THE SINGING TOWER

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 110, 3 February 1930, Page 9

THE SINGING TOWER

A CARILLON IN FLORIDA ERECTED BY EDWARD BOK

(By

H.P.)

Only two weeks ago was announced the death of Mr. Edward Bok, the proprietor and editor of the “Ladies' Home Journal,” probably the most popular magazine for women in the world. Mr. Bok was an idealist. He not only worked to make success, but he would never rest content —he always aimed for the highest peak, and, in his way usually reached the top. j Mention is made of Mr. Bok, as there is something in common between one of his ideals and that of Wellington. The reference is to the provision of a carillon tower in connection with what one hopes will be the Empire City’s inspirational edifice on Mount Cook. What the citizens of Wellington are doing in the provision of a singing tower, Edward Bok did for Florida, and such is the architectural beauty of the tower at Mountain Lake, which stands impressively alone and remote from any other structure, that it has been called America’s “Taj Mahal,” so exquisite are its proportions, so beautiful its setting. Dreary Waste Converted. It was in 1924 that Mr. Bok conceived the idea of his singing tower, and directed F. L. Olmsed, a talented landscape gardener, to prepare the site out of what was a dreary waste of sandhills boasting nothing, save an elevation of 324 ft. above the sea. and a few hundred virgin pine trees. With this as a start artist transformed the countryside which had first of all to be drained, and provision made for irrigation. It was planted so as to provide ideal vistas against the time when the trees would “spread their leafy arms in prayer.” That was five years ago. In February last year—exactly a year ago to-day—Presi-dent Coolidge visited Mountain Lake to dedicate this lovely thing to the American people. Where was rough stones, sand, and weeds, is now a very fine stretch of park lands., in the centre of which rises in its majesty the Edward Bok singing tower, 205 ft. in height—exactly 100 ft. higher than anyone in Wellington is permitted to build by by-law. And all around this monumental pillar of warmtoned granite is sanctuary—that air of quietful repose and serene atmosphere so essential to the music of the carillon. The area round the tower —about 50 acres —ensures that not even a motor-car can come within 400 ft. ptlhe tower, so that the even the sound .of the most raucous motor-car horn is softened by distance. Wellington people will be able to visualise this area by thinking of the aerodrome at Rongotai. Ranked with Taj Mahal. The commission for the tower was given to the late Milton B. Medary, of Philadelphia, for a tower to be as beautiful as that at Malines, Belgium—the inspiration for architecture for over 400 years—but adapted to the gentler and warmer climate of Florida. Mr. Meddry worked for months at sketches until he was himself satisfied with the final Gothic example he produced. How beautiful is his conception may best be proven by the fact that every travelled visitor who sees it now. in its completed state, is immediately reminded of the Taj Mahal, in India, and unhesitatingly ranks it with that world-renowned tomb, both in its whole and its detail of stone and its wealth of sculpture as designed and executed. in this instance, by the sculptor, Lee Lawrie. In order that the enormous weight of the tower —5500 tons —might have a sufficiently stable basis on which to rest, there were sunk into the ground 160 reinforced concrete piles, varying in depth from 13ft. to 24ft. under ground, with a concrete covering mat 2ft. 6in. thick. The tower rises from its foundation base of 51ft. to a height of 205 ft., changing its form by graceful lines at the point of 150 ft. until it becomes octagonal, measuring 37ft. at the top. Its eight windows are of Gothic lace pattern worked in faience, each window of a height of 35 ft., behind which are suspended the bells. The first structure was of steel construction to the top, then a brick wall beginning at the base 4ft. 4in. thick, and finally, as the outer covering, a layer of the most beautiful pink marble from the Georgia mable quarries, with the base up to 150 ft. of native Florida coquina rock —tan in its colour —the same as was used by the Spaniards in the. old fort at Saint Augustine. It is the perfect blend of these mixtures of stone that gives the tower its soft and unbelievable tone of beauty, particularly at sunrise when the rising orb fairly bathes the pink marble and brings out its marvellous tpne.- The same is true in the ruby glow of the setting sun. • Inside the Tower. Inside the tower one enters into a private room created for the owner, superbly made, as is the outside of the tower, entirely of pink marble and coquina rock, with two large windows beautifully carved above the glass, an elaborate carving. . j over the open fireplace, and a superb treatment of the most delicately traced ironwork in the way of stairs leading up into the tower for those who choose to walk. Bub there is also an elevator for those who prefer to ride the tower’s 205 ft.—the equal of a 20-story skyscraper. > Above the private room the utilitarian enters, by the introduction of two thirty-thousand-gallon water-tanks, ensuring the sanctuary’s private water-supply drawn by electric power from Mountain Lake, a few hundred yards distant. Above these tanks is the bell-master’.s room, where is the playing console, and above that the bell-chamber, which is thirtyfive feet high. The carillon of bells is the largest ever cast by the Taylor Foundry at Loughborough, England. It consists of 71 bells of 48 tones (as against Wellington’s 49), or four octaves, the 18 upper tones being duplicated and ringing two at a time so as to avoid the inevitable tinny sound of small bells. The largest bell, the tenor bell as it is called, weighs 11 tons, or 23,400 pounds; the smallest bells weigh each 17 pounds. A 15-foot-wide moat, suggestive of Old World castles, surrounds the tower, with pockets of earth in the inner side of the walls, so as to allow of rock plants being introduced.