THE GREAT PHILADELPHIA CENTENNIAL TOWER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 369, 1 July 1874, Page 6

THE GREAT PHILADELPHIA CENTENNIAL TOWER.

The " Scientific American " contains a sketch or engraving of a centennial tower 1000 ft. high, with which it is proposed to celebrate the hundredth, anniversary of American independence, in connection with the great Exhibition of 1876. This sketch or engraving stands in the foreground of the picture, and is grouped with the Pyramids of Egypt, Strasburg Minster, St. Peters of Eome, St. Paul's of London, the Capitol at Washington, Trinity Church in New York, and other large edifices, a view shoeing their relative heights. The Tower of Babel is not there, probably owing to uncertainty of its architectural construction, but we ai'e approvingly reminded that its builders said, " Let us go and make us a name," and^fehat it is in every way fittiug for the Americans to imitate the example of the immediate descendants of Noah. What befell this pile of brick and morter when it reached the height of 156 ft. gives the projectors of the Philadelphia Centennial Tower no great concern. They rather glory in the fact that they will be able to cany their structure 850Ct. higher towards "heaven" than what we have been taught to regard as a stupendous piece of folly, and they shall be able to substitute iron for brick in its construction, and bolts, and screws, and girders for mortar or lime. Indeed, they seem to make it their boast that the Centennial Tower, although small as compared with the mighty works of nature — the vast peaks of the Himalayas, for instance — will as far overtop the loftiest spires or domes on earth, as the giant trees of California overtop the tallest maples or elms, and that they shall gain as much in their structure as others in durability as in height, on account of the material employed. Its great liability to be struck by lightning does not appear to have occurred to them, or is not at any rate hinted at. Messrs. Clark, Reeves, and Co., are the designers of the proposed Centennial Tower, and it is to be executed at their PhcenixvilleJßridge Works, Phialdelpbia, andof Am erican wrought iron throughout. It is to be 520 ft. higher than the great pyramid of Cheops ; 532 ft. higher than Strasburg Minster ; 549 ft. higher than the dome of St. Peter's, Eome, Michael Angelo's greatest work; 546 ft. higher than the Chephren pyramids, the successor to that of Cheops j 635 ft. higher than St. Paul's London, Christopher Wren's masterpiece; 713 ft. higher than the Capitol at Washington, and it is to be circular in its form, with a base of 150 ft. in diameter, diminishing to 30ft at the top. Through its entire length, there is to be a central tube, with four elevators capable of carrying 500 persona up and down per hour, at the rate of three minutes up and five minutes down, and around the central tube there is to be a spiral staircase for such as prefer that mode of ascending and descending. The estimated cost of the fabric is 1,000,000d015., say £200,000 to £250,000 sterling, and the time to be occupied in its construction, one year. Its location is to be Fairmount Park, in close proximity to the grounds on which the building for the Great Centennial Exhibition are being erected. Sections of the work, illustrative of its mode of construction, given in the " Scientific American," are not likely to be of much interest to the general reader. They tend to Bhow, however, that proper care will be bestowed on the bracing of the work, and that due attention has been paid to the probable force of the wind on it. Tf constructed, it will be as rigid as though built of stone, and will, from its circular shape, expose very littlo surface to the wind. %%, will be the loftiest structure ever built by man, '* designed by American engineers, reared by American mechanics, and constructed of material, purely the produce of American soil " But, Cvi bono ? There answer to that question, by anticipation, is that the Americans may ''make themselves a a name # " Nothing more. \

" Yankee Grab," a gaijne well understood and too well practiced in Wanganui, has been made penal. The llth section of " The Wellinton Publican's House Management Act," lately passed through the Council, says : " If any licensed publican shall permit any game of "chance or skill to be played by persons under sixteen years of age, or to be pbyed for money or moneys worth by persous above that age. in or upon the premises with respect to which he shall be a holder of a license under the said Act, he and the parties engaged iv such- game shall severally be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds, and the said licensed publican shall on a second conviction forfeit his license, and be incapable of holding another within the Province of Wellington for six months after s^chconvictiiQn,"