The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-10-14
MONSTER STRUCTURE.
THE BIGGEST EDIFICE AT THE
WORLDS FAIR.

and Liberal Arts-The Most Nota-
Bile Exhibits.
This is the giant of them all. Itis one
Of the worlds architectural wonders.
Though not having as much ground
acreage as the large structure erected at
the New Orleans Cotton Centennial in
1884, il is, nevertheless, more imposing
and has much more available space
The New Orleans building covered
little more than 33 acres; the Liberal
Arts building but 81. II to this be added
the acreage of the galleries the footing
will be A acres of flooring. During the
time il was being erected, l was very
much interested. watched the growth
of the huge skeleton, arch by arch.
think it is more wonderful than any ex-
hibit il contains. The iron and steel re-
quired In its construction would build
two Brooklyn bridges. The Eiffel
Tower is very high, over a thousand
feet. The Eiffel Tower could be laid
along the floor Of the Manufactures aud
Liberal Arts building. with few hun
dred feet to spare. Six games of base
ball could be played within 1t and none
of the games would interfere with each
other. Five car loads of nails were used
in laying the floor. The immense arches
are supported on axles not thicker than a
mans arm. The object of so setting
them was to leave the arches at liberty
to contract with the cold or TO expand
with the heat. Few people can form
any idea OF how the iron within this
mammoth building is affected by the
changes Of the temperature. Some so
carloads of glass have been spread out
over the immense roof. The glass had
all been set in the spring. Just as soon
as the weather began to soften up and
we had those frequent and sudden
changes that usually OCCUR here in May
and June, the roof suffered to a great ex
tent. ! remember on one occasion par
ticularly of certain sudden cooling in
the atmosphere that broke hundreds of
panes of glass in the roof. Even now,
it is difficult thing to keep the roof in.
repair.
In the immediate centre of the hall
stands high clock tower whose chimes
frequently fill the air with sweet sounds.
This tower is about 100 feet high. All
pavilions may be readily located by
points from this structure. For instance,
at the ". +. corner Germany stands
Immediately north of this is Austria and
still farther north comes Japan. At the
s. T. corner is France, followed on the
south by Belgium and then by Russia.
At the southwest corner is Great Britain
and diagonally opposite to it is the
space allotted to our home exhibitors.
England has the most unpretentious
pavilion of all Indeed it is no pavilion
They have merely enclosed the floor
space allotted to them. The pavilions of
Germany and France are the most pre-
tentious. Which nation has the better
exhibit is n question very difficult to
answer. j have seen both and am in
clined to think they are about equal.
If France lends in some things Germany
does in others aud vice versa Neither
nation has spared money in preparing
for the display. Each nation is com
pletely represented. Ii there is a French
restaurant, there is also German one
The display in both exhibits represents
the highest art in each country. The
salons Of Berlin are as gay as those of
Paris and all that furnishes the salons of
Paris and Berlin, all that goes to dress
salons, all is represented at the Fair.
1t will delight every visitor to see the
magnifcence each of these peoples has
sent on as representative. Those with
money will find much to buy and many
suggestions as to interior decorations
that will be positively fascinating. Itis
the hardest thing in the world TO pass
through this building without stopping
to see and examine all that is displayed.
Thirty governments are here represent
ed. Siam and Persia. Ceylon and
Jamaica, Brazil and Switzerl land, Russia
and Japan, Corea and Morocco, France
and Germany are side by side on this
neutral ground in friendly rivalry.
There is something in each exhibit pc.
culiar TO the people-characteri of
them-some particular work which no
other nation has, some national industry
in which they lead. For instance, there
is nothing on the Worlds Fair grounds
equal to the display Of glass work from
Austria. 1t is simply exquisite. The
tints and hues in the beautiful handi-
work cannot be described. The method
of decorating, the artistic design and
finish of these decorations must be SEEN
Then Switzerland is there with her jew
elery and wood carving. Geneva watches
are shown of all sizes and shapes. Some
are not larger than your thumb nail. The
cases containing them are always crowded
with admirers, who, like myself, are
simply fascinated. Imagine set of
of jcwelry worth $4,000 con
sisting of five separate pieces glesm-
ing like, well, ! scarcely know what.
remember one morning when boy |
went into our grape arbor and came upon
beautiful sight A gigantic spider had
woven a wondrously delicate polygonal
net and some fairy finger had hung it
with thou.ands of dewdrops. The sun
was peeping through an opening on
the opposite side of the bower, and the
rays that passed in fell flashing on the
spiders net and lit it into flames OF gold
snd purple and yellow and indigo. This
little scene that l had almost forgotten
was recalled to my mind when saw the
set of jewelry to which / have re-