The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-22
PALACES IN 4 FOREST.
handspring at the Worlds Ear
Ground St. Louis.


not be disappointed From one glori-
Gus prospect he may pass to another.
From one superb vista he may turn to
revel in the exquisite beauty of others
landscape features of this great expo
sition, the architect in charge, Mr.. Geo.
z. Kessler, has had ever in mind the
central idea that this is a city of gigan-
tic palaces. rather than d group OF
buildings set in a park. The treatment
is therefore generally Of formal char
acter and the establishment is along
the borders of the thirty-five miles OF
r0adwayS within the two square miles
of exposition area.
The most elaborate of the formal
gardening will be upon the slope of
what is pOppularly known as the Cas-
cade gardens. These gardens are in the
southern part of the central picture
south of thu grand basin which lies be-
tween the Education and Electricity
buildings. and viii represent an expen-
diture of one million dollars. The fea-
ture is half a mile in length, extending
in a long southern sweep around the
end of the basin and the communicating
lagoons The slope is 300 feet wide with
a rise of sixty feet. The crowning fea-
ture is an elaborate architectural work
Of noble proportions, and most exquisite
and perfect detail The combined
genius of architect and artist is strongly
in evidence in the magnificent MASTER
piece, which consists Of several parts
The central part is festival hall, OF
circular form, 200 feet in diameter ana
carrying the largest dome ever con-
structed, which towers 200 feet above
the foundations of the building. Colon
nadeS, fifty-twO feet high, extend east
and west from the festival hail. and ter
inmate in two restaurant paviliOnS, each
130 feet in diameter and $50 feet high.
Each of the cOlonnades is divided into
seven circular bays, before each of
which win be placed a statue or sculp-
tured group of heroic size to represent
~. ff4se
divisions of the great Louisiana Pur-
chase, in cOmmemOration OF whose ac-
QUESTION the exposition is held, Will thus
be represented in sculpture. The terrace
upon which the statuary win stand is
known as the terrace of states, and
overlOoks almost the entire sweep of
gardens and cascades.
The cascades are three in number. the
central by far the largest. The water
gushes from an artistic hood or fount,
20 feet above the level of the terrace,
spreads out into a stream As feet wide
and IA inches deep, and leaps from wier
to vier down the long slope, spreading
to a width of $50 feet as it takes its
final plunge into the grand basin. The
other two cascades have their sources
in fountains in the center of large bas-
ms upon the terrace opposite each OF
the restaurant pavilliOns. These cas-
cades have nearly the same form as the
larger one, and flow toward the central
cascade into the grand basin. At night
the cascades will be Illuminated from
beneath the water, the effect being that
of a luminous water. With the other
elaborate electric illumination the fea
ture is destined to be one of striking
novelty and certainly the most elaborate
and beautiful spectacle of the kind ever
created.
Between and beyond the cascades are
the great lawns with their rich en-
broideries of flowers. Cement walks and
flights of easy steps are provided
throughout the vast gardens, and a
liberal use of sculpture completes the
of view the cascade gardens will hold
the rapt attention of the visitor longer
than any one feature of the great ex-
position. These gardens close the main
avenue which leads into the exposition
from the northeast entrance to the
grounds, and every patron of the fair
will have many look at their chang
ing beauty.
Another garden of especial promi-
nence Will be situated in front of the
United States government building, IN
full view from the main transverse aV-
enue This garden is also upon a slope
so that its many beauties may be seen
from the avenue as well as from the
building above The same advantage
attaches to sunken gardens which are
to be features of the main transverse
avenue. One of these bright gardens, %
by 750 feet, Will lie between the palace
of liberal arts ana the mine anu AucLdl-
lurgy building. and another, 70 by l,30O
feet. between the palace of transporta-
ton and the machinery building 1hese
gardens are to be three feet below the
general level and will be framed in great
stretches of blue grass FlOWerlng
plants have been chosen that will pre-
sent solid masses Of color and bloom
the entire season, such as the phloxes,
petunias, geraniums and verbenas. Foh-
age plants will also be much USED
I,,., dc
central picture large trees are part
of the decoration. These are from L
to Is inches through the trunk, and 10
secure them involved a formidable un-
dertaking in transplanting. This Work
was done so successfully that every
tree is fiourishing- Long lines OF big
trees border the main avenues. a9l't
their bright green and amber shade add
essential elements to the general PIC
ture.
The outdoor exhibits of the depart
ments of horticulture and agriculture
the exhibits of the United States gov
the paViliOns erected by foreign gov
ernments and the various states al
enter into the landscape picture Some
of these features Will be very elaborate.
France Will have a reproduction of th~
gardens at Versailles. surrounding the
Grand Trianon. of which the French
building is a replica Appropriate land
scaDe establishment will surround the
british nayilion which is reDrOdue-
ton of the orangery of Kensington pa
ace East of the palace of agriculture
are six acres 0lanted to roses. more
than So 600 rose trees being there on ex-
hibitiOn All told. more than forty
acres are given uD to outdoor exhibits
upon grounds around the palaces of ag-
riculture and horticulture. Among the
features upon the slope north of the as
riculture building IS a floral clock lee
feet in diameter. giving the correcS
time. The outdoor exhibit Of the de-
partment of agriculture of the United
States occupies six acres and includes
mao of the United States. indicated
in useful plants characteristic of each
state. The map is surrounded by ex-
hibits of grasses, medicinal and poison
Gus plants China. Japan, Germany ard
other nations will have special land