The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-07-24
TWO MAGNIFICENT PIERS
Uncle sam VIII Build a Colonial City
and an Unriyalled Approach at the
jamestown Exposition Next Year

Of the sums appropriated by the
United States government in aid o.
the jamestown celebration 70 be held
next wear. five hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars are specifically set aside
for the construction Of buildings and
the collection OF exhibits. OF this
amount the larger part is the building
fund.
II has been the purpose Of the James
town exposition from lis very inception
to create a Colonial city on the shores
of Hampton Roads, and the pol!cy OF
the United States government IS ~
further this end by the erection OF
buildings all Of which will belong 10
that distinct type of architecture. Dot
ted here and there along the six miles
OF roadway to the exposition are sew
.eral fine examples Of Colonial archi-
lecture, and in the city OF Norfolk
there are some houses which are per-
feet 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
Inial houses Of Middle Virginia, and
that marvellous example of the purest
Itvue. the University Of Virginia..
None of the exposition buildings will
be reproductions Of Greek or Roman
temples; nothing bizarre will be shown
in the outdoor decorations or interior
adOfnments. The lines of the builC-
ings will be cnaste, and the gardens
reminiscent Of the seventeenth century.
The whole picture will be a cOmrOs-
lite of green foliage, native flowers,
hard shell Or dirt roads, and houses,
large and small, built of brick, white
,cOlumned, or of shingles interest with
tiles. The bill apprOpriating the gov
ernment money sets forth h a Said
buildings shall be erected as far as
possible in the Colonial style Of arc!Ii-
lecture, from plans prepared by the
supervising architect of the treasury
This provision of congress is in line
with the architects predictions, aud
las a result, the government Will nave,
for the first time at any exposition, ::
set of buildings between which there
is no discord Of style.
To enable free and ready cOmmunica-
ton between the ships Of the ieets
that will assemble in Hampton Roads
land the exposition shores, and in order
to furnish a safe and ample harbOr for
small boats and launches, the govern
ment has appropriated four hundred
Thousand dollars for the construction
of two mammoth piers projecting eigh-
teen hundred feet into Hampton Roads.
connected at the sea and 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 eigh-
teen hundred feet in area. The para-
Igraph of the bill making provision for
the construction of these piers further
provides hat the water basin shall be
ldredged throughout its entire area t
"a sufficient depth to accommodate
boats drawing ten feet of water at
mean low tide.
This water basin will be unique
tamOng exposition sights. 1t will be
brilliantly lighted at night. and at sea
terminus will have two tall towers, one
for the lighthouse service, and n for
wireless telegraphy. The connecting
pier will be arched sufficiently high to
permit all the small craft to enter the
basin. Shrubs will be planted all
along the piers, and will afford an ex-
cellent vantage ground for sight-seers
TO view the ships at long range.
Besides it's use as a harbOr, the en-
closed basin will serve as an arena TO"
water sports, swimming matches, Wa
ter polo and such games, and possibly
for the exhibition Of various models OF
motor launches. Boats will leave the
Imain landing at the shore end of the
basin and circle the outer harbOr, or
take passengers to the various ships
while the sea end may be used as =
Handing place for larger boats.
The dimensions of this enormous
basin can hardly be cOmprehended
without some comparisons. The great
Jest length is about nine ordinary city
lblocks; the connecting pier at the end
is six blocks long. and the width Of
leach of the piers is the length of the
leverage block, two hundred feet.
! The total pier-way therefore equals
the superficial area of tw~enty-fOur city
iblOcks, ample space for a multitude of
displays, and space hat will be util-
iiZed for such purposes.
IMMUNE CRIMINALS