The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-07-19
The New Orleans Exposition Building

The New Orleans Exposition Building
The Boston Herald says that the
main building of the New Orleans
exhibition Is in some respects the
most remarkable edifice ever built in
this country. 1t is much the larp est
exPnsition building ever erected in
the VIC I'D. Thearchitect has succeed
40 ~ a Gnoderate cost, In producing
the largest single room, every part of
which can be seen from any point, of
which there is any knowledge. The
building is 1873 feet long by 905 feet
wide, and covers SO acres, or II acres
more than the Philadelphia Centen-
nial Exposition of 1876, There are
1856, 800 square feet of floor space, in
cluding gallery. The reader may
form a better impression of the vast
dimensions of the structure by imag-
ining three ordinary city blocks one
way and five the other covered by a
solid roof. And. if he chooses to al
low his fancy to carry him still farth.
er, he can picture munster panorama
of the worlds industry. extending
before his vision, uninterrupted by a
single object except the supports.
The active commercial rivalry of
the different sections is aptly shown
by the distribution of contracts for
the materials. The roof, which will
cover 100000 square feet, is being
made in Cincinnati. The window
sashes come from Milwaukee, Wis.
The glazing will be done by st. Louis
parties. -Four thousand kegs of nails
are being shipped from Wheeling, w.
Va. Nine million feet of Mississippi
lumber will be consumed. A mas
sivegr0up in bronze. typical of Amer.
ica, is being made at Canton, o., as
are also statue of Washington and
Columbus and coats of arms of all the
States, which will appear in medal
lion form as part of the exterior orn.
amentation. Finely modelled corni.
res are being made at New Orleans
The building will be so feet high,
with tower lis feet high, and the
architect has been fortunate in rem
derlng the exterior unique and at
tractive. A platform will be erected
on the tower, reached by elevators
from which visitors may have an ex
ceptionally fine view of the city ol
New Orleans, the exposition grounds
the Mississippi River and the sur
rounding country. There will be one
line of gallery extending around the
entire circumference of the building
to which visitors will be carried by
20 steam and hydraulic elevators
representing all the manufacturers Of
these conyeyances in this country.
The music hall, situated in the cen.
ter of the building. will be 364 feet
wide. and will comfortly seat II, ,0OC
persons. A platform is being built
for 6OOimusicians. To light the build
ing with incandescent lamps will re.
quire 1900 lights and 1900 horse
power. To light with the arc system
will require 700 lamps, and 700 horse
power to operate the dynamo, The
total steam required for lighting and
for the machinery hall will be at least
5000 horse power. In this estimate
is included the power for FIVE arc
lights of $4,000 candle power each,
which will light the grounds. These
are:the largest single lamps ever con-
structed. The cost Of this great
structure, lacking no single desirable
feature for the purpose intended. will
only be about $4OO, 900, and the other
buildings will be proportionately in
expensive.