THE MAIN EXHIBITION HALL.
He agreed to furnish the very first quality of soapstone for the masonry, and to use Castile only, for the girders. The following were the chief points of the contract:—
1st. The building to form a parallelopipedon, in order to secure the choicest location to each exhibitor.
2d. To be thoroughly waterproof. Dr. McFadden of the Aqua Fontana department, and several other eminent surgeons, to fill it up to the ceiling as a test previous to the opening. The contractors to take it back if the test proved unsatisfactory.
3d. The walls to be of gutta percha; to be distributed after the closing of the exhibition to the pupils of the public schools for chewing and erasing purposes.
4th. A transcript to meander through the centre of the building, with a knave to right and left. Cucumber pumps of the Louis Quatorze pattern on the east and west detours, alternating with eight green cellar doors, to give the same effect and finish which marked the tout ensemble of the Vienna buildings. A main curricle on the right to be flanked by iron decades, with arched approaches for bipeds, tripods, and quadrilaterals.
5th. The general appearance of the exterior to favor the Polynesian style, which is replete with architectural beauties. Fac similes of the Tower of Babel, Tower of London, Leaning Tower of Pisa, and Tower Hall, to adorn the four corners. The trusses and bandages supporting the roof, to be of purple and fine linen, with brass mountings. The roof itself to be perpetually covered with wet towels, to guard against sunstroke.
6th. The centre aisle to be covered with canton flannel matting, with the grass sloping up to the back door. Nineteen hotel candles to illuminate the ground floor, with a citrate of magnesia light in the attic window.
This extraordinary structure was completed according to agreement, and upon being weighed at the corner grocery, kicked the beam at 1234567890 pounds, 19 shillings and sixpence.
Mr. Dobbins was also entrusted with the erection of