New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-24
STORM TESTS AT THE FAIR.
THE BUILDINGS DISPEL THE FEARS OF
DANGER FROM LEAKS
THE WORK OF PREPARATION GOES ON NIGH

AND DAY-MAGICAL CHANGES IN THE
MANUFACTURES BUILDING-rHE
TUNNEL FOR CONVEYING
ELECTRIC POWER.
Chicago, April 21.-Thc great storm which has
been prevailing over the Northwest since Tuesday
morning, and the finishing touches which, in the
shape Of snow, it has been for the last twelve
hours applying to Chicago. have proved dis
couraGiny episode in connection with work at the
Exposition grounds The people in New-York have
had taste of a severe winter the like of which
they have not seen since ! Sos The same is true
In Chicago and the work at the Fair grounds
has been put back very much by the weather
conditions. Yet in the midst of the coolest
weather there was no LEI up even on out-os-door
labor DirectorGencral Davis said to-day to your
correspondent that he had himself during the
winter stood out on one of the broad csp4nades
conducting certain features Of work coming
directly under his eye when the mercury
stood at 10 degrees below zero These officials
have not confined themselves 10 thu hours of
sunlight. and they have combated with some
Very severe storms but few have tried them so
much that which has prevailed during the
present week Still, this dispensation has been
productive Of much benefit, even though il has
served to rctard work in certain directions These
great buildings have toen criticised severely in
test, as a finality. which they have received, and
are still receiving under the stress Of the terrible
visitor from the north which has rendered Chicago
during the last three days uncomfortable as
II has been any day since the first of November
Critics have been pointing 10 leaks IN the roofs
Your correspondent made a circuit Of the great
buildings to-day and noted all the weak spots.
There were weak spots probably as many as three
dozen, in the great Manufactures Building. bat
in no single place had the water fallen in any
volume beyond that which might have been col
lected in a pint measure. Colonel Davis sald 'ha'
the complaints were absolutely triling-that is to
say. while there had been complaints from en-
hibitors. an investigation showed that in no in
stancc had damage been done TO articles already
in Mace The complaints born rather Of
apprehension than Of reality. Journey through
the Electrical Building did indicate many defects
IN the roof but nothing OF a serious nature
Tho winds have blown over these buildings during
tle last forty-eight hours al a velocity of sixty
miles an hour and not tremor has been noted III
tier structural strength There is an overlapping
of the panes of glass in the roof. HE VIVA drlN-
inc from certain direction will naturally fore
water uphill beneath the overlapping pancs. one
of the contractors said he could generally over
Gonna difficulties resulting from water running
down hill but he was not prepared TO meet the
nroblam Of water running uphill and that Is abouf
tha sitnation here 1t is due to this force OF the
wind driving the water beneath the overlapping
pane and thus causing 1t to drop dowa upon 'iic
floor Of the building that many sensational
stories as 70 leaking roofs have originated
Director-9eneral Davis. in common with all MS
associates and subordinates, was to-day under the
influence Of the bad weather. II IS dlscouraH-
ing feature at this time In spite of the terrihc
winds and the driving sleet. work Il gong on out
=, korA
nitiful scenes are witnessed within the inclosure
There is q continuous string of teams entering tne
.ates bnt the condition Of the ground is such that
chair nrorress is Slow and often one hnds truck
loaded with boxes containing exhibits absolutely
stuck In the mud The drivers are dong tielr
hest and the horses are doing their BEST anu 'he
general spirit Of I'VE must get there ahinia''s
everything, and the poor creatures, poth man a,i"
boast are straining every nerve to make eood tile
legend
4 complete transformation has been wrought IN
Tho Manufactures Building within the Ids' seven
DAYS. week ago it resembled mighty irel-'i.
depot where boxes were piled upon boxes auu
tbsre was nothing but confusion visible from one
end Of the structure to the other lo-oaN one
looks upon pavions Of majestic outline. lhou-
ends of men are employed in rearing these strnc-
,ures and the designs which week ago were
withheld from public notice are now beginning 10
take shape in tho most unmaginaolc ioi"'' Vi
novelty and beauty. Justice cannot De oohc III
a description of this great department un'h S''
zion by section can be fully described or MUS
trated 1t is enough to say and 1t is sui"ciei'
for the pride of Americans 10 know that the "ioie
world is presenting its best Oh our own SOIL "ii"
that the Chicago Exhibition, in the matter oil 'h'
display Of the manufactures ana IlDerai 'r's -
,,asontinc q MAGNIFICENT picture. As one stands
a.;
.nira,ion in the "rat-tat-tat" of the hammer from
,,. end Of il 10 the other and realizes that u i
tho voicc Of a world responding 10 the mVI'a'ioh
=, b;s ovn country TO Join in this splendld MANU-
INLAND reunion -, l.;
m. Electrical Building. as viewed from the III
terror. does not present promising o"''ooN
Is a beautiful building. Its dimensions are '''
nv 500 feet. The height of the nave IS IL 'e''
md the width is II5 feet. The tranSep' VIII"
crosses the nave is Of the same oiheh 'ion' ,'''
height of the roof Of the balance OF 'iie ""ii''7
is 60 feet There are ten spires anu io"i uo''
20 the building the highest towers oeinS % ~, -.
The floor area is o. acres. "l'hih '"i' .'
,bcrc will be- brought together every Invention
.Iiot hae .ddod On the glory of electrical develop
mont within the last decade Nhat "ou nav"
urougbto in this particular line of science "i'"in
,bi. narticnlar decade exceeds all that Has oo'i
,,,ouabt within the centuries Of the Chrlslian ei"
which have gone before. .
+, is only fair TO say. in view of the einp''n-I'
y, ,hie buildino that nearly everything depehuS
unon the construction of the power plah' Ia I'm In
Machinery Hall about hundred Naru1 a ,n no,yn,
fb.t department the machinery 70 supply uc ,pa.,.
necessary for the operation OF electrical i th
in the Hall Of Electricity. a. wcA a. ~ Spp
light of the entire Exposition !, ~ ~, for ali
III uaIilions are in course Of CONSTRUCTION ~ o.
,nann"r Of electrical displays: but IS eVil"n'
tha, this department win possess niue OF i'' hs
cst IN the visitor who wants 70 he III d. !'l ~.
;nring on Nav l. 4 tunnel six feet ~ dhai"!..
connects the Machinery Hall WITH the oa.
I,alI and the wires conveying the power ar :, ~,
,erted with the several sections which arr In
nnoratcd through secondary dNnamos ioca,cu H. H.