The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-05-30
WORLDS FAIR.
How the Buildings Of the Great Exposition
are Made, Appear and Affect
Architecture, Statuary and
staff.
Special Correspondence of The Daily Leader.

Special Correspondence of The Daily Leader.
Chicago. May 26.-After making
q tour of the grounds and taking
Lei general view OF the build
ings, the visitor to the worlds fair is
still ut q loss TO know where to begin
the inspection of the buildings. From
whatever point, owever near or far cne
may see the grounds, one object always
looms up into view-the golden dome
OF the Administration building as
1t rises 276 feet into the air. From this
one naturally and at all times takes his
bearings as he travels in and out of
buildings. 1t cost nearly q half million
OF dollars, and is used only to supply
rooms for the head departments Of the
exposition administration, hence it's
name. Except for chow it was a need
less expense Of money, as the same ac-
Communications could have been pro-
vided in . handsome building costing
one tenth the money. But we are now
speaking of the building as it is, and it
is magnificent. Two hundred and sixty.
two feet square, with arch entrance
so feet wide and SO feet high, calonades
without, supported by Ionic columns,
and the smaller entrances to rooms
within by Doric pillars. Groups Of
statuary Of heroic size fill the angles at
each side OF the entrance. Ranging
around the central court written just
above the great arches is a series Of
medallione, each containing the name of
d foreignacountry which is on exhibition
at the fair In the next higher section
OF the building, or rather inner court, is
n segies Of panels, each containing the
tsubject, aaate and discoverer OF some
great scientific fact. Next above these
toefies arseries OF frescoed panels with
pictures of Minerva browning her chill
dren with ianral wreaths, and above oil
c~enterB the arch Of the great dome, IN
laid with NEUROLOGICAL designs OF exquis
ito painting. The effect OF the whole
is to command admiration and study on
the part of the beholder. But if the
interior .is beautiful the exterior is
majestica. It's apparently massive white
walls, broken at intervals by semi. circu-
lar recesses whose front line In the
building is preserved by calonades of the
Ionic order, with figures in relief on the
frieze or entablatures, and the corners
and cornices surmounted by groups OF
statuary, The peculiar combination
produces the pleasing effect of the
architecture Of the sixteenth century
known as.the French Rennaisanse. i
speak thus infinitely of this building,
because it is a fair example OF all the
national exposition buildings on the
ground. They are all magnificent in
outward appearance, and all of the same
order Of style of architecture, producing
the same effect upon the observer. The
s~tatuary, the figures ia relief on the
frieze being representative Of the pur-
pose of the building. may differ, but the
general appearance, the effect, the
grandeur'of all the large buildings is
the same throughout. The interior of
all the other government buildings differ
from the administration. in that they
have to be open for light, the roofs OF
glass being.snpported by great archs and
trusses ofsiron or steel without place for
interior establishment. The interior OF
the central court and dome Of the
Government building alone, being fres-
coed and ernhellshed like the Admins
~tration building.
And, now, as to the material compos-
ing these great structures. They are
made OF iron, wood, glass and "staff.'
The frame work is iron and wood
covered with glass manly on the roofs
of the industrial buildings and sstaff" on
the walls. Staff is here used for the
first time in the United States. 1t was
used in constructing the Exposition
buildings at Paris in 1878. It is q ma.
terial made like morter from gypsum
water and other ingredients; it is lighter
than wood and both fire and water proof
When mixed with cement it is much
HEAVIER and stronger for foundation work
It has been used for covering buildings
in South Amerisa countries for over loo
years. When it dries its color is q dirty
white, and the buildings are given their
beautiful white or cream color by wash.
ing it over with . sort OF white-wash to
SUIT. When first made staff is very soft
land plastic and will mold into any con-
ceivable form Of design, figure or mold.
ing, hence is well adapted to covering
the walls or making statues, bass reliefs
or holdings. The architectural OF
sculptural designs which adorn the
buildings are first modelled In clay
from which molds are made, and into
these the soft staff IL run and q cast
secured very much as q cast OF iron,
j nA~lIs-- $50 ~krk,,c- - ~~u 49, - 49,