The herald., 1895-03-23
GREATER THAN E|FFEL
A Boston Tower to Soar HighG
Than Any Other Structure E
In the World

When the great chain OF parks and bou-
| levards is completed, Boston will possess
| the finest park system in the country, il
ably be one of the grand features of Bos-
| tons parks. if the present plan of several
| leading men of this city is realized, will
| be the magnificent tower and amphithea-
ter which it is projected to erect at the
| end of the pier of Marine Park, City
| Point, South Boston. irl
| The bottom OF the foundations will be
about forty feet below low water. igt
The foundationswill be built:in caissons
and sunk into position. An ordinary
caisson is a strong scow or box OF wood
embraced with iron, without lid. The
caissons which will be used for this tower
will be patterned after those used for the
Forth bridge, says the Boston Globe.
The masonry will first be built into the
caissons, either i'll whole or in part while
afoat, and the whole then towed into
place, moored, and then sunk into place
at the bottom, resting upon the natural
surface prepared for it. ts
The shape of the tower up to the mid
die will be like that of the dome Of St.
Peters Church in Rome, and above that
will be like the Eiffel Tower OF Paris.
The measurements of the tower will be
as follows: Diameter at base, 355 feet:
diameter of amphitheater, $50 feet; height
of first story, 25 feet; height of midway
800 feet; height from midway to lookout
on lighthouse, 200 feet, making the total
height of tower 500 feet.
1t is intended to have four entrances.
The west. or grand entrance will be di-
rectly opposite the end of the pier. the
visitor proceeding directly from the pier
into the main entrance. 1t is desired to
make this a triumph of the designers and
iron workers arts.
On the inner ring of the arch will be
lettered the following quotation from
Addison, in the Spectator: "He surveys
all the wonders of this immense amphi-
theater thatlie between both the poles OF
heaven"
On the cornice orr, surmounting the :l main ain
Enjoyment of the People" The three
other entrances will not be so elaborate in
design.
Opposite the north and south entrances
will be the boat landing for small sail
and rowboats. and opposite the east en-
trance will be steamboat landing. out
side the lower floor of the tower will be a
wide sea promenade with seats.
On the lower floor1 of the tower, on the
outside, will be different booths where
refreshments may be served, or bowling
and shooting INDUCED in. Entering the
main entrance the amphitheater may be
reached.
1t is intended to arrange this amphithe-
ater so that the football games or athletic
games and sports may be enjoyed in sum-
mer, and in winter ice carnivals and dress
parties are likely.
The amphitheater it is intended to
make about $50 feet in width. Three gal
leries and row of boxes below the lower
tier of seats will afford a seating capacity
of at least 1900.
The amphltheater will afford one of the
finest floor spaces in the city for balls,
parties and carnivals and the best COW
cred area for athletic sports and games.
In the rear of the first balcony the
plans show station where cars can be
boarded for the ascent to the midway.
The grade of the railway as planned is
five degrees. which is a practical grade
for either cable or electric cars. At pres
ent it is intended to operate an electric
road by the traction system. 1t is esti-
mated that 800 people could be carried to
the midway in an hour.
Judging from the typographical survey
made Of the surrounding country. the
view to be seen as one ascends the tower
will be magnificent.
Finally, 800 feet above the level of the
sea. the midway will be reached. This
will be circular in form, about $50 feet in
diameter. The building in the center, to
diameter, giving promenade on the out
side, which will be very wide, and afford
ing ample opportunity of viewing the
country and harbor. t
The musee will be two stories in height,
with an apex. On the lower floor will be
grand dining room and the second floor
the musee, where can be exhibited statues,
curosities and paintings. Above that, in
the apex or half-story, will be the lolIng-
ing room, where the visitor enters the
elevator to go higher.
These columns will be in the form of
parabola which will give them great
strength and enable them to resist the
strongest winds or gales,
The upper elevator equipment will be
similar to that used in the Manufactures
building at the Worlds Fair. This con-
sisted of four cars, running at speed OF
about 200 feet minute, each pair of cars
being operated by single electric engine,
one car ascending while the other is de-
scending. The plant OF four cars can
easily accommodate 1900 persons an hour.
Two hundred feet above the midway
will be located the observatory, 500 feet
above the sea level. On the outside OF
the little building on this landing will be
a promenade, or lookout. of about ten feet
wide. Inside the building will be the
scientific observatory, containing tele-.
scopes and instruments. With the aid Of
these instruments the visitor can bring
closer to him the view of the surrounding
landscape.
Above this observatory will be another
small building, which, if the United
States Government so desires, can be used
as lighthouse or Weather Bureau station.