The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-12

in point of size. elegance and
excellence or arrangement viii ex-
Gel any other building ever erected for
a similar purpose, is outlined in a set
Of preliminary plans which have just
been placed in The hands Of Harry J.
Furber, jr., president of the Olympian
Games association Of Chicago. The
building called for, it is asserted, will
house the Olympian games of 1904,
which are to be held iI Chicago, on o
scale Of magnificence never before
eQualed either in ancient or modern
times.
The building will cover approximate
" eleven acres. The arena alone viii
be 500 feet long and 100 feet wide. AS
the stadium of Athens, which was re-
constructed when the Olympian games
were resuTrected in 1885, was but go
feet long and 100 feet wide. while
other Greek arenas of ancient times
We're even smaller, it may be readily
seen that the Chicago stadium will
eclipse anything of the kind ever before
devoted to trials of athletic prOwess.
The stadium of Athens would seat
between $4,000 and $4,000 persons, and
il was the first intention Of the Chi
Cago committee to erect a building Of
about that seating capacity. Since the
games were awarded to this city, how
ever. and various subcommittee ap-
tointed and set to work, the vastness
of the project has more and more ap-
pealed to those concerned. 1t is now
calculated that as the games will be
greater than am ever held before, and
that the population from which the at
tendance will be drawn is much greater
than that Of Athens. a building seating
5000 spectators will be none too large.
On days when special attractions are
offered the attendance may exceed that
number and to provide for such a
contingency the plans will allow for
chairs which Will seat a few thousand
additional
Ingenious Plan For Roof.
With the approval of Nj Furber
and expert assurances OF its feasibility.
a striking novelty in the matter Of
roofs has been planned. The area
where the seats are placed viii be
rooted i'm the usual way, but the arena
VIII be protected by a roof or left with
out one almost with the ease and celer-
lily with which an umbrella can be
opened and closed. You press the but
ton and the roof will do the rest said
the architect in enthusiastic eXDlana-
ton. Briefly. the roof Of the arena will
consist of a series of gigantic curtains,
arranged on rollers and operated by
electric motors. They will be so ar
ranged that when in place not a drop
Of water can enter.
TIL primary idea in planning this
innovation was to gu9Id against the
interference of rain. which so often
thinks it IS on the programme and
tries 10 be the whole show. Athletic
competition in the rain is pleasant
neither for the competitors nor the
spectators, and it puts record breaking
out OF the question. On the other hand
the strenuous eXertions of trials OF
strength AMI endurance require the
light of day and pure air, which are
not TO be had in the ordinary building
There is something so inappropriate
in athletic contests held indoors that
the idea IS frOwned upon by even the
spectators. Il will be rem rendered thai
much adverse comment followed the
playing of a football game some year;
age in the old SiXty-third street coli
scum. II is proof of this eternal fines!
of things that few care to see an out
door sport held indoors. The idea o.
indoor Oiympian games to spOrtsmen
and 10 those who wish to see the Ole
classic ideals preserved as far as pos
't' Ia ~ CLl LADAt 4EBu5 llct4lL IDA
nobody cares 10 see foot races, foot
ban games or spectacular display
handicapped by d muddy field o
q downpOur of rain. and it is admitted
ilsr the ''rOOfess roof proposed 70
the Chicago stadium is a happ.
thought
r. is. Of course, hoped that the skie
VIII Dee so kind as to require but littl
use for the covering during the games
But a mOnth-the period which will b
required to complete the games-i
likely 20 have some rainy days, and o.
such occasions. when the head janito
sees q huge cloud preparing to d
business, he will say, presto
hanSe.' press the button and fool
ITS approach, as the golfers say.
An Architectural Triumph.
Thus the stadium will always be
SlIt OF fresh air resort and there non
need ever be deferred from attendin
by Year of rain interfering with tn
sport The programme will be IS fiXe
a> The laws OK the Modes and Pei
slams.
AS to the design of the building.
VIII compare favorably with any OF II
arch Jectural uiumphs which made Ii
Worlds Columbian exposition notabl
The architect followed closely old-cIas
d. Ideals III his outline. borrowing II
best that was in the various OLD stad
ums of Greece and the coliseum
Rome. and adding the improvement
evolved by modern minds. An ex&
reproduction Of the Grecian stadium
not practicable in Chicago, owing
me nature of the ground.
i e ancient stadium was built at Il
base of hills the hollow between whit
was used as an arena. 1t was witho'
roof and the seats were Of marb
quilt tier on tier up the slope of Il
nils. The architect jestingly remark
mat while j. was unfortunate perhaI
mat Chicago had no hills with viii,
% reproduce the Greek idea. there w
q least one bright side 10 the matt
nobody could complain that &
games were not held ION the level"
The accompanying picture. bett
man any verbal description could q
SHOWS the exterior beauty of the Or
posed structure. Aside from the ia
mat there are los exits and six ma
Entrances, three on each side. and tn
me promenade embraces the ciTcuI
ference OF the building. the illustrate
furnishes the details of the structure
me visitor will approach the bull
ing on gravel paths laid out through
PARK, studied with flower gardens a
Ountains. He viii pass through {
nam entrance TO a corridor leadi
GEAR around the building.
10 each section holding about
persons. there will be a separate c
rance from this corridor, and {