Las Vegas optic., 1914-02-03
EXHIBIT PALACES
RISE AS If BY
MAGIC
SAN FRANCISCO FAIR RAPIDLY
ASSUMING SHAPE UNDER
SKILLED WoRkMEN


San Francisco, Fep. S.-Like an en-
chanted city of marvellous palaces
and wonderful gardens the Panama
Pacific international exposition is ris-
ing from the shores of San Francisco's
beautiful bay and although the date
OF opening is still a year away the
construction is more than half COM
pleted and every detail win be per-
feet within the next six months.
Millions of people throughout the
world are dreaming today Of their
visit to this wonder-spot which has
risen like magic from barren sand
heap in less than one year.
when San Francisco, cripple by an
unprecedented disaster in 1906, ask
ed to be host to the world at an ex-
position which should celebrate the
greatest achievement of the Anglo
Saxon race it seemed improbable that
even with all the vast resources Of
the west at It's command it could ac-
.gomplish the gigantic task Of building
the greatest exposition the world had
ever seen.
Yet without a moments hesitation
this city of dreamers and doers chose
a site which in respect to nearness to
hotels and the shopping district is
ideal, yet which lacked all of the nat.
ural advantages considered necessary.
A vast area Of 625 acres situated
upon the shores Of the bay was Sc
lected. To the rear were the splen-
did heights of the, Preside, to the left
the great forts and army posts upon
which the country depends to defend
its western shores from invasion; be-
yond, within stones throw, the ev-
ergreen portals of the far-famed Gold
en- Gate invited the commerce Of the
world; and across the narrow strait
Of water directly in front Of the site
the majestic hills of Marin county
cast their, reflections in the lucid
waters Of the bay.
While the location was ideal a
glimpse Of the spot would have damp
.ened the ardour of most engineers. A
vast heap of sand dunes, a large por-
tion Of which were half sunken be-
meath a salt swamp, greeted the eye.
So, it was at first necessary to fill
this in with millions of cubic yards Of
sand pumped from the bay and then
to transport $4,000 cubic yards OF rich
river bottom soil from point ON the
Sacramento river, 10 miles away This
latter was to be the base for the won
derful gardens.
Upon the receipt OF cable dispatches
from the exposition directors, horti-
culturists in all parts of the world
commenced the collection OF thous-
ands of beautiful Towering plants and
shrubs peculiar to the cline in which
each lived, and shipped them to San
Francisco. These were Immediately
replanted in specially constructed
green houses. lath houses and nurs-
cries to be transplanted later after
the preliminary construction work had
been completed to rhe exposition
grounds.
Thousands Of rare trees, many of
them hundreds Of years OLE, were col
leeted by expert gardeners in Aus
trala, India, Central and South Amer
lea and the Philippine islands and
transported to the exposition site,
where they now bloom and spread
their great branches and create won
derful shade spots on the grounds.
From this tropical Garden Of Eden,
a veritable fairyland, rise the maies-
tic palaces which will house the mar
Rels of the world.
Ground was broken for the first
structure on January /, 1918, in the
presence Of 100000 people, and yeal
later this marvel Of architectural in
genuity the Palace Of Machinery. the
largest wooden building ever erected
was completed and on December &c
Lincoln Beachy, the great American
aviator, made a flight in his aeroplant
from the north to the south wall, 8
distance Of 9e7 feet, at a speed Of x
miles an hour. And 50 through the
history Of aviation, marvellous though
1t may be, the Palace Of MACHINERY
win always be noted as the building
in which the first indoor aeroplan'
flight was attempted.