Omaha daily bee., 1890-09-17
THE OTTUMWA COAL PALACE.
Governor BOies Formally Opens IOwa's Great
Industrial Exhibit.
THE CITY THRoNGED WITH VISITORS.
Interesting Exercises Appropriate to
the Occasion-The Zee Keepers
OrganiziDg-Hamb Votes
Bonds for Water Works.

OrTuMwA, Ia, Sept. 16.-fSpecal Tele-
gram to TUE BEE. Ten thousand visitors
were attracted 10 the city to attend the
festivities of the coal palace, which was
formally opened by Governor Boles. The
day was perfect and the exercises were OF
very interes ting nature. After music by the
Iowa state band and prayer by Rev. DR..
Elye of the city, President Ballngall gave
the signal for the machinery to be set in
motion. At the same time the American
flag was unfurled from the staff on the main
tower, which was the signal for all the
whistles aud bells in the city to
blow and ring, which they did
Justify. y platoon Of engines from the
''Q' shops advanced and kept up perfect
pandemonium at the palace for ten minutes
and the chorus was au gmented by the hOarser
throttled whistles Of the numerous manufac-
tories. Governor Boies was then introduced
and delivered the address of the day, schol-
ary effort appropriate to the occasion. He
congratulated Iowa on her palaces which he
thought were of incalcuable good to her peo-
pie. This was o unique palace because it
brought to the fore hereto overlooked por-
ton of Iowa wealth. The governor discussed
the grave question Of labor and capital, and
thought that in this country we had palla-
dunn from the EXTREMIST of either section in
the larger middle class of laborers who had
gained competency but were not wealthy.
Mayor Epps delivered an address of welcome
and a local chorus of $50 voices rendered
pleaSingly the "GlOria,n the Lullaby" and
Down in Coal Mine.n In the evening a
reception was rendered Governor Boies and
the state officers, and Secretary Manning pre-
sented Architect Brown with a handsome
gold medal for the best plans submitted for
the building.
The palace is an imposing structure 23O
feet in length by 13O in width, the main
tower being POO feet high. 1t has an archi-
tectural character of its own, with its battle
ments and turrets of jet, reminding one of a
| frowning castle of feudalism. 1t is two
| stories in height, the first being about twenty
| feet, and the other reaching to the top and
| varying from forty to sixty feet. The build
| ing has an auditorium with seating capcity
| of ), 600 to 5000. On either side of this room
| are the spaces above and below for the ex.
| hibits of the nine surrounding counties and
| from abroad. One of the most unique fea-
| lures of the palace is the coal mine" The
| suuken park, twelve feet below the sur
rounding level, is admirably adapted for this
| purpose Into the mine shaft leads from
| the main tower l50 feet above, from which
| point the sight-seer gets into car, Just as in
a regular mine, and is lowered through dark
and orebodng shaft into the sunken park,
| where the mules and miners, with tnelr
| lamps and picks, and the coal in large veins,
can be seen with realistic vividness. A
| waterfall, thirty feet high and falling in
| regular sheet twelve feet wide, is another
feature 1t is located at the rear of the audi
torium stage, and at the bottom dissolves into
| spray over electric lights SO arran ged as tc
cause rainbows TO chase each other with ex
quisite effect. 1t takes l,5OO,0O0 gallons OF
| water daily for this waterfall, the waste
water going into a miniature lake peoplec
with representatives of the tinny tribes anc
| DOrdercd with flowers.