The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-20


ers Five Acres of Ground-TLe Eject a,
Night Is Beyond Description.
The stors of the conception and the con-
summation OF the Crystal carnival is a pc.
culiar one. "Ice palace talk" had been
going on for several months but 1t didn't
seem to catch the popular fancy. Load
Vile people were slow to grasp the stupen.
dous possibilities that were behind the
scheme. There were mutterings Of dis
content. 1t was some said, a foolish idea
"A crazy notion, without any practical
benefit. But the ball that had boen set
rolling continued to grow, and at last il
dawned on the people that the ice palace
was inevitable. All eyes sought for tho
man who could crystalline in his own per-
sonality the carnival idea-the man TO
plan and carry TO completion the enter
prise. lInorringly the choice fell on
Tingley ;. Wood, "a mine operator of tho
camp, who has always been first and fore
most in all that pertained TO the public
good. Mr.. Wood accepted the position of
director general, the citizens having pledg
ed themselves TO raise $50, 600.
Four hundred workmen were set TO
work late in November 10 place between
5000 and 9, 900 tons of ice in position on
the summit of Capitol hill The task was
a tremendous one. There were unfavorablo
weather to contend against, unskilled
workmcn, scarcity of teams to haul the
ice, and thousand and one obstacles that
would have daunted less resolute man
than Director General Wood.
Leadville, when she saw that her great
carnival was attracting almost world wide
fame, then resolved TO bid the earth TO
come to the playhouse her genius had
erected.
The spectators first impression of tho
palace is its immensity and solidity. 1t Is
not toy structure, but mighty castle.
Five full acres of ground arc covered.
The style of architecture is Norman castel-
lated. The Norman style does not allow
much room for gingerbread ornamental
tion, still is not devoid of artistic effect,
and in its massiveness is more imposing
than the pretticr but Trailer structures of
other build. The ice palace walls are re-
lieved by belts of projecting ice blocks run
about the building and by what is known
as corbelling and paneling. The towers
are of irregular pattern. They are 80 feet
high, 40 feet in diameter, and in circum-
ference are 1876 feet. These towers form
the main feature of ornamentation of the
building. Their imposing height, reach
ing, as they do above the walls and other
towers, make them the first and most
prominent objects TO greet the eye as the
palace is approached.
1t is simply impossible TO describe the
magniflcence of the effect produced after
dark, when tho palace Is fully Illuminated.
1t seems the wierd creature Of a dream,
not the work of human hands. AT the
guests from every quarter. This Is col
ored al!egorical figure Of woman, all
sculptured and built Of ice. The out
stretched right arm and hand point to the
rich mineral hills from whence Leadville's
wealth was taken. Over the right arm Is
a scroll representing smcltcr returns, and
emblazoned in letters of gold are the fig
urcs $500, GOO, 900, tho yield of the camp
TO the present time
The center of the structure Is vast
skating rink, promenade passing around
It, on one side being the great ballroom, a
wooden structure with glass front looking
out over the rink, while on the other side
is conccssionaire hall.
The rink is covered with great truss
roofing, containing eight cantalever truss
es. The walls are entirely of ice, and In
closed on the sides with arcades or pillars
and arches. These pillars or columns of Ice
are Of the most novel and attractive fea-
lures of the palace. They are octagonal, five
feet In diameter, and so built that incan-
descent lamps are placed in the center, the
light radiating from them in all direc-
tions. lncandesccnts of all culors are inn
bedded In the walls and arches that arc
made rcsplendcnt by the yaricolOrod lights
strung through their veneer of ice. Arc
lights are suspended from the trusses, and
four soarchiehts send blaze of glory
from the four corners of the room. These
lights are shifting, and being of various
colors the countless brilliant effects pro-
ducod can scarcely be described. It lis
called Skating rink" and the flashing
throng In brilliant colors gliding over II
makes IL so In reality; but rink" Is too
commonplace name for such q gorgeous
and palatial interior. This great room,
with its myriads of lamps the illuminated
pillars and walls, its tinselCd roof, It's stat
uary, typical of western life, sculpturcd
from solid blocks of ice its colonnades,
archod rocesscs-all form a picture that
suggests naught but the grand throne
room Of the prince OF the powers OF frost,
the reception chamber OF tho ice king and
his court.
The exposition feature has been com
bined with the carnival idea, and tho vast
oxpansc OF interior ice Malla has bccn util-
lied for exhibition purposes OF tho most
novel and entertaining character. In
blocks Of ice which Of course are mann
factured aftiflcielly, are all sorts Of Inter
ost'ng and -uniquo exhibits; fruits from
the Grand valley md from the orchards
Of Canon City; flowers from Denycr's hot
houses. photographs, minerals and
wealth Of rere curlos impossible to de-