Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-18
A GA Mt GLOBE
A Feature of the Land Office Ex-
hibit at the Worlds Fair.
MADE AT Mt. PIE A s ANT
An Immense Representation Of the Earth
Constructed by Mr.. A. 4. fwney-rhe
Latest Geographical Discoveries shown
Interesting Maps which VIII Go with the
Huge Globe.
at is the earth"
And with o fence around it."


porter and Mr.. A. L. Pitney ~ they stood to-
gether in a large building that stands Just
back Of the residence OF the latter on Princeton
street, Mount Pleasant.
Mr.. Pitney Was explaining TO the reporter
the result Of the continuous labor OF himself
and assistants for something over a year. This
result is to form the unique and instructive
exhibit Of the general land Office in the govern
ment building at the Columbian exposition.
When it was decided 80 make land ofhee ex-
hibt Mr.. Pitney Was sent for and consulted. He
had been a clerk in the office for many wears,
and had designed, constructed and had charge
OF the exhibits OF that important branch Of the
government at the centennial, the New Orleans
and the Paris eKpositions. Consequently he
was the proper man to have charge of the pro-
Poeed exhibit for the Columbian exposition.
he determined that something should be pro-
onced that would surpass all former exhibits.
ana nnally decided upon a massive globe which
Is now nearing completion. As il turns on its
axis IN this building. which was erected espe-
ciall, for its construction, this model Of the
earth Is little over twenty feet in diameter.
with circumference Of sixty-three feet. a
superficial area of l.256 feet and a weight Of
over 1000 pounds.
Ii bears upon its surface Representations of
the land and water on a scale Of si1ty-nine
miles 20 one and three-fourth inches measured
at the equator. The degrees Of longitude and
parallels of latitude are indicated, AS are also
the zone lines. the iso:hermal lines the princi-
pal steamship lines and a proper tracing Of
the route Of Christopher Columbus on his
memorable voyage in 1892. the result OF which
the Columbian exposition ia to celebrate. The
divisions Of land with the boundaries. even
down TO the provinces of countries and the
location OF the larger cities and the direction
OF the rivers and streams. are set forth with re-
markable fidelity and art.
MADE IN SECTIONS.
The construction Of this globe-probablv the
largest ever sttempted-vas the result OF won
derful ingenuity. 1t is made in forty-eight
sections and will be taken apart and packed for
shipment when the work Of painting the sur
face is entirely completed. The interior
framework is an ingenious but simple CON-
binstion Of girders principally Of wood over
which was first stretched burlaps, then can
vas and then Scotch linen. On this linen were
put i've coats OF paint TO get the proper
surface and then the work of painting
the representation of the earth's sur
face. giving in distinct colors
the geographical divisions which mark nation
from nation, was begun. A scaffoldiug or gal-
lery rising to about half its diameter surrounds
the globe and on this Mr.. Pitney stands 10 do
most of his artistic work This was what the
remark that 1t was the earth with Q fence around
il meant.
be completed shortly after the LIST Of March and
II will then be packed and shipped to Chicago,
where it will be erected in the space allotted 70
the general land Office in the government build
ing. There twill surmount . star-shsped edi-
fee, which will in itself be q pleasing archi-
tectural contribution to the building
This pedestal will elevate the monster globe
to focal plane Of fifteen feet above the door,
SO that il will rise above the surrounding ex-
bibits. The ediice which viii serve as a pedes-
tai to the gigantic globe will. with its ingenious
construction. afford opportunity for the dis
play Of six big maps Of the new states-Idaho.
Wyoming, Montana, Washington and the two
Dakotas. 1t may be entered through five door
ways and will be srtistically drsped with fags
the arrangement Of which will have a signifi-
canoe beyond the mere blending of colors. No
doorway, for instance will be decorated with
combination Of flags Of rival nations. A cir
cuihr apartment in the center of the globes
pedestal will contain interesting ,abulated
statements Of the condition OF the pr' lie lands.
UNDER THE EARTH.
This room will be fifteen feet in height, with
a convex ceiling formed by the lower part of
the globe. An interior stairway will afford
access to a balcony around the base Of the
globe. which will be supported on a horizontal
axis. turned by small motor, instead OF being
placed at an angle OF 67ls degrees, as the world
is actually hung in space. The horizontal axis
will afford better view Of the depletion on the
globes surface than if it were inclined at the
geometrica!ly accurate angle. There viii be
very little TO represent at the south pole beyond
the vague lines of Grahams Land, and the
apparatus for turning the globe will be placed
at this end Of the axis and hidden from view by
an immense representation Of the official seal Of
the general land Office, which will serve as a
screen and lend significant decoration 10 an
otherwise prosaic part OF the globe.
In preparing the surface of this clohe Mr.
Pitney has consulted the latest maps obtain
able, both those made in this and in foreign
countries He thus found that there are dis
crepancies in maps prepared under the same
authority at different times. and he has endeav-
ored with the greatest care to harmonic all
differences. Over fifty different maps have
been under constant examination by him
during the progress of his work, and among
the collection are those made by Pesry. Brain
ard and other arctic explorers from which he
has indicated the performances Of these ad-
venturous men.
A YEARS WORK.
As has already been said, the work Of con-
structing this globe and painting its surface
has occupied over year and the labor has not
been confined to ten hours day by any means.
Many times he has worked far into the night
under improvised gas Jets that surround the
globe like many brilliant stars. Sundays and
holidays have been utilized TO push forward the
completion Of the work.
While this globe will be the principal, as ii
will certainly be the most unique feature
of the exhibit OF the general land Office, there
will be other maps aud plans that will show the
distinctive character Of the work done by that
Office. The maps Of the six new states, which
have already been referred to, will be par
ticularly on account Of the fact that they
will be the largest single sheet maps ever
produced. They were drawn from the land
Office publications and are, notwithstand-
ing their immense size, perfectly accurate
in ali their details and fine specimens OF the
draughtsman's skill. Then there will be tables
showing the extent Of the public land, both
agricultural and mineral, and reproductions on
an enlarged scale of an agricultural patent and
a mineral patent that win illustrate the docu-
ments in which so many public land holders
are interested
PAINTINGS THAT TELL HISTORY.
Next TO the globe, however, in point of inter
est in this exhibit will be two large paintings
l01l3 feet. executed by Mr. Pitney, one illus
tratlng the progress Of mining in California.
and the other the improvement in locomotion
in this country, or as the artist himself
calls, it, "A comparison OF the carrying
facilities of the United States" In the
first the crude methods Of obtaining the prec-
ious metal that were first employed
at the time gold WAS discovered are graphically
SGT forth and both landscape and figures are
drawn with q bold, free hand. In the other pie-
ture the old pack mule. the OK team, the sta ae
coach, the canal boat and the first locomotive
| hat rras hrou oh ha~a -, {.