SOMETHING LIKE A CLOCK TOWER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVIII, Issue 11334, 30 July 1897, Page 3

SOMETHING LIKE A CLOCK TOWER.

Much has been written of the coming wonders of the French Exhibition in 1900, and of tile' wonderful - architectural devices which will ho not the least of the attractions of the visitors to the City of Light. . ..- : „. i > - .• : The'late'st'idea is probably the. greatest, and-if it is put into execution it will probably be the eiglitji wonder of the world, furnishing to human eyes. a veritable palace frOni fairyland; '/'This is to Ha a iAvolving' tower;overt,hreo hundred and sixty feet high, which‘ will'have twenty-four storeys, divided equally into four chief divisions. The lowest two will each have five storeys, the third division six, and the fourth eight. They are intended to contain an exhibition of the electrical appliances which have been devoted to the pleasure of the world.

The tower is to he built ou a central pivot, on which axis it will revolve by means of a powerful hydraulic engine. In this way the visitor, sitting on the balconies, which surround each floor, will be able to obtain a complete view of the panorama of Paris and the surrounding country stretched out at his feet. In addition to all this, there will be theatres and restaurants, dancing-rooms, and numerous other devices for : interesting the public, and extracting from their pockets in the least possible time all the money which they have determined to spend. The chief part of the construction, the columns, capitals, and ornaments will all he of coloured glass, fitted up with innumerable electric lights, so that at night, no less than in the day, will it he a marvel of beauty, its myriad lights. scintillating through a rainbow of colour dazzling to behold. The building is to be - surmounted by. a cock standing on a globe. The cock itself, insignificant as it may look from the ground, will really he sixteen feet high, and its feathers will he of every conceivable colour, while at night it is to be illuminated with twelve hundred electric lights. Its purpose is not to be only ornamental, for at every hour it will flap its wings and crow the time of day.> In addition to this, the hours will be struck by a chime of sixty-four, bells, which will he a signal for a number of huge figures to emerge from the door in the clock tower and go in procession round the balcony. These figures are to represent, metaphorically, telegraphy and photography, as well as steam railways and ballooning. Altogether the project, which was sug-gested-by Mr- Charles Deiba, is one of the most colossal and interesting which the nimble wit of Frenchman ever produced. ' '