The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-12-22

by the state Of Washington was prepared
by Mr.. Warren P. Skillings, Of Seattle,
Wash, who secured the prize Of having
his design accepted after a spirited con-
test participated in by twenty-five archi'
tects Of the state Of Washington. When
these design. were submitted to MI. D.
H. Burnham, chief Of construction Of the
Worlds Columbian exposition, that gem
tleman pronounced them 70 be the most
unique and characteristic Of any designs
that had been presented by any state or
territory in the Union. Washington,
owing to its wealth Of cOne-bearing for
ests, has been aptly christened the Ever
green State" and in choosing a design
for the Washington Worlds fair building
in which to place an exhibit from the
state, the idea kept uppermOst in the
minds Of the board Of managers and the
architect was how best to show the great
wealth Of building material found in such
abundance in this Estate. ToShis end
studies were made from the different
structures erected by the timber building
nations, the records'of which have come
down in the history Of architecture; and
the various English, Swiss and medieval
French examples have been drawn upoA
TO furnish the inspirations and ideas
which iorm.the basis Of the design. The
result, as can be seen, is a building har-
monious and pleasing in its contours and
groupings, and massive and solid in its
construction; a building in accordance
with the.ideas slowly worked out by gen.
erations Of wood builders, who gave to
their craft all that their love Of art could
supply; a building calculated 10 draw at
tention to Washington as the foremost
lumber region of the United States and
the world.
The foundation will be Of native fr
logs, as large in diameter as is prRcti-
cable to transport, and heWn to shape.
Some Of these logs will still be covered
with the bark in its natural state, and
Some will be peeled. The main walls
and the towers will be Of large timberS,
heWn square and framed and braced to-
gether. The timbers.will be firmly NOR.
tised. tennoned and pinned WITH wooden
pins. All the outside work will be oiled
and finished to show to advantage the
wood in its natural state.l
One Of the interesting features Of the
construction will be the use Of heavy tim
Der braces in the same shape aslare used
in ship building. The panels between
will be filled with rough cast, or "staff, "
and will be used largely for decorative
purposes and to show the various ores
and minerals native to the state.
The main entrance, facing toward the
grounds, will be entirely different from
anything else likely to be attempted. 1t
will be in the form Of rockery. with
the outside composed Of low grade ores,
with the veins Of silver, lead and other
minerals showing plainly in the rocks.
In the crevices will be placed earth and
the native moss, flowers and vines Of the
state. The main entrance, facing the la
goon, which will be very prominent in
the approach to the grounds, will be Of
the various excellent building stones Of
the state, ornamentally carved and
wrought. the style being Spanish Renais-
sance. In front Of the building will be
set up = spar consisting Of single tree as
long as can be gotten safely to the
ground, and rigged with crows nest, rat.
lines and halliArds, in ship fashion.
The interior will be plainly finished
and designed to show the various exhib-
its to the best advantage. One special
feature will be the absence Of any inter
ior posts or columns. The roofs will be
carried on massive timber trusses Of en-
ished fr, elRborately wrought out and
decorated in the style Of the Gothic tim
Der work of the middle ages. Space has
been given adequate for the various of
fees and retiring rooms necessary, and
comfortable provision made for the ac-
commodation Of the citizens Of the state
and their friends who shall desire to
make the building their headquarters.
The structure will cover a space 2l6xl3S
feet over all. The central portion is to be
325xT2, and the two side wings each
72xlls. -Four stair cases, one in each
tower, will lead to the Offices, ETC., in the
half story Of the hidden portion. The
height Of the main part Of the building
will be so feet, and Of the side wings IS.
Three Of tho towers are 65 feet high, and
the fourth 100 feet. The flagstaff will be
$50 or 175 feet high. Thirty-three thou
sand feet Of floor space is provided.
Owing to the remote distance Of Wash
ington from Chicago the transportation
Of the material for the building has bsen
a very serious problem for the Washing.
ton Worlds fair commission to solve, but
through the generosity Of the Northern
Pacific railroad the commission has been
enabled to transport nearly all the ma
terial that will be needed for the build
ing at the very lowest cost. In the con
struction Of the building ten very long
logs are required to be placed in pyTa-
midal form above the foundation on the
sides Of the building. Each Of these logs
is l22 feet long, varying in diameter from
2I to As inches at the small end. The
transportation Of these long logs from
Puget Sound to Chicago has made an i'm
nortant and infeFostinR event in the his