The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-01-05

The Hanging Gardens of milwaukee,
are likely to attain q worldwide fame
in the closing years of the nineteenth
century, as did the hanging gardens
of Babylon in the reign of King
NebuchadnezZar, thousands of years
ago. The celebrity will surely come to
Milwaukee if the plans now before the
executive committee of the Wisconsin
Semi Centennial exposition are carried
out These plans provide for great
terraced structure, semi-circular IN
form, at least 1,200 feet long, to be
built at the northern extremity OF the
beautiful Milwaukee bay, surrounded
by the splendid residences Of MilWau-
KEGS wealthy men, as the central edl-
fee of an exposition, the varied feat
ures Of which will be distributed along
nearly two miles of the water front of
Lake Michigan.
The principal exhibits of the exposi-
ton will be displayed in this structure,
which will be yeritable hanging gar
den the exterior being a mass of flow
ers, vines and vegetation of substan-
tial growth, arranged as decorations to
the architectural novelties that will
abound.
On the several floors of the interior
are to be displayed the exhibits under
their various clasSifications. A broad
open stairway will divide the two seq
ments CT the building In the southern
extremity are to be the machinery,
electricity. mineral, forestry and trans
portatien exhibits. while the northern
segment will display the liberal arts,
manufactures, agricultural, hortlcul-
tural and fishery exhibits. The fine
arts building will be a separate struct-
ure. and will be located north OF the
main building. The Women's and chill
dren's building will also be separate,
and there will be a mammoth casino
on the water front. The government
pier will be promenade and a land
inc place for thousands from the va
riouS lake ports, who will come to the
exposition by boat. Then there will
be mile of beach running northWard
from the government breakWater for
the midway features, the bicycle
track and the live stock exhibit. Elec-
tric cars will run to the grounds from
all the lines in the city, and access
NAV be gained both from the top of
the high bank and from the base of
the bluff. An intramural elevated cleo
tric line will convey passengers from
one end of the grounds to the other
and will connect with the city street
car system at both ends. The great
auditorium, the main entrance to
which will be on a level with the top
of the high bank. will accommodate
great musical festivals and other con-
yentions of every description which
will be held in connection with the eX-
position, and will remain as permar
nent Improvement to the city.
This is a brief outline of some OF the
features of the contemplated WiScOn-
sin Semi-Centennial exposition which
will run during the four OF five months
of the summer and autumn of 1893,
and which is expected to eclipse In
novelty and magnitude any exposition
of a similar character ever held in the
United States, excepting of course the
worlds fair. An active committee is
now engaged i'll raising money from
Milwaukee business men that Will be
necessary to place the great EXPOSE
ton on a sound financial footing, with
a practical certainty Of success. With
in the next few weeks the committee
expect to be able to report that they
have been successful. and a stock COM
pany with $1.000,000 capital will at
once be organized to build the EXPOSE
ton and conduct it.
the cause Of much vexation in locating
a great exposition, may be regarded as
practically settled by the joint report
of Landscape Architect Warren III.
Manning of Boston, and Architect A.
c.. Clas of Milwaukee, who examined
five proposed sites. They agree in the
opinion that tho advantages Of the
flushing tunnel site for the exposition
are far superior to those of any others.
The superiority is SO great, in the
opinion of both that there is little
ground for hesitation in making a
choice. In view Of the opportunity
that exists at that point for a novel
and unique exposition building that
shall differ in many respects from
other eXpositions that have ever been
held. and yet combine the attractive
features of former expositions, it is be-
lieved that the hanging garden" idea,
as applied TO the flushing tunnel loca-
ton. will be adopted with practical
unanimity.
Possibilities as Seen by Mr.. Manning
Mr.. Manning, in describing the site
in his report to the executive commit
tee. SAYS:
The flushing works property is one
and one-fourth miles from the city hall
and is accessible by the Chicago &
Northwestern railway, which runs along
| the face of the bluff from the station
on Wisconsin streer. and by the Far
we'll avenue line passing within two
| blocks of the works. and from which
| it would be practicable to carry a short
spur TO vacant land on top of the bluff.
The North avenue line could be ex-