The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-06-09

SOUTH PART OF ELECTRICITY BUILDING.
north front faces the lagoon, the west
front is opposite the Manufacturers Build
ing, and the east faces the Mines Building
The general scheme of the plan is based
upon longitudinal nave lis feet wide and
ia feet high, crossed IN the middle by a
transept of the same width and height The
nave and the transept have pitched roof.
with range of skylights at the bottom of
the pitch, and clear story windows. The
rest OF the building Is covered with a fat
roof, averaging 90 feet in height and pro.
yided with skylights.
The second story is composed of aseries of
galleries connected across the nave by two
bridges, with access by four grand stair
cases. There are subordinate staircases in
the four corners of the building. The area
of the galleries in the second story, as at
present arranged, is 1852 square feet, or
81 acres, but there is capacity for extern.
sion of this area if necessary.
The exterior walls Of this building are
composed of continuous Corinthian order
of pilasters 3 feet inches wide and 40 feet
high, supporting full entablature, and
resting upon a stylobate feet inches.
Above is an attic story feet high, the
total height of the walls from the grade
outside being IS feet inches This order
is divided into bays % feet wide, this di-
mension serving as the module of proper
ton for the plan of the whole building.
In the center Of each of the four sides is
an entrance pavilion, against which the
higher roof of the nave or transept abuts.
The north pavilion is placed between the
two great apsidal or semicircular projec-
lions of the building; it is fianked by two
towers 1876 feet high. The central feature
is great semicircular window, above
which, 102 feet from the grade, is a colon.
made forming an open loggia or-s7,ai,ierv
commanding view S SseG. tae lagoon and
an ene .OrIn parts of the ground. Access
20 the loggia is obtained by elevators.
The east and west central payilions are
composed of two towers 1853 feet inches
high, between which the transept roof fin
ishes in a gable or pediment with row Of
windows beneath, giving light to the tran
sept. In front of these two pavilions there
Is great portico, composed of the Corinth-
ian order, with full columns. Within this
portico is an inner porch, forming vesti.
bule in each case.
The south pavilion is hemicycle or
niche 7S feet in diameter and 1903 feet high.
thAo A1lSAo 40 SOfSAC0 ny q HAL uULu6 Will
ribs and decorations in relief, the Corin-
THAN order being carried round the walls
of the niche The opening of this niche is
framed by a semicircular arch. the in,nnst
OF which Is supported by four full CORN
THAN columns continuous with the order
Of the facades. This arch is crowned by
gable or pediment with smaller gables on
the returns, and surmounted by an attic,
the whole reaching the height of 142 feet.
In the center of this niche, upon lofty
pedestal, is a colossal statue Of Franklin,
whose iliustrious name intimately con-
meets the early history of the Republic
with one of the most important discoveries
made in the phenomena of electricity. In
of the great order around the niche appears
the Latin inscription, "Eripuit coelo full
men sceptrumque tyrannis."
At each of the four corners of the build
ing there is a pavilion, above which rises a
light open spire or tower 1863 feet high. In
termediate between these corner pavilions