The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-24
4 GREAT SOUTHERN FAIR
South Cardinals Interstate and
West intian Exposition.
Grounds Selected ON the Banks of
the to BE Converted
Into Of heauty-ArcIitec-
ture of the BuiIdinGS-Rnpid Prog
ress in Preparing for the Event.

ress in Preparing for the Event.
The South Carolina Interstate and
West Indian Exposition viii open in the
city OF Charleston, 5. c.. December /,
1901. and close June /. 1862. The EXPOSE
ton Company has been chartered by the
State OF South Carolina. with capital
stock of S25G.006 Active work upon the
exposition project has already been in
progress since about the LIST of August
last. and what has been accomplished in
the period that has elapsed since then is
without parallel in the history OF exposi-
ton building. The size of the exposition
Will be or the eastern bank Of the Ash
ley River within mile and a half OF the
business centre of the city OF Charleston.
The grounds are beautifully situated. and
VIII lend tnemseIvs 10 the most artistic
treatment One half of the grounds VIII
be devoted to the main exposition build
ings. the Midway concessions and the Ad-
ministTation offices OF me great show.
The remaining part Of the grounds VIII
preserve their present great natural
beauty. and viii be devoted 10 the build
ings and exhibits made by the Govern
ment and the several States Of the IN
ion, which will take part in the exposi-
ton Some description of the architect
ural features OF the fair viii be OF gen
eraI public interest
The exposition grounds are divided into
two main sections, one consisting OF the
old Washington Race Course property and
the other of the @gener farm, formerly
the Lowndes place. The architect-in-chief
has adopted the general plan Of develop
ing the race course proper on purely con
structive lines and OF preserving as far as
possible The natuaI beauty of the Wage
ner place. The race course property has
been employed for years for purely agri-
cultural purposes. no races OF any impor-
tance having been given there since the
war between the States. This part Of the
grounds is entirely Iegel No better site,
IN the opinion Of expert artists and build
ers, could be found About twenty-five
acres have been reserved on this part Of
! the grounds for the Midway concessions.
The main exposition buildings surround
grand court at the western extremity OF
the old race course This viii be il
shape something like an elongated horse
shoe, with the Cotton Palace, or main ex-
! position building. occupying the toe Of
the shoe. with the Commerce Palace. and
the Agricultural Place occupying respec-
! lively The two sides OF the shoe. These
buildings. with their connecting colon
nades, viii extend for a distance Of about
one mile. Within The horseshoe there
viii be SUuken Garden covering several
acres, with lake in the centre 4 side
/ es2ia3ade or Alameda about sixty feet
IN width VIII surround this garden
At the northern end Of the garden there
VIII be grand plaza from which a spIan-
did view viii be obtained of the main *
position buildings The yistas opening out
/ from this point through groves of pal
mettO trees which viii line the outer
edges OF the walks around the garden viii
| extend for a distance Of 1000 feet Just
north Of The grand plaza VIII stand the
Auditorium building, directly opposite the
Cotton Palace. from which a view may be
obtained OF the entire Court Of Palaces.
| with the sUna-en garden, and its trees and
flowers and the slOping banks which sur
round It Each Of The Exposition build
lngS VIII be 400 feet in length with an
average width Of 100 feet and. as already
I stated, viii be connected BY COIoLnades
| the construction being such that the col
Cnnades can be used for exhibits
Among the special attractions Of the
/ court OF Palaces VIII be fountains and
bits OF statuary and handsomely DESIGNED
uting TO the beauty Of the scene At one
end Of the sunken garden a music stand
viii be erected, and at the other end a
pergOla or lattice work screen AGAINST
which will grow during the exposition
/ period, the most beautiful of tropical
vines. IN the centre Of the plaza there
/ viii be q sun dial ten feet In height and
thirty feet in diameter Whichever way
the eye locks there will be visions Of
beauty. Toward the south. the greet
Court Of Palaces, toward the east the
towers at the entrance to the Midway
and looking across the entrance way the
groves and minaFets OF the Wagner place
The main exposition buildings viii be
the Cotton Palace, the Commerce Palace.
the Agricultural Palace. the Mining and
Forestry build Eg. the Auditorium, the
Administration building the Machinery
and Transports ton buildings and other
structures devoted 10 railroad exhibits to
restaurant purposes. and TO public CON
fort Besides all these there VIII stand
on the Wagner place the United States
Government building the WOnans build
lag the several State and City buildings.
and the Negro department
The Cotton Palace viii be the most i'm
posing Of the exposition buildings Il
viii cover upward of 80 000 feet of focr
space, viii be 30 feet in length. and at
least 100 feet IN width. One OF the fea.
lures Of this building will be a maguiiI-
cent portico. IN the centre Of the build
ing viii rise an imposing dome 20 a
height OF more than 80 feet In this
building viii be displayed the products
of the cotton mills Of the country. and, as
South Carolina Is the leading cotton nan
ufacturing State OF the South and the sec
ond cotton manufacturing State Of the
Union. il is expected that the display IN
this building will be the most complete
and attractive that has ever been made
The palaces OF Agriculture and Com
nerce will each contain about 0GG0
square feet OF floor area. in addition 10
their connecting arcades which viii cor
tain in all about 20,000 square feet Each
Gf these buildings will have a central
dome and smaller lurrets at the corners.
emphasizing the entrances TO these as
weiI as the centre pedimenJs- The int
rior Of these buildings has been partic;4-
Iarly designed for both effective artistic
treatment and practical utility. The win
d0ws IN all OF these viii be carried at
least eight feet above the floor. the roof
trusses being constructed upon the cantil-
ever principle, thus avoiding the usual
rnassIng OF unsIghtly wooden frame work
and emphasizing the graceful lines of
arches and circles. starting from the prin-
cipaI dOmes and carried through The
wings ana approaches.
The Administration Building is Of most
attractive design and Will be occupied By
the officers and staff Of the exposition The
architect has departed widely from the
usual style in designing this structure The
principal exposition entrances and exits
a-a-.a hen rom hfned with II The central