Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-11-07
The Colu:n bus Tower.

The construction Of the Eitfel tower has
awakened the pride of the nations. 1t il
said that North Anne fica proposes to con
struct an iron tower which shall be higher
than the one in Paris England also de-
sires to have a monumental tower
When North America proposed a com
petition for the construction of tower to
be erected at the Universal Exposition Of
1892, Spanish architect, native of Bill
boa, Mr.. NJ. Alberto de Palacio drew an
original design.
Mr.. De Palacio has conceived a most
perfect form, the sphere, which could not
have been used prior to the knowledge Of
iron as building material, because only
by modern methods of uniting the various
parts, of which this material is suscepti-
bic. could sphere be produced with
diameter of nearly 1000 feet, that is,
equal to the height of the Eiffel tower
This idea symbolizes the geographical
completion of the earth, which was real
lied by Christopher Columbus discovery of
the New W orld.
The following is a description of the mag
nitcent design: The colossal sphere is
mounted on base which is 262 feet high,
and is crowned at its North Pole by the
caravel which carried Columbus to the
New World The monument is brilliant
with the eolors of the continents, oceans
and islands of the terrestrial sphere.
The sphere will be encircled at the equa-
tor by platform 3, 2s0 feet, or more than
half mile, long. An exterior spiral run
ming around the northern hemisphere will
form track nearly two miles long, lead
ing from the equator to the North Pole.
At night the sphere will be illuminated by
the lines of light which will form the out
lines of the continents and islands, thus
casting over the city torrents of refulgent
brillianey. The great pyramids of Egypt,
the Sphinx, and the Colossus could lie in
the hollow interior like jewelsin their case
So much for the exterior aspect.
An interior track runs around the south
ern hemisphere from the South Pole to the
Equator, where it joins the exterior spiral
The total length of the spiral is nearly four
miles, over which the sight seer can travel
on tramway.
In the base and under the majestic cen
tral rotunda will be placed gigantic statue
ofthe great discoverer surrounded by the
navigators and missionaries who rendered
his discovery fruitful In the semicireIe
around this Olympus Of heroes, inclosing
the amphitheater, viii be allegorical sta
tutes representing al the Spanish nations
In the remaining spaces of the compart-
ments in the tase a large Columbus library
will be distributed; auditorium for the cul-
tivation of the natural sciences museums
of zoology, mineralogy and botany of
America, rooms for the Spanish Geograph-
ical Society, great nval museum in the
interior central compartment, q neteoro-
logical observatory in the hull of the cara
vel. All this is independent of the prom
enades, cafes and restaurants for the
public
In the interior the celestial sphere can
be exactly reproduced. 1t can also be
used for magnificent panoramas, because
the spherical form Is the best for obtaining
illusions of perspective. There will be
place for public entertainments.
This astonishing monument can serve as
perennial remembrance of the first Span
ishAmerican and Colonial Exposition
Mr.. Paldcio secures the stability of this
immense mass by means of simple
method similar to that used for equestrian
statues, so that the sphere will be able. to
resist winds of greater force than
cyclone.
From business point of view Mr.. Pal
acio makes the following calculations:
One hundred thousand spectators pay
ing an entrance fee of 81 will bring $780,
600. This will replace the capital in 62
days, without counting the profits of the
cafes, entertainments, etc. The estimated
total cost is Sc 600, O-Scientifc Ameri-