A MAMMOTH UNDERTAKING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1785, 11 September 1884, Page 2

A MAMMOTH UNDERTAKING.

The buildings now erecting in the city of New Orleans for a gigantic exhibition of the world's industries promise to surpass the London fair!in size, and even the Philadelphia, centennial in the number of exhibits,

The largest exposition structure ever erected heretofore, was the London building of 1862 for the world's fair, which contained 1,400,000 square feet. The main building at New Orleans will contain 1,650,000 square feet, requiring 9,000,000 ft of lumber, 4,500 kegs of nails, and 5,000 boxes of glass in tho construction. It will bo 60ft high, with-a tower 115 ft, and have a music hall in tho centre with a seating capacity of 11,000. The platform is to be,built for 600 : musicians. To light the building will require 15,000 incandescent lamps or 790 arc lights, and the steam required for the building will be over 3,000 horse power. The horticultural hall is a handsome structure, 600,; feet long by 194 feet-wide in ■ the centre, with glass roof and glass' tower 90ft high. This building is -'being'constructed-by a New York contractor, and will le the largest conservatory in the world. It is designed to arrange around the sides specimens of tho choicest plants from Mexico, Central America, Florida, California, and all parts of the United States and Canada, and a special commissioner visits Europe for the purpose of securing specimens of fruits and plants in order to make this display international in character, The centre of this hall will be devoted to an international fruit d.splay, presenting 20,000 plates or varieties. The largest fruit exhibit ever made heretofore was 11,000 plates.

The art gullery will be composed of specimens of the mardles and stones of the various' States and territories, and of such foreign countries as may send specimens,

Grounds have been set apart to show cotton, sugar, rice, jute, etc., .growing in the field and experimental gardens are provided for,'' Near the river accommodations are provided for about forty saw mills, to be supplied with logs and exhibited in motion, and opposite these mills buildings are being constructed for woodwork, brick, and tho factories in operation.

It was originally designed to bring together all persons engaged in the culture, commerce and manufacture of cotton, with a view of comparing processes and of devising methods for improving cultivation, removing commercial restrictions and charges, and to celebrate the centennial of a product which clothes a great portion of tho civilized world. New Orleans has been chosen as the location for an exhibition designed to celebrate the centennial of cotton exportation from this country, and at the same timo embrace an exhibit of the world's industries.

One of the most important features of this exposition is the interest manifested by transportation." line. 1 One hundred and sixty railroads of the United States and Canada havo agreed to carry passengers at a maximum rate of 1 cent, per mile each way, and in many cases the special excursion rates will be one-half and three-quarters of a cent, per mile. The fare from 'Now York to New Orleans is now £lO, or L2O for the round trip. At the reduced rate an exposition ticket would cost about £5 12s 6d for the round trip. The exposition will open in midwinter, say the first of December, and continue six months. It is proposed"' to erect a building almost as large as the main building now under construction, and to group in it all of the United States Government exhibits, and collective exhibits of the natural resources of all the states and territories, Profiting by experience and having become aware of the great benefits of expositions, thirty-two states and territories have already applied for space at New Orleans. 'lhe following applications for space have already been received ; Sq.ft. Fourteen foreign Governments ,„ 175,000 Foreign individuals and firms ... 210,000 United States Government exhibits ... 200,000 States and territories 400,000 Miscellaneous exhibitors, United States ' ... 900,000 Totals 1,885,000 The miscellaneous exhibits at the Philadelphia centennial covered about 750,000 ft. of space, and the total exhibits required about 1,200,000 ft. of floor space. Many of the application for space in the New Orleans exposition can be reduced, but. it is evident that additional buildings will be required to accommodate the demands from all parts of the world.