The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-11-16
A WATER-COLOR CITY.
Mr.. GfIbert's Preliminary Studies
of the Exposition Buildings.
Beautiful DESIGNS which
Fore Shadow n Still
More Beautiful
Reality.

a see1eS Oh receptions or, perhaps,
it would be more correct to say O con-
tim us, reception, lasting several days,
was recently held at the Offices OF the
South Carolina Interstate and West
Indian Exposition Company in Char
lesion, FOR The purpose of afrdipg to
the publicta view of the beautiful pre-.
liminary, studies of the buildings
which, 4have been designed by
Mr. Rghdford L. Gilbert for the Elk
positi0 TO be held in that city next
year. These pictures wero arranged
f,r exhibit ID under the direction of
Mr.. Gilbert himself, and not the least
char rnling feature of the show was the
fact that most of the time the dis
tinguished architect was present aud
always fready to help inexperienced
spsctatarsl.o moro complete appre-
citation OF The plans than they could
possibly have attained without his
aid. Id tho centre of the handsome
office Of the Director General of the
Exposition, temporary structure was
ereckedI with we'll in the centre in
which fss displayed the ground plan
of tia Exposition as complete pic
turei(6 that the spectstor might, by
nionnlhg one or two steps, look di
rectlydown upon the grounds, thus
gettingYa birds eye view of the whole
scene. By day this plan was we'll
lighted aud was at night even more
admirably defined, every line being
clearly Shown in the light of hundreds
ilof electric bulbs which formed q
| wreatherof radiance around the we'll
| On tip east and west walls were
hung so}t sepia studies of the Elec
trical Booth and the Electrical Foun'
tain, Yhne, on the north vail against
q background of crimson draperies
we're displayed in a row the principal
buildiugs 10 be erected upon the Ex'
position gronnls along the banks Of
the Ayhley River. These water color
sketches Sbowsd an amount CT detail
work really rsmarkable, and the spec
rtator ,sssS spained them by the help
Of large fhAgnifying glasses could
prepared without such aid. AioGp
the banks of lake some thirty acres
in extent the Machinery and Trans
portation buildings, with others O.
the same general design, will be erect
ed, the style of these being rather
lower and simpler in outline than the
other buildings. as the reflections in
the lake will increase the apparent
height and lend additional richness o.
detail. From these the effect is skill
fully intensified until the spectator il
led up to the Textile Building O,
Cotton Palace, which is designedly the
most imposing of them all, being 10C
feet in height, and showing facade
OF over $50 feet, broken by various
pediments projections, domes, red
tiled roofs and turrets in typical
Southern style. Not the least attrac.
tive feature of this building will be
its court or patio, 100 feet in diameter
which will be filled with tropical
plants and enlivened by the play Of
fou otains.
Regarded simply from the stand
point of artistic excellence, these
pictures are we'll worth the study Of
all who love beautiful things, but
when considered as the fore-shadow
ing of an actual creation which shal
inevitably-with its God-made setting
of Southern skies, sparkling water
and unsurpassable forest effects-ex
ceed these as the perfected worl
must always exceed the first suggest
i've outline they gaired in the mint
of the spectator, a far more intens'
and lasting interest.