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Seeing the Lights Fade



We went over to the South Gardens to see the lights change on the Tower of Jewels; passing the half…dome of Philosophy; the stained glass of the windows enveiling the background。 They were still robing the tower in pure white; and the hundred thousand pieces of Austrian cut glass were shimmering。 〃They must have had a hard time getting those jewels fastened on the ornamentation of the upper tiers。 The wind up there is very strong。 Some of the men came near being blown off。 It took pretty expert acrobatic work to hang the jewels out on the extreme edges。

Suddenly the lights on the tower glowed into red。 The tower itself seemed to become thinner and finer in outline。

〃There are people who don't like this color;〃 said the architect。 〃It's fashionable nowadays to feel a prejudice against red。 But it is one of the most beautiful colors in nature and one of nature's greatest favorites; associated with fire and with flowers。 To me the tower is never so beautiful as it is when the red light seemed to burn from a fire inside。 See how it tends to eliminate the superfluous ornamentation。 It brings out the grace of line in the upper tiers; like folded wings。 With just a few eliminations the improvement in that tower would be astonishing。〃

Presently the lights in the tower went out altogether。 The four Italian towers also grew dim。 It was getting late。 People were hurrying out。 But we lingered。 We wished to see this city of domes as it appeared without any lights at all; except for those that were kept burning to meet the requirements of the law。

For an hour we roamed about the deserted place。 Here and there we would meet a belated visitor or a group of people from some indoor festivity。

The material had taken on a finer quality。 It looked like stone。 Wonderful as the Exposition was by day and in the evening; it was far more wonderful at this hour。

Now it was easy to imagine the scene as a city; with the inhabitants asleep in their beds。 But just what kind of city it was I could not make up my mind。 When I expressed this thought to the architect; he said:

〃Have you ever seen David Roberts' big illustrated volumes; 'Travels in the Holy Land'? If you haven't; look them up。 Then you will see what kind of a city this city is。 It's a city of Palestine。 It's Jerusalem and Jaffa and Akka all over again。〃



Features that Ought to be Noted by Day



The South Gardens



Hedge。 Idea suggested by W。 B。 Faville; of Bliss & Faville; architects; of San Francisco; and developed by John McLaren; landscape gardener and superintendent of the Golden Gate Park; San Francisco; to give impression of old English wall。 African dew plant grown in shallow boxes; two inches deep; covered with wire netting。

Design of entrance at Scott Street; by Joseph J。 Rankin。

South Gardens; French in character; with suggestions of Spanish。 Planting by John McLaren。

In center; 〃Fountain of Energy;〃 by A。 Stirling Calder; acting chief of sculpture; French influence。 Expresses triumph of energy that built the canal。 Youth on horseback; standing in stirrups; 〃Energy。〃 Figures on shoulders; 〃Fame〃 and 〃Valor。〃 Figures on globe; two hemispheres; Western; bull…man; Eastern; lioness…woman。 Figures on base; sea…spirits。 Upright figure on globe; Panama。 Large figures in pool; the oceans: The Atlantic; a woman with coral in her hair; riding on back of armored fish; North Sea; an Eskimo hunting on back of walrus; Pacific; a woman on back of large sea lion; and South Sea; a negro on back of trumpeting sea…elephant。 Sea…maidens on dolphins' backs; in pool。

To right and left; in front of Festival Hall; and Horticultural Palace; at ends of long pools; French fountain of 〃The Mermaid;〃 figure; by Arthur Putnam; of San Francisco。

To right; large building; Festival Hall; by Robert Farquhar; of Los Angeles; French theatre architecture。 Studied from the theatres of the Beaux Arts style of French architecture。 Details; French Renaissance developed from the Italian influence。

To right; Press Building; designed and built by the Exposition; Harris H。 D。 Connick; Director of Works。

To left; large building; Palace of Horticulture; Bakewell & Brown; architects。

To left; Young Women's Christian Association。

French light standards; by Walter D'Arcy Ryan and P。 E。 Denneville。

French ornamental vases; filled with flowers; by E。 F。 Champney。

The wall; by Faville; with ornamental Spanish entrances; runs around main courts and palaces; making the walled city。 Tiled roofs suggesting mission architecture; associated with early California missions; a style developed from the Spanish。

Four smaller towers; two on either side of large tower; by George W。 Kelham; of San Francisco; Italian Renaissance。

Sand on walks; selected by Jules Guerin for its pink color to harmonize with color scheme。 Binds together buildings; its pink harmonizing with pink of walls。 Grains of sand in walks translucent。

Flag poles; ornamented with gilt star; by Faville。 Orange…colored streamers by Guerin。

Heraldic designs related to history of Pacific Coast; by Ryan。

Thoroughfare running along wall and lined with palms; Avenue of Palms。

Equestrian statue; to right of Tower of Jewels; by Charles Niehaus; 〃Cortez;〃 conquerer of Mexico。

Equestrian statue; to left; by Charles Cary Rumsey; 〃Pizarro;〃 conqueror of Peru。 Fine in action and spirit。



Tower of Jewels



Main tower breaking southern wall; facing South Gardens; the Tower of Jewels; by Thomas Hastings; of Carrere & Hastings; New York。 Developed from Italian Renaissance architecture; with Byzantine modifications; and designed to suggest an Aztec tower; 433 feet high; original intention to make it 100 feet higher。

Inscriptions on wall at base of tower chosen by Porter Garnett of Berkeley; explain steps that led to building of Panama Canal; celebrated by Exposition。 On both sides of inscriptions Roman fasces denoting public authority。 From left to right: 〃1501 Rodrigo de Bastides pursuing his course beyond the West Indies discovers Panama〃; 〃1513 Vasco Nunes de Balboa crosses the Isthmus of Panama and discovers the Pacific Ocean〃; 〃1904 the United States; succeeding France; begins operations on the Panama Canal〃; 〃1915 the Panama Canal is opened to the commerce of the world。〃

Large Composite columns on base。 Arched capitals with acanthus; ornamented with the American eagle; the nude figure of child; and ornamental design suggesting California fruits。 Colored to resemble Sienna marble。

Corinthian columns at either side; eagles at corners of capital; human head above。

Figures by John Flanagan; of New York; represent types in early California history: Spanish adventurer of sixteenth century; who came to California and started Spanish influence; priest; who brought the Catholic religion to California Indians; philosopher; or scholar and teacher; and the Spanish warrior; the soldier of sixteenth century; who came to win territory for Spanish king。 Above cornice of tower stand four figures on each of the four sides; twice life…size。

Between statues by Flanagan; square decorative panels; youthful figures with wreath; repeated on north of tower。 Designed by Hastings; modelled by Newman and Evans; New York。

Armored horsemen on terrace; by F。 M。 L。 Tonetti; type of Spanish soldier。 Repeated four times on each side。 Well modeled; but damaged in effect by being placed in row。

Rows of eagles on niches of tower; symbol of American initiative。

Decorative vase on wings of tower; Italian。 Use of ram's head below bowl。

Wreaths of laurel under eagles; rewards of courage; suggesting triumph of building canal。

Prows of triremes; at corners on third lift; denoting worldwide commerce。

Ornamental use of niches; columns; vases; head…piece; breastplates; shields; the pagan bull; Cleopatra's Needle。

Human figures supporting globe; encircled with girdle; point of tower; suggest Atlas; ancient idea; somewhat like the group of the four quarters of the world by Jean Baptiste Carbeaux in the gardens of the Luxembourg。

Tower broken into seven stages。 Horizontal lines have flattening effect; tower does not appear so high as it really is。

One hundred and thirty…five thousand jewels on tower; suspended to vibrate。 Ruby; emerald; aquamarine; white; yellow。 Made in Austria; of Sumatra stone。

Arch of Tower of Jewels; 110 feet high; 60 feet broad; fine example of Roman arch; like Arch of Constantine and Arch of Titus。

Figure of Minerva on centerpiece of arch; north and south。

Recessed or coffered panels in ceiling; richly colored; blue harmonizing with murals on east and west walls。

Murals by William de Leftwich Dodge; of New York。 To west; 〃Atlantic and the Pacific;〃 with the 〃Purchase〃 to right; and the 〃Discovery〃 to left。 Opposite; 〃Gateway of All Nations;〃 with 〃Labor Crowned〃 and the 〃Achievement〃 on sides。 Tone of murals strengthens arch。 Subjects related to history of California and the Panama Canal。

Fountains; one in each of the colonnades。 To right; 〃Fountain of Youth;〃 by Mrs。 Edith Woodman Burroughs; of Flushing; New York。 Figure of girl; simple and well…modeled; panels at either side show boats; youth rowing the older people; eagle and laurel wreat

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