Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1894-11-15
THE NEW REICHSTAG.
Germany's Magnificent Legislative Build
ing Formally Opened To-day.


ing Formally Opened To-day.
BERLIN. Nov. l5.-The massive govern
ment building, the now roichstag struc.
ture, was formally opened today. 1t is by
no means complete, but 10 is the young
kaiser's earnest wish that the German
parliament should hold its next session
In the great hall designed for it. There
Is fully another years work within the
building in the way of great decorations
and the making and placing OF tho stntu-
airy designed 20 Ill the thousand inches
in the massive corridors of this monu-
mental structure.
For 12 years the.sgorkmen have been
busted on this building. which with its
graceful 'front.' faces the famous green
sward Of tho still more famous Thiergar-
ton and with its terraoed rear looks down
upon the hustle and turmoil Of busy Der
lin. 1t is an ideal location. selected as 1t
was by the greatest Of Germany's land
scape artists. From its top, on which the
imperial crown rests like a gem set In
tho sky, the view of tho great city Is en-
trancing. 1t towers even above the great
column of Victory which commentaries
the result Of the Franco German war.
The statue Of Germania holds the place
of honor on tho facade, and the friezes
underneath it are adorned with the Ger
man arms and NEUROLOGICAL figures tell
ing the story of early Teutonio times.
Underneath this is the dedicatory inscrlp-
tion, ITO the German People Its Ger
man letters form tho words, Dem Deut-
sohen Woke The ornamental work
and the statuary which already adorn the
outside Of the structure are tho work of
a host of Germany's masters, among
whom towers the sculptor of the Germa-
mia statue. Reinhold Vegas
1t was in 1850 that the reichsrath first
gave to the world the conception of this
new structure. IL seemed to be an i'm
pulse Of the nation, and the German pop
ulation showed in unmistakable ways that
nothing would tend moro to completely
cement the German federation than a
monumental structure which would be-
long 60 tho nation and be typical not
alone Of its unity but Of its great adj
vances in science, art and architecture.
Ii was TO be a browning event In the his
tory of tho now Germany and this indeed
10 has proved to be. When on juno 8,
1884, the old emperor, William / laid the
cornerstone. his impressive words, few as
they were, breathed the noble spirit of
patriotism, and were much in the nature
OF prediction that the completion OF the
structure would find reunited Germany
the strongest nation on the face of the
earth
Not until 1882 was tho prize arohiteo-
tural competition decided. Hundreds of
plans had been submitted by the greatest
and the least. by the masters and the me-
dioore, and it remained for a man prao.
tically unknown TO even his own nation
ITO win the great prize.
1t was to Paul Wallot that tho honor
was accorded. He is now not alone a
great architect but a talented landscape
artist and remarkably clever civil en-
gineer. 1t was he who laid out the ia.
nous Central cemetery Of Dresden, and
in 1881 took third prize in tho oompoti.
ton for the conception Of the great Ste.
phRnia bridge Of Vienna
Tho cost Of the building WILL when
completed, reach perhaps CO. 900, O0C
marks. This is exactly double the amount
at first voted 60 carry out tho colossal
project. Had the original design for IN
terior decoration and statuary boon CA
ried out, it is likely that the building
would have cost over 100 00U, 600 marks.