Evening journal., 1899-09-21
BLAzEs OF ELECTRIC LIGHT
Beauty ana Extont OF the Displays
and Decorations at tho Great
Export Exposition.


Philadelphia. Sept 19.-The electric
al decorations and electric displays OF
a useful and somewhat ornamental
character form a very interesting feat
ure of the National Export Exposition.
At night the interiors OF the group
OF buildings are brilliantly illurnin-
ated hy a combination of electrical sys-
TENS. the power for which Is furnish
ed partly from the power plant In the
exposition grounds and from city cleo
trical companies Within the build
ings are 400 arc lamps Of various kinds
and designs with nominal power OF
1000 candles each. These. with q
large number OF incandescent lamps,
are supplemented by the electrical dis
plays connected with the numerous ex-
hibits. which in one or two instances
are of extraordinary beauty The
electrical exhibits themselves are in
no single instance OF great magnitude,
but in numbers and variety they are
most interesting and important. They
represent rather those electrical con-
triyances which are antique and use
full. and which are OF service to the
small and local conveniences OF life,
and great and extensive operation.
AT night the exterior of the build
ings Is outlined in a blaze OF electric
light. The Main building will be
specially brilliant from tho exterior.
Upon it's roofs At regular intervals are
high flagstaffs, from which. during the
day. nutter the colors OF all nations
The top OF these aagEtaffs. instead OF
being decorated in the usual common
place way by gilded balls. are orna-
mented by large opalescent globes
each of which is a 500 candle power
incandeseent light. About the cor.
nicas of the buildings below the flag
stats. are strung hundreds of other In.
candescent lamps, making a line OF
FIRE, which extends entirely around the
structures, marking their outlines
from a great distance. These electrical
effects from above form a fine fringe
for the broader illumination below.
The outlines Of the windows extending
from under the cornices. almost 10 the
ground, are Indicated by lines of in
candescent lamps. which. aided by the
bright light from within. gives to the
group Of exposition buildings the ap-
pearance of palaces Of fire.
The grounds themselves about the
group of exposition buildings have a
few but not numerous electrical effects
The facade OF the Main building ia
beautifully illuminated. The arches
below the great columns are outlined
by 60 incandescent lamps and the pedi-
ment above them. which holds a rep
resentation Of Commerce. 30 feet long
and 10 feet high. is Illuminated by
more than 100 lamps, bringing out on
the darkest night all of the beautiful
effects of that ornamentation. High
above this the quadraga, 16 feet high
/ to the top of the surmounting figure
/ OF Victory. balanced on either side by
! groups 10 feet high representing Trans
portation and Navigation. is shown in
bold relief by another arrangement OF
electric lights.
The grand Esplanade in front Of the
entrance is Illuminated by a system OF
/ gas lamps in large and beautiful
groups, but no electrical light appears
beyond the line of the cornies Of the
various buildings which skirt the side
walk OF the Esplanade itself. But the
faces of the buildings themselves pre-
sent a very pretty effect from the nu.
merous varied and fantastic shapes
into which designs have been made by
the use of small and many colored in.
| candescent electric lamps.
The power for all these electrical IL.
luminations is furnished by local com.
panies and by the exposition's iowI
plant, as has been noted.