The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-07-26
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EVOLUTIONS OF ARCHITECTURE.
BY MEMBER OF CLASS E..


All history, modern as well as ancient. is more
or less vague. and we find considerable difficulty
in distinguishing between actual facts and what
is based on legend.
1t appears that early man took naturally to
architecture and that he found it necessary to
provide dwellings as well as food and raiment.
The first architecture of any Importance men
toned in the Bible is the building of the Tower |
of Babel. That this account is based on legend,
we may assume from the way in which the story
is concluded. That this building was actually
attempted seems altogether likely, and that the
people of those days had developed architecture
to no unmpOrtant degree is evident from the
fact that the keystone arch has been discovered
in tombs in Egypt which are credited to the
Third Dynasty, or about the time according to
Noses that God disgraced this planet by placing
us upon it, This arch is known to have been
used frequently during the Eighteenth Dynasty.
| or 1900 B. c.
We also find the Israelites burning brick while
| in bondage in Egypt, which makes it evident
that architecture was we'll advanced at those
early times.
When Greece was overrun by the Romans, five
centuries B. c., they not only took everything
they could of value and beauty, but upon their
return began to copy the Greek art, which had
become renowned for its beauty and complete
ness of design and workmanship.
The Romans in turn shared the same fate as
the Greeks at the hands of the GOths, and arch
itecture not only experienced decline but was
again transplanted.
We find ruins of the ancient Roman works in
nearly every country in Europe. and some IN
southwestern Asia and northern Africa
With the Roman and the Gothic should be
mentioned the Byzantine architecture, which
also originated in Greece during the reign OF the
Roman emperor Constantine. The three classes
differ only in detail and have been used evel
since, and hundreds of beautiful samples of thi:
art may be seen at the present time IN all tht
most important palaces and cathedrals III tn'
world; buildings that have required centuries u
construct and have stood and will stand for cen
a turtles to come, ever attesting to the progress
the world and mankind in general.
With the present century something new ha
" made its appearance, something quite origina
! and known as the nineteenth century Ofic
building, but sometimes nicknamed "Sky
scraper." The only virtue of this style lies in it
q altitude for breadth is never permitted; not 70
l. want of land to erect them on but it seems thes
buildings thrive only on land exorbitantly hig
NJ priced, from $4,000 to $4,000 per front foo
n The Schiller Theatre, the MOnaduOck block {
the Masonic Temple, Chicago, are striking illu
trations of this style Their beauty lies who'll
OF in their compactness and simplicity. The tW
of former are sixteen stories high and the latte
twenty, and may severay be classed as tt
n height of architecture.
III In constructing such buildings. a massive ste
frame is first raised to the required height. al
then the masOns may, for neatness or CONVEX
Vn ence commence at the top and build down
or preference to the Old-fashiOned way. Had OF
of these architects had the contract for Il
wv Tower of Babel we should not have be-
,s- gathered up promscuously and assembled he
today.
At times the steel frame is simply lathed al
I'd all is then covered over with stuccO.
an Then after using the building prOfitably fol
In short season the owners may wish to remove
In this case they will, to save time and lab'
* hire tramp for the price of a drink and
Ix- fifteen cent lunch to set it afire. Should tn
nd experience any difficulty in wriggling out of
proper end of the financial horn they may tn
the frame into railroad iron and realize hal
'A' some profit.
no This may not be the height of architectu
lh but it is certainly the length and breadth OF