The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-26
a COAL PALACE.
The Unique Structure About to be
Erected in lowe.


| Erected in lowe.
From the Chicago Herald
The city Of Ottumwa, Ia, is showing
more signs Of life than ever before in its
| hist ~. Everywhere can be seen indica-
| items Of thrift, Of new awakening, which
is almost startling to the older citizens.
! Ottutnwa, like all other towns, has had its
season of red paint" and this season there
| is a revival of the art of painting, but II Is
| in better ,aste ard in more harmonious
| c1lors. The reason of tie revival is in
| directly, if, indeed, not directly, attribut-
able 70 the coming coal palace The work
is begun, and by Sept. the palace will he
/ ready.
The Palace will be an imposing structure,
26O feet IN length, with an average width of
l3O feel the main tower lifting itself
proudly upward over 30 feet. II will be
built with an architectural character Of its
own, and unlike other palaces in the tate,
Of hay, wood or stubble. The whole struct-
ure will be veneered with coal, various
unique designs entering into the building.
the ma err i being obtained from the out
pu- Of the various mines about Ottumwa.
A miniature coal nine is To be one OF
the features Of the palace, and
the excavation is most admirably
adapted TO the purpose Into this
over one hundred and fifty feet above The
tower at its base viii be over forty feet
square, and 1t will be reached by means of
two elevators in the saml-clrcular towers
toward the front or by flight Of stairs In
either Of the other semi-circular towers on
the rear corners. From this point the sight
seer will get into car just as in a regular
mine, when he will be lowered into a dark
and forbiddlug shaft into the sunken part
where the mules, the miners With the lamps
and picAs and the coal in large veins can
be seen. From the mine the visitors eau go
directly to the first floor t. view the exhibits
or pass out of the building by another
exct. 1t may be of interest to those
who still have an admiration for
Ierpschore 70 know that the top of this
tower-belng large enough-will be utilized
by the young people for the graceful min
uet. Think OF a dancing floor with twenty
five sets tripping he light fantastic" $50
feet above the surrounding country, with
Tut balustrade TO check the tendency to
ward slipping OF. Undoubtedly the youth
full swain will pay the fld1ler we'll, for the
dance there will 'come high" any way you
view it. To make market quotations. how
ever il will cost just one nickel to ride 10
the top Of the tower, plunge down into the
dark shaft and get lost in the mazes OF the
mine.
The architecture of the building is a com
promise bet seen the Gothic and the Byzan-
tine. he loftiness hints at the Gothic, but
the domes, little more bubous would do
credit to the Russian style. The palace
will be two stories in hight, the first being
about 25 feet to the ceiling, the other reach
ing to the top of the structure, varying
from so to 100 feet.
The palace at night from the exterior will
present the most striking appearance. Pow
erful electric arc lights will flash out their
brilliancy from each of the towers, and
each of the many windows will be provided
with various colored lights, making u scene
more splendid than any illuminated castle
of tho ric3 barons Of feudal times.