The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-29
THE EXPOSITION OF 1900.
Vast Plans Which Will EmbeIlish Paris
in the Future-A New Bridge-The New
Structures-A Vira Sacra-Change in the
Landmarks of Old Paris.
(From the Paris ILLUSTRATION. }


plans, necessarily chaotic, at last the
form of the exposition of 1900 has been
determined upon. The final concours has
been closed and Judgment rendered,
but all we can do at present is to give
some general ideas as to it's exterior as
pect, with the decorative part, for in
this latter lies somewhat the element of
success.
AT first the directing idea was of the
greatest simplicity. Make the exposition
bigger than the one of 1889. That was
something more American than artistic
and was the Chicago programme. An
engineer, man who never sees any diff
oulties, Nj. Picard by name, in connec-
ton with M. Bouvard. the designer OF
the dome of 1889, presented plan which
was immense in its conception. though
apparently split up and disjointed.
Never" said these gentlemen, "allow
ths Champs de Mars or the Esplanade to
cramp you. Take in the bridges, en-
oroaoh on the Champs Elysees. They
were very confident and quietly awaited
the acceptance of their plan. They were
not mistaken. When first facing this
vast space, the great artists who had en-
tered into the early competition tfor
there have been many competitions
scratched their heads and halted, and
hemmed and hawed. and asked many
questions. "The English" SO some of
them said, "call us an architectural
people. We accept the compliment; but
we are at the same time reasoning archi-
tects, and reason sometimes very proper
ly holds Imagination in check. Here
you are offering us something to work
on which Yankees the Yankee. -
Anyhow 1t was agreed upon that plan
which would only comprehend the right
bank of the Seiue alone, would ignore
the Inyalides, the grandeur, the solemni-
ty of which it would never do to over
look, SO the architects said, "Let US open
an avenue" and then there was chours
of approvals.
AS the QUITTING through of an avenue
would necessitate the demolishing of
the old Palace of Industry and the con-
struction of a brand new one, at once
the idea was seized upon and became
highly popular. In 1894 NJ. Gaudet, who
was at the head of the commission and
himself one of the competitors opposed
the plan. Then the subject was swamped
In a sea of ink. M. Charles GARNER next
lost his temper in defending the plan.
Finally it was declared In 1896 that the
scope of the coming exposition would be
so vast that it would be difficult to give
1t any common center, as had the former
ones, and that there was need of new
avenue, new bridge, a new palace,
which, uniting the Champs Elysee with
the Esplanade Of the Invalides, would
create superb perspective and would
forever embellish the west end of Paris.
The commission having agreed on this
the first thing to be done was to study
the plan of the Champs Elysee, next to
trace on the right bank of the Seine an
avenue which should run perpendicular
with the facade of the Invalides. Then
the exact ground had to he decided upon
objects were called upon for the coming
concours, this is what was said to them :
Here are your limitations. Here is
the area. All that you have to do is to
give us something which shall be both
original and grandiose.'
This must be horne in mind as to the
matter of perspective, which was to be
disooverable from the dome of the lnva-
lijes. 1 he problem was to have q con-
struction which, though it must form
part Of the exposition, was to be re-
tained as lasting monument. Tt was
the new avenue which necessarily was
to lead up to what must be a. permanent
construction. Of course old traditions were
to be forgotten. The point of view would
be changed, because Notre Dame, PHotel
de Vile. le Palais de Justice. LIE Louvre,
LIE Palais Bourbon, the Trooadero, eli
run parallel with the Seine and are re.
fected in it. That river was part of the
former architectural line. The avenue
of 1900 was to interfere with this. Paris
OF the west will then be something else,
and there may be regretful remem-
brances. The main question of space
WAS, however, decided upon. The archi-
tects who entered into the competition
then had to bear in mind the following
conditions:
/. The perspective line Of the new
avenue had to be accumulated so as to
evade the side effects.
2. To build the palace in such way
as to make it final construction.
8. To bear in mind that the buildings
should have a triumphal aspect ne
allure de fete. -
4. To keep constantly in view the util-
itarian side of the exposition.
Artistic aspirations and worldly neces-
sitY were to be mingled. There were TO
be show rooms and concert halls, circus
es, restaurants, etc. There must be dorm
itories, lodging places, everything, with
tens of thousands of complex details.
Let US say that our architects, whose
plans were exhibited at the palace of in
dustry, have triumphed over tbs count
less diffioulties. You may not expect a
chef d'oeuvre, for the conditions do not
permit of it. What is plain and simple
oan only be clothed in a beautiful garb.
The now palace of the Champs Ulysses
will be composite, replying to the neees-
stiles of the case and various inspira-
tlons. Among the SO artists who entered