The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-29

asphalt concrete, and the floor Of the sec
ond story is disposed of as a gallery, leav-
ing the interior open to the great elliptical
/ ceiling of the dome far overhead. This
ceiling will be enriched with brilliant fres-
Goes. The wide gallery of the second story
will permit visitors to have a general view
of the principal part of the exhibits. F ON
towers of the roof are reached by winding
stairs. The spaces over tho entrances are
set apart for storage rooms and workrooms.
The two curved arcades leading to the
| aauarial exhibit on the east and the ang-
ling exhibit on the west are open to the air
and are provided with wide staircases on
both of their sides, thus adding four
means of access to the various parts of the
building.
The two circular buildings, in one of
which will be installed the angling exhibit
and in the other the aquaria, are precisely
similar in size and exterior appearance.
They are not in reality circular. but poly
gons on many sides. The result is that the
severity of the simple curve is obviated by
a succession of obtuse angles which lends
grace and lightness to the general design.
The western building is perfectly plain
within, as in it the varied exhibit of ang-
ling appliances is to be placed. The aquaria
will be found in the eastern building, and
there is little doubt but that this will be
one of the chief points of interest of the
whole exposition.
In the center will be a circular basin
thirty feet in diameter, in the middle Of
which will rise a towering mass Of rock
work. From clefts n c%revices in this
rockwork miniature cascades will ripple
down to the masses of reeds, rushes and
ornamental semi-aquatio plants in the
basin, mid which will be seen gor9eously
brilliant fishes disporting. Around this
basin there will be a circular walk sixteen
feet wide, reached by two broad entrances.
These entrances pass through the inner
series Of tanks. The larger section of these
tanks will be devoted to fresh water fishes,
the smaller to those from salt water. This
series contains the tanks of greatest capaoi-
ty. They will have vertical sides, as they
will be inspected from both sides, and the
bottom will be rounded. They will vary in
capacity from 1000 to 1900 gallons each.
The sea water for the marine fishes will
be secured by evaporating the necessary
quantity at the United States fish COM
mission station at Woods Holl, Mass,
to one-tifth its bulk, thus reducing
both quantity and weight for trans
portation about 80 per cent. The fresh
water required to restore it to It's proper
density will be supplied from lake Michi-
gan. From the same source will be drawn
all the fresh water needed. In transporting
the marine specimens from the coast to
Chicago about 5000 gallons of pure sea
water will be brought on each trip,
surrounding these great tanks, which will
be about seven feet wide, there will be a
second annuiar walk sixteen feet wide.
This walk will be vaulted over and the
walls above the clear glass fronts of the
tanks will be made of stained glass, 30 that
all of the light will p%erforce come through
the tanks. Around the outer circumference
OF the walks will be placed the second
series of tanks. These will be somewhat
smaller than these in the inner series, rang
ing from $50 to l,50O gallons each in capac-
lty. Ihe entire length of the glass fronts
of the aQuaria will be about SIS feet, or
over 5000 square feet of surface. The
panorama presented will BIO one of sur
passing interest and beauty, and the
whole exhibit will rival the greatest perma
nent squarla Of the world, not only in size
but in the number and character of the
specimens displayed. Thus it is already
known that DR.. Iadislao Essto, the direc-
tor of the national museum At Rio Janeiro.
Brazil, and W. 0 panized the magnificent
EXHIBIT OF Br ri III the fishery exposition
at Be lin, Proposes to send a much more
complete cAhibit to Chicago in 1893.
The totsl water capacity of the aauaria.
exclusive OF two huge reservoirs which are
to be placed in the main structure, will he
IL, 725 cubic feet, or about lac, 900 gallons,
This viii weigh l, 1892, 425 pounds, or almost
6oD tons. Of this amount about 40, 900 gal
Ions will be devoted to the marine exhibit.
ing reservoirs, there will be about 80
600 gallons. The pumping aud dis
tributing plant for the marine aquaria will
be constructed of vulcanite. The pumps
will be III duplicate and will zach have a
capacity of 5000 gallons per hour.
1t Is the Intention of the State Fish COM
mission OF tho different states to make pro-