Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-13
CRYSTAL PALACE,
LONDON SHOW PLACE
Romantic History of the Great
Structure of Glass and Iron.
Prophesies of Collapse.
From the London Times.

From the London Times.
The number OF those who were asso-
ciated with, or can remember distinctly,
the opening Of the original Crystal
Palace In Hyde Park In 1851 is now
small; and to a newer generation an al
most Elizabethan halo surrounds the do
ings of those days. As in Elizabeth $
time, there was spirit Of passionate de-
votion to the young queen and her prince
consort, which touched the whole great
enterprise of the fair Of the nations with
q color OF romance. In keeping with that
spirit was the splendid audacity which
prompted the building OF the palace in
which the fair was to be held, Of iron
and glass. We have grown 80 familiar
with its structure that we can hardly
understand the storm OF rldicule that
broke upon Sir Joseph Paxton. and the
courage which 1t needed in the prince
consort and his fellow directors to hold
to their faith in him. Glass and iron!
Why, the building would collapse at the
first gale! Awful pictures were drawn
Of the terrible fate OF those who were
foolish enough to trust themselves inside.
II it did not collapse, the sun beating
through the g.ass would surely frizzle or
SURROGATE every human being within.
And when the miracle was accomplished.
Thackeray expressed the admiration and
wonder of the world in his welcoming
ode:
A blazing arch Of lucid glass
Leaps like q fountain from the grass
To meet the sun,
palace as for fairy prince,
rare pavilion such
Saw never, since mankind began.
BY q pretty fancy the original palace,
built in 1851. was 1851 feet long. The
bare cost of the building was ETC $50.
The enormous success or the great ex-
hibition Is matter of history; and what
its influence upon the world has been. in
inspiring all the great International expo
sitions which have followed 1t is inn
possible to estimate. 1t was the earliest
and one OF the greatest Of the peaceful
triumphs Of the reign OF Queen Victoria
The queen was unaffectedly in love with
the beautiful building. as she was with
her prince, to whom 1t was chiefly due,
and she saw visions OF the good which II
was to bring In continuing to elevate
and interest as well as to delight and
people!"
Removal to sydenham.
On the close Of the exhibition the pal
ace was Immediately threatened with a
crisis not unlike the present one. At
first 1t was hoped that the government
would buy the building and let 1t stay in
perpetuity in the park, but the govern
ment declined to do this. and but for tn.
public spirit of Mr. Farquhar and Mr..
Leech. the palace might have disap-
peared as quickly as 1t had arisen. With
seven other gentlemen they formed a
committee, which bought the building a.
1t stood for R70OOO. The Crystal Palace
Company was organized with a share
capital Of 100000. which sum Is said to
have been practically all subscribed within
q month: and the work of removal to the
new site on what were then the rural
heights OF Sydenham began. II was q
huge Undertaking. and it was two years
before the new palace was ready to be
opened. The palace which arose on
Sydenham Hill was q new and more
gorgeous one. The length was increased
from 1851 feet to 2.756 feet. or we'll over
half mile. It was made A feet higher.
and the total cubic contents were IN
creased by approximately 90 per cent
But the erection Of the building was only
q part of the undertaking. me most
eminent men Of the day were called IN 70
help In Its adornment, in the reproduc.
ton Of ancient styles Of architecture ano
decoration in the courts, in stocking tns
galleries with sculpture, in making the
images Of the prehistoric animals, ana.
above all, in laying out the grounds and
designing the fountains, which are Ieo
from an artesian well 500 feet deep.
4 Place Of Work and Pleasure.
The palace At once assumed its poat