New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-28
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
DOME FOR THE WORLDS FAIR.
PROPOSING TO PRESENT THE NORTHERN HEM s.
pHERE AND THE NORTHERN SKY ON
GIGANTIC SCALE.


A GIGANTIC SCALE.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: While. the question of erecting some striking
monument on the site OF our forthcoming Worlds Fair
ls still open for discussion, l hope TO he allowed 10
offer through The Tflbune's columns suggesuoh III
reference TO such monument, which. IL sufficient ski
and money could found to build 1t, would douoesS
not fail to excite general interest and admiration. Ill
the first place. Americans should seek to produce some
fling unioue and original in architecture for the
Worlds Fair something which has not been producer
before IL possible Let us not be mere !mitators, for
We are capable OF better things. The construction OF
a tower however high TO bellttle the Eifel Tower or
however much inclined from the vertical, TO QUITO
the Tower of Pisa would in reality be only Imitation
albeit on stupendous scale. But there would be no
invention in IT, nothing to show national ability eA-
cent nayhap in marvellous power Of construction.
1t has been proposed among other things, to erect
an immense dome one thousand feet in height. This
woud certainly constitute in size at least something
never before seen upon the face OF the earlh' ~
would no doubt attract the momentary attention ana
provoke the transient wonderment 81 every visitor to
the Exposition, who would go TO II once, perhaps anu
having satisfied his curiosity, would depart with no
other impression than that 1t really immense. 1t
would however, possess no merit beyond that pos
sessed for instance, by the pyramids OF Egypt size
ONLY Now, it has occurred to me that such struct
IRE Though not necessarily thousand feet III llcght
than a mere DOME however great, could possibly be.
LET a dome then be built in the exact share OF the
Northern Hemisphere, and let oil the principal geo
graphical characteristics Of that hemisphere be repre-
eented in relief ON the outer surface of the dome that
IS let continents oceans, mountain ranges, islands,
lakes watersheds and riverbasins, etc. be correctly
represented in prOportOnae elevations and depcs-
sons thus forming an unparalleled objectsson in the
physical geography OF globe Moreover, let the
principal railway lines be represented by paths or by
flights of steps, according to their direction and posi-
fon on the dome, so that visitors might take a trip
in miniature as werc through countries tlavcrsed by
those lines. The same plan would be good for the
ocean, and walk over the footpath in the courses OF
transatlantic liners and of the chief coasters would be
full of interest The various whaling regions and great
fishing grounds might be duly indicated. and the
of submarine cables traced. There is hardly
limit TO the plumber of things that might be SHOWN III
such an immense hemisphere. -
80 much for the exterior. The interior couu aiso
be utilized. especially at night for a grand purpose
That Of figuring the consultations OF me SKY ara tc
planets of solar system. Electric lights OF various
nenSities would correspond 10 Stars of different masn
tudes. They should be so hung as to occupy place
in the dome 10 correspond to the actual position IN
space OF the bodies they represent as nearly as our
present knowledge of astronomy permits. so tha from
given point he occupied by the EARTH the lights
would show our familiar groups of start, but rom
other points new forms and gr Upings would appear
that well known consultations could no longer
be recognized such. and fancy would be free as
that Of the ancient sstroOgers to imagine new out
lines in the sky and to name new CONSIDERATIONS
Would II not be advantageous to the United states
to possess monument OF this kind. the like of which
is not to be found upon our planet Tho socalled
wonders OF antiquity would shrink into inSignlfcance
beside this II built as It should be, Of unalterable
material. Il would remain for centuries marvellous
demonstration of the constructive powers and OF the
scientific status of O@r XsSH w at the nr;sF
New-York June "a 1891.