The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-07-14
Magnificent Piers
UNCLE SAM WILL BUILD a COLO
MAE cry AT THE JAMES
TOWN EXPOSITION.

sums apprp ted tle nttsti
State government IN aid Of the
iJame own celebrate to be held next
year near Norf6lk, Va, I'VE hundred
ANA nifty Thousand dollars are specif.
calIy set aside Tor the construction ot
buildings and the collection OF ex-
,hibits. of3thisS amount the larger part
IFS the building fund.
ut has been the purpose OF the.
jamestown Exposition from its very,
inception to create a Colonial city on
the shores OF Hampton Roads, ana
the policy Of the United States gov
ernment is to further this end by the
erection Of buildings all Of which will
belong to that distinct type of archi:
lecture. Dotted here and there along
the six miles Of roadway connecting
the exposition with Norfolk are sew.
eral fine examples Of Colonial archi-
lecture, and in the city Of Norfolk
there are perfect specimens of that
type.
1t might be said that the American
adaptation Of the Georgian style, call
ed the Colonial reached its zenith in
Virginia, as is attested by the splen-
did James river mansions, the Colo
NAL houses OF. Middle Virginia, and
that marvellous example Of the prlrest
type; the University of Virginia.
None of the exposition buildings
will be reproductions of the Greek or
Roman temples; nothing bizarre viii
be shown in the outdoor decorations
or interior adornments. The lines Of
the buildings will be chaste and the
gardens reminiscent of the seven
tenth century.
The whole picture will be COM
posite Of green foliage. native fow-
ers. hard shell or dirt roads, and
houses, large and small. built Of brick,
white columned, or of shingles inter
set withetil The bill appropriating
the government money sets forth that
''said buildings shall be erected as
far as possible in the Colonial style
of architecture, fro mplans prepared
by the supervising architect of the
treasury" This provision Of Congress
of architecture, from plans prepared
tons, and as result the government
will have, for the first time at any
exposition, a set Of buildings between
which there is no discord OF style.
To enable free and ready communi-
cation between the ships OF the fleets
that will assemble in Hampton Roads
and the exposition shores. and in or
der to furnish safe and ample har-
Dor for small boats and launches, the
government has appropriated four
hundred thousand dollars for the con-
structfon of two mammoth piers pro-
iecttng eighteen hundred feet into
Hampton Roads, connected at the sea
end by a third pier. Each Of these
piers will be two hundred feet wide,
and the lateral piers will be eight
hundred feet apart, thus forming a
basin eight hundred by. eighteen hun
dred feet in area. The paragraph Of
the bill making provision for the con-
struction Of these piers further pro-
tvides that the water basin shall be
dredged throughout its entire area to
a sufficient depth to accommodate
boats drawing ten feet Of water at
mean low tide.
This water basin will be unique
among exposition sights. 1t will be
brilliantly lighted at night, and at sea
terminus will have two tall towers
one for the lighthouse service. and
one for wireless telegraphy. The con-
Meeting pier will be arched sufficiently
high to permit all the small craft to
enter the basin. Shrubs will be plant
ed all along the piers, and booths will
be erected at intervals. The entire
structure will be extremely attrac.
tive, both by day and by night. and
win afford an excellent vantage
ground for sightseers to view the
ships at long range.
Besides its use as a harbor, the en-
closed basin. will serve as an area for
water sports, swimming matches.
water polo and such games, and pos
.sibly for the exhibition of various
models of motor launches. Boats will
leave the main landing at the shore
end of the basin and circle the outer
harbor. or take passengers to various
ships, while the sea end may be used
as landing place for larger boats.
The dimensions OF this enormous
basin can hardly be comprehended
without some comparisons. The great
est length is about nine ordinary city
blocks, the connecting pier at the end
is six blocks long, and the width Of
each OF the piers is the length Of the
average block, two hundred feet.
The total pierway, therefore, equals
the superficial area of twenty-four
city blocks. ample space for multi
tude Of displays and space that will
~, ,,4tII1o,s #nn cool.