Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-30
WILL BE ALL READY.
The Exposition Will open on the Day
Originally Set for 1t.
MANY EXHIBITS NOW IN PLACE.
Active Work in Progress Throughout the
Entire Building.
RAILROADS WANT TO BUY POWER HALL

There has been much uncertainty and
some uneasiness among the business men OF
Pittsburg as to whether the Exposition will
be opened in good condition next Wednes-
day evening. Interviews with prominent
officials of the Exposition Society and gen.
eral inspection by a representative of THE
DISPAToH, indicate that the Exposition
will be in as good shape for the grand open
ing as any affair of the kind that has been
presented to the American public in many
years.
Four weeks ago the manager and the
Board of Directors were somewhat uneasy
over the prospects. 1t did not at that time
seem possible to get the buildings ready by
September 4. Every man interested put his
shoulder to the wheel with superhuman
energy, and the result has been simply a
striking demonstration of the possibilities
of American enterprise and activity.
The Exposition managers have done their
best. The general opinion among the actual
may be in the completeness of the display
next Wednesday evening, will be blamable
not to the society, but to some of the ex-
hibitors. The society has labored under
great difficulties. Just at the time when
the raising of funds was well under way,
the Johnstown flood paralyzed Pittsburg
business affairs. Immense sums of money
were ungrudgingly diverted in that direc-
ton. and many of the men most actively in
terested in the Exposition bent all their en-
ergies, for time, to the work of relieving
the distress of the food sufferers.
1t will be remembered that Just before
the opening of the May Festival, numerous
doubts were expressed as to whether the
contractors, Murphy & Hamilton, would
have the building ready for that event. 1t
did not look possible to an uninitiated per-
son. The contractors quietly said that they
would be ready, and they were. The last
three or four days worked wonders, and
beautiful order was rapidly wrought out of
homely chaos.
EXACT STATE OF AFFAIRS.
Murphy g. Hamilton have very little
work to do now. What is incomplete per-
tains to stairways, doorways and incidental
matters which do not interfere with the ex-
hibits. For nearly four weeks the main
building has been ready for exhibitors, and
the leading mercantile houses of Pitisburg
have not been behind time in their prepara-
tions. On the lower floor all the platforms
have been erected, and several of the prin-
cipal booths are almost completed The ap-
aaf e l.o11 Ind afacf fhof, o,rk
Wednesday evening it will be in good con-
dition. AS much cannot be said
of the immense galleries. which run
along the sides and ends of the great
hall and furnish a large amount of
room. Some large houses have space in the
galleries, and are in well advanced condi-
tion. In much of the space, however the
ten-inclMi Ugh platforms have not been COM
Manaf ~ Johnston, who is just now the
busiest fnan in Pittsburg, said yesterday
afternoon in a moments breathing time:
You can assure the public that this main
building will be in excellent shape by
Wednesday. when the opening occurs.
About Power Hall am not so well in
formed. believe that every inch of avail
able space has been occupied by reliable
exhibitors. Many persons are after me
even now whom cannot accommodate. You
course of construction. An immense amount
of har6 work has been done, but we will be
prepared to.give the public splendid dis
plav."
Mr. D. C. Herbst, the Chairman of the
Committee on Iron Work, has charge of the
construction of Power Hall. The structural
work on that building is almost completed,
and over one-third of the glass has been put
in. The building is being put up by the
-l,n
afternoon the gigantic iron smokestack was
erected. 1t was put together inside of the
building. The enginSwhich will run the
line OF shafting on the north side of the
building was built by James Reese 1t is
in place, and has not only been used while
the building has been in process of con.
struction, but will continue as an exhibit.
The south line of shafting will be run by
heavy Westinghouse engine, which will be
put in to-day.
AN IRON AND GLASS PALACE.
Mr.. Herbst said yesterday: ''Power Hall
will be closed in by Monday night. At
that time the contractors will have finished
their work and will leave the building. The
putting in of the exhibits may begin to-
morrow, but most of them will come in on
Monday. The floor, you see, is completed,
and very little remains TO be done about the
inserted in the roofs and the ends, and much
of the glass is still to be inserted.
81 consider this building the most
marvellous piece of work ever done in this
city. The contract was let only two months
ago, and all the iron used in the building
has been manufactured since that time AS
an example of the rapIdity with which work
has been done, I may cite one example
Last Friday structural iron was rolled in
the mill of Jones & Laughlins, on the South
side, which was put up in the building on
the day following. In the same manner the
work has been rushed all the way through
''The other day Superintendent Pitcairn,
of the Pittsburg division of the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad, sent word that he desired to
have number of civil engineers and archi-
tects in the employ OF that road view the
Power Hall and had the pleasure of meet
ing the party and showing the building to
them. They expressed to me their admira-
tion of the structure, declaring that it was
the best piece of iron and glass work that
they had ever seen. The building is so
made that it can be taken down and moved.
Some of the officials of the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad Company sent word to me that if
the Exposition Company ever contemplated
the sale of the building they would like to
be informed of the intention. 1t is con-
structed on a new system, and is the admira-
tion of all architects and engineers who
see it.
"As an example: You have noticed that the
tall inner supports of the ROOF are of oak.
1t will strike one who has not studied the
subject as odd to say that the use of those
oak columns makes the structure more fire.
proof than if they were of iron. Iron would
warp with heat, if a fire should occur in the