The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-29
THE FISHERIES BUILDING.
How MIR. Cobb's Exquisite Concep-
ton Will Appear When
Completed.
The Great Aquaria to Be Made
One of the Star At
fractions.
The Design of the Structure Is Roman in
Design-Immense Tanks of Pure
Sea Water.

The graceful beauty of the Fisheries
building at the Worlds Columbian exposi-
ton has gained for it from the ~severest of
critics, architects, the title of IAN architec-
tural poem" How we'll this high praise is
deserved the accompanying picture and
following description but family outline.
It is situated on the eastern side of the
large island north of the wooded island in
the lagoon, and its main facade faces to
the southeast. being directly opposite the
government building, from which it is sep
arated by a broad arm of the lagoon. While
thus forming one extremity of the great
group of buildings which front on Lake
Michigan building, it is directly north of
the administration building far to the
south. This situation makes it a compo-
nent of all the splendid pictures presented
by the varying points of view from which
the exposition IS a whole is seen.
While the extreme dimensions of the
building are very large. yet the structure is
80 laid out that the general effect is rather
of delicaoy than of the grandeur to be ex-
pected from the mere statement of dimen-
sions, 1t 10 composed of three parts, a
main building 1865 feet long and 165 feet
wide, and swo polygonal buildings each 1873
feet 6 inches in diameter, connected with
the main structure by two curved arcades,
The main building is provided with two
great entrances in the centers of the long
sides. These entrances are by pavilions
102 feet long. projecting forty-one feet be-
yond the line of the main building, and
fianked at each corner with circular tow
ers. The great pediment over the south or
80 nm l@,~- - -
ing. The angles are surmounted by stat
ues representing fishers casting the spear,
throwing the handline and holding the
tinny prey.
The quadrangular first story is sur
mounted by a great circular story capped
with a conical roof. A graceful open turret
crowns this roof and four smaller towers
spring from and surround the base.
The general design of the whole structure
is Roman in masses with all the details
worked out in q realistic manner after va
rious fish ard marine forms. Thus the
double row of engaged columns which form
the exterior face of the building have c6pi-
tails which ars formed of a thousand varied
groupings Of marine forms, while the deli
cate open work OF the gallery ratings dis
play as many different fishes.
The circular story is surrounded by a
broad exterior gallery and the four thanking
towers or the entrances and the four smaller
towers of the central roof terminate in open
%turrets, from all of which views of every
part of the grounds can be obtained.
The materials of construction are wood,
iron and steel. staff and glass. The
roofs will be covered with glazed spanish
tiles. ard the general ooloring of the build
ing will be at once soft and brilliant as be-
fits the grace OF the architectural lines.
The main entrance leads past the broad
winding stairs which give access to the tur-
rets OF the fanking towers into a wide
vestibule and thence to the main floor of
the building. All Of the floors will be of