Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-03-31
THE EXPOSITION BUILDINGS.
Twenty-Threo Acres OF Floor Space
Under Their Roofs.
The Great Structures I'm Washing
ton Park, Which Form a City
in Themselves Alone.


The walk into Expo City as the great
structure in Washington Park, opposite
the well-known Music Hall and perma-
nent Exposition may be called, is like
the awakening from q dream. One does
not know the grandeur and magnihcence
OF what he is approaching till he runs
plump against the walls of the build
ings. From Race street on the east to
and including the canal on the west and
from Twelfth street to Fifteenth street,
thres squares In both directions, or a
total OF nine square squares, If the allit-
Grafton be admissible, Is the territory
which next summer will be teeming
with the life, the art and the industry,
not alone of the Ohio Valley and Its sd-
1sccnt States, but OF the whole
civilized world as well. 1t is al
ready the center Of busy plans and
hum ming industry. Over 800 men are
putting on the finishing touches. Iron
roofers are up aloft working away,
pointers are here, there and every
whore, some on ladders and some on
Iwingipg scaffolds and others dangling
composedly in the loop of long rope,
suspended from an apparently inacces-
Bible pinnacle, each busily applying the
printing coat Of paint; GLACIERS are fit
ting the glass into windows, and car
penters are laying floors, finishing off
rough inside work and putting on
holdings, ornamental cornices, brack-
cts, DC.
When the buildings are completed the
spectacle by night when the mvriads of
elecric lights will be blazing will be one
of the grandest ever seen. The hilItons
In the north of the city is the best pos
sible point of view. In no other part of
the city can the whole extent of build
fngs be seen and comprehended in their
full magnitude.
The main building is cruclform
in shape. Its dimensions, length
and breadth, are respectively 500
and 400 feet. There is central
building with one long wing
reaching toward Twelfth street. and two
other wings stretching either side to
Race and Elm street. The other wing
extends northward to the Park limits.
An additional wing runs west from this
last wing TO Elm street. This was first
designed for single story, for restaurant
purposes, but the rush for space has
been so great that another story was
added, making the original roof the floor
of the second story. On this floor will
be the restaurant. The bridge spanning
Elm street, connecting the Park Build
ings with Music Hall, begins from this
wing.
The cruciform shape of the building
hss left the corners OF the park open.
Each OF these open spaces, about quar-
ter of au acre, will be accessible to the
wings and main hall, and VIII be used
for smoking and promenades. Benches
will also be put in these small parks,
and as the old elm trees have been left
standing, charming places will thus be
provided for tete-a-tetes for the swain
and his fair company.
The main entrance to this building
will be on Twelfth street. Four noble
towers mark the corners of this side and
the main gateway. Each corner OF the
wings facing Elm and Race streets is
also guarded by tower, and over the
center of The building is another, gil
gautic lighthouse it will be, BY the way,
for it is 1856 feet high, and will be illum-
mated its entire circu N ierance by strong
electric lights. From each of the nine
towers Hoated the American flag
IN honor of the visit OF the Commits
sioners.
No description can convey any ade-
Guate idea OF the immensely OF the in
of The first story from floor to ceiling is
forty feet. The floor space is 10 feet by
600. In the center is the lake, in whose
placid surface the Exposition visitor.
1876 feet up In the main tower,
can gaze at his reflection or con-
template the results of dive downward.
This lake will have a beautiful foun-
tain sparkling in its center. and swans
will disport themselves upon the wa
ter's surface. There will be drinking
fountains for the thirsty visitors at con-
vsnient intervals around the shores.
The surface of the lake will be a few
feet below the level of the floor, and to
prevent tho careless or children from
falling in handsome paling will
enclose the body of water. The
lake 10 about sixty feet in
diameter. Standing at it's edge
one can look upward at visitors on the
second floor, forty feet above, into whose
faces the water from the fountain will
almost dash the spray. Above this floor
u sheer space OF nearly one hundred
feet, reaching into the very apex of tho
central tower. Little balconies here and
there around the inner sides of the glass
girted tower, provide foot holds from
which the curious can look either out
ward over the vast expanse of the city
spread like panorama before HIM, or
eau look downward upon the surging
mass of humanity on the floors below.
From either side of the lake the forty