feet square, and
which aggregate 416 feet square. The
general elevation of the roofs of all
these avenues varies from 45 to 70 feet.
The building rests upon the ground,
the land having been thoroughly graded
and prepared. The foundation consists
of piers of masonry, the superstructure
being composed of wrought iron col
umns, placed "a feet apart, which sup
port wrought iron roof trusses. There
are 672 of these columns in the entire
structure, the shortest being % feet and
the longest 125 feet long. Their aggre-
gate weight is 1900, 900 pounds. The
roof trusses and girders weigh 5000, 600
pounds. The sides of the building, to
Z feet above the ground, are finished
with brick-work in panels between the
columns. Above this are glazed sashes.
The roof covering is of tin, that being
the best roofing In this climate to resist
leakage. The flooring is of plank, upon
sills resting upon the ground, with no
open space beneath. Turrets surmount
the building at all the corners and angles,
and the national standard, with appro-
PIRATE emblems, is placed over each Of
the main entrances. There are numer-
Gus side entrances, each being sur
mounted with trophy, showing the ma
tional colors of the country occupying
that portion of the building. In the
vestibules variegated brick and tile are
introduced. Louvre ventilators sur
mount all the avenues, and skylights the
central aisles. Light, of which there is
an ample supply, comes from the north
and south sides almost entirely. There
underhes the building two miles of drain
age pipe, the water supply and drainage
systems being complete. Offices for the
foreign commissions are placed along
the sides of the building, in close prox-
unity to the products exhibited. Offices
for the administration are at the ends.
The design of the building is such that
all exhibitors will have an equally fair
opportunity of exhibiting their goods to
advantage. There is comparatively little
choice of location, as the light is uni
formly distributed, and each of the
spaces devoted to products is located
upon one of the main thoroughfares.