The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-27
WORLDS FAIR BUILDING.
Materials Used and Natural Laws
Which Govern the Structures.
by Philip ]. Markham. Chief Z


/ [By Philip J. Markham. Chief Building
! Engineer of Worlds Fair, st. Louis.
The various exhibit buildings being
constructed or planned by the Louisiana
Purchase exposition are of a temporary
character, with one exception. They
must be removed after the exposition,
but during their brief existence they are
expected to be INTELLECTUALLY beautiful
at least to their exterior, and strong,
firm and tight enough to afford a safe
/ shelter for exhibits and visitors against
wind and weather.
The materials entering into the con-
struction and finish of any one of the
exhibit buildings are easily counted on
the fingers. Iron, wood, plaster, staff.
roofing, glass. paint, and the conduct
ing mediums for electric currents, wa
| ter, domestic supply and fire service),
and possibly steam. together with Sani-
tary and illuminating fixtures. will
practically make up the whole list.
The form and manner in which the
few building materials enumerated are
used in manifold. The quantity not the
variety, of each and all of these mater
ials is the principal factor in the cost
of the buildings.
These quantities are expressed in big
figures and naturally are a scale for the
area and volume of the buildings. or
vice versa. And yet. when we cOmDare
the price of a square foot or cubic
foot of these temporary buildings with
that of permanent edifices for domestic
or business purposes, the vast difference
ebtween them is fully accounted for by
the temporary character of the con-
struction and finish. and by the large
volume of interior space left undivided
and unembellished.
The one permanent building, adverted
to above. is the art palace, planned as
group of three buildings, the central
main building of masonry and fire
PROCEED steel throughout, and two semi
fire-proof hanking buildings separate
! tha hrsf17 4 mis-
of the cost of this central permanent
art building with the temporary large
exhibit buildings. shows the cost of the
former to be about to 10 times that
of the latter for every unit of the cubi-
cal contents enclosed.
The material and methods with which
the architectural and the construction
problems solved are here briefly
stated. The masses and details of the
designs are represented and rendered in
plaster and staff applied, to wood sheath
ing, Turing, studding. etc. the latter
backed and braced. according to needs,
by heavier timber ana steel framing. All
the pedestals. bases, columns, plasters.
antae, archivolts, architraves friezes,
cornices. panels, vaulted groined and
domed ceilings, pendentives, medallions,
consoles, brackets, inches, parapets, arch
ials, balustrades, spandrels, arches, cof-
fers, caissons, garEoyles, diaphragms,
obelisks, globes pavilions, pylons, turrets,
trophies, fountains and what not which
the architects have used in their compost
lions, require a bewildering mass of light
framework approaching the general con-
tours of the architectural forms.
When the architectural forms arefinish-
ed in plaster and staff, they merely rep
resent masses. as stated above, while
they are only a light shell mounted on
wood forms. These shells arise to such
respectable heights that special care is
required to brace them against buckling
crushing or overturning by wind. The
! r. b11iI IIx
| be carried long-span trusscs. so to
restrict the number of posts and give as
much freedom possible in the arrange
ment of exhibits. There are solid
walls on which these trusses may DE set
they must be supported by pillars from
| the ground up The exterior walls
generally secured to these posts, and
these posts, with knee braces and tTusscs
over them in one direction and portal
bracings in the other direction. give to
the structure its stability.
All foundations are built of timber,
either crib3age or ground sil5s resting up
natural ground is not more than four or
five. feet below the established street
| grades of the Exposition grounds: or upon
piles. driven not less than IS feet into the
natural ground, where natural ground is
practical or economical. or where the ma
/ ture of the soil is not above suspicion. as
| in the basin of the former park lake, and
the flled-in beds of the river Des Peres
and its numerous tributaries
! The entire framework of the four build
ings is of wood. of small size sticks in
| close proximity. shaped to the contours of
the architectural exterior, and Of massive
heavy timbers for truss posts. trusscs,
knee spandrel and sway-braces. etc.
Iron rods bolts pins and plates are used
for Neb-tensfon members and their connec-
ticns ard for the ices of long tension
chords where they can not be had in one
/ length
Castings are used for washers. strut
shoes and special angle blocks Posts,
trusses and in general all heavy framing
timbers are of long-leafed southern pine.
All outside plaster is put a dove-tai
grooved sheathing. nailed to the wall
| studs. ceiling joists. etc This sheathil5
is used to add stiffness to the wall frame
ard to furnish ready mailing ground for all
plaster or staff ornaments.
The roofing material is gravel and COM
position on all fiat and deck roofs ana
felt on all other roof surfaces
Ra+,,rn IF the Hirh Heel