The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-17
THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.
One Structure Covering Thirty-Three Acres
The Government Exhibit.

One Structure Covering Thirty-Three Acres
The Government Exhibit.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
New ORLEANS, Dee 16.-The upper city
park, where the exposition is located, belongs
to the city of New Orleans. 1t was formerly
the property of the Fouchers de Gree, an old
creole family, now extinct. The city bought it
some years ago, but has never improved or
beautifed it. The park is level tract of
ground, containing 249 acres, adorned with sew
eral large groves and avenues of live oaks. To
these have lately been added specimens of every
tree peculiar, not only to this continent, but to
Europe and Asia as we'll The ornamentation of
the grounds has been made a matter of special
consideration by the managers of the exposition,
the general idea being to make it as nearly a
tropical garden as possible. For this purpose,
Mexican, Central American, Florldan and Cali
fornian gardens have been set out, showing the
flora of these respective countries and States
There are groves of orange trees avenues of
banana, giant aud dwarf, magnolia, camellias
japonica and mesquitcs. The specimens of cact
exceed O,0OO, some of them being tiny little
plants of the size of thimble others as
large as hogshead. In the center
VI tAo 4heAlcRu kdfuSu Is % mdBuay
weighing over five tons and which bears
cluster of flowers nearly twenty feet in height
Through these gardens run winding paths while
around the grounds are scattered mounds of
flowers fountains, lakes and streams; every
thing in fact, to beautfy them.
The buildings on the grounds number some
two dozen and cover over sixty acres of space.
The chief among these is the main building, the
largest ever erected in the world, covering over
thirty three acres of ground 1t is 137Sx9O5 feet,
with an extension 700 feet long for machinery.
Its roof is largely composed of glass so arranged
as to light up the building, at the same time pre-
venting any glare. Within the building tho
view is wholly unobstructed. There are no par
titions, and the lofty columns, far apart, do not
impede the view but one Sazes in every direc-
ton, through long aisies and halls more than n
quarter of mile in length. The machinery de-
partment, which is in the main building,
occupies space 137Sx3O0 feet with an exten.
sion 700 feet long, or quite half mile of ma
chinery of every description in line, all working
at the same time.
In the center of the building-the only break
in its great interiors; Music Hall, with a seat
ing capacity for IL 900 persons, platform capa-
ble of accommodating GOO musicians and mann
moth organ manufactured especially for this
occasion.
The building is quite handsome architectually,
its facade being grand and relieved from any
plainness by tall towers from the summit of
which-reached by elevator-you can obtain an
excellent view of the grounds The building is
about twice as large as the main one at the
Philadelphia Centennial, and three times as
large as that at Louisville last year and this
The government building is the second in
point OF the size, SS5 by 565 feet. 1t is of the
renaissance style of architecture its altitude,
which is forty-tlree feet being heightened by
series of towers that give It fine and imposing
effect The interior is vast open space free from
partitions or obstructions Of any kind. The center
is occupied by the government exhibits, the
various departments and bureaus being repre-.
sented here, army navy, postotfice interior, ma
tiOnal museum, and Smithsonian Institution