The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-03
THE EXHIBITION.
The Main Building and What
It Will Contain.
Minute Description of the
Completed Structure.
The Largest Exhibition Building in the World
Built in the Shortest Time on Record.
THIRTY-SEVEN HAYI@ALITIES REPRESENTED.

JhlklI-SEIEN NATlOAALIllES REPkESkAIED.
PHILADELPHIA, April !, 1874
The main Exhibition building is practically finished
the great Worlds Fair begin TO- morrow, tho
riches Of the world would be displayed in the gigantic
structure in safety The only work upon It that now
remains to be completed the decoration and general
interior ornamcntatIon and within . few days Mr.
Richard J. Dobbing, the contractor, the Atlas whose
shoulders have successfully borne the weight OF this
monster, will formally transfer to tho Centennial
Board Of Finance the wonderful work that he has con-
ured into shape Itisthe largest edace ever used for
. worlds fair, and has probably been put up IN
shorter time than any other structure except some of
Its sister buildings the Centennial grounds like the
Art Gallery, Quilt by the Same contractor, or the
Machinery Hall OF Mr.. Philip Qulsey Only these
be its parallel II recently a. last
May that the work OF erecting the columns
for the main building was begun, and now magnih-
cent edfce has been completed, covering over twenty
Of ground, using nearly 5000 900 pounds Of iron
In its columns and Orders, 1000 900 feet Of lumber
four miles of water piping and requiring the services
OF an army OF 5000 mechanics and laborcrs. Such
work is unprecedented and this and Its fellow build
ings will be in themselves moro
STRIKING EXAMPLES AMERICAN ENTERPRISE
and mechanical skill than any of the exhibits which
their walls will contain.
1t is hard to give idea by mere figures OF the d.
mansions Of building which is actually longer than
seven New York city blocks, or further than from
Twenty-thrd street to Thirteth streeta stretch Of
flooring great that by the time you have walked
from end Of It to the other you feel strongly in
clined to take seat II is probable, therefore, that
the measurements gwen in the following description
of the gigantic structure may not be fully appre-
ciated
THE MAIN BUILDING IS SITUATED.
The main Exhibition building is located Immediately
east OF the intersection OF Belmont and Elm avenues
Elm avenue the southern boundary line OF this por
ton OF Paramount PARK and Of the Exhibition grounds
and all the principal approaches from the city at
I Ms point The main building parallel with this
yenuc and is FIRST OF the Exhibition buildings,
rich rises prominently before the sight IS you APP
proach the grounds from tho east by the horse car
lines. The main building stands ITO feet back from
the north side of Elm avenue the area between the
building and the avenue being for special products
which may be exhibited in the open air There is also
space 800 feet wide between the main building and
the Art Gallery the north sde where the contractor
obliged to build 80 feet wide by 500 feet
long as additional gallery for the main building
owing to the great demands for exhibition space under
The building is in the form of parallclogram
extending and $50 In length and north
and south AGA feet in width. The south front Is Boil
mont avenue, wide roadway extending through the
central portion Of the grounds.
THE BUILDING DESCRIBED EXTERNALLY.
The larger portion Of the building is one story in
height and shows the cornice upon tho outside
1t 45 feet above tho ground the interior height being
20 feet tho lanterns in thc roof At tho OF
the longer Sides fronts Of the building projec
tons 4l6 feet across and tho centre Of the sides
similar projections 2l6 feet In these projec-
tions in the Of the four Sides the main
trances, which provided with arcades upon tho
lsound floor and central facades, extending to the
height Of 90 feet They ornate and imposing. The
east entrance is also the eastern boundary Of the
grounds Here win be the carriage concourse and the
principal approach the Exhibition for visitors in
riages The south entrance, the Elm side Of
the structure will be the principal from the
cars the ticket Offices. At all the gates being
under covered ways, within the arcade or vestibue.
/. The main portal the opposite, north side
communicates with tho passageway to the Art Gallery
AMI the portal on the 'front.' Belmont ave.
nue. fronts Machinery Hall, the second largest Exhi-
bit,on building Upon the corner Of the main building
are towers, seventy hvo eet high, surmounted by
spire al each angie OF the towers and between tho
towers and the central projections, entrances,
lower roof twenty feet 70 the cornice breaks the
Tn order TO obtain central feature for the building
as whole the the central part for 1874 feet
square been raised above the surrounding port0n
and four towers eet SQUARE rising to l2o
introduced the OF the elevated root Innu-
merable fagstafs with small flags and pcnnons Of al
nations surmount the roof at these towers and along
the caves effect gay and brilliant while the
many windows with which the walls Of the building
pierced make IL appear light and graceful
The foundations OF the building are piers Of
masonry and the superstrueture Is composed Of
ro% roof In usses Isngsnwss hs Suans
the columns are twenty-iour feet apart There are
s5s columns in .. The shortest rh being Is fee.
temporary construction, both columns and roof
trusses SO designed that they easily be taken
down for rs-erecton elsewhere The sides Of the
building TOR the height OF feet from the ground
finished with brckwork, with panels between the
columns, and above the seven feet with glazed sash
All the and angles OF the building upon tho
exterior, are concentrated by small galvanized iron
surmounted by nagsans, or, at other places, by the
national eagle, made OF galvanized iron, gilded. The
national standard with appropriate enbems Is placed
the centre OF each OF the four main entrances
Surmounting Of the side entrances Is o trophy
showing the national coIors and the coat Of arms or
the country occupying that part Of the building
variegaed bricks and thing introduced the
tibues Of the four main entrances and the ornamen
taton the arches OF the entrance ways rather
original Mr. Henry Petit, the engineer architect
wished 10 avoid, far possible, following the
fnreaS Of ola,ons Of the Classical acan,has we see
the not less beautiful forest leaves OF our country
Mr. Petit made collection Of the foliage found in
Paramount Park and the Exhibition grounds itself;
and the capitals the and the scroll work over
the arches OF the portals Of the leaves OF the fern
the rhododcndron, mountain laurel, the oak the
maple, and the familiar forest trees Of America The
walls Of the building are painted brown, and the orna-
mcntation is in gold and bright colors.
AREA MAIN BUILDING.
The areas covered by the main building are as fol-
lows
Square Feet Acres.
Ground floor NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 81, $40 20
Upper floors In projections. ...... 1884 IS
Upper floors in towers. ........... 1884 go
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. s96o0s 2L47
The general arrangement OF the ground floor shows
central avenue nave, 40 feet In width, and ex-
tending $50 feet in length II Is tne- largest avenue
OF that width introduced into an exhibition build
ing On either side OF this nave there Is an avenue
100 by l. $50 feet long Between the and side
nues are aislcs IS feet wde and the other side OF
the building smaller aises ~ feet Ia width In order
to break the great length Of the roof lines three