The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-02-13
THuRsToN's oYcLoRAMA.
Description of the Show and the
Statue of Pele.

The Chicago Times gives the fol-
lowing description of the Kilauea
cyclorama, in which Hon. L. A.
Thurston is interested, at the
Worlds Fair:
"The Kilauea volcano building is
the largest in the world used for
cyclorama purposes, being 135 feet
in diameter, sixteen sided, with side
walls fifty-eight feet high. The
roof is supported by a heavy iron
column in the center of the building,
on which the trusses from the side
walls rest. Immediately in front of
the main building is an ornamental
entrance and band stand, the en-
trance being twenty-five feet high, and
will be surmounted with colossal
statue of Pele, the Hawaiian goddess
of fire. The figure is twenty-five
feet high and will rest upon a struc-
ture representing wave of burning
lava flowing down the mountain
side. The lava rocks will be so con-
structed that at night they can be
illuminated from below, brilliant fire
effects showing up through the
cracks in the mock lava. The domain
of Pele is presumed to be within the
crater of the volcano, amid the burn
ing rocks and fire caverns of Kilau-
ca, Honolulu's greatest attraction.
Within the entrance are the offices
on one side and on the other
smoking room, lavatories, and ac-
commodations for visitors, especially
those from the islands of the Pacific
Leading from the lobbies are the
approaches to the observation plat
form, which places the visitor in the
same position that he would occupy
if he stood on the brink of the pit in
the vast crater of the volcano. The
surroundings will be identical. The
horizon will present the outlines of
the surrounding country--of Mauna's
snow-capped summit, from which is
sue delicate clouds of smoke, telling
of the slumbering fires beneath her
crest. Further along the eye meets
Mauna Kea, the volcano house, and
the blue sea. In the middle distance
is the ragged side walls of the first
great breakdown. scanned and fur
rowed with cracks and jagged edges,
where the rocks have been rent by
many an earthquake. Beneath his
feet will be the lakes of fire, liquid
lava, foaming, dashing, leaping in
the widest confusion. The floor
will be facsimile of the floor of the
crater Ain every detail, built up OF
lava, and the fire effects secured by
the use of electricity in the most in.
gonious and complicated contri
vances. The observer will stand or
lava rock brought from Kilauea.
"The cyclorama is the work o1
Walter Burridge, one of Chicago's
best-known scenic artists, who made
trip to the Sandwich islands two
years ago with this object in view
The Chicago Journal has the fol
lowing description of Pele's statue
in front Of the cyclorama:
"a colossal figure of Pele, the Ha
waiian goddess of fire, designed by
Mrs. Ellen Rankin Copp, is nov
being modelled under temporary
structure in front of the panoram;
of Kilauea on the Midway plaisance
Within the building the artists ar,
laying the lurid colors on the canvas
which are to represent the sky effect
around the volcano and carpenter
are constructing the caverns ant
mountain peaks which are to occup,
the foreground. When the pano
rama is thrown open to the public
some startling scenic effects are pro
missed in connection with this fore
ground. The cleverest devices O
the stage will be called into play
and the caverns will glow with th'
| fire of molten lava"