Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission Part 33

One of the most interesting and, as far as the interior scheme of decoration is concerned, the most artistic of the various foreign buildings in the World's Fair grounds, was that of the Austrian Empire.

It was most prominently situated at the western end of Administration avenue, immediately opposite the Administration Building of the World's Fair. The garden at the west end of the pavilion, though small, attracted a great deal of attention on account of its artistic beauty.

Morning-glory and other vines had been planted around the building, and before the close of the fair had covered the walls and added much to the beauty of the structure.

The Austrian Government Building was of impressionistic architecture. It was 60 meters long, 35 meters wide, and built in the form of a T. From the transepts a middle aisle, 24 meters broad, extended to the building line. On either side of the aisle exits led to the loggias and to the lawns. The pavilion was built of wood and all the rooms had skylights.

The style of architecture and decoration was modern, with a cla.s.sical toning. The exterior of the building was faced with a grayish, yellow-colored gypsum, shaded with gold, dark blue, and light green. Two groups of figures, above life size, adorned the main porch of the central building. The imperial coat of arms, with a crown surrounded by a large wreath, was raised above the center of the pavilion, and to the right and left two sphinxes crowned the gables. The center building (garden front) was finished with two enormous square pylons, with festoons and masks and decorated with all the coats of arms of the Austrian crown lands. Four stela-bearing gilded busts were symmetrically placed along the front of the flower beds, in which monumental fountains had been erected. The interior of the building was divided into fifteen rooms. To the left and right of the entrance hall, which was adorned with a marble bust of the Emperor, were the official apartments, one of which was meant as a library and reading room and the other as a reception room. Beyond the entrance hall was the technical exhibition of the ministry of railways, which likewise occupied the room on the left-hand side for an exhibition, "Sceneries and People of Austria." The hall to the right was devoted to the department of the ministry of commerce for the building of waterways. At the back part of the middle aisle a large hall was devoted to the exhibits of the professional art schools, and two smaller ones showed interiors executed by the schools for arts and crafts in Vienna and Prague. The fine-arts exhibits of the Vienna Artists' a.s.sociation and of the a.s.sociation called "Hagenbund"

were on the right of the transepts; pictures by Bohemian and Polish artists on the opposite side.

The artists and artisans who took part in building and decorating the Austrian Government pavilion were as follows: The plans of the whole building, the entrance hall, the two halls of the ministry of railways, and the hall containing the exhibition of waterways were designed by the chief architect, Oberbaurat Ludwig Bauman, Josef Meissner subst.i.tuting him in the superintendence of the works; contractor J. Lecoeur.

The library was designed by Leopold Bauer, architect, and the architect Joseph Pleonik designed the reception room.

The plastic on the outside of the building was delivered by the sculptor Othmar Schimkowitz. The figurate frieze in the library was the work of the painter Josef Engerhart. The painter Ferdinand Andri executed the frescoes on the facade and Meinrich Tomec those in the department for waterways. The Emperor's bust, which was made of La.s.sar marble and which had been executed in the workshop of the Tyrol Marble and Porphyry Company (Fritz Zeller), Laas (Tyrol), was a copy of Professor Stra.s.ser's model.

The relief "Empress Elizabeth" (allegory) in the reception room was by the late Rudolf Weigl, sculptor.

Sandor Jaray had been intrusted with the interior decorations and fittings. The carpets were delivered by J. Ginskey, Maffendorf, and the ornamental locksmith work by Alexander Nehr.

The mosaic and artistic work was done by Max Freiherr von Spann and Johann Kappner; the fancy needlework by Carl Giani; the inlaid work (intarsia) by Michael Kehl, Josef Duchoslav, and Franz Makienec, and the bronze works by Johann Hastach, Carl Kratky, J. Schubert, and A.T.

Lange. On account of the beauty of its furnishings and the harmonious color schemes of the interior the pavilion was especially attractive to women visitors to the fair.

Austria is the home of the European alpine railways. The oldest, the Semmering Railway, constructed in 1848-1854, lies on the South Railway main line from Vienna to Trieste and is the first mountain railway conducted exclusively on the adhesive principle. Then followed the Brenner Railway (1864-1867), the shortest railway communication between central Germany via Tyrol to Italy (Verona), and the Arlberg Railway (1880-1884), which opened up the route via Tyrol and Vorarlberg to the west (Switzerland and France). Four great panoramas in the exhibition showing the above-mentioned alpine railways were witness to Austria's prominence in this special field of railway technique. One room in the pavilion was devoted to the models of alpine railways. There were also plans of the lines, photographic views of buildings and of the tracks of the first three mentioned lines, which are in full working order. The lines in course of construction were further ill.u.s.trated by models of tunnels, scaffoldings, foundations of arched bridge (with span of 80 meters) over the Isonzo (littoral lands of Austria), with statistical calculations and charts of the largest vaulted bridges ever built, and photographic views of the working in the Karaw.a.n.ken and Wocheiner tunnels. Among the other exhibits in this department may be mentioned a model of the groundwork of the Austrian State railways for express trains, photos of the imperial court train and of the newest locomotives and pa.s.senger carriages of the Austrian State railways, as well as plans for iron bridges, groundwork, locomotives, and pa.s.senger carriages of the State railways. The work published for the Emperor's jubilee, "History of the Railways of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy," together with a number of other publications on the statistics, pedagogy, and technique of railways, were exhibited. Finally, there was a chart of the railways of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy on a scale of 1:1000000.

For a long time the Austrian ministry of railways set itself the task of drawing the attention of the traveling public to the beauties of the scenery and the ethnographical charms in which Austria abounds, and thus inducing them to visit the country. To gain this end the ministry issued various publications, opened inquiry offices, and arranged exhibitions.

The exhibition "Sceneries and People of Austria" in the Government pavilion was arranged, with the cooperation of several artists, for the same object. The exhibit princ.i.p.ally consisted of a collection of views of the most beautiful parts of Austria, especially the Austrian Alps, and pictures of Austrian national life. Photographs taken by the best photographers, as well as a number of artistic amateur photos, representing important traveling districts in Austria (99 in all), were enlarged and reproduced as pigment prints or linographs. Two series of photographic prints were exhibited also, one consisting of Austrian castles and strongholds and the other of various favorite alpine resorts. Further, a selection of alpine and traveling works in luxurious editions were shown.

The whole exhibition was finished off with a collection of 14 pictures of costumes and sport, arranged like a frieze and ill.u.s.trating special Austrian national scenes. Four bronze statuettes, viz, "Chamois-hunter,"

"Alpine tourist," "Ski sportsman," "Alpine dairy woman," had been placed in the room as decorations.

The exhibition of models, plans, and photographs of the existing and projected ca.n.a.l for deep-draft ships, arranged by the department of the ministry of commerce for the building of waterways, offered a general view of the whole network of the Austrian waterways, comprising those of the Danube, Moldau, and Elbe rivers, together with the system of ca.n.a.ls.

The beautiful landscape of the river sides was shown by means of views of the Danube, contained in an alb.u.m, while the plans, photographs, and models exhibited by the Danube Regulation Commission showed the river courses, the harbor in lower Austria and Vienna, as well as the construction for regulating the water level in the Vienna-Danube Ca.n.a.l.

A map of Prague showed the harbor and ca.n.a.l construction works, some finished and others projected, in the precincts of the town. The drawings and photos exhibited in a corner of the hall by the Aussig-Teplitz Railway Company ill.u.s.trated the position and traffic of the harbor of Aussig, the most important inland harbor of Austria. The charts, in addition to giving a view of the position of the ca.n.a.ls and rivers, with ca.n.a.ls projected, showed also longitudinal sections of the Danube-Oder Ca.n.a.l.

The exhibitions of the State professional art schools, arranged by the imperial royal ministry of public instruction, Vienna, gave an idea of the work done by these inst.i.tutions. The exhibition was arranged in three divisions, the first two containing the exhibits of the schools for arts and crafts in Vienna and Prague (the largest of their kind in Austria) and the third the work of the other professional art schools.

The decoration of the two interiors of the schools for arts and crafts, Vienna (Director Felizian Freiherr von Myrbach) and Prague (Director Georg Stibral), as well as all the objects exhibited in these divisions, were designed at the above inst.i.tutions and executed by the pupils. The organization of the "collective exhibition" of the other professional art schools was intrusted to the inspector of these schools and Hofrat Arthur von Scala, director of the Austrian Museum, Vienna. The interior and the exhibits themselves were executed in the workshops of 46 different professional art schools, with the cooperation of the pupils.

The amount of money appropriated by the Austrian Government for the partic.i.p.ation of the Austrian Empire at the exposition was 1,100,000 crowns (about $220,000). The appropriation, however, was almost exclusively made for the display of Austria in connection with the Austrian Government Pavilion. The appropriated amount had to cover the expense for the erection of the pavilion and its installation, as well as the installation of two rooms in the Fine Arts Building, where the Vienna Artists' a.s.sociation had an additional display. The appropriated amount had also to cover the transportation of the Austrian Government exhibits as well as the expense of the reshipment of same. The Government provided the 1,100,000 crowns not only for the erection of the pavilion and its sculptural works, but for the expenses of installation, transportation, etc. Part of this money was used by the various Government partic.i.p.ants, viz:

(1) The imperial royal railroad ministry.

(2) The imperial royal department of waterways of Austria.

(3) The imperial royal ministry of education.

(4) And finally by four fine art a.s.sociations. These fine art a.s.sociations were: (1) the Vienna Artists' a.s.sociation, (2) the "Hagenbund" Artists' a.s.sociation of Vienna, (3) the Bohemian artists, and (4) the Polish Artists.

The fine art a.s.sociations had their display each in one room of the thirteen contained in the Austrian Government Pavilion. The Vienna Artists' a.s.sociation had also two rooms covering the Austrian section in the Fine Arts Building.

In reference to the commercial exhibit, a number of prominent individuals of Austria organized an exhibition of the manufacturers of Austria. They secured a number of partic.i.p.ants, mostly gla.s.s and porcelain manufacturers as well as leather and jewelry merchants of Austria. Their exhibits representing Austria were displayed in the Manufactures Building, Varied Industries Building, Liberal Arts Building, and in the Agricultural Building.

BRAZIL.

By decree No. 4897 of July 21, 1903, the President of the Republic of Brazil sanctioned the act of Congress making an appropriation of $600,000 giving the Government authorization for the representation of Brazil at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

On the 27th of the same month the following commissioners were appointed:

Col. F.M. De Souza Aguiar, president; Maj. J. Da Cunha Pires, secretary and commissioner; Mr. J. Da Motta, a.s.sistant commissioner; Mr. Antonio Olyntho, commissioner; Mr. J.C. Alves de Lima, commissioner; Dr. A. Da Graca Couto, commissioner; Commodore J.C. Do Carvalho, commissioner; Commodore A. Correa, commissioner; Mr. J.A. Dos Santos, commissioner; Mr. A.J. Da Costa Couto, commissioner; Mr. Ferreira Ramos, commissioner; Capt. J. Cordeiro da Graca, commissioner; Mr. Eugenio Dahne, a.s.sistant commissioner; Mr. E. Da Rocha Dias, aide; Air. Ricardo Mardock and Mr.

A.C. Lopes Goncalves, commissioners from State of Amazonas.

One of the most attractive exhibits at the World's Fair was offered by Brazil. That country showed itself so rich and diversified in resources as to astonish the public, and in keeping with its large exhibit erected a building which soon became one of the features of the fair.

The Brazilian Building, which was designed and personally supervised by the commissioner-general, Col. F.M. de Souza Aguiar, was located in the southwestern part of the section occupied by the foreign governments, having on its north the Belgian, Cuban, and Chinese buildings, and on the east that of Nicaragua, on the south those of France and India, and on the west the Forestry, Fish and Game, Italian, and Administration buildings.

In the center of the grounds, surrounded by lawns with flower beds and wide gravel walks, stood the Brazilian Building in the French renaissance style of architecture. The main cornice, 80 feet high, was supported by eight groups of three columns each at the corners and sides of the two entrances of the building, and by six single columns at each loggia. These thirty-six columns were of the corinthian style of architecture, without the fluting ordinarily used with this particular column, and were ornamented only at the lower third of the shaft with the Brazilian coat of arms between floral festoons. Projecting above the roof of the building were three domes, two of which, on either loggia, were spherical in form, being 44 feet in diameter, while the apex of the central dome attained a height of 135 feet. The dome was octagonal in shape, having at each corner an exterior b.u.t.tress, adorned with a large statue at its top. Encircling the same was a gallery from which could be viewed the greater part of the exposition grounds and the surrounding country. Above the cornice of the building was a bal.u.s.trade decorated with shields, showing the coats of arms of the twenty-one States of Brazil.

The main floor was reached by means of a flight of nineteen granitoid steps on either the north or south side of the building, which led through two s.p.a.cious porticoes. The second floor formed one large room only, the ceiling of which was divided into rectangular panels, supported by thirty-two Doric columns. The second floor was reached also by a majestic double staircase, where a s.p.a.cious reception room, two apartments for ladies, and the offices of the commission were situated.

In the center of the reception room was a marble statue representing "the Feast," mounted on a large pedestal and encircled by an upholstered settee. Above this statue the large central dome opened, supported by eight columns, which formed an interior gallery.

In simplicity, stateliness, and beauty of outline the Brazilian Pavilion was equal to any of the foreign buildings on the grounds. Its dome rose 90 feet above the main structure, which covered 191 by 132 feet, and it soon became known as a landmark in the foreign government section of the fair.

The interior decorations of the building were entirely in keeping with the magnificent exterior. The apartments were sumptuously furnished and decorated with rare statues. The colored gla.s.s which ornamented the central dome gave a soft tint to the furnishings beneath. On the walls were hung interesting photographs and charts ill.u.s.trating the chief industry of the country-coffee culture. This industry was further demonstrated by machinery of the most improved pattern, showing the process of preparing coffee for the market. In sacks, in gla.s.s jars, and cases, coffee beans ranging in size from furled grains as small as peas to flat beans as large as cocoa beans were displayed. To ill.u.s.trate the abundance of the product Brazil had built here a fountain which poured forth coffee beans instead of water. At night rows of electric lights, outlining the same, took the place of the Brazilian and American flags, which ornamented it by day. There were fifteen hundred of these lights distributed throughout the building, some cl.u.s.tered in rich chandeliers from the center of the reception halls and loggias, others placed in rows to outline galleries and dome.

In addition to the appropriation of $600,000 made by the Federal Government, many of the States contributed all the expenses toward propaganda, collection and transportation of exhibits from their own individual territories. The installations and booths (ten in all) in the exposition building were made at the expense of the Brazilian Government at a cost of $70,000. The cost of the main building, complete with its furnishings and improvement of grounds, was $135,000. The cost of transportation of exhibits from Brazil to St. Louis was $30,000. In all, Brazil had 2,400 exhibitors in 14 departments out of 16.

CANADA.

The government of the Dominion of Canada was represented at the World's Fair by the exhibition branch of the department of agriculture of Canada. This branch was organized some years ago for the purpose of collecting, installing, and maintaining exhibits at expositions where the government of Canada was officially represented. The personnel of the exhibition branch is as follows: Hon. Sidney A. Fisher, minister of agriculture; William Hutchinson, exhibition commissioner; W.A. Burns, secretary and a.s.sistant to the commissioner; W.H. Hay, decorator; S.

Anderson, superintendent of installation.

The government and products of Canada were represented at the fair in several exhibits, viz, an official building or pavilion; a collection of minerals and mining products in the Palace of Mines and Metallurgy; a display of the grains, gra.s.ses, and the agricultural products in the Palace of Agriculture; an exhibit of all the various fruits grown in the Dominion in the Palace of Horticulture; a special exhibit of the forest products of Canada showing the great variety of timber, bark, pulp wood, etc., in a building erected especially for the purpose; also a varied collection of the larger and smaller game, fish, etc., together with specimens of all the numerous varieties of wood produced in the forests and inland waters of the Dominion, exhibited in the Forestry, Fish, and Game Building, and in a special exhibit of live beaver in the same building.

As an appropriation for the installation of these exhibits the government of Canada made a preliminary grant of $150,000, which was supplemented by further appropriations for maintenance aggregating $175,000, making a total of $325,000.

The official pavilion was a structure built after the fashion of a clubhouse, located near the north entrance to the Palace of Agriculture, costing, with forestry building in rear, about $35,000. This building was furnished throughout with the products of Canadian factories and decorated with the work of Canadian artists, all suggestive of the natural wealth, progress, and enterprise of the country.

The mining exhibit occupied a s.p.a.ce of 10,000 square feet, and comprised large quant.i.ties of coal and all the coa.r.s.er metal ores, together with an extensive collection of all the finer metals minerals, building stones, and every product of the mines known to science and commerce.

The agricultural exhibit occupied a s.p.a.ce of 12,000 square feet, and consisted of a large central figure in the form of an octagonal trophy rising to a height of 60 feet, in which were artistically worked over three hundred gra.s.ses, grains, and plants, all grown in Canada, and decorated with landscape views of the various breeds of cattle raised in the Dominion. On either side of this central figure was a pedestal of maple sugar and honey, respectively, and in the rear other products of tobacco, grain, flour, breadstuffs, etc.

The horticultural display consisted of a varied collection of all the fruits grown in Canada, comprising ninety-four varieties of apples in their natural state, taken from cold storage, and a large collection of pears, peaches, plums, grapes, currants, gooseberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, and everything included in horticulture, presented in gla.s.s jars as well as in their natural state throughout their respective seasons.

The special exhibit of forest products consisted of sections of the great fir trees, pines, cedars, oaks, hemlocks, birch, ash, walnut, cherry, etc., and specimens of rough and polished lumber from every variety of wood grown in the Dominion, together with a large pyramid of pulp wood, of which Canada possesses millions of acres, railway ties, tan bark, etc.

In the Forestry, Fish, and Game Building the exhibit consisted of an unique arch or bridge structure with a double span covering 80 feet, and on this structure and under it were numerous specimens of moose, deer, elk, buffalo, mountain goat, polar, grizzly, and brown bears, and every fur-bearing animal to be found in America. There was also a fine collection of game birds and water fowls, fish, etc. In this bridge structure was worked over three thousand varieties of wood, all grown in Canada. In another section of the building was shown a pool containing a family of live beaver, an interesting animal common to the streams and lakes of Canada.