New-York tribune., 1901-07-07
I'LL MIN4TION.

ILL LGMIN4TIOA.
Among the many interesting features of the
great spectacle provided by the Pan-American
Exposition there is one which surpasses all the
others not only in interest but in beauty. More
than this. ii is superior to anything of the sort
attempted at Chicago In 1893 or at Paris last
year We refer to the illumination by cleo
trcity of the exterior OF the buildings, begun
every night. with commendabe thought for the
convenience of the public, AT precisely $50
o'clock At that hour the thousands assembled
in and about the main court behold first faint
dull rosy glow along the angles and over the
facades of the buildings. Then, with n gradual
and delicate transition, like the effioreScence of
some magical fantasy upon the night the thou
sands of veiled rubies become lamhent beads of
burning amber, the cold white glare of elec
trcity melting into light too golden, too soft
to be called dazzling. The fiamboyant struct-
ures fianking the long central basin. dominated
by the severely beautiful lines Of the tall tower
at one end. then take on an enchantment I'M
suspected in the garlsh light of day. The mul-
titude applauds and from that applause as
from the illumination itself, there flow divers
reflections.
In the first place, the artistic perfection of
this illumination and the public delight in 1t
suggest a solution in every way adequate, and
problem which, as we have lately had occasion
to remark. the American people have thus far
cared 10 solve only in noisy. uncomfortable,
dangerous and altogether barbarous manner
In place of treacherOus fireworks that assa us
with ntoera BILE sound and stencil that crafty
the eye no more often than they disappoint II,
and that incidentally, do every year enormous
damage to life. limb and property. we have an
exqusitely unfolded splendor that leaves I'M
broken the precious silence of the night and
filings against the sky picture of Incompatible
brilance doing harm to no living creature, i'm
perilling mans possessions Is there any
reason why this sane substitute for uncouth
sound and fury. this miracle of art and in
genuity, this boon Of aesthetic pleasure. should
be known only once in years and then the
compartment to single sort of enterprise or as
the exclusive appanage of the city which hap
pens to have Niagara Falls harnessed at it's
gates? We cannot it. On a smaller scale.
but equally high plane of artistic
deavOr, it is within the reach of every city in
the Union. of every town, and even OF some viii
lagos where The development OF the trolley
system has made the Introduction of electric
power a matter of commonplace
Paris, which witnessed sOms wonderful ap-
plicatons of electric light at the exposition last
summer-though none quite effective as the
Pan-American achieVement-has shown its
usual taste in employing something besides fire
works for the amusement of its people at a
time Of rejoicing. year ago on the 14th of
July, the national ftte day, the Luxembourg
Palace and other public buildings rippled into
organized luminosity after the fashion of the
Pan-American buildings. The Boulevard Saint
Germain, to name only one of the more elab-
orately illuminated thoroughfares, was trans
formed into a faryland, being arched all along
its course with thousands of red and white Ian
terms deftly ntertwined with the national flag
The people danced as they have long danced
on the night Of the 18th Of July, to the music
OF bands stationed everywhere in little pavions
decorated, like the streets. with lights and
banners. Not a single firecracker was exploded
No sound but that of merriment, secure from
all disaster, fell upon the ear All over the city
this was the case. The Champs EIysees cleaned
like a phantom place of romance. Is it neces-
sary, then, ask, that we should blithely
make pandemOnium and call il "a patriotic fes-
tival"? That we should destroy life and call it
celebrating our Independence? Would not
even the children forego the 'firecrackers with
which they make day hideous suggesting the
addition of another circle 10 Dante's list If,
locked and bolted indoors they were soothed
with promises of the joys to come at nightfall?
There Is another suggestion, equally valuable,
to be drawn from the nightly entertainment
offered at Buffalo. This is that electric light
might be employed in architectural design as
an element no less potent than either form or
color. The Electric Tower, with It's surfaces
as well its outlines exhibiting a really CON
structive and decorative intention in the dis
position of the electric bulbs, demonstrates that
American genius can do anything 1t likes In this
field; but elsewhere than at some such expoSi-
tiOn this the art OF creating architectural
effects with the aid Of live wire seems to
remain in mere infancy. The light can be dis
trlbuted along any lines, in any pattern. 1t
can bring out not simply the keen edge of a
cOrnice or the swelling contour Of dome. but
the intricate charm OF a luxuriant arabesque
IT can throw ont column a plaster from a
background of broad wall space; it can produce
a masterpiece Of light and shade-and it need
never be too sharp in its contrasts, fer as the
Buffalo lighting shows, the force of many
touches in composition may be heightened or
lessened al Will. Yet we continue to leave this
matchless source of beauty to the advertiser
who announces through electric letters on the