The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-14

acres. In the center will be the great
palaces, fourteen in number, to be de-
voted to general exhibits. These Will
be the Hottest exposition structures
ever built. Eight of the buildings will
be grouped in a rectangle, four of them
nearest the bay and four facing the
tropical boulevard, the Alameda, upon
the south. The eight buildings will
form almost a single palace, for their
outside walls, marking the rectansIe'
will be broken only by a series of stu
pendous archways. entrances that VII
afford access to series or great courts
lying between the buildings.
In the heart of the walled city VIII
rise the tower Of the administration
building 375 feet in height and hanKeo
on either side by the gilded towers
domes and minarets of the remaining
buildings of the group
Panorama Is Dazzling.
The grouping will present an effect
of singular massiveness and grandeur.
The skyline of the main group apart
from the domes, towers and minarets
will be no feet in height. The lesser
towers, domes and minarets of the
group will rise IT'S to 230 feet.
The panorama at Harbor view, the
exposition site, is dazzling. Steamers
passing through the Golden Gate Will
pass directly before the grounds. Fac
ing the site from the harbor rises
Alcatraz Island, the site of a naval
prison that surmounts the summit OF
the island like a Mont San Mlcnel-
Across the harbor, three or four miles
distant. rise the hills of Marin country,
towering into the hundreds and often
into the thousands of feet; they are
green clad with grass and with great
red splashes of sandstone down their
sides, and with purplish shadows IN
their hollows. From the location one
looks up at the encircling hills of the
city and the Preside reservation.
The main group of buildings will be
divided in it's center by grand court
of honor extending north and south
900 feet and 600 feet wide Dividing the
group on the west will be the Court
of Four Seasons. and on the east the
Festive Court. From east to west the
buildings will be divided by an ave-
me connecting with the three north
and south courts, but each court will
stand apart by itself. separated by its
columns and peristyles like the rooms
of a great building. Most imposing and
largest of all the courts will be the
great Court of Honor. the court of the
east and west. At the south end of
this court will be the administration
building with it's huge tower 375 feet
high, the dominating feature of the ex-
position. At the base of the tower,
which will occupy an acre in extent,
will be a huge arcade, beneath which
one may enter into the court.
A great classic colonnade surmount-
ed by figures designed to represent on
the one side the spirit of the east and
on the other side the spirit of the west
will extend entirely around the court
of honor. In it's center the court will
contain a sunken garden, and in the
continuation of this court, which will
extend to the gardens on the north
side. will be placed a lagoon, one of
the chief water displays of the expo
sition The court of honor, which in
size will correspond with the great
place in front of the cathedral of st.
Peter at Rome is designed by McKim,
Mead & White of New York city. To
the east of the great court of honor
will be a court suggestive of the joys
of life, dedicated to music, dancing
and acting. This will be a Festive
Court, a court for symphonic music, of
choral singing and harmonious dane
ing 1t is designed for pageantry sur
passing the luxurious Durbar and con-
stitutes a proper setting for Oriental
or modern drama upon an immense
scale.
The Italian Court.
Directly south of the Court of Four
Seasons there will be a splendid court
be marvelouSly picturesque with trees,
shrubs and flowers and it will have a
counterpart in a similar court by the
same architect opening upon the
southern garden between the Varied In
dustries and Manufactures buildings
The Palace of Glass.
Nearer the southern extremity of the
western court will be one of the most
notable of all the exposition palaces
the great Horticultural Palace. con-
almost entirely of glass and
covering over five acres or approx
mately two city squares in extent. The
Horticultural Palace will tower one
hundred feet or more and the rarest
plants and flowers in the world will be
growing in different divisions of this
building. From an architectural view
point it will be unique One can
imagine the golden CLINT of the sun re-
Elected on its shining roof.
The concessions and amusement CEN
Ter at the extreme eastern portion of