The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-11-21
THE PARIS EXPOSITION,

THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
The Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, of
New York, who visited the Cont
nent with Governor Tilden, and made
a lengthy stay in Paris, since his re-
turn to his seat in Congress, in con
versation with correspondent of the
New York World, gave him a really
interesting account of the coming
Paris Exposition. We are sure our
readers will be interested therein,
therefore, we give the conversation
and views of Mr.. Hewitt in full:
"The Paris Exposition is laid out
on larger scale than any previous
Exhibition. The area covered by
the buildings is larger than that OF
the Vienna Exposition, and more ex
tensive than the Philadelphia Exhi-
bition, which up to the present time
is the largest international exhibit
ton ever held. The Exhibition
grounds are on the Champs de Mars,
at precisely the same location as the
old Exhibition of 1867. Ifa straight
line were drawn through the centre
of the Arc de Triomphe down the
river, it would pass over the Exposi
ton grounds. Street cars and omni-
bus lines run direct to the grounds,
but the distance from the thickly
populated portion of Paris is not diff.
ficult to walk. The new Exhibition
grounds being much more extensive
than the former ones, extend on
both sides Of the river Seine and are
connected by the old Pont Jeanne
which is to be used exclusively fol
the purposes Of the exhibition. In
order that the street running paral
lei with the river on the Champs de
Mars side may be kept open for pub.
lie use and not interfere with the
Exhibition, the roadway has been
sunk to pass under the end of the
Pont de lena. The Trocadero is on
the opposite side of the Seine from
the main buildings. The river bank
rises steep, rocky and precipitous
from the waters ge. Here is
built the permanent building Of the
Exhibition intended for the use OF
the judges, juries, commissioners,
etc, Of the Exhibition; also, for the
special exhibitions, concerts, etc.
The structure is Of stone. Iron
girders support the edifice, the arch
itecture of which is magnificent, and
equals anything in Paris, unless it
be the Opera House. The Trocadero
is in the form of a crescent. just
in front Of the building the cliffs
have been cut away and a splendid
waterfall constructed artifcially.-
Grottoes have been cut in the rocks
and innumerable caverns, where an
extensive aquarium will be arranged.
I think that the external arrange
ment Of the Trocadero is as fine a
piece Of landscape gardening as can
be found anywhere.
'The buildings or sheds Of the Ex-
hibition cover dfty-six acres. The
ground is not divided off into vari-
Gus buildings for each branch of the
Exhibition, having one building for
machinery, another for agriculture, a
third for horticulture, etc, as at
Philadelphia. In Paris the whole
Exhibition is under roof or success
sion Of roofs. The sheds are built
of iron and glass, so erected that
when the Exhibition is over they can
be taken down and sold for railway
stations or anything Of that sort.
The sheds are built on the longitu-
dinal plan, each one being 1900 feet
long. There are twelve Of these
sheds, each being 100 feet wide, con-
nected by obtuse-angled roofs of
glass. In the centre Of the sheds
there is an open space, originally in
tended for a fower-garden, but l be-
lieve that as the officers Of the Ex-
hibition found they were crowded
for space portion Of this open space
was given to the city Of Paris for its
exhibition. These buildings arc
now unoccupied, but they will I'm
doubtedly be finished by the 1st of
January. Speaking of the architec-
ture Of the Trocadero, was very
much pleased while in Paris to meet
one of the old students of the Cooper
Institute. He had studied architec-