St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-25
TITS FADING AWAY.
Gradually the Ice Palace is Becom-
ing n * uin.

ing n Ruin.
After having nobly withstOod all the on
slaughts of the Fire King and having
passed unscathed through a storming and
capture by the Grand Army. the ice palace
is rapidly losing its vitality before advancing
age and warm spring rain, particularly
the latter. Although the old Latin poet
might easily enthuse out the fact that
rivers OF water flow down" its sides, yet
the blaze of enthusiasm which has produced
few columns day all winter concerning
this gigantic pile of plain ice, is rapidly
dwindling to the last spark, and lit melts"
covers the subject with completeness and
the ground with mud. The warm sun OF
the past few days has been rapidly weak
ening the south and west walls, as well as
the tITrets and before daybreak yesterday
morning part of the top fell off the main
tower. although the flagstaff was left IN
disturbed, and the flag still waved over the
magnificent ruin," but only TO fall later in
the afternoon. During the day part
of the extreme southeast, southwest and
northwest towers fell. and large part of
the west wall of the southwest court bit the
dust, or rather the mud. A portion also Of
the one remaining high tower on the west
side Of the center elevation sought the sur
face, and a few pieces OF ice
fell from above the main en-
trance. When at $3.50 O'Clock a large
portion of the south wall fell from the west
wing with loud crash the pile had rather
a demolished condition. The outworks
have certainly the appearance of having
suffered severely from this storming by
King Sol. who has not yet completed his
work. All that part of the structure to
which the rays OF the sun can approach has
an open aspect. The chinks between the
blocks Of ice have grown much wider. the
blocks have grown thinner and the whole
structure leans slightly toward the west
1t seems that the electric lamps, or at least
all of them, had not been removed and men
were yesterday assisting the general de-
structiOn by pulling at the wires running
into the palace. Men would not risk their
lives by going inside, but got hold of the
outer end Of the wires and tugged away at
them to save what was possible. Not many
visitors braved the sloppy streets TO witness
the scene, yet all day long few isolated
sightseers could be seen picking their way
about through the mud and gazing up at
the doomed palace. The inside walls as
well as the outer ones on the north and east
sides still retain the clear, blue, hard APP
pearance of cold weather, and it will take
many warm Jays 10 dhcct thcul W any ga
tent. But King Soils method Of warfare
differs from the impulsiye sortie of the Fire
King. in that his forces are organized tor
prolonged siege; i'm fact. like Gen. Grant,
he proposes to fight it out on this line If
it takes all summer" He is also getting in
his work on the ice gate, which has gem
eral fOrlom appearance and the eastern end
of which is entirely down. The diminu-
tive structures erected for wet refreshments
have also served their time in supplying
moisture to others and are now wetting
themselves down with the straight article.