Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-07-07
Till the dawn of the Judgment Day.

The great court of the Exposition is
bounded on the south by the two pal
aces of Machinery and Agriculture,
minor court being provided between
them The latter building has a north
frontage on the court and south front
age toward the Live Stock department,
each 800 feet in length, while its west
facade, of 500 feet, looks on the minor
court, and its east on the lake. Its area,
not including the annexes in the rear,
thus covers nearly nine acres and half,
or a space about equal to the main
building of the Machinery department.
The problem was how to cover this
entire area with building which should
have due regard to its relations to the
grounds and neighboring buildings; by
its divisions should provide for the Or
Derby arrangement and classificatiOns of
its contents, and for the most convent
ent and economical structure land should
secure, not only for the first floor, but
for an extensive series of galleries, an
effective and adequate lighting through
out. This problem must also embrace
due consideration for division of the
facades corresponding to the plan, so
that its architectural character should,
as far as possible, be developed from the
conditions of structure.
The architects, Messrs. McKim, Mead
& White of New York. solved this prob
lem by converting their area into hol-
low square surrounded continuously by
buildings, and by crossing this hollow
square in the center with two high naves
of equal width, at right angles one to
the other and open from floor to roof,
each being accompanied on both sides
by two storied aisles, thus forming two
clearstories on each roof-slope for light
ing the interior space. The four long
courts, 8nx2S0, left by this arrangement,
being needed for exhibition purposes,
are severally occupied by three lower
longitudinal aisles, each covered with a
double pitched roof so devised that, by
a system of skylights and clearstories,
abundant light should be provided for
the area beneath. These three aiSles
are also in two stories, with an opening
in the second story under the center
aisle to admit light to the main floor be-
meath. Thus the entire space of nine
acres and half is covered and lighted,
and the galleries furnish about five ad-
ditional acres of floor space.
This adjustment of the plan is entire
ly in the interests of the agricultural eX-
position, with no unnecessary conces-
sions to interior architectural effect.
Fire and Water.
In Central Dakota, on the missouri
bottoms" there exists one of natures
strangest freaks. The settlers term it
the pump snake" How it came there
and where it came from is yet unknown.
1t first made its appearance in Emmons
county in the springtime of 1886. A
full-grown pump snake measures about
16 feet in length and about 3 inches in
diameter. They are of gregarious hab-
its, roaming the prairies in large herds,
as many as 800 having been counted in
single flock. In dissecting one of
these reptiles there is found tube,
which extends from the root of the jaw
to the extremity of the tail, and termi-
mates in an opening. This tube is
about two inches in diameter and lined
with tough yielding substance similar
to rubber. The pump snake is easily
trained to answer the call of man. The
inhabitants of this section trap them in
large numbers.
A farmer on Cat Tail Creek has
flock of twenty pump snakes trained to
a remarkable degree of proficiency. At
the blast of a whistle the snakes assem-
BILE on the banks of the creek. The
leader (there is always leader to herd
of these snakes, who is elected by two
thirds majority dashes into the water
of the creek, leaving only the extremity
of its tail on the bank. Another snake
Immediately grasps the end of the lead
er's tail in his jaws, third snake takes
a hold of the second snakes tail in
SIMILAR manner, and so on, extending to
the water troughs in the cattle yards,
300 feet away. The leading snake be-
gins to swallow or pump the water of
the creek, which passes through the long
line of snakes as it would through
hose, and falls in heavy stream into
the trough
The agriculturist told of an extraordi-
nary circumstance which occurred
short time ago. When working in his
field near his home he obser:: ed flames
issuing from the roof of his barn Wild
with excitement he hurried to the burn
lining building, only to see that it was
a hopeless task for himself alone to at
tempt to extinguish the flames. In de-
spair he gazed on the destruction; sud
denly he heard loud rustling in the
tall grass, whence issued his herd of
pump snakes on the run. The leader
hurled himself into the creek, the rest
instantly adjusting themselves heads
and tails from the creek to the burning
building. The last snake, standing on
its head, waved IFS long and flexible
body, from the tail of which issued
stream of water that was thrown with
OClllIC IOiOC On 9iC uluS
Back and forth dashed the tail end of
the living hose, squirting the water
where it would do the most good, while
the loud pumping of the leader could
be heard above the roar of the conf1agra-
tion-never ceasing until the last spark
was out. Then, and not until then, did
thespump snakes quit work. They were
completely exhausted, the leader having
tainted dead away. The main part of
the building and its contents were saved,
thanks to the presence of these wonder
ful snakes.
A VIOLET COURTSnIP.
Mary L. Bisand, in the Illustrated American.
A charming story came to the writer's
ears of romance in viOlets that happily