The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-02-09
History Of Ice Palaces,
ONE REARED Br A RUSSIAN EMPRESS A
CENTURY AND A HALF AGO.

The construction of ice palaces goes
back to the time of the Empress Annie,
of Russia, who had one built in St.
Petersburg in l739.-From an account
of it published in 1851 the following is
extracted
The manner of building was very
simple; the purest and most transpar-
ent ice was selected; it was cut from
the Meva in large blocks, which were
then squared with rule and compass
and carved out with all the regular
architectural embellishments When
each block was ready 1t was raised to its
destined place by cranes and pulleys.
and an instant before letting it down,
upon the block which was to support it
a little water was thrown between the
two, the upper block was Immediately
lowered, the water froze and the two
became literally one. The whole build
ing, in fact, appeared to be and really
was all OF one single piece, "producing,
without contraction an effect infinitely
more beautiful than if it had been built
OF the most costly marble, its transpar-
ency ond blush tint giving it rather
the appearance of precious stone"
The dimensions of the building were,
in English measure, length Sc feet,
depth 1S feet aud height, including the
roof, 2l feet. This is the body of the
house : the palisading was 81 feet in
length of the front view, including the
pyramids at the corners, was 144 feet.
When the work was completed the
public were allowed an unrestricted
passage through every part of the
building This at first caused good
deal Of confusion, which was, however,
obviated by surrounding the entrance
with wooden railway, and stationing
police officers who allowed only Ger.
tain number of persons in at one time.
EFFECT OF ILLUMINATION.
The facade was plain, being merely
divided into compartments by pilasters.
IN each division there was window,
the framework of which was painted
to represent green marble. 1t was re-
maIked that the ice at the low temper
ature which prevailed, took the pain
perfectly well. The panes were form
ed of slabs of ice and transparent and
smooth as plate glass. AT night these
windows were generally lighted up,
and most commonly grotesque transpa-
rencies, painted on canvas, were placed
in the windows. The effect of the illu-
mination is said to have been peculiar
ly fine, as the light appeared not only
at the windows, but, from the trnnspar-
ency of the material, the whole palace
was filled with delicate pearly light.
The centre division projected, and ap-
peared to be door; but it was in fact
a large window, and was illuminated
like the others. An ornamental ballus-
trade surmounted the facade of the
building, and behind was the sloping
roof with chimneys, in the usual style
of Russian Architecture. A handsome
ballustrade all of ice, ran round the
outside Of the building. A large
space was left for promenade be-
tween the ballustrade and the palace.
There were also two entrances behind
with gates handsomely ornamented
Will OTduSe ITecS III leaI auu uOWeT,
with birds perched on the branches, all
of ice.
ICE CANNON DIsCHRGED.
Six cannon, regularly bored and turn
ed, with their wheels and carriages,
stood before the balustrade, three on
each side. These were of the calibre of
such as usually receive three pounds of
powder, but being of so fragile a ma
terial it was not considered safe to put
in more than quarter of pound the
ball was of hard tow, we'll rammed in.
Two or three times iron balls were fred
from these cannon without bursting
them. The experiment was tried in the
presence of the Court, and the ball
pierced strong plank, two inches thick,
at distance of 60 PAGES. Two mortars
stood ON each side of the entrance.
These were the size of those which
carry shell of 80 pounds. When fred
the charge of powder was the same as
that for the cannon. On the same line
stood two dolphins, which were made
to throw a stream Of infamed naphtha
out of their mouths by means of con-
cealed tubes.